Nash Motors built its reputation on well-engineered and economical family transportation, but the Wisconsin automaker did occasionally branch out into heavier-duty vehicles. Built between 1947 and 1954, the Model 3148 and long-wheelbase Model 3248 trucks were not intended for the general public. Rather, they were designed for commercial use and export and, thus, were an uncommon sight on American roadways even when new. Tow trucks for Nash dealerships were a common career for vehicles that remained stateside, though the chassis could of course be configured for a wide variety of tasks.

This Model 3248 is one of a limited number with bodies by the Wayne Works of Richmond, Indiana, all of which are said to have been built for, appropriately enough, a Wisconsin school district apparently faithful to its local product. Wayne was noted for its all-steel bodies and numerous safety innovations, which would have surely been appreciated by the parents of this bus’s junior passengers. Power was supplied by a Nash inline six mated to a manual transmission, in turn connected to a dual rear axle. Interestingly but likely coincidentally, the rounded rear end of the Wayne bus bodywork somewhat resembled the streamlined Nash “Airflyte” styling that would be introduced on the company’s passenger cars for the 1949 model year.

Following many years spent in a farmyard in Minnesota, this bus was acquired around 2010 by the noted expatriate Nash collector Tom Harrington of France and was restored in 2018. In addition to repairs to the chassis and bodywork, this comprehensive job paid close attention to details such as a stop sign, rows and rows of bench seats, and, of course, the classic yellow-and-black livery.

The current owner notes that in prior ownership, the transmission and clutch were both rebuilt. In its present care the restoration was significantly freshened, with Custom Classics of Island Lake, Illinois, undertaking repairs to the sheet metal and new paint, installing new rear seals, as well as fitting an upgraded electrical system with new wiring and toggle switches for the lighting and heater.

The survival rate of vintage school buses such as this is very low, and with most surviving examples having been modified for other purposes, vanishingly few from any manufacturer remain in period-correct configuration. Reportedly one of only two known to exist today, according to its restorer, this wonderfully restored 1949 Nash is a particularly rare find, and a must-have for any dedicated fan of the plucky Kenosha automaker. It is also a surefire crowd favorite in any collection, and perhaps the ultimate “party wagon” for transporting a vast crowd of one’s family.