National coach info

Rocky Fluegge

Rocky Fluegge

PCS Member
I was wondering if i can pick the welth of knowlage again. I have been trying to look tru the web to try to learn more about the national coach company, The same as the builders if my new 56 olds coach. How long did they produce cars, did they change ownership and names over the years, ect? Also is there a good website with the info that i have not been able to find yet. As always thankyou again for what ever help and info i can get.
 
Gotta say, its been hard to find much info beyond the coachbuilt site for my National. I was lucky enough to obtain original brochures and letters from 1951. The rest is piecing stuff together. From what I have been told the production numbers were destroyed as well as all factory photos. Maybe the following will help you some. I know that it is not exactly for your year and make but it may give you insite as to what was available to a buyer when a coach was built as well as how National portrayed itself. The last one is an ad that shows one of the year & make of your rig. Hope this helps. If I find more I'll send it along.

http://cgi.ebay.com/1958-Dodge-Nati...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item5634743b21

http://cgi.ebay.com/1956-Pontiac-Na...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item563360f02a

http://cgi.ebay.com/1956-National-A...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item35a4ce56fd
 
The Professional Car featured the complete National story in Issue number 93, Third Quarter, 1999. Twenty-two pages of National history and photos. The previous issue (number 92, second quarter 1999) had the Knightstown and Silver Knightstown stories. Together, the whole history of these Indiana-built procars are told. Maybe you could find one of these old editions from a PCS member.
 
Keith, Thanks for that great info :specool:

Would it be possible for someone with those issues (Issue number 93, Third Quarter, 1999 and Issue number 92, second quarter 1999) to scan them to pdf and make them available (via email) to newer members (post '99) who collect or are interested in Nationals?

I didn't know these articles were available. See what happens when you come late to the party. :pat:

I believe there was a more recent issue with info on Nationals as well. I just can't get my back issues right now to get the exact info. Any help?
 
check with the pcs store keepr and they may be still had new old stock for a small price. just one more of the perks of membership.
 
Thanks. Who would that be? Unfortunatly when I Google "Professional Car Society" for a listing of who is who the other site comes up under that label.
 
Rocky Fluegge said:
The same as the builders if my new 56 olds coach.
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I take it you have been able to settle the maker of this coach. get a shot of the tag for us will you so we can once and for all get this car moved into it proper place in the photo album. the one thing I do know on my new one is it's not a national. the tag on them is highly visible in all the pictures. but cars like your 56. takes some looking. so a shot of the tag and the location will help future generations of people to no end. some times all you have to go by is one way they built the car diferent in each plant. have one of the modles labled really helps. if you remember national never even came up in the discussion of this one. or if it did it was dismissed right away and comet was settled on.
 
Joe Melanson said:
Thanks. Who would that be? Unfortunatly when I Google "Professional Car Society" for a listing of who is who the other site comes up under that label.
Click to expand...

The information is on the inside front cover of the latest issue of "The Professional Car" ....
 
John on the disscussion of the car being a national, Talk with the pinner boys figured it out. they said that the comets-dixies would not have exposed rear door hinges. I guess that the guy that built the rear doors for them would have a fit if the hinges were exposed. Also some clues were that there is no trim around the divider glass, and the location of the rear heater. I have crawled all around this car and have found no signs of a tag anywhere. Maybe when i get to taking the interior out of the car i may find something hiding there. If i do i will for sure post a picture of it. Being that i have the car home if anyone wants any detailed pics of it let me know.
 
Comet and Dixie both used "exposed hinges" at least through 1957 (Comet even pictured the hinges in its 1957 Brochure and the pictures of the 56 Dixie Jeremy shared showed them also). National used a totally different rear door in this vintage. Studying the variations of coachwork with pictures in my archives still say Comet.....Im guessing a metal worker needed Valium in 56.....In 58 however the hinges were concealed.

Rear door hinges on a Dixie......
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and in 57 on the Comets....
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And lastly.....look closely on the rear door styling on this 57 National Chevy...not even close to your car.
14kh0fq.jpg


And finally the drip rail design over the rear door solidifies my opinion that it is a Comet (as well as other details as we had discussed in the previous post about this car).:bonk:
 
comet would have a tag I'm sure it was drivers side on the cowl so if it's gone there would be the 4 holes about 2 x 3 apart
 

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here are a pic of the rear again, with the shadow on it it looks like a nomad. I will look for the holes in the fire wall
 

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Rocky,
National usually put their script on the rear part of the front fender under the fender trim (if there was trim) or in that area if there was no trim. You might try look at that area to see if there are fill divets in the paint on the exterior or where the holes were filled when looking from behind. The holes would be about 5" apart. Worth a look anyway & might lend a clue.
 
I will check there to also tonight, sorry about the bad photo of the rear of the car it did not look so bad when it was small. The hunt goes on?:boom:
 
I took a look at the back side of the front fenders, you can see the back of them from under the hood pretty well. And there were no holes that were welded or filled from some script. And i looked at the fore wall and no holes. But olds has two big boxes one on each side for the heat box. so now tag there??? Still a mystery!
 
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