We received quite a few comments regarding the appearance of this 1958 Packard station wagon, some positive but several alluding to its rather extreme styling. Well, I’m not going to sugar coat this 1956 Nash Statesman – it’s bugly and looks like someone’s been whacking on it with the ugly stick. I’m not talking about its current barn findy condition, I mean its vintage 1956 styling. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, styling is subjective, but ouch! I can’t look away, so we may as well take a closer look at this uniquely styled sedan. Lodi, California, is where you’ll find it, and it’s available here on Facebook Marketplace for $4,000. Thanks to T.J. for this rare find!
By 1956, Nash was two years into its merger with Hudson, and Nash-branded automobiles were on the way out. In 1956, Nash offered its Ambassador in a two-door hardtop body style (Custom Country Club) as well as four-door sedans in Custom and Super trim levels. Bringing up the markers was the similar Statesman (our subject car), with a total production of 7,400 units. The seller tells us that this Statesman has been out of diplomatic circles for a while and has been sitting, parked. It looks intact, no missing stainless trim, which is always a good sign on these unusual, low-production models. There is some surface rust bleed-through evident, and it has penetrated the black finish, but from what can be seen, the body appears to be sound and free of rot or crash damage. This car was likely a visual standout, for more reasons than one, when new and sporting its red roof and black lower body.
As is often the case, we’re getting the old “ran when parked” saw, and what was running at slumber time was a 135 130 gross HP, 252 195 CI, in-line six-cylinder engine, mated to a three-speed manual transmission. The seller claims unknown mileage and fails to offer any details regarding powerplant specifics, such as missing parts or the ability to turn it over by hand.
The interior is unusual in that the dash is finished in green, and in one of the underhood images, a green hue appears in places; a black repaint, perhaps? The front seat upholstery doesn’t match the rear, so it may be wearing a cover. The entire environment reflects the stylish fifties, especially with its steel-capped dash and the “spear yourself” steering wheel center hub (no seat belts spotted). The interior image does not reveal, with any clarity, the instrument panel or the floor covering/condition.
I imagine that this Nash Statesman will have fans to some degree; many prefer these independents over the realm of the Detroit Big Three. I completely get that sentiment, but the styling of this Nash is whole another kettle of fish, at least from my perspective. What do you say, love it, hate it, or take no stance?
There may be a market for this, in France…they like weird…
HA! More than irony the French became part of AMC,,
Say what???
The Germans tried it, and the Italians too, but neither country would be interested in this level of…distinction.
I resemble that remark! I’m 3/4 French and absolutely love the Citroen DS. I owned 2 while living there in the 70’s. Quirky is like Peugeot putting turn signal lever on right side of steering wheel (204, 304, 504 especially). French cars weird? NON! Non conventional, OUI! lol
Hey Butch, You are spot on. The DS is purity of line and form as well a technological tour de force. Never had one here but used as a driver a ’75 Dyane and also own a ’53 ll BL. Would love to own a Peugeot 302. The French really showed Chrysler what the Airflow should have looked like.
Maybe George Jetson ?
I’ve always liked these late-stage Nashes – these are great American oddball cars. You have to wonder what the stylists were thinking.
They were doing what they could on a shoestring budget, and this one deserves a lot more credit than anyone here is yet to give it. I’ll take this over anyone of the GM “refrigerators” with the exception of the Corvette or Nomad.
Yeah….what were they thinking?….Pacer….Gremlin…?
@Todd J.
They were thinking “WTF, I don’t get paid enough”
My only question is which way is it going?
Okay, even the most stout Nash/Rambler/AMC fan( me) will admit, pretty far out there, man. I do want to say about the paint schemes on these cars, sometimes 3 or even 4 ( with stainless) colors. While we falsely poke fun at the French, but I believe the styling here was heavily influenced by the Italians, Pininfarina. It was poorly received here, and living in an area where these were made, I only saw them in a junkyard. We called those steering columns, “The Impaler” ( and some say 3 wheelers were dangerous) I think these were good cars, but many forwent the unusual styling to say they drove a car Uncle Fritz helped make.
Today, about as much interest as a rotary dial phone, but the styling could sure be attractive to the people today that want to be different, they just have to be able to to drive the dang thing.
Viva la difference
I think the green hue in a lot of the photos is just from the green tarp you see hanging in front of the car. Seems like that is the light source here. That said, mighty homely car.
I was thinking that, but then noticed how green the wipers were, like sprayed with paint. So, started to think the tarp was covered with paint and the sun reflecting off it through the windows. Like someone was spraying green and some hit the car, and, but,… I think we may be entering the Twilight Zone.
Nah, the tarp itself is a slightly translucent green plastic sheet, which appears to be the canopy for a “portable carport” the car is sitting under, casting a green hue to the sunlight cast over the car.
Absolutely agree!
Love it, love it, love it!
Agree. It is absolutely hideous … yet I want it.
Interestingly the styling ques are actually very advanced just very poorly
executed.
First cars with flat hoods, headlights in the grille and even the parking lights
on the corner of the fenders like corner marking lights. Common by the ’60s.
Just remember those same fender pads on the 1963-65 Buick Riveras. Though I must admit looked much better
on the Riveras.
As a Buick fan, I have a ’49 it is bizarre looking to me. However, if I was younger, I would go for it. If only to drive it and have people look at it and say WTF is that? lol. To the person that made fun of rotary phones I still have two and use them. They work better than my cell for sound that is if anyone actually talks on the phone anymore.
I still have a rotary phone in the basement. Only thing about them is waiting to enter the next number. Those phones are indestructible and the sound is
so much better. You can really hear people. I’m a rebel I still talk mostly on a desk land line phone. Only the one I use has the buttons.
Probably the rotary phones you own are the designs of Henry Dreyfus, the man who styled the NYC’s Twentieth Century Ltd, and other fabulous trains such as the NYC’s Mercury. Great art, mass produced.
As do we, use a land line mostly. The old ones had a separate power source so if the electric went out the land line may still work. The Quaker library does have a working rotary land line phone and there is a volume control on the bottom, but I think that is for the loudness of the bell.
YOUR a rebel! I don’t even own a mobile phone, having discarded that electronic leash the day after I retired, as if it were a live grenade.
As for the Nash shown here, there’s but one true description of it: “FUGLY.”
Verdell, “As Good As It Gets”?
If I were an EV conversion kind of guy, this is the style I would choose. Bold, period correct, color scheme. Full electronics, and enough HP to leave everyone behind.
Talk about a ‘period piece’! Too bad it’s not financially do-able. $1K and see what you have after cleaning it up? It was parked for a reason. But 3-speed and little-to-no rust? Ain’t gonna see two of them together anytime soon.
Back in the day I knew 2 guys who owned Nashes like this one , when I ask them what they like best about their cars the both stated the smooth ride and comfort ! Fuel ecomony was next ! still ugly beasts my Grandfather had 1950 Nash uoside down bath tub that was a nice smooth car on a long trip!
One of my best friends fully restored a 57 Chevy. He’s disappointed that at car shows, it gets no attention. This car, restored, would get the attention just because it’s different
Tri Five Chevs are like backsides, everybody has one!!
You got that right, Mr. Solo.
A friend of mine said about 30 years ago, they were “me, too” cars meaning someone would say “I have a 1955 Chevy” and someone else would say “yeah, me, too.”
Angel, you are right! Even though I had a ’55 Chev. Convertible in high school and college. When I go to car shows. I just walk by them. BUT, I prefer different not hideous. I have seen a couple in person and that was enough for me. To me, this just looks like someone put glue on a bunch of model parts and shoved them all into a paper bag, shook them up and then poured them out and let them dry.
The 252 cu. in. engine was the Ambassador’s engine. I don’t think its extra length would fit in the shorter engine compartment of the Statesman. This should be the 195 cu. in. engine–normally a flathead in the Statesman, but the Statesman Super gave it overhead valves as seen here.
You are correct, updated, thx.
JO
When did they go to an overhead valve engine in the Statesman? I have a 53 Super an has the flat head. I seen one Statesman in a junk yard near me that had the overhead engine in it and it was crammed in.
Its not terrible……just different….not 4k didferent.
Bet Dad was relieved that he bought a ’55 Statesman. The Farina-influenced bodies looked best when they arrived in ’52. Each year after that was another layer of Kenosha tinsel.
Many, many of these were shipped with overdrive.
Other then a 1937 Chevy sedan with the hamper trunk this unit hands down takes the cake as the foulest looking auto ever made in the USA and thats a FACT not an opinion !!
Russell you like the Aztec better ? A tie at best for ugliest
Aztec. Nailed it. Who would have come up with that???
You forgot the Datsun/Nissan? F10! Also in the same category as the Aztec and this older abomination.
You never saw a ’58 Buick??
@MikeH
Chrome on wheels
The styling is definitely out there on these! Compare this with the rejected 1955 Pinin Farina Ambassador prototype:
https://www.hemmings.com/stories/italian-airflyte-1955-nash-pinin-farina/
Now that Ambassador prototype: everything came together. It was a much cleaner body and lines. It would have sold much better.
Beautiful unique car similar to the Nash Healy.
This reminds me of cars produced in the USSR in the sixties for party bosses. I got to say there’s a lot of room under that hood but it wouldn’t be worth it to stuff something bigger in there.
Unsual as Statesman model had a a flathead engine not overhead Ambassadors had overheads, engine change??
By this time, the Statesman Super (“Super” designating the new, more expensive series) had an overhead valve version of the 195 flathead six. The cheaper Statesman series still used the flathead six. The bigger, longer, Ambassador engine won’t fit into one of these Statesman cars with their shorter hoods & front fenders.
1956 was the first year for the 196 OHV engine.
Oh Lord! It’s stuck in Lodi, again.
Damn it! You beat me to it! (lol) It ran when it got STUCK IN LODI! (again)
YES this has an Impaler steering wheel/column. But at least it doesn’t have the spear/Arrow head that the ’55/’56 Chevy had! It might be slow, but it sure is ugly! Does this car came with a lifetime supply of paper bags to put over your head so no one can tell it’s you driving it? ( cars that come with paper bags also come with scissors to cut out the eye holes.)
Looks like something straight outta Khrushchev or Brezhnev’s garage full of cold war USSR’s collector iron. It even has RED wires.
Candidate for https://www.ramblerranch.com/ Also a good Youtube about it
Thanks for letting us know of this site, very good history and info about Nash founder, the company thru to end of AMC.
4 doors of ugly.
It’s one of those things that you cannot unsee!
Well, this doesn’t lack for polarizing comments! For me, I agree with a professor of mine who said, regarding I-71 in downtown Columbus, OH, “This looks like a class project at the state hospital.”
I’m surprised that they found 7,000 odd people to buy one of these. (Odd as in the number AND odd as in the people that bought them.) Who, okayed the design at Nash? Was that person one of the LSD test group? Or were they blind?
I am a muscle car guy but this is so ugly you have to love it
John
Clean it up, get it running, put a paint job on it, and you’d have a shiny, running, butt ugly car!
Owners of these never had trouble finding them in the parking lots.
Terrible pictures in the ad. I’m going to look it up to see what they really look like.
It’s much better looking than a busleback Seville!
Jwaltb you can say that again again
This and the ’58 Packard wagon, so ugly they are cool! Both great restomod candidates for someone with a lot of $$$. I really hope that happens.
These were always one of my favorites. Its easy to say something is ulgy when looking at a rusty mess and bad photos. Look up the 2 door hardtop of these in good condition and you might change your mind.
Yep…pups so ugly, only their mothers could love them…
I think the styling is an exercise in narcissistic expressionism, and that’s all I have to say.