The Nash 400 was a six-cylinder model built for the 1936 model year only. It sat between the smaller LaFayette and the larger Ambassador and introduced several features that later Nashes took for granted.
Nash 400 at a glance
| Production | 1936 model year only |
|---|---|
| Introduced | 20 May 1935 |
| Models | 400 (3640) and 400 DeLuxe (3640A, from 15 October 1935) |
| Wheelbase | 2,972 mm |
| Engine | 3,848 cc side-valve six, 90 bhp at 3,400 rpm |
| Gearbox | Three-speed manual |
| Brakes | Hydraulic, all four wheels |
| Bodies | open and closed, three to six seats |
| Nash firsts | intake manifold cast into the block, alligator bonnet, headlights on the wings |
| Replaced by | Nash LaFayette 400 in 1937 |
There is no English Wikipedia article on the Nash 400; this page is based on one German source, which cites the Standard Catalog of American Cars.
History of the Nash 400
The Nash 400 was introduced on 20 May 1935 for the 1936 model year. Its chassis had a 2,972 mm wheelbase, and power came from a side-valve 3,848 cc six developing 90 bhp at 3,400 rpm. The same-sized engine in the Ambassador Six of that year had overhead valves and produced 93 bhp. A single-plate dry clutch and a three-speed gearbox with a central lever drove the rear wheels, and all four wheels had hydraulic brakes. Nash offered a wide choice of open and closed bodies with three to six seats.
The 400 was the first Nash with its intake manifold cast into the engine block, and the first with a one-piece bonnet hinged at the rear, the so-called alligator bonnet. Its headlights moved from the sides of the grille onto the front wings. The grille itself was pressed steel with vertical bars, and the car had a fastback rear without a boot lid. On 15 October 1935 a 400 DeLuxe, model 3640A, joined the range: mechanically the same, it had a chromed vertical-bar grille, a split bonnet hinged in the middle and better equipment.
Both versions were replaced in 1937 by the Nash LaFayette 400, which combined the 400 and the LaFayette in one model.
Design and features
- Alligator bonnet: the first Nash with a one-piece bonnet hinged at the rear.
- Cast intake manifold: the first Nash with the manifold cast into the cylinder block.
- Wing-mounted headlights: the lamps moved off the grille onto the front wings.
- Hydraulic brakes: fitted to all four wheels, as on the other Nashes of the year.
- Fastback body: a sloping rear without a separate boot lid.
Nash 400 versions
- 400 (3640): the standard model from May 1935, with a pressed-steel grille and a rear-hinged bonnet.
- 400 DeLuxe (3640A): from October 1935, with a chromed grille, a split bonnet and better trim.
The 400 was replaced by the Nash LaFayette 400 and sat below the Nash Ambassador. More cars are in the Nash collection.
Sources
- Nash 400, German Wikipedia: models, engine, chassis, features
