Humble in every way, this Nash Rambler awaits a new owner to bring her back to her glamorous beginnings. Originally conceived as a compact economy car, the 1950 Nash  broke new ground, offering a lush list of standard equipment. Turn signals, a clock, a radio, and the “Weather Eye” heater – all were on the menu. The only body style available at launch was a three-position convertible. George Mason was gambling that the fully-loaded landau would establish a strong reputation right off the bat, leaving him with a lighter lift in his marketing endeavors against bigger competitors. Here on facebook Marketplace is a 1950 Nash Rambler Landau convertible with an asking price of $4750. After rambling from Nevada to Arizona, she is now garaged in Woodville, Ohio. Thanks to Zappenduster for the great tip!

In 1950, Nash had staked its future on its Airflyte construction – a monocoque envelop body welded onto the frame. Wheel coverings completed the streamlined look. The car rode low, ingress was easy. This photo shows the simple two-bar grille with its “nose cone” in the center – an influence from the aircraft styling craze that was infecting everything from tail lights to dash components. In the end, the bathtub look proved extremely difficult to update without completely retooling its factories, leaving Nash behind when customers moved on to the next styling fad.

Meanwhile, the company was still soldiering on with a 172 cu. in. flathead six-cylinder, good for 82 hp. The offset to sluggish performance was great gas mileage, but that was not enough to save the company either, as the postwar recovery kindled buyers’ desires for larger, more powerful cars. Our seller notes that this engine is in unknown condition, though the three-speed manual does move through all its gears. The odometer is quoted at around 77,000 miles.

The interior needs work! Nash was providing deep cushioned seating in 1950 as part of its luxury approach to a small car; the new owner will need to recreate those from the parts seen here. The floors and trunk are said to be decent, but minor rust repair will still be needed. Nash was using a one-piece windshield by now; combined with the slender pillars and generous door glass, visibility was a strong suit. The instrument panel was nearly barren, but it wasn’t worse than other economy cars of the time.

I find these cars weirdly appealing. The framed drop-top is so unusual; the dumpling body qualifies as adorable. I’m sure it was seen as dowdy after a few years, but today, I pine for something graciously and differently styled. The sweep of the curve from the tail light to the front, the deep trunk embossed down its center – it’s all of a piece, with each element harmonizing with the next. Here’s an example of a restored 1950 Nash; it sold five years ago for only $13,200. But this blue ’50 brought $33k three years ago! What’s the right price for this project car?