1940 Nash Ambassador Six Sedan 🇺🇸

As the saying goes, you can restore a car many times but it will only be original once. This Nash is one of those real survivor cars. It is totally untouched with nothing restored or updated from the time it left the factory and now showing the patina of more than 85 years.

With upholstery that is threadbare and stained in places, rubber that is dry and brittle and chrome that is pitting this car was clearly cared for to have survived this many years with such a high content of its originality intact.

The NB Center did a complete mechanical refresh on the car, being careful to maintain all the original finishes and keep any new items authentic and to a minimum. 

Company
Nash Motors Division of Nash-Kelvinator Corp.

Make
Nash

Model
AMBASSADOR Six,4028

Body Style
Sedan, 4-dr., 6-pass.

Body Manufacture
Murray

Model year
1940

Wheelbase
121 inches

Length
203 3/16  inches

Engine
Inline 6, OHV,    234.8 cid

Horsepower
105 hp @ 3400 rpm

Transmission
3-speed manual

Original Base Price
$985

Brand Production
63,617 calendar year

This Car Production 
NA

1940 was George Mason’s third year as President of Nash and the cars that would demonstrate his impact on the brand would not arrive in dealer showrooms until 1941. The 1940 Nashs were good looking cars but they were so close in styling and appearance  to the 1939 cars it was hard to tell them apart at a quick glance. 1940 cars were little more than  place keepers until the new cars were ready. 

Not only were the 1940 cars similar to the 1939 cars, but the models from the low priced Lafayette to the mid-priced Ambassador Six to the upper-mid-priced Ambassador 8 were all nearly identical as well. The bodies of all series were the same with the only outward variation being the front end sheetmetal and wheelbase. To accommodate the shorter wheelbases of the Ambassador Six and Lafayette the hoods and front fenders got progressively shorter.

Under the sheetmetal the different length chassis were basically the same with the exception of the engines. The Ambassador 8 obviously got the inline overhead valve eight that Nash was known for. The Six got an overhead valve inline-six of 234.8 cubic inches while the Lafayette got a flathead (L-head) version with the same displacement.

Nash finished the year in the black, turning a profit, but sales were a disappointment.  Nash could only claim 1.5% of the car market for the calendar year.