1949 Nash Ambassador Airflyte barnfind 1st time driven in over 44 years
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- čas přidán 15. 10. 2012
- Come along for a ride in this arcane behemoth !!! It feels so satisfying to drive a car that has sat for so long and required so much work to bring back to life and restore to driver status. This kind of job satisfaction keeps me going. It's my life reward and passion. All brakes, fuel system, engine and chassis repairs now complete. This old Airflyte now purrs like a kitten and stops on a dime. Update: this car is a "Special Super", of course, we all know it it super special....Haha, it has special handwritten in pencil on the fire wall, but, I never thought much about it. Turns out it has been positively identified as a very rare 1949 "Special Super", no other 1949 special supers are known to exist....yet
- Auta a dopravní prostředky
My dad had a 49 Nash Ambassador 2dr Brougham as the first car he drove after getting out of the Navy. It was truly a rare car. The Brougham was the top of the 2 dr Ambassador line and had angled opera seats in the rear and a large wedge armrest in the middle. He loved that car and dated my mom the first year driving it. He later became a Nash/AMC dealer and has loved the marque ever since hes now in his mid 80's
+Robert Collier Wow! I would like to see that car !
My Dad sold Nash products starting in 1948. Salesman of the year award 1952. We owned a 1948 600 and his demo vehicle was a 51 ambassador. We owned 2 57 rebels an a 61 ambassador wagon. Nash and amc was our bread and butter. Thanks for sharing.
Such a cool car. I love these Nash. One of my favorite American cars of the era.
I know. Pretty remarkable.
@@2stroketurbo BUT how far can you turn the front wheels side to side ?? how about removing a wheel?
Our family had one of these '49 Nashes as a second car when I was a kid. My mom HATED that car. She always complained that the small rear window made it hard to back the car or parallel park. Outside of that it was a very well built and durable car. Years later my parents bought a new Rambler Ambassador station wagon, and again the build quality was outstanding!
She should have bought the backup camera option
My dad had a 51. when we were kids. "The Brown Bomber." We were so embarrassed driving around in that thing. Little did we know what was to come and that that car had real class. Yup, had that starter button on the floor. Brings back memories.
Now imagine when she was brand new sitting in the showroom and people ooing and ahhing over it's futuristic styling. And then taking her out on the road for the first time on a test drive!
My father bought in 1955 a Nash four doors 1951, in São Paulo, and I loved it. In Brazil at the fifties a car was very expensive.
Nash made some great Drive-In movies cars.
-it's funny watching how amazed these young guys are with these old cars.
just love the lines on this 40's art-work
Art deco
It really amazes me that these cars are something else. They do not know that they have been sitting for this amount of time. To them, they are still a machine so some gas and a little cleaning and they fire back up. Amazing. Never heard of this one until I saw someone post it as a barn find so I had to figure out what the beauty was. These are neat, glad to see this one is back up and running.
I love these big ole bathtub Nashes! I think they are beautiful cars. Love your video, your enthusiasm is great!
So uplifting to see these cars brought back to life, many have met the crusher. Great job.
I love the stuff they put in old cars, Now days cars or boring
That's because most are in the Japaniod idiom, and all they care about is gas mileage and speed.
I remember seeing old ads for these cars. What I remember is that they always showed that the front seat backs reclined and mated with the rear seat cushion. That formed a bed of sorts and made it possible to sleep in the car.
YOU ARE A GOOD MAN WITH A PASSION FOR DOING SOMETHING GOOD AND WORTHWHILE. YOUR KIDS AND WIFE ARE LUCKY YOU ARE THEIR DAD AND HUSBAND!!
I was going to remark how much he resembles TV personality Bob Saget, host of America's Funniest Home Videos and who played the dad on "Full House."
Nash was an early adopter of unibody, and this is an example. At the time, almost everything else on the road was body-on-frame.
Really neat old car! You definitely don't see these old Nash's anymore. Congratulations on your find and all the work you have put into it :)
Unfortunately, unit-body cars fail badly when they get some rust. That's why there are so few of these left.
very nice such great condition 👏 👍 runs so quietly really clean up nice solid 👍 looks like low mileage could be true 😄
Yes possibly!
Gets me excited to experience the same thing w/ my '47 Nash 600, a barn find as well, that has been in storage since the 50's :p
my mom had the 1959 Rambler Six Super 4 Door which she purchased brand new. Also I enjoyed that 54 Nash that you drove in the video which reminded me of the !958 to 1960 Rambler American Our family has owned many American Motors products such as a 1959 Rambler 6 Super, !960 Rambler 6 Custom, 1966 Rambler American 440 station wagon and a 1973 AMC Hornet Sportabout wagon. AMC made great cars very fuel efficent and long lasting and that 1949 Nash Ambassador you had was awesome.
One of the best drive in movie cars. Seats went down flat.
That's why you don't want your daughter to date a boy who drives a Nash!
I love how they did the "100" on the speedo like they were writing on a blackboard and ran out of room.
What an awesome car! This is exactly how I like to see vintage vehicles,unrestored and in original condition!! LOL
Thanks for the interior tour and the ride. That was fun! What a great car! And nothing beats original!
coronet51 very original !!
I've always loved the bathtub Nash. Never know about the turn signal light on the stalk. Love the extra room and the dashboard that doesn't hang over your knees and rob you of space, like new cars do.
The radio is the most interesting part to me, thank you for showing this car.
That car has very unique styling! Nice!
they need to bring back the light on the turn signal! to many people on the road forget to turn the freakin thing off. Nice work on the car
They do have the light...its usually mounted on the dash somewhere
@@bfun4615 you have a good point. It even makes a click sound. I guess some people will never notice
And the high/low beam foot button on the floor.
I remember riding in these "upside down" bathtubs, great ride and real comfort, in spite of it's ugliness!
Ain't nothing like an Airflyte Nash, you talk about a smooth ride, like a boat...
Sweet car. Amazing innovation for the time. Mounting all the switches and instrument pod on the steering column made assembly easier no doubt.
Don't "restore" it - it is more interesting as a "survivor" car, I think.
restorations are boring! Also this car needs MORE MILES! make the odometer roll over!!!!!
When I was a kid in the 50s, I probably thought this car was dorky. Somehow, now, it's ultra cool. Hindsight...what a trip.
I was born in Kenosha in 1960, and lived a mile from AMC Main... I remember seeing these on the streets in the early 60s, and they were really rare and odd looking even then and even there!
We thought they were weird, with those fared-in front wheels. Now they look fantastic!
@@boggy7665 We thought they, and their owners, were strange!
thanks ! I'm fond of the styling as well, they don't make them like they used to. All cars look alike now adays
Gosh look at that car! I had a toy looking something similar as a boy.. Didn't realise there was a real car like it too!
Brilliant, I love the light-up end on the turn signal stick ... it's those little touches that make a car feel quality :)
And all these great things in your yard, it's real hard for me not to just up and quit my life and come beg to work at your garage... making the coffee, pumping up tyres, scrubbing all the really nasty dirty things that no-one else wants to touch, just to hang around the metal :D
When I was a kid, the doctor who lived next door to us always had a Nash. What I remember most was how quiet they were. They were so quiet that 2nd gear was just as quiet as high gear.
That is awesome! That car is a survivor. The Nash world thanks you for saving it .
My aunt had a '49 or '50 Nash, bought new. Once I asked what the belts were and told seatbelts and some day all cars would have them. (That was c. 1954). I laughed. The front seats also reclined to make a bed. She traded that for a new Corvair in 1962. You could put the Corvair in the trunk for a spare. :)
Hah! I learned to drive in that car...Even bigger....a huge 4 door. Took my drivers test in it as a 16 yr old high school girl....and now....can't even imagine. Fun to see and so glad there are people like you restoring old cars to their original stock design. So few left. Thanks for the great video. Show it again when done!
Saw somewhere that what he was doing here was prepping it for export to a buyer in Germany.
I'm not a car guy, but I love 40s movies and this car really brings that era back in a powerful way. It's the kind of car that the old cartoons would parody, exaggerating the length to make it like a yacht. Great stuff.
Amazing, i love these Nashes, i had a 1953 Nash Ambassador her in England UK, along with many other American Cars ,from the 50s, Packards, Buicks, Olds, Pontiacs , Mercurys, Lincolns, Fords, Edsels etc etc, but always had a soft spot for Nashes, so different, so unusual, bit like Studebakers as in got the style of there own. I now have a collection of 5 Nash Metropolitans, drive them regular, they always get noticed, love em. Great video this, such a big and interesting car and a two door coupe, rare beast
Congratulations with this wonderful piece of car history. Amazing technics and features for the late 40's. I live in the Netherlands, I am looking for a Nash Ambassador of 1950. It costs here a whopping 12 000 Dollars... not in a very good condition. So, it's worth a lot. Not sure I am gonna buy it. But I can imagine that it is fun to drive and own; and taking care of.
I rode in one of these many moon ago when I was a kid, probably 7 or 8 years old. They are HUGE! inside and outside.
That was great!! Thanks for doing this video and ride - wish there were more videos of rides in vehicles like this.
Hey that's my old Nash. Smooth rider, great gas saver and best drive in movie car in the 50's. Slept two in comfort.
My dad bought one just like this in Oakville, WA back in 1973. I inherited it or more correctly my dad gave it to me as my first car in 1975 it was a good enough car except something was wrong the the front end & you had to keep it just under 50 to not vibrate youself to death! Anything 50 & over was scary! I got rid of it as soon as I had the money for a 62 Impala! Brings back memories of driving what I called the upside down bathtub on all of the old country roads around Oakville, Elma & Rochester area of Washington state back in the day!
Wow, this could have been your old car, for some odd reason Wa. state seemed to get a few of these... no place else got the long nose version it seems
@@2stroketurbo Last time I saw it a guy named Lyle in Oakville had it. We moved to another part of Washington and I never saw it again. It is possible that it is the same car. Even then they weren't real common cars to see on the road. My hotrod now is a Parnelli Jones Mustang but I enjoyed all of my old cars back then.
What a Fine machine , i would drive her every where !
Very nice. You're well on your way to a beautiful restoration. I just love your Ambassador's styling. Very streamlined with a distintive Cadillac like front end with that dollar grin grill. There's something so grounding and settling about the visual effect that your car's styling has on one's psyche. I also like interior turn signal indicator light at the end of the turn signal stock. You're right about the interior space. It's enormous!
Had a 61 Nash rambler,Borg Warner transmission,Auto mastic push button,ran good!Had a 51 Oldsmobile,98 automatic,no park,emergency brake,turn,the key,then hit the starter button on the dash,303.5 V8,4 door tank,put snow tires on in the winternnever got stuck,in some big Chicago,snow storms in the 1970s,ran like a clock!
This Nash was known as the "Bathtub" in its day, and though they are quite unique now, they were ubiquitous in the postwar years. As a used car, the Nash was plentiful and cheap, and they were so doughty next to the newer cars of the time that no one ever considered that they might have value later on. High schoolers in the 60's hated them, except for the seats that would turn into a bed. AMC had a real 50's hit with the Rebel, but few cars in the Nash/Rambler stable had wider acceptance than the "Bathtub."
My Dad had a '49 Ambassador 2dr brougham which was top of the line. A main difference was the rear opera seats that angled towards each other with a wide triangular armrest in the middle He loved that car and being from a Nash loving family later became a Nash/AMCdealer from 1955-1980.
"I have been driving it around" "And Now We're going to drive it for the very first time" I'm sure one of those statements is true.
around the yard. in the streets. all innuendo.
First drive on camera...
Who cares. It was still a fun video
The first car I was allowed to drive by myself, was a 1949 Nash Four door. It belonged to my Grand parents. I was visiting them the year I turned ten, and my Grandfather asked me if I knew how to drive a car. My Dad had let me drive the family wagon, with him in the passenger seat a few times, so I had the basics. Grandpa and I headed out on an old farm road, and we stopped and he got out, telling me to drive to the next crossroad, and then come back. The next road was almost ten miles (we were in Kansas).
One thing I notice different between his car and yours, is the hydraulically actuated overdrive. A large knob to the left of the steering column. The other is that his had dual carbs. Jay Lenno says that was an Ambassador only option.
These are indeed a great car on the highway. They really come on at speeds upwards of 65., with the aerodynamics, very stable and quiet.
I wish the family had kept it.
Too cool for words watching it drive down the street!
The mystery of the history of this car is intriguing
Oh man! you are in for some fun! What a hoot these old cars are!
Looks just like a car my father owned in the early 60's. It's always reminded me of a giant volkswagon.
Reminds me of the 1960 Rambler my dad had in the early 60's. Upside down bathtub.
@@glennredwine289 The Rambler was a miniature version of this!
The way the scenery goes by the windscreen while turning, I've seen before. When sitting at the rear end of a bus.
Dont be so sure on the 25 K. When the numbers look cock eyed, It usually is strong evidence it has rolled over at the 100k mark. Or, it has been rolled back by someone using a high speed drill.
+R. Michael Pitman I think you could be correct, but remember cars didn't last as long back then, even with TLC, and the years take their toll on interiors very quickly. The fact that the various instruments still worked well lend credibility to 25K vs. 125K - unless he fixed them first.
You know thats right....
My grandpa had one of those nash cars , and on the radio at the time there was a popular song on there ,[ Give me 40 acers to turn this rig around] it fit well with the nash as the turning was just about the same.
cool to see an other old car back on the road.keep up the good work
I can't believe how awesome this is. I was researching the first cars to have seat belts and the name Nash 1949 was there.
That is a fantastic body style! I would be salivating on what color to paint it.
- love these cars!
My dad had one of these, though I don't know if it was a 2-door or a 4-door. It's the first family car I remember. My dad bought a new chevy carry-all in '52, so that's how long it is since I've seen the inside of this car ... 61 years. As you showed the various parts and features, they came back to me like a family member I hadn't seen in a long time, even to the buttons on the floor. Somebody mentioned the straps. Yes, I used to like to hold onto them. Keep it up, you're doing a great job!
Thanks, so much! We just bought a '51 Ambassador. It looks like an old locomotive. It's so ugly, it's cool. My dad and my grandparents had Nash cars, when I was little.
My father-in-law said he had one. He bought it in the South and only realized it didn't have a heater; when the windshield froze up. Odd, when one considers this company invented heaters and A/C for cars.
I can't wait to see ours!
A heater was optional on Lincolns even in the late 60s. Most cars had one, but they dinged you for it, so an ultra-cheapskate could save a few dollars by insisting on one WITHOUT a heater, or radio either.
My dad recalled used car ads of the '50s. The only options that got mention were, 'radio, heater, whitewalls'
I love it...I love everything about it. If I had the money I'd search the world to buy one...restore it, add-in inertia reel seatbelts and reupholster the interior with two-tone leather and have the upholsterer add-in anti whiplash headrests. I'd also add under-dash air-con. Then I'd cruise the highways here in my home state in Australia.
I don't know if Nash ever exported cars downunder but I know that Hudson did. Cars just don't have character these days like these old classics. The eeriest thing about driving this car, for me, would be to know that the original owner and all the people who designed and assembled the car have passed away. Yet the car remains, a tribute to their ingenuity, talent and humanity. If I ever get the chance to travel to the States again I'd love to see this buggy in the flesh.
There's a company that Jay Leno uses that can put in AC with dash vents, although a hang on unit (I suppose they can find those too) would be cheaper and not involve cutting into the dash etc. Even in NY, I wouldn't want to drive anything without AC! These did not have power steering but it can be added. A lot of cheaper non-Chrysler cars including original Mustangs had power steering that was added onto the steering gear, not integrated in the steering box, looking like a powered screen door closer. Then there's disc front brakes....OK, you can spend several tens of thousands of dollars making a vintage care more useable!
These things remind me of all the streamline comic book car illustrations from the 40s. Just beautiful. A little elbow grease and she'll clean up great! I'm green with envy, great car!
Truly superb American design!. Well done....
In the running for top 'barn find' of the Century.
Just found your videos after a bunch of Jonathan W’s. I remember our family’s 52 Plymouth had a horn ring I used to play with. Nice to hear the real sound of a pair of horns. I hope I find more of your videos 😸.
Back when they made real cars.I remember how comfy those seats were,the back seat was like setting on a big soft couch.
Love the car! Awesome job and video!! These old cars had character and style. I would take one of these over a brand new one any day. -Nick.
Most of you only buy Japanese, and REFUSE to buy American. That's why we don't have nice cars anymore.
congratulations!!!amazing job!
Those wonderful old Nashes with the sixes were comfortable and well made, and a good buy when they were new. Ambassadors had a OHV six, while Statesman and Ramblers had the old L-head six. I have yet to drive a car a smooth-riding as my old '66 Rambler American station wagon.
My father had one of these and it had a vented steering column that would even draw cigarette smoke out so well that passengers couldn't smell it
The '49 looks like an inverted claw-foot bathtub with a cartoon/clown face, but it is somehow very cool. A beautiful starting point for the creative.
Studebakers from around then had the same starter arrangement. And upscale GM cars could have the floor buttons for the radio too. Now we have steering wheel radio controls!
Wow, great back ground information. That tidbit is before my time, and very interesting to me.
Love this Big old Nash.
My father had one of these when I was a very young child, but ours had 4 doors, sort of a beige color.
Love this car, and nice video, thanks...
This car was known as a "bath tub" Nash. It was incredibly nerdy and no high school or college student would come close to be seen driving one.
I’ve never seen one before! Killer wheels!
Old original cars are great
When I got my license while in high school.. they had 2 cars to choose from. A 1972 ford LTD with an automatic and a 1970 Chevy Nova with a "three on the tree" EVERYONE wanted the LTD.. I had been driving a stick for awhile so I took the Nova.. The instructor almost **** his pants when I went thru the gears so well lol
I'll be this particular car has the optional "bed" arrangement, since it seems to have been equipped with several other desirable options. Flip up two pretzel-shaped steel pieces located at the base of the rear seat, then recline both front seats all the way to horizontal, and you've got a very comfy and very flat double bed you and a companion (plus a kid) can spend the night in. Great for traveling salesmen, soldiers driving between duty stations, and for impromptu camping on a long tourist trip (in the days before safe, clean, chain motels could be counted on to be just around the next bend, travelers -- especially those on a budget -- often took to the shoulders of farm roads, to isolated construction sites, under a patch of trees, and to the corners of otherwise empty parking lots to spend the night in their cars). Nash even sold logo-printed blankets and inflatable pillows, plus fitted screens for the windows, to allow bug-free ventilation of your car while parked. Downside: some parents would not allow their daughters to accept a date with a boy who showed up in a bed-capable Nash; this became a common joke on radio and TV for awhile. Sometimes, the young man would be forced to prove that the bed option had not been installed.
The automatic trans was first offered by Olds in 1939..Buick had the Dynaflow in the late 1940s.Chevy offered the Powerglide in 1950 Chrysler had the Powerflite in the early 1950s..Auto transmissions were common in the mid 50s...Radios and heaters were still optional then, as were outside rearview mirrors.
Awesome video!
Great video . That Nash has got the same turning circle as a P&O liner lol
This is amazing. I luuuv the bathtub Nash! A dream mobile!
I had one close to that one because it had all the features of yours except the fog lights. Even the same color!
Very cool. .love a nice old car ride
This is... a pure beauty!
Don't think the mob would be caught dead Ina Nash, lol. Sold a '46 Nash(ca. 2005) to a fellow who had one in the late 50's. Said his gf was embarrassed to be seen in it! Pretty funky car, personally prefer Hudsons of the same vintage though like the fold down Nash seats... the' 46 even came with screens to put in the rear windows for "camping".
Gangsters always want 8 cylinders, not 6.
The Six was my parents' Wedding and Honeymoon car! I have Reg. 8mm film to digitize and will let you know when it's done. (Lifetime Subscriber Forever!)
That lever on the right of the steering column is made to match the lighting switch on the left,thus ensuring that in the event of a crash,both kneecaps will be equally smashed,the ignition key will have removed your manly parts so keeping things balanced will be of the first importance!
ha! yes I think so too !
*blinks*
so if an egg was placed on the passenger seat it wouldn't be thrown forward and smashed should the car be involved in a front end crash-a remarkable car indeed;
James-I don't know what you are getting so wound up about-I think it's a great car and I would love to own one-I was pointing out in a humorous way {or so I thought) just how little thought was put into passenger safety in those days-anyway,have a good day.
That's what I was thinking. I think he's done too much crack
the radio switches on the floor are so cool
Just something to get water in and fail... and the hole for them rusts the floor out...
What an awesome car!!
"Uniscope" gauge cluster is the name. The starting serial for the ambassador six of 1949 was R-515501 for Kenosha Wisconsin 6kd-1501 for unassembled export and RC-1001 for El Sugundo . Starting engine serial numbers for all 1949 Ambassadors was A-1001.
That's a cool car man!