1935-41 Nash ohv, nine-main, twin-ignition straight 8

[Guest Water Jacket]

Does anyone have any hands on experience with the 1935-41 Nash ohv, 260-cubic-inch, nine-main-bearing, twin-ignition straight eight? It sounds like a quality engine, but we don't see many of them. They're overshadowed by many engines which don't have all the preceding features in one package. What were the 260-ci Nash ohv straight eight's weaknesses? Why don't they have a more pronounced following?

All we can think of are that other nine-main-bearing straight eights were much bigger, longer, so perhaps the Nash's main bearings were narrow, and wore out, offsetting the advantage of nine mains over five wider mains, as in, for example, the 282-ci Packard One-Twenty side-valve (valve-in-block, L-head, flathead) inline eight.

Or, was the Nash's ohv cylinder head, which also contained the exhaust manifold, an Achilles heel?

We know there are several around. But why aren't these engines more popular, better known, more widely known? The 254-ci Hudson splash-oiled, five-main-bearing, side valve straight eight certainly has its fans, and it doesn't sound nearly as advanced, or as much quality, as the Nash.

What's the story?

Edited January 26, 2012 by Water Jacket (see edit history)

[Rusty_OToole]

You don't see many Studebaker straight eights either, or dodo birds for that matter.

Nash built a quality product and succeeded on their own terms for many years even as better known cars bit the dust.

They still have a loyal following. There should be a Nash club web site where the real experts can enlighten you.