A lot of people complain that new cars don’t have any character anymore, they all look the same. The same upward sweep along the sides, the same crease through the door handles, the same colors – or tones. This 1954 Nash Ambassador LeMans is the answer you’ve been looking for. This drop-dead gorgeous and all-original car is listed on eBay with a current bid price of just over $9,000 but the reserve isn’t met yet. This gorgeous Nash is located in just as gorgeous Newport Beach, California.
What a car. And I don’t mean just, what a car, but WHAT A CAR! This Ambassador is in almost perfect original condition – yes, it’s all original from the body and engine to the “the Flying Lady Petty Hood Ornament, paint, upholstery, and headliner, to the chrome, floor mats, trunk mat, door and window seals, it is correct and as close to new as you will ever find.” The seller says that this car “rides like a dream, with 4 wheel independent coil springs, torque tube cushion drive, and solid uni body construction. It features airliner reclining seats with twin travel beds, and famous Weather Eye conditioned air system.”
This car is worthy of the catch phrase that’s sweeping Newport Beach – cray-cray – ok, that was a handful of years ago, but this car is crazy. And, it’s an Ambassador LeMans which came with a slightly-hotter twin-carb engine. Wait until you see the engine, good grief, it’s cleaner than most hospitals’ operating rooms are. Believe it or not, this car only has 41,000 miles on it since it rolled off the showroom floor, that’s an average of 640 miles a year. Cray-cray.
When I first went through the photos, like I’m sure most of you do before reading the description, I thought, dang, this is so cool that someone spent $30,000 restoring a ’54 Nash Ambassador! But no, supposedly this car is all original, other than the battery and I’m assuming tires, and wear parts like that. For this to be an original interior is mind-blowing to me, where was this car kept for 64 years? It couldn’t have spent much time outside in the California sun, it literally looks like new or looks like it’s had a nut-and-bolt restoration.
Here’s where I get out the lobster bib that I took from.. well, I shouldn’t say which restaurant but it’ll work as a drool bib for now. This engine is amazing, too. Can this possibly be original? One of you will know by looking at the fasteners and/or other parts – the rubber parts look like new with no cracking from the California sun/heat? That’s weird, it had to have been kept indoors in a climate-controlled building. This is Nash’s Dual-Jetfire 253 cubic-inch inline-six with twin Carter carburetors and 140 hp and it’s backed up by a GM Hydra-Matic 4-speed transmission. This is a true museum piece, I hope that it ends up with someone who won’t modify it in any way.
A 64 year old car that clean, they must have kept it in a vacuum chamber.
Well, there are a lot of non-original parts under the hood (hoses, plug wires, clamps, etc.), plus there’s no way in hell that engine compartment is “unrestored” and has 41K on it.
I think I see a tiny bit of overspray on the windshield rubber. And there are painted door latches, yet unpainted front fender bolts. Could be correct, I guess, but seems wrong. I’m no expert on these.
The whole thing looks like a several-years-old restoration to my eye. I could be wrong, but I’m a little skeptical of the claim of a 41K mile original car. It just doesn’t look right to me.
I think cyclemikey is right, although some of the items he pointed out may be touch-ups – either that, or Earl Scheib had the contract to paint Nashes.
I’d want to see records to prove it’s only done 41K.
Obviously, hoses, etc. wouldn’t have lasted 64 years, so those should be expected to have been replaced, over time…
CM/BB, I noticed the door latches and I didn’t think that those would / should be painted from the factory. Nice catch, I should have mentioned that. The seat fabric looks so perfect that even 41,000 miles it seems like they would be stretched or dirty or something. It’s like Santa Claus, though, I want to believe it so badly!
Original or restored, this is an extremely nice car. If originality of the paint is important then this one would definitely need an in person inspection. FWIW, am pretty sure the painted door strikers are correct. And what restorer would just paint over the latches while taking the time to be so careful with all the other details, especially the bolts and data plates under the hood? The “overspray” on the windshield rubber looks like wax. The only thing that makes me question the originality is the amount of orange peel but even that could be correct.
Having many years as a body man/painter, and shop owner, I can give an educated opinion here. If this is a repaint, and if done by someone who wanted perfection, the door latches would have either been removed or carefully taped. (I remember doing both.). All chrome and emblems would have been removed. To make this shorter, a person who really cares about the work and wants to “sign his name to it” will be a perfectionist. Another indicator…there appears to be a small rust spot on the left front shock tower, and possibly on the right tower as well. Someone so careful would not leave that unattended. Just my two cents.
I know you’re not an expert. You did spot the radiator and heater hoses I replaced for reliability. All soft parts deteriorate. I also replaced some rubber lines for the same reason, and the brake system and tires for safety. That’s why the automobile will drive reliably anywhere today.
If you saw the car in person you wouldn’t see any over spray on the windshield rubber, or any other place. There is none. If you climb into the engine compartment to look for a place where any new restoration ends and old paint underneath begins, you won’t find that either. That’s why this Nash is amazing. The factory Dupont Duco lead based paint has a depth and patina unmistakably different from any modern material. Anyone can tell.
Painted door latches were factory for Nash in ’54. So were plain steel fender bolts.
Visit a true collection of a dozen or ten dozen vintage cars and you’ll find automobiles that are lightly driven, stored and displayed correctly, and are excellent original as-new examples. The Nash Ambassador LeMans is one.
I am skeptical of anyone who claims to know the condition of an automobile without first seeing it in person. That doesn’t sound right to me.
Bob W…my educated opinion didn’t go far enough. I should have made it clear that this could not possibly be a repaint. There are too many things “right” with the appearance. I know that photographs do not offer a complete analysis, but the work that would be involved to make this car so precise, in today’s market, would be much too expensive. And you are right about the Duco paint. That paint was applied, sanded and buffed out to achieve that gloss.
These motors turned lover so slow during starting one would wonder if battery was going dead or starter dying, but start they did.
Do not remember torque #’ s but they being inline moved these smartly 0-60.
Above 60 you mashed throttle and both carbs sucked wind and and gas but took forever to hit 70-80, which was around 45 mph more than one wanted on a 50 mph gentle curve.
Don’t know true value for such a pristine rig, but it is such a quirky rig for a personal driver and conversation starter $12-15K
Hide Behind, you’re right. My buddy’s 54 Hudson (21,000 miles) turns over so slow that you really wonder what’s wrong. But it turns twice and starts every time. That’s how 6 volt starters work.
The best thing about that kind of car is the cops usually don’t know what it is. The Hudson went through a speed trap in a pack of cars going 70 MPH on I-79 and the look on the 20-something cop’s face was priceless. You can picture him on the radio calling the barracks, hopefully he got a picture of it, “This big green bathtub looking thing went by on the speed limit, what the #$%&@ is it?
Nice. And I don’t mean just, nice, but NICE. These cars were unique and beautiful, thanks to Pininfarina. Don’t change a thing.
It makes me think of an oversized Metropolitan
It makes me think of an oversized Metropolitan.
Original? Don’t know, don’t care – this car is GREAT!
I ain’t gonna pick it apart. It’s beautiful.
Like something my Gramps would drive.
Fantastic car. Great color combo to boot.
Who wouldn’t want to cruise around in this?
Speed and HP are great but they don’t always make for a relaxing drive.
GLWTS.
I believe that I have that very same hood ornament. It has a Petty inscription on it which I take to mean was designed by the Petty Girls guy. It came from an old Nash dealership and I got it in trade back in like 75 or so.
The seller says he’s owned it for the last 25 years and bought it from the original owner. I’d take him at his word. Awfully foolish to represent everything as original and then have to shave the facts when confronted by a buyer .Not if you want to sell the car. I want to believe in Santa too!
As do I. I love original cars (and oddball cars) as much as anyone here. But 25 years only takes us back to 1993, when the car was already almost forty years old. The original owner (or original owner’s widow, or children, or whoever) may have had some hazy recollections about what was done when, and it’s his representations you’re relying on, not the seller’s.
Regardless, as others have pointed out, it’s a great find no matter whether it really is an unrestored original-paint car or not. So until we find out otherwise, I’ll believe in Santa too.
My mom had a ’53 statesman that was
almost identical to the ’54 shown here.
On her car, the grille bars curved out
instead of in. The parking light/turn
signal housings were slighly smaller
too. Hers was dark blue over powder
blue and my God, was that thing beautiful! It also had those wide white
wall tires that just made the whole thing
pop. Sadly though, hers was missing the
outside spare tire on the rear bumper–
even though the tire well was there.
Seems like you got a lot for your money
when you bought a Nash. You got top
notch fuel mileage (30-34 highway, 28
to 30 in town) lots of room inside, and a
pillow soft ride to boot. Not to mention
those legendary reclining front seats
that made these cars a favorite of young
people everywhere. What a great car.
Too bad they’re gone.
My cousin had a similar car at the other end of the condition scale. We lived in the rust belt and the iron worms got the best of his Nash. He drove across a rough railroad crossing and the front suspension mounts collapsed. He had enough momentum that he slid clear of the crossing.
Lovely looking car. I’ve always found the 1954 Nash Ambassador to be the best looking car of the 1950s. Way better looking (I think) than some Big Three cars.
VERY nice looking car. I’d like it next to my S600L. Too bad it’s so far from EU…
I’m following the ebay auction to see how much it will sell for.
Living south of France, the non AC car would be hard to drive though…
One drives these vintage non a/c cars when temperatures allow of course, whether one is in Michigan, Florida or St Tropez.
We drove these cars in the 50’s in all kinds of weather conditions and no one even knew what A/C was.
My first car was a vintage 1959 french car in 1993. No AC, no seat belts, no nothin’.
Of course you could drive like that. But, boy do I appreciate AC. It’s an option I’ll place first above power steering even!
This car was my daily driver for one year and 36000 kilometers!
It’s a beauty, but ain’t no way it’s “all original”. Please. I stopped smoking marijuana in the 1970s.
My Dad’s uncle had one of these he bought new. I was a teenager back then and loved his car because it was unique – – quirky – – – and suited Uncle George’s personality.
I’ve has many 56 and 57 Pontiacs, a few Oldsmobiles Fords, Meteors, Chevys a 1942 Mercury and currently a 1982 Caballero.
Having said this I really like the old “Tubs” – – – and if by chance I ended up with this car even though some are picking it apart – – – I’d be content and not be modifying it – – – just drive it to show and shines car shows etc. and enjoy .
It may not be “all-original”, maybe it was restored.
GCNT: no doubt about it.
To me it makes no difference if it is original, partially restored or whatever. This a beautiful car that you could drive on cruise nights with the wife and kids or in my case great grandkids and have a ball. I had a 52 Rambler coupe back in 63 it might have looked a bit different but that little car was built like a tank.
Back in 1977 or so I had a coworker who drove to work one day in his aunt’s 1953 Nash Ambassador sedan. It was gray with a black top, all original and in very good condition, not quite as nice as this one is. He had told us about it before and had promised to take us all out to lunch on Friday afternoon. I think we were able to squeeze about 7 people in that car! We had a blast and I loved it so much I decided right then and there I had to have my own Nash.
I kept looking in the ads and it wasn’t long until I found one for sale in the classifieds. A little old lady had a 1954 ambassador sedan for sale for only $600! We settled for $500 and I drove it home. Her foot had slipped off the break and had hit a post in a parking lot. So the front fender was damaged. Not too bad. I drove it for a short while and it was this car that got me into the old car hobby.
Cavernous doesn’t even begin to describe how huge the interiors are in this car. I’m 6’1” and I could easily sit back and cross my legs with room to spare in the back seat! And it drove like it was on a cloud. Every time I stopped for gas so many people would walk up to me and asked what in the hell was I driving? It was as if I had just dropped in from Pluto.
I would love to own this one, but would need a warehouse to store it. Thanks for posting, it made me miss ole Big Bertha!
Hi Everyone. I’m the proud owner. I’ll try to address the comments. The paint is completely original. What looks like over spray is simply wax. The car was never repainted, EVER. It has been garaged its entire life and treated with kid gloves by both the original owner and myself.
The Engine compartment has been detailed so it is very clean. The hoses, belts and clamps were all replaced for safety reasons. I drive the car to local shows and do not trust 64 year old parts, like tires, brakes, hoses etc so they were replaced or serviced.
The nice folks on this site that think they see an older restoration need to see the car in person. It is wonderfully, a true survivor car. As the factory delivered it. We have a car show here in SoCal. The All Original Car Show in Tustin CA. No car is allowed on the field unless it is original. My car won several times in its year class. Santa is real. No marijuana needed. Dreams can be real. Thanks for all your very kind comments.
Hi Bob … I love your car… I collect low mileage, original paint, antique cars and motorcycles. I have closely examined your photos and believe all you have claimed.
Hello Bob, Your car looks Great. I have a question, You say the engine compartment has been detailed. Does that mean the engine was repainted? I am wondering because I have a 1965 Rambler with a 6 cylinder and only 26,000 miles on it. The paint looks like crap because of the leaking valve cover. After pressure cleaning the paint was gone, Should I repaint the engine or not? I value your opinion. Thanks GP
I retract my comment and my thumb’s up.
Your car is fantastic and I’d love to have it here in France. I’ll keep on dreaming and watch how high it goes on Ebay.
Last year I imported a 2cv from France to Arizona. The cost was $2,500 door to door. If you buy this gorgeous car for let’s say $20,000….you end up with still a great buy…n’hesitez Pas!
Clark! Have you seen Lois?
Even a well-maintained original will have some patina, due to regular use. This seems to have little or no obvious imperfections to see.
Please note that “4-wheel independent coil springs” does NOT mean the car has independent rear suspension. It’s a “live” axle common of the day but sprung with coils, not leaf, springs. Works OK. You won’t want to enter Autocross events, however.
The owner speaks! I stand corrected. I was wrong once, about 20 years ago. That Nash is a thing of beauty and a joy to behold! Somebody (Pupmiller?) gets a dream car that Superman could have hoisted out of harm’s way with Lois inside it!
I would love to own this Nash; however, I live in Indiana and enclosed delivery is $1500, which puts me at a bidding disadvantage to those who live nearby. Here is my 49 Studevette. I like hot-rods, too.
Pupmiller, your 1949 Studevette looks cool. You kept the outside mostly stock, which is great. Do you have a Corvette engine in it?
It has a LT1 engine and tranny, Meyer racing front end, 4-wheel disc brakes, coil over shocks, Flaming River tilt steering column, cruise, PS, PB, and vintage air. It also has an original dash and re-calibrated gauges. Great fun car to drive and show.
Very cool, Pupmiller. Have fun with it!
Like antique motorcycles? Here is an original paint 1913 Flying Merkel from my collection.
Wow. Never heard of that make, but I don’t know anything about antique motorcycles. It looks almost like a bicycle with motor in it. What is the round tube on the very top frame member?
That is an acetylene tank for the headlight.
Here is another very rare original paint motorcycle from my collection….. 1912 Marsh-Metz, 90 degree V-Twin. You can put many more motorcycles in the same space as cars.
Nice. I could ride a motorcycle like that.
You would like riding this one, too.
Awesome. I think I have an original car you may want.
765-661-3646 … Phil Miller
Great stuff,
I owned a 1955 Nash Ambassador Custom Country Club 2 dr HT, A/T, P/B, original Packard 320 V8 for 7 years ( 2005-2012). Salmon and cream 4 layer flip flop ( yes, older repaint) paint, stainless later dealer trim. It sold local here in Manitoba, Canada. Haven’t seen it since, but was a fun ride. Now I drive MET Nashes, easier on gas, take up 1/2 the space!!
I owned a ‘54 Nash in 1961. It was my first car at the age of 15. Mine had 3 carburetors on the six cylinder engine and I removed 2 of them. It ran just fine with one carburetor. It was white over black with the continental kit on the rear bumper. I have some really good memories of that big old car. Wish I had it in back in my garage.
Cool.I love old cars. Nash was unique in many ways. Sleeping in the car was a blast with the “airline recliner seats”. Memories forged forever. Now I drive a ’57 Met. convert. No room to sleep in there, but still a blast.