Words: John Gunnell
When Ann Marie Olson, of Madison, Wis. researched the history of her ‘37 Nash Lafayette, she found it was originally purchased by a Pittsburgh man, but two of its four registered owners have been ladies. Ann Marie plans to drive the car more than the original owner’s wife. She inherited the car after he died, but never registered it for road use. Instead, she put it on blocks for 30 years.
Ann Marie’s husband Merle and his nephew own 1968-1974 Javelins and have about 16 cars. Ann Marie went to car shows with Merle, but something was missing. Ann Marie told him that she wanted a car of her own, but turned down an offer to “pick one from the fleet.” She wanted a classy old car with bubble fenders, running boards and suicide doors. Merle said, “As long as it’s a Nash!”
Ann Marie got out the AMC Family Album - a book that Merle had given her for Christmas. Nash is part of the AMC family. She flipped through the pages and decided she wanted a 1933-1938 Nash. So, the Olsons started searching on eBay. Ann Marie joined the Nash club (www.nashcarclub.org) so she could network with other Nash fans and look for ads in the club magazine.
Her LaFayette came up for sale late in the fall, but she didn’t get it right away. Ann Marie first checked the car out with members of the Nash club in Pennsylvania. She found out it was a wonderful car.
Even though the weather was rough that spring, the Olsons went to Pittsburgh, picked the car up and drove it to Madison. The LaFayette turned out to be just what Ann Marie wanted.
“I bought it all finished, because Merle has so many project cars that he would never get mine done,” she says.
Ann Marie still had to do some work on the car. Last year she encountered overheating problems. She blew a hose and broke the radiator cap seal.
“I started taking the car apart, thinking I needed to flush the system because fluid was coming out,” she explains. “The Nash guys said to clean out the engine block, so I took off the water jacket and got out the water hose, but Merle came home and asked what the heck I was doing and didn’t believe what I had done!”
Ann Marie has found it fascinating to learn about the car. “In 1937, Nash expanded the LaFayette’s wheelbase so it could compete with other models of cars made by the Big 3 automakers,” she notes. “We test drove a couple of 1936s and they were smaller; the 1937 LaFayette is much roomier. Nash made it for the traveling family. The rear seat converts into a double bed if you have the holders. My brother is making the seat holding brackets for me right now.”
Ann Marie gets into the era of the car by wearing 1930s style costumes. “I love hats and I always wear gloves when I’m driving,” she pointed out. Wherever she goes with her LaFayette, Ann Marie has lots of fun!