Classic car cache rests 450 feet under Lake Michigan!

[super-bee_ski]

An interesting story:
The SS Senator, which sank in Lake Michigan after a collision on October 31, 1929 in over 400 feet of water off Port Washington, Wis. with her load of 268 Nash automobiles.
-The ship sank on Halloween, Oct. 31, 1929; mere days after the infamous Black Thursday stock market crash that threw the country into an economic spiral.
-The SS Senator left Kenosha two days later, laden with $251,000 worth of brand new cars from Nash Motors, a Wisconsin-based automaker founded by former General Motors president Charles W. Nash. The company had just begun offering a new 8-cylinder engine model that month and the 1930 models incorporated a 133-inch wheelbase — the longest Nashes built to date.

http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2016/05/senator_shipwreck_nash_motors.html

 

[furyus]

Cool story.

 

[super-bee_ski]

Amazing to think that the Nash company was abler to survive!
The article states some of the cars are in incredible condition!

 

[Photon440]

I guess there was no shipping insurance on those cars?

 

[super-bee_ski]

Good question,
Well, the Stock Market collapsed 2 days later.
So, I am certain that had a profound effect on many things.

 

[super-bee_ski]

So,
I did a calculation of $251,000 in 1929 and found it is the equivalent $3,471,799.71 in 2016.

 

[ws23jrt]

So for the Nash collector folks these cars could be called?-- Submerged found?---On that note I've read that some conditions under water can be great for preservation.

As I recall the -Andrea Doria- went down with some cool Chrysler cars on board.

 

[super-bee_ski]

Yes, very interesting...
Nash car company "lived" from 192 or 193 to 1954 when murdered by GM
(GM only wanted a Big 3)

Andrea Doria huh?

 

[ws23jrt]

I found this with a short search.
http://www.carsandracingstuff.com/library/articles/10720.php
My old farts memory tells me their were more Chrysler cars than just this one on board. ??

 

[Photon440]

There was a discussion about the Norseman on the Andrea Doria on this board awhile back: http://www.forbbodiesonly.com/mopar...went-down-with-the-ship.66022/#post-910009610

 

[super-bee_ski]

Thanks Photon440, that flew under my RADAR
I'll search and read it.

cool article about the Norseman Chrysler IDEA car....
Wow, who knew?

 

[BigBlock61]

Wasn't the 66 Charger influenced by the Norseman?