Okay, here’s another highly-original survivor featured on Barn Finds that I’d like to know the story behind. How has it survived nearly 80 years and be in this kind of condition? I can’t recall seeing one at any of the car shows I’ve attended through the years. And with only 12,100 of these 2-door coupes produced in 1947, this has to be one of the best surviving examples around. I’m really digging the ’40’s vibe and flowing lines of this rare Nash coupe. And did you know of its historical significance in 1940’s U.S. automotive production? I didn’t know either.
In researching this ’47 Nash 600 (it was called the 600 because Nash claimed you could drive 600 miles on a tank of gas). I didn’t know of its historical significance. Introduced in 1941, the Nash 600 was the first mass-produced unibody-constructed car in America and praised for its advanced design and construction. Huh. You learn something new every day. The Nash’s exterior is in impressive condition. Its factory original paint (Canterbury Gray Dark) shines nicely, and there are no signs of rust or accident damage. The chrome, glass, trim, and lenses all look good and you’ve gotta love that front end with all of the horizontal chrome bars, bumper guards, and cool hood ornament.
The Nash’s inviting cabin is just as impressive as the car’s exterior. Just check out that steering wheel and instrument panel. Stylish art deco inspired design at its finest. All the gauges and lights work as does the radio and heater, and the door panels are original. The carpeting is new as are the professionally-installed seat covers over the original factory fabric.
Although there are no photos of the engine, a 172-cubic inch L-head that developed 82 horses when new, the seller has posted a video showing the hood raised and the inline 6 engine running smoothly. It has only 55,000 miles on the clock and is mated to a 3-speed manual transmission. The seller say’s it runs, drives, and stops excellently and that he’s been using his Nash as a daily driver, but “circumstances dictate me regretfully putting it up for sale.” This ’47 Nash 600 Coupe is located in San Bruno, California, and is for sale here on Facebook Marketplace. It has an asking price of $13,000 or best offer and another shout out goes to T.J. for sending it our way. I personally like this funky-looking Nash Coupe. The next lucky owner is going to be getting a rare car that’s in great shape, looks to be fun to drive, and will be the only one like it at local car shows and cars & coffee gatherings.
What a great looking car! I don’t remember ever seeing one in person either, Ron, and I tend to keep an eye peeled for orphan cars. For those who have access to the FB posting, there’s a walk-around video that shows the hood open and the engine running.
Nash made a few trucks with this front end. Mostly for tow trucks to their dealers, and a few road tractors for local interplant duties in Kenosha, or to the test track in nearby Burlington. ( still there, BTW) Maaaaaaaaaany moons ago,( 70s) in a previous life, it seems, I did a lot of dirt biking with the 400 Suzuki in N.Wis. We got pretty far back in the woods, and was not unusual to come across an abandoned farm. One overgrown place, had a shed with a Nash Lafayette 600(?) that had been sitting so long, the hubcaps were rusted from rain coming in from the roof. I made a note as to where it was, went back several years later, it was gone.
I read this car cost about $800 new, a 1940 Ford about $740, but I always felt, Nash was a premium car, and a better basis for Rambler you couldn’t find. They were great cars, and yes, the stick will kill the sale.
No sale was killed, in fact I inquired about it and was interested in a purchase. however it’s going to its new owner in Michigan soon
Day late, I really like this car…
It’s for sale again, I bought it and went through it. Fixed some issues, new tires, rebuilt the carb, generator and steering. It’s a fun little guy!
I’m not surprised at the durability of this 47 or any other Nash. The first family car I remember was a 1950 Nash AMBASSADOR four door. Purchased in late 1950 as a former demo, it was still going strong with over 100,000 miles with only routine maintenance. If not for Mom’s arthritis (no power steering) it likely would have stayed in the family longer. It was traded in November 59 for a 55 DeSoto Firedome. But that’s a story for another day. From Nash Airflite to DeSoto Powerflyte, what a great ADVENTURER 😉
My parents had a 1948 Ambassador when I was a child. Dad always spoke highly of Nashes, similar to what is said above.
BTW, our 50 AMBASSADOR Super listed for around $3,000. A premium price for a premium automobile. Fun fact… the 50 Nash was frequently referred to as the upside down bathtub, while somewhat similar styled 50 Packard was called a Pregnant Elephant. Unfortunately both could not survive, even when the proposed Packard, Nash, Hudson and Studebaker merger failed.
Hey Rick Where’s the ’50 Ambassador for $3K? The featured car in THE LAST TIME I SAW ALICE (novel) is a ’50 Ambassador called The Mulholland Rocket, a kind of Holy Grail with an infamous past.
This is not a pretty car, even in 1947. Next was that aerodynamic monstrosity bathtub Nash. Design is important. It can make or break a car company.
The aerodynamic Nash Airflyte sold like crazy when they were new. The buying public loved the design.
Look at a 1947 Cadillac or Lincoln. They are very similar, as that was the current style.
Damn I miss that thumbs down button!
The most cars Nash ever sold was your so called monstroity over 150,000 in 1950 alone. Nash had many firsts in the auto industry beside the first unitized body.
This looks like a really nice one. Back around 1959, I was about ten years old and my dad bought one almost identical to this except it was a lighter shade of gray. He loved Nash and later Rambler and AMC cars and bought and drove many of them, even into his late eighties. He liked the ride and the fuel economy, I was never really a fan though.
Nice example for sure but those seat covers! They are so nice, many cars had that same pattern till latter when the style was clear with those awful little bumps. They later had a heavy vinyl smell.
Well, I like it! A shame it’s so far from me. Nash, Rambler, AMC; all were in our family. Their ask seems reasonable if the chassis is solid… Tho, I’d be tempted to upgrade it with modern suspension and drive train. Probably criminal to a beauty such as this.
The suspension of this Nash is surprisingly modern and efficient. There’s no “modern” design that would improve this. The only downside to the original suspension is parts somewhat hard to find, but this low mileage car wouldn’t need any work.
Upgrading like you suggest is fine if you don’t mind spending your eternal afterlife suspended from the side of a barn by a rusty spike driven through your privates. Yuk, Yuk,
Why would anyone put a brown interior in a dark gray car?
Well, this car is just what thee might desire, Friend, if thee was a Quaker in those days long gone. The subdued grays and browns being plain. I like the colors today, though there is a good deal of bright chrome, flashy. Some of the PA groups, Mennonite perhaps, were known as “Black Bumpers”, as they painted the chrome black, not sure if that still occurs. The Amish, of course, drive buggies horse drawn. Anyway, this Nash is conservative.
I have read that the Mennonite community generally eschews ostentation, so painting the chrome was to “tone down” the shiny parts of the car for a more modest appearance. A number of Mennonites were/are wealthy farmers and loved buying Cadillacs. But as soon as they got home, out came the paint and brushes, apparently. Blackout trim was also common on the few vehicles produced during WW II to conserve chromium.
I’m sure liking this. As they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And for the record, I like the pregnant elephant and bathtub too. GLWTS.
I have also seen Wayne School Bus coaches with the Nash chassis and front clip. This 47 is nice, my dad had a 48 when I was a child. He traded it for a 1952 Nash Statesman.
A club member friend of mine in S. Africa had a 1935 Ford V8 Coupe which we all thought was a very nice, pretty car, however, one day he arrived at the club in a light grey 1947 Nash Coupe exactly like this car but right hand drive. We thought he had bought it as another car to join his collection of TWO Singer Le Mans sports cars and the Ford but no, he had sold it to raise money to buy the Nash!
It’s a great looking car in remarkable condition. That said, I think somebody cleared it. GLWTS!
The nose reminds me of nothing so much a ’40s appliance. Can’t you just see a Kelvinator script fastened to it?