Nash Ambassador, 1956
Nash Ambassador
Nash Ambassador•
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Chassis No.: V14698
Auction: Monterey 2019
Auction date: August 17, 2019
Lot No.: F98
$31,350 | Sold
- Exterior: Yellow
- Highly original unrestored condition
- 352/220 HP Packard V-8 engine
- Carter 2-barrel carburetor
- 2-speed Ultramatic transmission
- Independent front suspension with coil springs
- Live rear axle with coil springs
- 4-wheel hydraulic drum brakes
- Two-tone Yellow and Green paint
- Green, Blue and Silver multi-patterned upholstery
- Factory Gray carpeting
- Pushbutton radio and clock
- Weather Eye fresh air system
- Full size wheel covers
- Wide Whitewall tires
Unmatched features and engineering set this 1956 Nash Ambassador apart from its contemporaries. The unrestored original-condition example of midcentury American automotive splendor was produced one year before Nash wound down the assembly line and faded into history. What the company touted as a superlative automobile loaded with exclusive travel appointments was ahead of its time. Unit-body construction made for a roomier low-floor six-passenger cabin and improved safety over its body-on-frame contemporaries, and the full-size Nash achieved more than 25 MPG on the 1955 Mobilgas Economy Run.
The 352/220 HP Jetfire engine was designed for brisk and quiet performance from traffic light to turnpike. With a Carter 2-barrel carburetor on an Iso-Thermal intake manifold, the Packard V-8 sent 220 HP through a Twin Ultramatic 2-speed automatic transmission. Power steering and brakes, independent front suspension and 4-wheel coil springs worked together for superior road control and big-car ride. An optional hood ornament leads the way, and two-tone yellow and green paint complement Nash Speedline styling. A green-tinted Scena-Ramic wraparound front windshield and rear glass filter out harsh light and offer panoramic views from the luxurious interior expanse.
Green, blue and silver patterned upholstery was one of 14 combinations of vinyl and fabric all color-keyed to the exterior. A pushbutton radio and clock provide on-time entertainment, and the Weather Eye fresh air system features a single sliding control knob for fingertip temperature control. Airliner reclining front seats that turn into twin travel beds were an exclusive Nash feature from an era when air travel was a luxurious affair, and factory-issue gray carpeting ties the lounge together. The time-capsule Nash Ambassador Custom is ready for future enjoyment on its wide whitewall tires dressed in full-size wheel covers with a matching two-tone continental spare.
