(first posted 8/11/2017) The Hupmobile feature from last week triggered for me a memory of seeing an American streamlined sedan that was a little similar. I found this 1935 Nash that I saw two years ago at the Winton Historic race meeting. The styling was perhaps even more streamlined and attractive at the rear…
… but it is not quite as advanced at the front from an aerodynamic sense, in that the headlamps are not faired into the bodywork. The windshield is a flat single piece rather than having the angled side pieces of the Hupmobile. Note that the doors open towards the centre rather than being hung on the central pillar.
The car was called the Advanced Six, and some of the features definitely bear this out, such as a key-operated steering column lock, and the starter operated by a switch under the clutch pedal, with a vacuum-operated cutout to prevent operation while the engine was running.
The 90-horsepower six had dual ignition with 12 spark plugs for better combustion, and the water pump was driven from the rear of the generator. There were cable-driven windscreen wipers (driven from the engine), and the spring eyes were spring-mounted with four small coils for improved comfort. Another idea I haven’t heard of anywhere else is the left and right brake cylinders are different sizes, so the wheels don’t lock up at the same time.
The 1930s were certainly quite a time!
Brilliant Streamline Moderne design. A great find of what is a VERY rare car even in the U.S., John.
The 1930’s was an amazing decade for design. When no one buys your product due to a total economic collapse you have to think of ways to make it new and desirable. I like this Nash, but not as much as the ’37 Lincoln Zephyr.
1935 was when streamlining hit an apex. After that, cars got a bit bulbous, then a bit fat by the ’40s. Hard to believe that ’35 is only 4 years newer than this one.
If there is a car that has become virtually invisible it is the prewar Nash. This 35 model is a really attractive car. I agree that the 30s was a fascinating time to watch cars develop in different ways and in different places.
Invisible because at the same time you had the finest and last gasps from Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg, Pierce Arrow, Graham, etc.
Nash had the “misfortune” to stay healthy and survive the 30’s, so nobody notices them, while all the classic buffs are worshipping those marques who were breathing their last in that decade.
There are probably not too many RHD Nash Aeroforms around, as this is Australia. It is a very handsome 1930s car with a well-engineered, flat-head engine almost (but not quite) as durable as the Chrysler Six.
Love cars from this vintage, and this is an unusual one. I’m not sure I’ve ever perused a ’35 Nash before.
I wasn’t even aware of the Aeroform as a model. Sleek and attractive, and while the headlamps aren’t faired in the nacelles have a streamlined look.
That would be fun to get past a safety check here where the measure braking pressure and it has to balance on each axle, nice car and some quite good features except for that one.
I don’t recall ever seeing a ’35 Nash before, either. What a beautiful car!
I’m a little confused by the idea of trying to keep the different sides from locking at the same time. Split traction means yaw.
With the small tyre contact patches, and long wheelbase I doubt it was too much of a problem, but it is hard to see it being a good idea with far more powerful modern brakes!
Although they are of my father’s generation and not mine, I think that the cars of the thirties are among the most beautiful ever. The tragic irony of so many of them is that despite their desirability when new, not many could afford them, making survivors like this Nash true gems. Nice find!
Beautiful transition from old-school rectangle to full-on aerodynamics. Love the detailing, inside and out.
I really believe that automotive styling was at its height in the first half of the 30’s. By 1937 what was gorgeous became mundane. And while there have been moments of beauty out of the American automotive establishment, they have never touched what they accomplished back then.
Guess that’s why the British seemed to keep that aesthetic for so long.
The lower left pic reminds me of a similar view that Bruce McCall did for fake
Bulgemobile ad stating,”It’s full of sit!”
Nash has always been somewhat a mystery to me because I haven’t seen many of the newer models, and have focused on the big 3 OEMS, but this Nash is sure a beauty!
I have often wondered if after driving one of these pre-war cars, regardless of make, that I would actually want to own one in its factory-equipped state.
Perhaps with a modern drivetrain, brakes and suspension, maybe. I’ll probably never find out. I’m not talking resto-mod as to huge engine and high horsepower, but driveable in today’s traffic realities.
The ads here are now as bad as TTAC. Time for ad blocker!
I’m getting vertical format ads loading in the page header, plus they don’t seem to stop loading.
That’s a temporary problem with our ad server thta we hope to rectify on Monday.
The Cadillac aerodynamic coupe was a show car built for the ’33 Century of Progress World’s Fair in Chicago. This car was very popular and influential to the industry. Looks good to me but it’s just a fastback on a more conventionally styled front end.
The new pop up ads are as annoying as swatting as a fly.
In an Era of square back cars, being “just a fastback” was completely radical. It was also the beginning of Cadillac’s success at styling the rear of the car to be more recognizable than the front, a formula that they used for the rest of the century.
Here’s another view. It’s funny how the last fastback Cadillac style was for the 1949 model year. GM held onto the fastback design for it’s other big cars until 1968.
Just noticed… They made the dash symmetrical for easy RHD swapping, but they DIDN’T swap the speedo with the other instruments. Waste of design effort!
Maybe the speedo was more visible there, not blocked by your hand on the wheel? Alternately, perhaps the temperature or oil pressure gauge was more critical than speed back then.
Wow, this is an interesting car in terms of the innovations it brought to the table. I guess the brake cylinders of different sizes was an early attempt at ABS, and I remember the “Twin Spark” engines Alfa Romeo and Mercedes were offering in the late eighties and through the nineties.
Not to forget the 4cyl Nissan NAPS Z
Hi I bought this car just over 2 yrs ago.
Here is a current pic of it. Yet to see another one in the road in oz.
Cheers
Clinton
The 1934 Nash was designed Count Alexis de Sakhnoffsky – Nash engineers found it difficult to translate his sketches into reality, so the 1935 Nash was designed in-house. Sales improved from 28,000 in 1934 to 44,000 in 1935.
What does the “vacuum operated cutout” prevent “operation of”. ((when the engine is running?
Quite a “looker” for the “mid 1930’s”.
Bet it’s a heavy car.
The cutout prevents the operation of the starter, which is under the he clutch pedal.
Besides the reduced 1930s production during the Depression, I think another reason surviving prewar cars from the mid thirties are rare is the War itself.
When auto production was suspended during the War, later model cars had to be kept in use longer, but often without proper repairs or replacement parts. By the time auto production resumed, most of these cars had been well used and often poorly maintained.
Likely only the best selling models were around in sufficient quantities to ensure a few survivors.