Nash Rambler (1952)
for sale
Price: US $25,100.00
Price: US $25,100.00
On offer here is truly one of the most unique and
interesting cars which I have had the pleasure of owning.
The Nash Rambler was introduced in 1950 to much acclaim
as an aerodynamic and upmarket 2 door convertible which offered brisk
performance. It also gave respectable fuel economy out of its inline 6
motor! Over the years, Nash went on to
add different variations to the Rambler line but, without a doubt, the most
wonderful of those additions was the introduction of a 2 door wagon body style
in the form of the 1951 Deliveryman Wagon!
Mainly intended for utilitarian usage by tradesmen, these
“bathtub” wagons offered fold down second row seating which made for a versatile
and usable automobile. However, one year later, Nash went one step further and
introduced the Nash Rambler Greenbrier wagon which featured two tone green
exterior paint, upgraded trim in the interior, and a substantially increased
price tag for this most luxurious version of the Rambler Wagon! Seeing as this
was a luxury version of a car which was intended for utilitarian usages, Nash
did not sell many Greenbriers and, thus, they have become quite rare today.
The car you see here today is one of these wonderful
little Greenbrier Wagons! This
particular example was the property of a local enthusiast who owned a 1952 Nash
Deliveryman Wagon while he attended a local high school. As life goes, he was
forced to eventually sell his high school car but he never forgot all the great
times that unique little Rambler gave him. Around 10 years ago, he found this
1952 Greenbrier Wagon and decided to embark on a nut and bolt restoration, fueled by his love of his first Nash, to a level not commonly seen on Nash
cars.
The end result of that painstaking restoration is this
car! Upon purchasing the car, the owner told me that in excess of $45, 000 was
spent on the restoration. I only found that unbelievable in regards to the fact
that I am certain such a high quality restoration couldn’t be done today by a
reputable shop for even close to that amount of money. The car features wonderful
paint which is barely showing any signs of age along with a totally clean and
correct interior which shows “as new”. For some reason, on the day which we
took pictures, the carpet was playing tricks on the camera. It looks tattered
and dirty in the images but, in reality, it is like new. The engine compartment
is fully detailed and features all the correct finishing which you do not
commonly see on a car like this. Though clique to say, the underside on this
Nash is truly as nice as the top. Overall, this car is a 10 year old
restoration which does not really look its age. That is largely due to the fact
that the last owner would only drive the car around the block once every two
months in order to keep it in outstanding mechanical condition. Overall, this car would be rated as a strong
#2 car on a scale from 1-6. With some love and attention, it could easily be a
good solid #1 car.
Aside from looking good, the car drives
absolutely perfectly. Mechanically the car is 100%. It stops straight, steers
nice and tight, and shifts through the gears as smoothly as can be. This is one
of those lovely cases where a car was restored to not only look great but to
drive just as well! When I first got
this car it was running hot so it has just benefitted from a re-cored radiator
for many more miles of pleasurable cruising and showing for the next owner!
Let’s cut to the chase though, there are three reasons
why any lover of Nash, 50s era American cars, or just cars in general, should
purchase this car.
#1) It is incredibly unique and, to put it plainly, you
just don’t see cars like a Nash restored to this level simply because it costs
much more to do one to this level than the car is worth when done. The only
smart way to buy them is to get one which someone else has already poured all
the money into!
#2) It is an extremely rare car. As you might imagine, the Greenbrier specifically was not a high selling variant of the Rambler Wagon
because it was the high end luxury version of a wagon which was intended for
utilitarian purposes. Upon consulting a well versed Nash club member and
enthusiast, it is claimed that less than 20 examples (he claims 14) exist to
this day in all states of restoration or disrepair. Though around 53, 000
Ramblers were built in 1952, wagons were only a small % of that total and many
were not deemed as worth keeping in past years. In addition, these cars easily rusted away as they had notoriously bad
water drainage properties. Most surviving examples of 1951-52 Rambler Wagons are
either hot rodded or in project condition. I know of only one other example of
a Greenbrier which frequents West Coast concours shows which compares to this
example based on condition.
Examples of 1952 Rambler Wagons are, in fact, so rare
that sales records of cars are extremely hard to come by. The only comparable
example I could find comes from the 2014 Barrett Jackson Palm Beach auction
where an equally well restored example sold for $35, 200. However, that example
was not the rarer and more desirable Greenbrier, but a lower specification.
Please see the following link for more information: here -jackson.com/Archive/Event/Item/1952-NASH-RAMBLER-STATION-WAGON-170052
#3) Simply put, it is just the cutest stinkin’ car on the
face of the planet. I specialize in buying and selling Shelby Mustangs, Cobras, and other high performance Ford product and none of those cars get the
attention and general response that this one does when I am cruising around the
city! It is for that reason that I have kept the car for a few months without
even trying to sell it- it really is just too much fun and everyone who sees it
just can’t help but smile. Simply put, I
couldn’t resist owning this car purely because of how incredibly unique and
downright cute it is!
In summary, what you have here is a rare, unique, and
utterly adorable car which, unless you have no soul, is impossible not to like!
This car is located in Overland Park, KS which is a
suburb of Kansas City. I welcome anyone who is interested in this car to come
inspect the car in person. You are also welcome to hire and inspector to come
see the car. I will do everything I can to accommodate any inspection. I also
welcome any questions you might have about the car. I will do my best to answer
in as timely a manner as possible. If you would like to speak on the phone, please give me a call at 913.232.2136 and I would be happy to speak with you
about the car!
The car is being sold “as is” with no warranty. I reserve
the right to end the auction at any time as the car is for sale locally. If you
are inclined to make an offer for the outright purchase of the car before
auction’s end, I would be happy to consider it. Happy bidding!
update: 2015-10-09
Condition: | Used | VIN (Vehicle Identification Number): | D114516 |
Make: | Nash | Mileage: | 68,090 |
Year: | 1952 | Exterior Color: | Green |
Model: | Rambler | Interior Color: | Two Tone Green and Beige |
Trim: | Greenbrier | Body Type: | Wagon |
Engine: | 6 | Vehicle Title: | Clear |
Drive Type: | Manual |