Studebakers on a Nash used car lot.

[8E45E]

Not Bob and I don't have a "...wonderful...Catalog". A 1954 Eldorado convertible (top of the line) listed for $4738.

Thanks for the Eldorado price, which is $1362 less than that Nash Healey. I suspect it would have been almost enough left over to also buy a plain-Jane Chevrolet two door sedan.

I wonder if Palma Motors sold any brand new Nash Healeys.

Craig

[studegary]

Thanks for the Eldorado price, which is $1362 less than that Nash Healey. I suspect it would have been almost enough left over to also buy a plain-Jane Chevrolet two door sedan.

I wonder if Palma Motors sold any brand new Nash Healeys.

Craig

Yes, "almost enough". A base 1954 Chevrolet sedan was $1539.

[plee4139]

To me it looks like the best car show ever with a variety of marques, and not just ChevroFords.

[BobPalma]

Did you dad actually sell any Nash Healeys at that price?!?? Craig

Not hardly, Craig, but thanks for the thought. They never sold any Nash Healeys or Packard Caribbeans, for that matter. In each case, the appropriate "road man" loaned them a car for display; a 1953 Caribbean to be used as Pace Car for the Edgar County Fair horse races in late July 1953, and a Nash Healey for display in the showroom as shown above.

Of course they could have sold either or both of those cars, but that was a ton of money in a farm community.

After they merged with Harry Rhoads to form Palma-Rhoads Motors (of which Dad and Uncle Milt owned 85%!) in 1955, they didn't sell any 1955 Studebaker Speedsters, either, although the Studebaker road man brought one around, in which I rode at age 9.

They did sell two (2) 1956 Studebaker Golden Hawks, one of which became famous and the other of which has never been accounted for. BP

[6hk71400]

Not hardly, Craig, but thanks for the thought. They never sold any Nash Healeys or Packard Caribbeans, for that matter. In each case, the appropriate "road man" loaned them a car for display; a 1953 Caribbean to be used as Pace Car for the Edgar County Fair horse races in late July 1953, and a Nash Healey for display in the showroom as shown above.

Of course they could have sold either or both of those cars, but that was a ton of money in a farm community.

Bob brings up an interesting point: Studebaker was active in many smaller communities that the big 3 shunned back in the 30's 40's amd

After they merged with Harry Rhoads to form Palma-Rhoads Motors (of which Dad and Uncle Milt owned 85%!) in 1955, they didn't sell any 1955 Studebaker Speedsters, either, although the Studebaker road man brought one around, in which I rode at age 9.

They did sell two (2) 1956 Studebaker Golden Hawks, one of which became famous and the other of which has never been accounted for. BP

Bob brings up an interesting point: Studebaker marketed and sold cars and trucks in smaller rural areas that the big 3 shunned. What big 3 would want to place a dealership in Bisbee, AZ for example? Sure there were big dealers in the major cities that would sell the glamour, but when it came down to the brass tacks, bread and butter sold. When my parents were looking for a replacement for a tired 50 Plymouth in Phoenix, they did look at a Nash Rambler station wagon that my mother liked, but we left Stewart Motor with a 56 four door sedan. The little bit of flash was the two tone paint job Sun Glow Gold and white. When it came time for a new car in 1959 it was a Tahiti Coral deluxe 4 door Lark six. It was on the showroom floor. I remember it vividly as cars were flying in and out of the showroom floor that day. Dad traded a 1953 Cadillac 4 door that my uncle talked him into buying, but the hood was up more than down on that car.

Bob Miles

[Buzzard]

In BP's pic did anyone notice that Nash beat Packard to the punch by three full years to use the name "country" when naming their cars (Packard Clipper Country Sedan)? A pal of mine has a Nash Country Club Hardtop hot rod that is a pretty cool and unique ride. When he is in car shows I bet his is the only one.
Bill

[WinM1895]

Bob brings up an interesting point: Studebaker marketed and sold cars and trucks in smaller rural areas that the big 3 shunned. What big 3 would want to place a dealership in Bisbee, AZ for example?

There was a Chevrolet dealer in Lowell, which is much smaller than Bisbee. but only about a mile or so away.

When you google earth the town, the Star Chevrolet 'ghost sign' is visible on the building as is the neon sign. Parked across the street, is a Studebaker 2R pickup.

There was probably a Ford dealer there too, as there's another former dealership building up the street.

[S2Deluxe]

According to the Nash Dealer website (nashparts.com), Downing Nash was located at 486 Peachtree Street N.W. Atlanta GA and was in business 1954/56.

So, if this info is factual, the pic couldn't have been taken in 1957.

I don't think you're realizing that the '57 date on the photo is, most likely the date that the film was developed. It is quite possible that it was taken, during the '54 - '56 time frame, and not developed until later in '57 after the dealership was shut down. However the presence of the '56 Hawk indicates that it wasn't taken any earlier than late '55. Also, a small section of the grill, on the Strainer in back, is visible and looks to be a '54.

Mark

[8E45E]

In BP's pic did anyone notice that Nash beat Packard to the punch by three full years to use the name "country" when naming their cars (Packard Clipper Country Sedan)? A pal of mine has a Nash Country Club Hardtop hot rod that is a pretty cool and unique ride. When he is in car shows I bet his is the only one.
Bill

Chrysler used 'country' in a model name before the second world war when they introduced the Town & Country, and Ford started to use the term 'Country Squire' for their wood trim wagons from 1950-on. When the all-steel Ford wagon came out in 1952, they labeled the mid-range wagon a Country Sedan a few years before Packard did.

Craig

[Studedude]

"No Obligation" if you'd like to see the new Nash Healey in the showroom of Palma Motors without being bothered with sales talk. Just clip the coupon and pin it to your lapel! (Click on the image to enlarge.) BP

Love the coupon concept!

[BobPalma]

Love the coupon concept!

Thanks, Dave; another of Dad's clever marketing ideas. I never asked him if anyone showed up with one of those affixed to their lapel. I doubt it.

Palma Motors' showroom at 141 East Court Street was small; two cars were a squeeze! I don't know for sure, but I'll bet they had a smaller Nash Rambler on the floor next to the Healey, to save space.

In this July 1953 photo (click to enlarge photos), you can see how the building was configured, with the entrance to the Service Department to the right as you looked at the building.



In the 1991 photo below, you can see where the Service Department entrance has been filled in with large doors. The used television sets are displayed in what was the new-car showroom; barely wide enough to get two cars in it side-by-side so the grilles would be visible through the windows.

Both men are deceased; Uncle Milton on December 30, 1994, and Dad September 6, 2017. Dad is on the left; his younger brother Milton is on the right. In that my 1964 Daytona is an original-paint midwest car, Dad is positioned, ahem, "strategically! (The building still stands and is kind of an indoor flea market.)



BP

[8E45E]

Palma Motors' showroom at 141 East Court Street was small; two cars were a squeeze! I don't know for sure, but I'll bet they had a smaller Nash Rambler on the floor next to the Healey, to save space.

Being 'farm country', was there much interest in that Nash Healey? As in, was the showroom packed 5-deep all around it to get a good look at it?

Craig

[studegary]

In Beacon, NY and Wappingers Falls, NY, the Studebaker dealerships had two car showrooms. In between them, in Fishkill, NY, the DeSoto-Plymouth dealership added a second, connected showroom in 1952 that allowed for 16 new cars to be displayed indoors. When I sold there (Chrysler-Plymouth) in the 1990s, we did all of our new and used car deliveries from indoors (our "delivery room"). That is something that dealerships are now advertising as a new and great thing (at least in this area). There is even a Studebaker connection. After DeSoto went out in 1961, they sold new Mercedes-Benz for years (distributed by Studebaker).

[JLB]

According to the Nash Dealer website (nashparts.com), Downing Nash was located at 486 Peachtree Street N.W. Atlanta GA and was in business 1954/56.

So, if this info is factual, the pic couldn't have been taken in 1957.

I googled earthed the address, building is gone, replaced by a huge modern parking garage.

There's a similar looking 3 story building kitty-corner across the street, but it's not the same as it has 6 windows, not 5.

I grew up in Atlanta and remember Downing Motors in that location. Can't say what year they went out of business, but they did become a strictly used car dealer. In 1961 or '62 ( I was 16 or 17 ), I drug my Dad down to Downing Motors to look at two, 1953 Corvettes. Asking price on either was $700.00. He said NO, and so ended my dream of a Corvette for about 10 years.

[t walgamuth]

Like Studebaker, Nash had a small flathead 6-cyl which was gutless. The larger cars had a 235" OHV6 which had better performance.

A tidbit of interest, Nash management had some guts Studebaker lacked. They partnered with Donald Healey.
A Nash engine with dual carbs, was used in the '51-'54 Nash Healey; for sale years before the Corvette or Thunderbird. A lightweight racing Nash-Healey purpose-built for the race finished 3rd at Le Mans.



jack vines

See the little badge on the fender between the door and the front right wheel opening? That says Pininfarina, who built the body for the Nash Healy road cars (not sure who did the racing cars). PIninfarina being the company which built the most Ferrari Bodies at that time.

The Nash Healys made impressive finishes at LeMans 24 hr race several years.