1951 Rambler Custom Landau: A Classic American Car

1951 Rambler Custom Landau Browse the article 1951 Rambler Custom Landau

1951 Rambler Custom Landau

If you remember the old Superman TV series, you may recall Lois Lane driving a Nash Rambler similar to this 1951 Rambler Custom Landau. It was an apt choice for the Daily Planet reporter: easy to park, thrifty with gas and, in 1951, quite affordable at $1933. And that was for the grandly named Custom Landau convertible, distinguished by a cloth roof that furled like the door on a roll-top desk.

Classic Convertibles Image Gallery

The 1951 Rambler Custom Landau also offered the popular hardtop coupe.
See more pictures of classic convertibles.

The Rambler also looked tubby in the way of period big Nashes, but it was America's first successful compact. Nash president George Mason loved small cars, and he made sure buyers liked Ramblers by insisting on big-Nash features like rattle-free (if rust-prone) unitized construction, Weather Eye heater, and a dull but proven 172-cubic-inch L-head six with 82 horsepower. Early Ramblers even had the same skirted front wheels as big Nashes, which only made for super-size U-turns for Lois when chasing bad guys on the crowded streets of Metropolis.

The 1951 Rambler Custom Landau's engine was nothing fancy,
but it got the job done.

Though two-door wagons were the most popular early Ramblers, Mason was quick to add a trendy hardtop coupe for '51. That would have suited Lois too. But then, she couldn't have lowered its top to catch Superman's eye from on high.

The 1951 Rambler Custom Landau was the perfect choice for a style-minded
go-getter on a budget.

For more classic convertibles of the 1950s, see:

1950 Oldsmobile 88

1955 Chevrolet Bel Air

1957 Lincoln Premiere

1951 Chrysler New Yorker

1955 Mercury Montclair

1957 Oldsmobile Super 88

1951 Lincoln Cosmopolitan

1956 Ford Thunderbird

1958 Continental Mark III

1953 Oldsmobile Fiesta

1956 Lincoln Premiere

1958 Edsel Citation

1954 Hudson Hornet Brougham

1956 Packard Caribbean

1959 Cadillac Series 62

1954 Packard Caribbean

1957 Chevrolet Bel Air

1959 Dodge Custom Royal

1955 Buick Century

1957 Chrysler New Yorker

1959 Ford Thunderbird

1955 Cadillac Series 62

1957 Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner

1959 Pontiac Bonneville

For more information on all kinds of cars, try these:

• Classic Convertible Cars: See profiles on more than 70 classic convertibles.
• Muscle Cars: Get information on more than 100 tough-guy rides.
• Consumer Guide New Car Reviews: Looking for a new car? Get the Consumer Guide rating.
• Consumer Guide Used Car Reviews: Considering a used car purchase? You'll want to check the Consumer Guide used car rating.