- Seller: David B (Contact)
- Location: Middletown, Connecticut
- Mileage: 43,000 Shown
- Chassis #: CA594766
- Title Status: Clean
- Engine: 184 cui Flathead Inline-6
- Transmission: 3-Speed Manual
Some classics make sense immediately. Others require a few minutes of staring before you begin noticing all the unusual details. This 1951 Nash Statesman Super Airflyte definitely belongs in the latter category. Its enclosed wheels, aerodynamic body, flathead six, three-on-the-tree transmission, and front seats that fold into a bed make it unlike almost anything else likely to appear at your local cruise night. Better still, this one already runs and drives and is offered at a price that makes owning something genuinely unusual surprisingly attainable. Located in Middletown, Connecticut, this Statesman shows 43,000 miles, carries a clean title, and is listed on Barn Finds Classified with an asking price of $10,500.
The current owner has earned the nickname “The Foster Father of Orphan Cars” thanks to a collection that includes vehicles from departed brands such as Nash, Studebaker, AMC, and DeLorean. This particular Nash joined the collection as part of a package deal required to acquire another car. After several years, it is now ready to “fly the coop” and find a new caretaker.
Little is known about its earlier history. The widow who previously sold the cars did not have details about this one, although the seller believes it was restored at some point. The Seafoam Green paint remains very presentable and should respond well to a careful cut and buff. The photographs document various chips and imperfections, but the seller notes that many virtually disappear from about ten feet away.
The chrome also retains a good shine, although close inspection reveals some pitting and other age-related imperfections. This isn’t being represented as a freshly restored show car, but the photos show a Nash that still has plenty of visual presence. And presence is something the Airflyte has in abundance. Nash embraced aerodynamic styling more aggressively than most American manufacturers in this period. The partially enclosed wheels, rounded roof, smooth fenders, and flowing rear bodywork create a shape that looks almost as unconventional today as it must have in 1951.
The interior is believed to have been redone because its condition appears too good to be original, although it uses materials that maintain a stock appearance. There are a couple of small holes in the rear seat, a stain on the driver’s seat, and some lighter staining in the back. A thorough cleaning may significantly improve things.
One of the cabin’s most entertaining features is the fully reclining front seat arrangement. Nash marketed these cars toward traveling families, allowing occupants to recline the seats into a double bed. The idea was simple: drive all day, pull over for the night, sleep inside the car, and continue the journey the next morning. Try finding that feature in your new crossover.
Power comes from a 186 cubic-inch flathead inline-six connected to a three-speed column-shift manual transmission. Starting is a wonderfully period experience: turn the key, depress the clutch fully to activate the starter switch hidden behind the pedal, and the six-cylinder comes to life. The seller reports that the engine starts readily and idles smoothly while producing more than 60 PSI of oil pressure. It was allowed to idle for more than twenty minutes without exhibiting overheating, and the temperature gauge remained centered. The engine date code suggests it may be original to the car, although no documentation confirms whether it has ever been rebuilt. The 43,000 indicated miles may be genuine, but that figure is not documented.
The clutch reportedly engages firmly, and the three-speed shifts easily. During testing around the property, the seller was able to select all three gears, and the brakes are described as solid and effective. The car also uses a three-link, coil-sprung rear suspension, which contributes to the famously soft Nash ride.
An overdrive unit is fitted and was said to function, but it has not been verified because the car has not been driven on public roads. Several electrical items also require attention. The oil-pressure and temperature gauges work, while the fuel gauge is intermittent. The horn, lights, turn signals, and windshield wipers are currently inoperative. Mechanically, the current owner initially received the car as a non-runner. A replacement fuel filter, spark plugs, and six-volt voltage regulator were installed, fresh gasoline and fuel additive were added, and the Nash returned to life. The underside is another encouraging area. Nash used a Bonderite protective coating, and it appears to have done its job. The seller reports surface rust and areas where the coating has peeled, but no structural rot or unintended holes are noted.
For $10,500, you get a running and driving early-1950s American sedan with dramatic Airflyte styling, a flathead six, manual transmission, possible original low mileage, room for the whole family, and front seats that can turn the cabin into a bedroom. Sort the electrical gremlins, give the paint and interior a proper detailing, and take it to the next cruise night. Chances are good that you won’t have to worry about parking beside another one.
Very nice Nash!!! It looks like a great restoration too. I’d normally say white walls, and they would look good here, but cleaning them would be a job. Seems like a very reasonable price. I’d do just as Josh suggested, careful cut and buff, address any possible mechanical issues there may be, if it even has any, and drive and enjoy it.
I’ve always liked these. Hope it goes to a great new home. And gets out there and enjoyed.
Front seats inclines into a double bed and has a stain.
Atta boy, Harold.
Buy it for the hood ornament and enjoy the driving experience!
Exactly what I was thinking. But seriously, things have changed to where you can’t sleep in your car anymore, unless it’s at a campsite. Cool vehicle though.
I remember, maybe 20 years ago, returning from a long work weekend 250 miles from home. I was tired and pulled over in late evening in a secluded spot off the highway. I was woken by the state police tapping on my window. I thought it was better to pull over and not fall asleep at the wheel, I told him. No, have to move on, but no ticket.
Didn’t Inspector Henderson have a car like this?
The old Superman TV show was very Nash heavy. Lois Lane drove a Rambler convertible. Clark Kent drove a Nash-Healey sports car (reportedly belonging to the actor). Police cars were Nashes. However I have seen some episodes where the bad guys drove a Kaiser!
Lois Lane Had A Nash “RAIL CONVERTIBLE” Medium Blue. It Was Her Car. It Was Auctioned A Few Years Back If Memory Serves @$24,000.00.
I think Lois Lane had a Nash convertible.
Ugly never changes, was true in ’51, true today.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and there’s no accounting for taste.
I’ve always liked the bathtub Nash and the pregnant Packard.
I recoil in horror at the sight of this thing!
Consider the simplicity of the Scarab.
You’d be better off not owning a Tesla “truck.”
You got my blood up, Rick, mentioning the Tesla. That “truck” offends my aesthetic sense far more than the Nash does. Whenever I encounter one (on thankfully rare occasion), I can’t help but liken it to a garbage scow or dumpster.
To me, the Tesla “truck” is the Nash of these times–except uglier. Fitting, I suppose, considering the nastiness of the era.
Rear seat leg room and all over head room has gotta be awesome. Nash was pretty high up the auto food chain back then. That flathead six isn’t a barn burner but is appropriate for a model named “Statesman” and with O/D the rear axle ratio will get you off the line in intervals measured by seconds, not minutes.. Impressive condition, drive it without apologies and unless you’re at a Nash meet you will never see another one while behind the wheel.
These made great getaway cars in the Looney Toons flicks.
My 50’s book says the Statesman got 25 mpg at average hihway speeds and yes as stated above a Ambassador Custom
$ 2,501 new was the police car on the old Superman show,there is picture of it in the book.
Years ago I had a set of window screens for one of these so you could camp out with the windows open and not get eaten alive by bugs, they thought of everything!
Seems much of these design ideas carried over into the later 50’s Nash and Rambler models. The fold down seats, the door trim insides at the window with the fluting, the clutch starting that later was moved up to a pull on the shift knob are similar in ways for utility, function and styling. The airflow exterior wasn’t unique but served its purpose for economy from laminar flow. I wonder how it would stand up today in a wind tunnel test. Seems like a bargain at this price. A real piece of American automotive history in seemingly good shape overall. As a little kid I looked at automobiles from an anthropomorphic view and these cars were like fat whales.
Popeye’s Whimpy… “For a hamburger today, I’ll gladly pay you Tuesday”
Yes, to likely doing well in the wind tunnel. This was like the bigger version of the Nash Rambler and my 1958 thru 1960 Rambler American, before they got boxy. I also had a couple of 1962 – 63 boxy versions with the slightly bigger 196 flat 6. I like this car for what it is. Make an offer and report back if you win, someone.
What a cool piece of Nash history.
The plastic fuel filter laying against the exhaust manifold is not a great idea.
If I had to live in a car I would choose this one. Nice bed, just needs a TV and a microwave.
Agreed. Some things improve with time: fermented foods, including wine, some cheeses, blue jeans, leather couches, whiskey, etc. Not so these post-war Nashes. Even as a child, I thought them odd and ugly. With their half-hidden wheels and rounded, smooth-sided bodies, they deserved, perhaps more than the Hudsons and Packards of the era, the derisive inverted-bathtub moniker. Seems time can’t fix ugly.
As Rick stated above, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and there’s no accounting for taste.”
With a very low Cd of 0.34, Nils Eric Wahlberg’s design was ‘way out front.
The architect Louis Sullivan noted around the beginning of the 20th century, “Form follows function.” The Nash 600 with OD delivered 20 MPG at a steady 80 MPH. Not at all shabby.
As for the starter under the clutch pedal- when the car was equipped with automatic (Hydramatic), the starter moved to the transmission selector- select “N” and lift the lever knob toward the steering wheel. KLEV-UR!
I like tjis one, and I would love to own and drive it. There is a thin line between “ugly” and “unusual”, when it comes to looks. If I had the money to both buy and repair it (including the chipped-away areas in the preservation coating underneath, I would own it and drive it. I have gained strange stares all of my life, so why should NOW make any difference? (smile)
Hi everyone and thanks for all the comments already, some great stuff.
I sold two Lois Lane convertibles for this same collector last year.
As some of you may have guessed, I’m representing this bathtub for the owner. I have tons of photos (over 350) and several videos for the asking, just hit the contact seller button above.
Josh hits all the points. Fun car, will cruise at near highway speeds comfortably, the flat head six is super smooth, interior is comfy .. maybe too comfy .. LOL
The current owner has a Rambler wagon with the same drop down seats and with that car, he has all the “camping” accessories – the screens, an air mattress custom fit for these cars and the “swamp cooler AC”.
Any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. I’ll be watching the comments or use the contact seller button.
Thanks!
If it will not do highway speeds comfortably, then it would not be for me. I for many years drove a 1946 Ford Super Deluxe with a flatheard 239 V-8 and Columbia Overdrive, and it cruised effortlessly on the Interstate, without straining or overheating
This is a bargain.
Maybe, Steve. It would have been years ago; but how many still in the market for a classic car even remember or care about this one? This Nash first came out in 1949, replacing their 1942 style, and it was only slightly and superficially warmed-over for 1950. It was updated with upright rear fenders for 1951. But that was about as far as they could carry a body-type which was almost obsolete the first year that it appeared. I just don’t know how much interest there remains in one of these. If no one wants it, then nearly no low price is a “bargain”. And this one requires a bit of work to make it road-worthy. If this were a 1951 Ford or Chevrolet in nice almost road-ready running condition, then this price would be a bargain. But a ’51 Nash? How quickly it sells will tell the story.
The fact that this car has rec’d 30 comments already, shows there is a certain amount of interest in an old car like this.
The Traveler that I sold for the same client, went to a young family in TX. The kids, who were in the 10 year old range, loved helping Dad clean the car and do some little bits of work. The buyer was in his 30’s, so it isn’t just us old folks who still like old cars like this.
While I wouldn’t necessarily call this car, priced at $10,500, a bargain, it is a solid, market correct price, which is negotiable, as the owner is looking to clear out some of the cars he hasn’t used in a bit, open up space for some new iron.
I see this car going to a similar family. A) they’re an inexpensive way into the classic car world. B) They’re easy to work on .. nothing more simple than Fuel, Air and Fire .. and where they come from in cars like this, just three things in essence.
Despite their Orphan status, there are dedicated people out there stocking NOS parts, rebuilding them and even making new ones.. heck, even here in CT, you can get a LOT of parts through our local NAPA! C) Those parts aren’t very expensive .. no more so than for a 2012 Camry.
With all that going for it and the interest I’ve already rec’d via BF and other postings, I don’t see this Airflyte sitting on the shelf for too long.
When this car is repainted, it would be enhanced with a two-tone paint job from original paint chips. It then has a customized look. As a kid in the early 1950’s in Chicago, I always saw one of these Nash’s parked on the street down the block. It belonged to the grandfather of one of my classmates. It was referred to as a “doodlebug” back then. I don’t remember what I thought of it back then, just that it looked unusual.
Amazing car, well ahead of its time.
Inspired by the rocketships seen in the Flash Gordon serial from the 1930’s?
I hope you are right, AutoArcheologist. I would consider this car, if it did not still need work to be entirely roadworthy, adding to the cost. But if it can’t do 70 m.p.h. on an all-day trip, then its practicality AS AN AUTOMBILE is very limited, and it becomes a nice trinket to have and take to car shows, but not to get around in. I should explain myself and how I view buying and owning a car.
I seek to avoid newer cars, period. I am pushing ninety, and I am used to driving cars from the time when I was younger and they made sense to me (which this one definitely would). But I do not COLLECT cars; I use one for daily transportation. I want one which is still analogue, and I don’t want air bags. But I do like fuel injection, and I am hesitant now to buy anything not specifically designed for unleaded gas. And I prefer a car with air-conditioning, as well as one that has never been smoked in — a full-size FOUR DOOR sedan. These old bones need COMFORT. and I prefer velour to leather upholstery. I also want a car which is resistant to rust and will last for years. A low-mileage 1989 Lincoln Town Car, Signature Edition, in near-showroom condition, not modified or altered, senior-driven, would work for me. So I tend to see a 1951 Nash as something of an impractical curiosity, rather. My older sister and younger brother live hundreds of miles from here in other States, and they seldom drive anymore, and not very far when they do. So, if someone is going to drive 950 miles in a single day, that is going to be me. So, I look at a car according to its capabilities, rather than for collector interest. And I seek only adequate horsepower for driving on any road, not “muscle” or “performance”. There was a time when I drove and enjoyed even pre-war cars, taking back roads and avoiding Interstates; but those days are behind me now. Twenty years ago, I would have bought this car in a heartbeat, given it whatever it needed, and respected its limitations — simply because it is unusual and brings back a time in my life when I was young and the current popular music still made sense and sounded pleasant on the ears. But I am more limited now, and I have to choose what makes sense for me. My current 1988 Mercury Grand Marquis has 421,000+ miles, and it is tired: it’s time for a replacement.
Drive 950 miles in one day? I admire your vim and vigor for a guy pushing ninety. True, it can be done, but that’s fifteen hours of serious time behind the wheel. Assuming 200 miles per three hours. Getting out to stretch your legs and tend to needs is just sensible. As for a vehicle to purchase, there have been more than a few 80s full sizers come across this feed recently. However, I do understand priorities.
Thanks, Nelson C. On the road, I do stop to walk around, grab some food, and use a restroom. This is Interstate driving, and I’m nuts anyway. I do not find driving to be tiring, and I finish just as fresh as when I started. The next town over from where I live is about four miles away, and I walk there and back sometimes, just to (as you put it) “stretch my legs”. I tend to walk briskly, simply out of grateful appeciation that I still can. But I am no match for my great uncle, who, at 100, could out-walk me when I was 27, and scamper up and down two flights of stairs! (he died suddenly at 103). I’m fine on relatively level ground, and even up hills; however, STAIRS are a painful challenge! (arthritis, a thing my great uncle never had)
My first impression was this car is ugly but the more I looked at it front side and back the more it grew on me. I actually think this would be a fun car to drive and cruise around in.
I liked the 1949 better, but all three years of this body style are similar. The main difference in the ’51 were those raised rear fenders with tail lights on them. Prior to 1951, the rear fenders sloped down with the rest of the back of the car, and the tail-lights were horizontal and narrow at the bottom of the rear hatch lip.