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1951 Nash Rambler Build Thread

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by D_Lazaris, Oct 11, 2010.

  1. Adam Bahm
    Joined: Nov 12, 2008
    Posts: 27

    Adam Bahm
    Member

    I've always liked the Pinninfarina designed Nashes, right up to the Metros. You're doing it right.
     
  2. D_Lazaris
    Joined: Apr 19, 2010
    Posts: 849

    D_Lazaris
    Member
    from So. Cal

    Small Update:

    The original water pump was completely rotted out, and the extra one in the trunk was also not usable.

    The new one came in on Sat. I gave it a new coat of paint and bolted it on....

    Here it is! It is deff. an odd water pump it is powered by the generator instead of belt driven.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  3. BadassBadger
    Joined: Oct 24, 2010
    Posts: 460

    BadassBadger
    Member
    from wisconsin

    will need a vid of it running on stand once you have the toilet bowl supercharger on!
     
  4. D_Lazaris
    Joined: Apr 19, 2010
    Posts: 849

    D_Lazaris
    Member
    from So. Cal

    I will deff be posting a vid of it when its running! I can't wait!
     
  5. Dynaflash_8
    Joined: Sep 24, 2008
    Posts: 3,038

    Dynaflash_8
    Member
    from Auburn WA

    i have one of those motors in the barn, but of 1941 Vintage. Exact same damn thing
     
  6. and i have the same in my 54 nash, only i need to either find or fix the manual trans in it
     
  7. This little car is cool.

    What are your other plans for it, beyond the engine/transmission?
     
  8. HOT40ROD
    Joined: Jun 16, 2006
    Posts: 961

    HOT40ROD
    Member
    from Easton, Pa


    You mean like this. It my 58 American and this thread got my attention now. I been looking to do something with the engine and trans.
     

    Attached Files:

  9. Sweet car! When I was young, one of the neighbors had two 1950? Nash Statesmans sitting on blocks in their front yard. I thought they were super ugly! Now I would love to get one! I think the full-skirted fenders are really cool...
     
  10. farna
    Joined: Jul 8, 2005
    Posts: 1,282

    farna
    Member

    1. The transmission used behind all the L-head Rambler engines is a Borg-Warner T-96. It was also used behind the 196 OHV. It was used a year or two behind a 232 in the Gremlin, but that was a HD model with a slightly stronger input shaft and larger input bearing. Didn't help a whole lot!

    2. The T-96 should be up to even a supercharged L-head (under 120 hp, assuming 5-6 psi). But let me warn you -- it only has ONE synchronizer between 2nd and 3rd. DO NOT downshift to 1st unless at or very near a complete stop! If you do you'll soon have chipped teeth. Give it a second between shift, don't try to speed or power shift it. Do that and it will be a dependable, start trying to shift fast or power shift and the synchro won't last long.

    3. The original engine was 172.6 cubic inches, 3.125" bore, 3.75"stroke, 7.25:1 compression, 82 hp @ 3800 rpm. Note that the engine will never reach 3800 rpm pulling the car even going down hill, it will only reach 3200-3500 rpm. So it was running on much less than 82 hp! Gobs of low speed torque though, very hard to choke down when taking off. My 196 powered 62 American was the only stick shift car my ex wife could drive -- it would chug off from an inclined drive/stop without jerking like new cars do. In a four speed Chevette I had she'd give you whiplash trying to take off from anything but a level or downhill stop!

    4. Did you bore the thing out or get a 196 (actually 195.6) crank? The old blocks can be safely bored up to 0.125" over, but getting pistons would be expensive. I've seen 0.080" over pistons, but 0.040" over seem to be the most common for the 196. I never messed with the smaller ones, only had 61-65 models. There was also a 184 inch model. Bore was the same for all three (172.6, 184, 195.6), but stroke increased 1/4" (3.75", 4.00", 4.25" respectively). Blocks are basically the same except that the water pump moved to the front of the engine in 1957 and the oil pump mounting surface changed in 1965 (last year, one year only!) to accommodate a full flow oil filter (slightly different pump). Unfortunately the full flow pump won't fir the 51-55 Nash Rambler or 58-63 Rambler American body. But you can alter the existing pump cover for full flow (or rather make a new cover) -- see http://www.wps.com/AMC/195.6OHV/Oil pump mods/index.html. Tom has some other mods you might be interested in -- http://www.wps.com/AMC/index.html . Scroll down to "195.6 Performance". He's talking mainly about the OHV engine, but some will apply to the L-head.

    5. That funky water pump actually cools better than a front mounted pump. Tom talks about a cooling system mod, but the center mounted pump doesn't need it. The center location cools the block much more evenly, but requires a special generator with extension shaft in the back and a ling radiator hose. Converting to an alternator would take some ingenuity!
     
  11. D_Lazaris
    Joined: Apr 19, 2010
    Posts: 849

    D_Lazaris
    Member
    from So. Cal

    Farna, thanks for the great info! Thanks for letting me know about the tranny, I would have lost some teeth real quick!

    The block was originally 172.6 cubic inches and I got it bored 0.60" over, but now I am getting confused on what the cubic inches would end up being. I thought it would make it 195 but is that 0.40" over? or am i just confusing myself!!

    I sure do like the idea of that full flow oil filter setup I might end up doing that.
     
  12. Dirty Old Nash
    Joined: Jan 13, 2007
    Posts: 24

    Dirty Old Nash
    Member

    I have a 55 Nash overhead 6 motor with the same water pump setup. I gutted the generator and replaced the insides with sealed bearings so now it just drives the water pump. I hung a GM 1-wire in the other side of the motor. This setup has run flawlessly for 6 years now.
     
  13. hotrodjeep
    Joined: Feb 3, 2009
    Posts: 867

    hotrodjeep
    Member
    from Tama, Iowa

    I'm ready to send you money as a thank you for keeping the six.
    And finding the edmunds head aslo deserves a pat on the back.

    Jeff
     
  14. D_Lazaris
    Joined: Apr 19, 2010
    Posts: 849

    D_Lazaris
    Member
    from So. Cal


    I never thought about doing that!! Would you mind if you posted some pictures of your setup? That would be fantastic!!
     
  15. D_Lazaris
    Joined: Apr 19, 2010
    Posts: 849

    D_Lazaris
    Member
    from So. Cal

    HAHA! That would be great! Just make the check out to cash!! :D

    I am really happy the six is working out, I just love the engine and I love seeing original engines in cars. If it wasn't for finding the edmunds head this build would have taken a different turn.
     
  16. -Brent-
    Joined: Nov 20, 2006
    Posts: 7,349

    -Brent-
    Member

    Is that the way the coil was set stock? Or did you turn it over to fit the wire?
     
  17. D_Lazaris
    Joined: Apr 19, 2010
    Posts: 849

    D_Lazaris
    Member
    from So. Cal

    I am pretty sure that is how it is stock. Thats how it was when I bought the car, and also from pictures I've seen.
     
  18. TMunster
    Joined: Oct 4, 2010
    Posts: 116

    TMunster
    Member
    from Las Vegas

    great build, engine is looking great!
     
  19. -Brent-
    Joined: Nov 20, 2006
    Posts: 7,349

    -Brent-
    Member

    Interesting. I always get a chill up my spine when I see that. As a teen, I was thoroughly chewed out by a neighbor (he was a tough old fella) for turning my coil downward. He "told" me about it being filled with oil and they weren't made to sit upside-down. He was no dummy, so I took heed. Later I asked my father and he agreed.

    Hey, "Nash did it stock..." I could have retorted... if only I could have known that then! :D

    Keep up the good work... and keep an eye on that coil will you, for old Carmen's sake? :D
     
  20. Dirty Old Nash
    Joined: Jan 13, 2007
    Posts: 24

    Dirty Old Nash
    Member

    I'll take some pics of the alternator setup tonight and post them.
     
  21. i changed my generator in my 54 to twelve volts, never have had a problem
     
  22. D_Lazaris
    Joined: Apr 19, 2010
    Posts: 849

    D_Lazaris
    Member
    from So. Cal

    I will deff. keep an eye on the coil. I went through my service manual and all the pictures throughout it have the coil upside down... hmm? But I have no problem flipping it. Whatever works!!
     
  23. farna
    Joined: Jul 8, 2005
    Posts: 1,282

    farna
    Member

    So you now have a 3.185" bore (3.125"+0.060"), but still have a 3.75" stroke.

    3.185/2 = 1.5925, squared = 2.5361, x pi = 7.9673, x 3.75" (stroke) = 29.8772 cubic inches per cylinder, x 6 = 179.2633. Call it either 179 or 180 cubic inches.

    The 3.125" bore x 4" stroke Nash L-head was a 184, the 4.25" stroke a 195.6. So you got 6.66 cubic inches from boring. Boring never is a good way to increase size. I doubt you would notice the power difference of so few inches, but maybe so. Packing the fuel/air mixture in is good though!

    Are you getting the cam reground to take advantage of the blower? Even without forced induction it's a good idea to talk to someone about regrinding the cam. The factory cam profiles are VERY conservative! You need to talk to someone familiar with flat-head six cams though, very different from an OHV.
     
  24. bonez
    Joined: Jul 16, 2007
    Posts: 3,487

    bonez
    Member
    from Slow lane

    This build is gonna rock!
    But i have to tell you, youre a crazy mofo for scraping the gold off the block to make it cream!
    Still, if you will use the same care and attention to detail for the outside as you did for the engine is goin to be a sweeeeeet cruiser.

    VVV this is a crazy Nash from japan:D. VVV
     

    Attached Files:

  25. Gremlinguy
    Joined: Oct 29, 2009
    Posts: 505

    Gremlinguy
    Member

    From a fellow AMC/NASH guy its looking good!
     
  26. D_Lazaris
    Joined: Apr 19, 2010
    Posts: 849

    D_Lazaris
    Member
    from So. Cal

    Well, its 3am and I couldn't stop thinking bout the Nash. Im horrible at photoshop but thought I would give it a shot...

    Not going to lie, I'm really digging it... the chop will be a pain with that curved back window though!!


    [​IMG]
     
  27. bonez
    Joined: Jul 16, 2007
    Posts: 3,487

    bonez
    Member
    from Slow lane

    Dunno, its a possibility, but i'd go for something "milder" like the one on my previous post, you dont necessareley need to chop a car to make it kooler,but thats me.
    Still, if you manage to do one like your p.shop i think its goin to be rad as hell.
     
  28. sololobo
    Joined: Aug 23, 2006
    Posts: 8,378

    sololobo
    Member

    How exciting is this?--VERY---wonderful car and a great approach to the build. I adore these cars, they are so rare in this condition to start with. The drivetrain is amazing and admire you sticking with the orig equipment, maybe a little hopped up but cool. I'm in on this build. Please don't chop this car. Lines are just right and to much alterations with a chop. The engine colors rock, love the cloth wires. Good luck and watchin with you all the way. ~sololobo~
     
    Last edited: Dec 21, 2010
  29. rustyhood
    Joined: Dec 2, 2009
    Posts: 722

    rustyhood
    Member

    I dig the motor, clean and simple with just a touch of attitude.
    If you keep the same approach on the body...I'd say you got a winner in progress.
    Good luck and have fun with it.
    By the way...beep beep....the horn went beep beep beep! lol. had to do it!
     
  30. farna
    Joined: Jul 8, 2005
    Posts: 1,282

    farna
    Member

    On the 51-53 (maybe 54 and 55 too) the rear glass is actually three pieces. If you chop the top just eliminate the curved side pieces -- make the top solid there and just use the large center glass. Would still look good and you wouldn't have to worry about that curved glass. The only other alternative is to make some curved pieces from Lexan.
     

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