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.

The 1951 Rambler Custom Landau also offered the popular hardtop coupe.

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.

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.