Re: [AMC-List] (one of the) most beautiful cars I've ever seen...

[<francis.swygert@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Date: Thursday, June 8, 2006 12:58 PM
From: Tom Jennings <tomj@xxxxxxx>

July 2006 Hemmings Classic Car, somehow I had got through life without
seeing photos of the pre-1952, or was it pre-production (the article is
totally unclear) Nash-Healey. Now I like the headlights-in-grille 1952
NH -- who doesn't -- but the plain thing on p. 70 is a goddamn Nash
Rambler channelled, roof chopped off, cab moved back, and to me pretty
much the prettiest two-seat car I've ever seen, bar none, no exceptions.
Inline six! Three speed! Side curtains!

So I've been thinking, how could I make one? I care not for
authenticity, Cars Are For Driving. Clearly it's a stock Nash grille
(article says so and it's also obvious). Hacking a bathtub Rambler is
probably crazily impractical. It's vaguely Healey-ish, but far more
Nash-ish. Oh woe is me.
------------------------------------------------

Well, you could do the same with a 58-60 American, except the headlights
would be out on the fenders. What you describe is exactly what I have
planned for the 62 American two door sedan I have stashed back home
though. I've even considered moving the cowl back, but that would be a
much more difficult to do thing than sectioning the body -- which will
be hard enough around the firewall. I plan on cutting 3-4" out, but
leaving the vent windows and roll-up windows in the welded shut and
smoothed over doors. I considered moving the cowl back just enough to
eliminate the vent windows, but that would leave a very short roll-up
window. I didn't want to get into cutting the door latch pillar and
moving the window mechanism back. A longer hood (ala Budd XR-400, a
modified 62 Ambo) would be nice, but I think way more work than I'm
willing to do. I have an article on what was done to make the XR-400,
and I have a 62 four door for extra parts, but it's still more than I
want to do. With a slab sided car like the 58-60 American a four door
could be used and the front door and cowl moved back then use the rear
door as a filler panel in front of the cowl. That "arrow" indentation of
the 61-63 means you can't move panels like that without major surgery. 

For pics of the XR-400:
http://www.hfmgv.org/exhibits/pic/1999/99.sep.html
And here's a good article on Budd with factory photos of the XR-400 at
the bottom left. Just above it is what appears to be the prototype for
the Nash Rambler, but it could be the earlier 600. I believe it to be
the Rambler due to shape of the body and the front suspension. The Nash
600 used a Lancia type suspension that resembles MacPherson struts. 




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