Bonneville: Nash And Rambler On The Salt

01 1942 Nash

1941 Nash

 

Nash was pushing technology in 1941. Bodies and frames were no longer separate entities, but were now “unitized,” in Nash parlance. Nash offered three engines that year, an L-head six, and OHV sixes and eights.

I shot this Nash in 1999 at Bonneville before I began carrying a notebook and regularly asking questions. I’m not sure what was under the hood, but either the OHV six or eight would have been my choice. Why else would you run a stock-bodied ‘41 Nash?

 

02 Head C Section

Nash Twin-Ignition

 

The Nash OHV engines were interesting. Both featured twin-plug ignition systems. The six rocked a 235 cu in 7-main bearing block and claimed 105 hp. The eight had 9-main bearings and developed 115 hp from its 261 cu in. Sturdy stuff.

 

03 Rambler

Fire-ass hot Rambler Airflyte

 

This early ‘50 Rambler is less enticing than the ‘41. It came with a pedestrian L-head six that probably excited only misers and spinsters. My guess is that it is now powered by something egregiously powerful, such as a blown big-block Chevy. Again, I shot this in ‘99 before I started asking intelligent questions about the cars at Bonneville.

 

04 Nash Gasser

‘42 Nash Gasser

 

I probably drew this on an evening besotted with wine when I asked myself the question, what would be an unlikely candidate for a late ‘60s gasser like the ones that so enthralled me at the Cordova Dragway in Illinois? Pull out the ol’ Rapidograph and sketch away! Engine? Whatever I wanted, just as long as the headers dumped into collectors exiting the front wheel wells. Didn’t cost nuthin’.

That’s about all I can come up with from my archives that is AMC-Nash related. I think that I once tried to photograph a Pacer and fell asleep while doing so. This can be a nasty business after all.