Pick of the Day: 1931 Nash 663

Charles Nash left General Motors to launch his own car company

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1931 Nash 663
This 'partially restored' 1931 Nash 663 is the Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com

Baby boomers likely think of Lois Lane’s landau convertible when someone mentions Nash. Or perhaps their thought is of the Nash-Healey, the stylish joint venture that resulted from a chance meeting when Nash’s George Mason and British sports car producer Donald Healey found themselves crossing the Atlantic on the same ship in 1949.

But Charles Nash’s car company was founded in 1916 when Nash, the former president of General Motors (like so many GM executives, he couldn’t work with GM founder Billy Durant),  bought the Jeffrey Motor Co. of Kenosha, Wisconsin, and put his name on the company known for its Rambler cars.

Nash’s was a true rags-to-riches story. His parents divorced when he was 6 and he ended up working as a child on farms in Michigan. He started working for Durant, first in the blacksmith shop and then stuffing upholstery for the Durant Dort Carriage Company.

Nash’s motto was “Give the customer more than he paid for,” and his company, which merged with kitchen appliance producer Kelvinator in the 1930s, introduced heating and ventilation systems to cars and also launched unibody construction before World War II. 

The Pick of the Day is a pre-war Nash, a 1931 Nash 663 being offered for sale on ClassicCars.com by its private owner in Belleville, Illinois.

“From the 660 series is this rare 1931 Nash model 663,” the seller notes before providing a long list of “flathead 6 cyl, 2 door Sedan, manual 3 speed, 5 passenger, new Firestone tires, new Michelin heavy duty 4mm thick inner tubes, rim strips, original wire wheels, dual spares on fenders, high performance radiator hoses, original Ha-Dees heater, new 6 volt battery (negative ground), new high performance coil, new Champion Copper Plus spark plugs, new interior including headliner and hand-stitched steering wheel grip, no smoke, starts instantly and runs smoothly, solid car no rust, many accessories including grease gun, tire changing tools (rims have the labor-efficient lock ring, not to be confused with the dangerous split-rims), extra fuses, bulbs, manuals, master parts catalog, dealership brochure, electric start with optional manual hand crank. 

“Car presently has a quick inexpensive blast of paint for rust protection. According to the Nash Color Schedule (Ditz-Lac Intermix System manual) the original colors were Black (upper section & belt moldings) and Roman Green (lower section and window reveals).”

The car being offered is said to be “partially restored” with its original engine and in running condition.

The 660 series was Nash’s entry-level car in the early 1930s, with inline-6 rather than straight-8 engines. The Standard Catalog of American Cars says the 201cid engine was rated at 65 horsepower.

The car is being offered for $20,000. To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.

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