In my recent search for Kodachromes, I came across these lovely shots of a Rambler on its way to Las Vegas in 1957. The images are part of a larger personal collection uploaded by A. T. Burke on his Flickr page.
For the younger readers wondering (i.e. me); the water bag seen in this wagon was a rather common accessory in hot climates back in the day.
In the words of Mr. Burke, his Kodachromes had ‘no artistic value’ intentions. Maybe so around ‘artistic circles’, but seen through the eyes of a car aficionado, there’s much beauty in these images.
Further reading:
Is it just me or is that car wearing a Hudson badge?
Yep, early & most pure example of ‘badge engineering’. Ramblers were sold at both Nash and Hudson dealers, and before the elimination of those two marques, had badges indicating which dealer sold them. But really, it’s OK to call this a Nash, because it had about 0% Hudson in it aside from the badge.
It’s a Rambler, regardless of whether it was sold by Nash or Hudson. And I just edited the title and name to reflect that.
It wearing a Hudson badge, if the car still exists today its market value is somewhat better than one wearing a Nash badge. When American Motors was formed, Nash definitely outweighed Hudson, both in desirability in the marketplace, and the dealer organization. Which would mean that, today, a Hudson badged Rambler is the rarer vehicle.
Ditto Metropolitans.
It makes you wonder who thought that putting the utility pole in the road was a good idea.
That happens all of the time…constantly…in my area when roads are widened. It turns out that moving utility poles is a big deal and requires the cooperation of the electric company, cable company, and phone company (and whoever else has stuff on the pole). Around here, the electric company is pretty prompt, but Verizon can take years (absolutely, years) to come transfer their stuff to the new pole. Hence, it’s common to see two sets of poles. One back from the curb with the re-positioned utilities…and another sitting in the road like that waiting for Verizon to come do their thing.
Aha. I’ve seen that situation recently and didn’t know what was going on. Not in the road, but two duplicate-looking poles replacing one pole.
The pole is way off the actual “road”; it’s far in the shoulder. In fact, if you look back a ways, the poles are off the “road”. The owners of the property in the foreground decided to landscape and add a curb, where their property starts, just outside of the pole.
For the one and only time Hudson/Nash would have the Pole Position in the photo opp.
In Ontario the standard road allowance is 66 feet (a very non-metric surveying unit of a chain). This means that for an area that follows the standard, the road allowance is 33 Feet from the center-line of the road. In the suburb of Toronto where I grew up (built in the early 50s), it meant that half of our front lawn was not our property, but part of the road allowance. The water shut off valve was usually paced on the actual property line, so gave a good approximation of its location. Where I live now is a semi-rural area and the utility poles and fire hydrants are along the edge of the road allowance, so they can be well back from the actual edge of the road.
I have some vague recollection of seeing a water bag like that before…but they were definitely before my time; and of a time when a hood ornament could actually support a cloth bag carrying a gallon of water.
For those who are interested, here’s an article that explains how they worked (or still work, should you opt for carrying one). Very neat.
https://www.rvtravel.com/classic-ways-carry-water-water-bag-1070/
Thanks for the link. I was about to ask about the bag, but didn’t have to!
Ditto – thanks for the link. I’ve never heard of these before. I have a feeling if I tell my wife about this, she’ll want one for our next camping trip.
There was one in the basement of our current house when we moved in, and I just found it. I will have to do a post on them. They were very common back then.
Ah, so the reason for slinging it over the hood ornament was to cool the water via evaporation by placing it in the wind?
I initially assumed the bag was somehow connected to the radiator cap, and it was for cooling the engine. But it’s just drinking water, I take it.
It’s always interesting to see highway/vacation photos before the interstate system linked everything up (and there was food/fuel/lodging aplenty).
I vaguely remember still seeing those bags in the early 1960s, but sure haven’t thought about them for decades (1948 Utah ad):
Yes that is a HUDSON badge. We always had two family cars. First family car I remember was 1950 NASH AMBASSADOR, while Dad drove 60 miles one way to work at Inland Steel in a 50 Chevy. They were so happy with the NASH (which they kept until fall of 59) that when a slightly used HUDSON Rambler wagon became available he traded the Chevy for it. Like the NASH, the Rambler gave very good service, though not as comfortable or spacious as the AMBASSADOR, which from 1950 through fall of 59 ran quiet as a clock with only minimal maintenance. The only reason they traded (for a 55 DeSoto) was the lack of power steering in the NASH. Mom had developed arthritis in her shoulders and was finding it hard to park the NASH. Mason’s acquisition of HUDSON likely gave another couple of years. NASH and Hudson made some great automobiles (including the HASH models as seen here. On November 22,1959, we took delivery on both the DeSoto and a new 59 Studebaker Lark 🤮. The DeSoto had few problems for 7 years. The Studebaker was a true Lemon 🍋, with never real correction. After two years of frustration, it was traded.
The water bag , in front of the hot motor, exposed to the hot sun; doesn’t the water just evaporate?
It’s for the car ? Not so much for drinking?
Obsessive present-day tester here: takes a picture of *everything*, but good data: https://bushcraftusa.com/forum/threads/flax-desert-water-bag-test-review.228178/
Wow. The Internet is a weird place. 🙂
Good to know that they actually do work. Although after all that, he didn’t even hang the bag on a car and drive around with it as intended. That would have made the water really cold I’m guessing.
Way early CC effect… this Rambler was spotted on its way to Vegas in April of 2023. Photos taken on I-70 westbound in the vicinity of Zanesville Ohio.
Second photo
Wow!! That car had a “way” to go!!
I find it interesting that after, what, 150 years of needing to stretch wires from place to place, the big wooden pole is still the choice in many applications. A new one was installed along the boundary between me and my next door neighbor just today.
I wonder who bought Hudson Ramblers? Probably the parents/grandparents of the people who bought those “Dodge Monaco”s that were re-badged AMC/Renault Eagle Premieres. Only the old folks at least got a decent car in the bargain.
For fellow location freaks, the Mater Mea Inn shown in the background of the opening shot, was behind the Little Church of the West Wedding Chapel. The motel closed in 2000. The rooms still stand and are used as office space for the chapel.
It’s just south of and across the street from Mandalay Bay, where Russell Road meets South Las Vegas Blvd:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/4617+S+Las+Vegas+Blvd,+Las+Vegas,+NV+89119/@36.0860708,-115.1805854,3590m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x80c8c5c3c16df639:0x2f3da5e690defb4f!8m2!3d36.086079!4d-115.1722994!16s%2Fg%2F11bw4kszg5?entry=ttu
As a fellow Location Freak, thank you for this information!
I can relate to the water bag. In the summer of 1964 our family of 4 took a trip to Yellowstone from Seattle with our ‘58 Rambler American with the water bag hanging off the front bumper. The make of the water bag sported an Indian chief with a full headress. It just sticks in my mind after all these years. Lolo Pass was bad for our little blue 2 door. Overheating issues but the water bag came to the rescue. We did make it back home…think it was a miracle!
Reverse CC Effect: a few days ago I was watching an episode of Highway Patrol that featured one of these wagons – stolen out of a garage by the bullet-wounded criminal who kidnapped a woman and forced her to drive him to her home in it. Although my Dad worked at a Nash dealership briefly in the early 50’s and we and other family members had many Nash cars over the years, none had a Rambler. I find these little wagons very attractive today, the best use of some of the Pinin Farina styling cues. A real improvement is that the covered front wheels disappeared from the Rambler in 1955. Note the dual spotlights!
Jackson Browne’s 1972 debut album featured his image and name on a car water bag. The album was officially titled “Jackson Browne” but it often goes by the title of “Saturate Before Using” since those instructions are printed on the top of the bag.
This trip would have been a good time to have a window mounted swamp cooler like a friend’s Bathtub Nash.
Pep Boys sold these flaxen water bags well into the 1970’s .
I loved and used them in my Desert travels .
Cool-ish water, never cold .
Nice old pictures .
-Nate