Projects Mish-Mash Nash -'52 Rambler Wagon

I separated the smaller panels/pieces (two small braces and the extension panel) which were spot welded to the rear quarter panel, as they all need some sort of rust repair. Fortunately, I didn't need to be too careful, as the two smaller pieces will be replaced entirely, and the lower edge of the quarter panel repaired with new metal:





I won't be reusing the extension panel, as it (and the matching piece on the left side) was (were) designed for use with the stock rear bumper, which also will not be reused.

With those pieces removed, I could finally see how things look with the now bare quarter panel in position:



While I like how the lower line flows and wraps around the rear, nobody wants to see the leaf spring nor fuel tank, so I cut a cardstock pattern using the LH quarter panel's shape as a template, then taped it in place:



Much better. While the quarter panel extension forward of the wheel opening has a slight downward/outward flare, it's subtle, and can be worked out if necessary. I think I will taper the new extension a bit as it flows rearward and wraps around the back, but it should work well to hide the leaf springs and fuel tank from sight.

 

Picked up two early Corvair hoods today for future use:




A quick test placement on the Rambler's hood confirms they should fit without any shortening necessary:

 

Picked up a pair of '60 Rambler American fenders yesterday, then roughly placed one in position (cowl and/or fender needs to be trimmed for it to fit well)...:





While I really love the envelope style front fenders, they reality is they severely limit things up front-- narrow track and engine bay for starters. I also feel the early Rambler nose is too stubby, which could be improved with some fender lengthening or another change. Later headlight trim rings are more pronounced, adding visual length, but maybe later fenders and early trim rings are the sweet spot? The earlier "step down" style front fenders kind of kill the visual flow from front to rear, too, so that's another strike against them in my eyes.

There's more mocking up and cutting to be done, but opening up the engine bay for wider engine options would be nice, though at the expense of the unique envelope style front fenders.

I am delighted to have the actual pieces to work with now, though, so some decisions will need to made soon-ish.

Inner and outer Corvair hood skins separated, followed by some test fitting:

 

I worked on fitting the '59(?) fenders today, and after much measuring, marking and trimming, got them roughly positioned where they need to be. I had to cut back the cowl on both sides to allow the upper fenders 'tails' to rest in that space, so I will need to cap and add drain holes to the cowl ends later, but the fender gaps are decent. Door fit and alignment on both sides isn't great at present, but good enough to help with aligning the fenders. I folded over the fender edge where it meets the cowl, so not much room for gap adjustment there. Left and right sides, roughly held in place:





I will add a patch at the front face of the cowl on both sides so the cowl line extends fully across, so I left the fender notches a bit long for now. Other small details will get worked out, too, so, just glad to have the fenders resting in place for now.





I think I have the front width at the headlights correct, but don't have a later valence panel on hand, so I went with the 52" headlights center to center measurement. The '52 panel is shorter vertically, has a more convex curve, and mine is not in great condition anyway, so I'll have to come up with something for that space.

Corvair hood test fit shots, showing the differing rear hood edge and cowl heights:





Below you can see how the fender tops curl downward while the cowl arches upward:



I propped up the center of the hood from underneath to give it a bit more arch, so it's about 1-3/4" lower than the cowl currently. Not ideal, but, definitely was a thing on the '52 Ambassador and '53-4 Ramblers, so Nash-appropriate in a way.



The hood skin fits the fender contours surprisingly well, but will need both lengthening and trimming on both sides, plus re-contouring up front, too.

 

Wow! You have an amazing eye to see how all that can play together! Really enjoying watching your progress.

 

Thanks, but I think the Nash in house stylists (and Pinin Farina, too) get most of the credit. I'm just adapting slightly newer parts on my earlier body, and have the benefit of seeing how the body evolved as production progressed, then incorporating the things I like and/or feel are an improvement over the '52. The fenders were a fairly safe move IMHO, as the rear vertical edge and some of the anchoring points are the same as earlier years, so there's just that cowl-to-hood height mismatch to deal with, and...other things. The '52 fenders bolt onto the inner wheel well structure in a different location, too, so I have plenty of work ahead trying to make it all work together.

I think I will make the hood forward-tilting, too, but there's the small matter of making the hood itself first. I have an idea or two in my head regarding how I want to construct it, but without the ability to positively and repeatedly locate the fenders onto the body structure, the hood will have to wait.

I don't have a valence/header panel nor grille to go with the '59 fenders, but I think that will ultimately work out fine. I did get a cheap spray painted black front bumper from the seller of the fenders, which appears to be a...well, not sure what year it is honestly, but it's not a '50-'52 style, and has shorter ends than what is pictured below on this '59. It does fit the contours of both fenders when they are in place, though, so I think it will be put to use.

The '59-'60 grill protrudes a bit too much for my tastes (though I like the overall '55 Chevy-ish shape), so I'll need to come up with something when I reach that point. I will have to see how the slightly thinner '52 headlight trim rings look, then decide if I need to find '53+ rings, or mildly french the headlights or...I don't want the headlights to look too bug eyed, so maybe a combination of thin rings and a bit recessed would be the sweet spot, as on this '56 Continental:

 

I know of a body shop with one of those Lincolns in their yard, looks to be complete but neglected. IMO style right up with the OG Buick Rivs.

 

I hope you inquired about the Continental at least. They are very high on my list along with the '63 Riviera, neither of which needs much of any help in the looks department.

I decided to switch to a Buick or Olds 215 V8 for a few reasons, so until I locate something suitable, this '74 Buick 350 appeared on fb marketplace for $100, so I picked it up this evening. Probably not super desirable being a '74, but it will allow me to familiarize myself with this engine family and do some physical test fitting in the engine bay, to see how much space needs to be created and exactly where. Turns over freely and the old oil looked excellent, too.

 

Now I want one.... thanks a lot.

 

The '56 Lincoln would have been nice... I'm out of room and have no desire to tackle a job that big alone.

 

Quick and dirty test fit of the new-to-me '59 front bumper-- looks like it will work just fine:





I also put the '52 valence panel in place out of curiosity...I can definitely rule out using that.





Got the top- and underside of the trunk floor primed, though I still need to add a spare tire hold down of some sort:



Not perfect, but plenty good to hold a spare tire out of sight.

 

I was reading through your build thread the other day and was surprised to see these wheels. I saw them at their "estate" sale a day or 2 before you got them. They were stacked up on the cement outside one of the buildings, looked like they'd been there quite a while. I asked one of the boys how much, $75, being a cheap ass (and not really needing them) I offered $50. Told me he'd need to discuss with a brother, took a while but before I left the price had gone up to $400. Probably the reason they ended up wherever you found them, hope you got them cheaper than that!

 

I saw them on fb Marketplace Saturday evening, then committed to driving the 8.5 hours round trip to get them Sunday morning, asking them to do me the favor of holding them for me. They did, which I appreciated, so I paid the $400 and drove home happy. The wheels were on their father's Studebaker previously, so I liked the idea that they might be used next on a Nash.

 

good to see you bringing this one back. Used to have a Metropolitan. Grew up in a Rambler/AMC family. Will keep reading.

 

Got the OHC-6 Pontiac engines and parts ready for pick up tomorrow, on to the next person. Didn't work out for me, but that's life.

I made a trip to the self-service media blaster, cleaned up the drum brake backing plates I have for the Ford 8 inch rear, then hit them with self etching primer. They were a bit more pitted than I hoped, but the metal is plenty thick, and they'll function just fine:

 

I picked up a better (smaller dent, less sharply creased) oil pan today, with a Buick 300 and an engine stand attached. A good starter, which I needed, was part of the lot, and I never liked the inherent instability of my current three wheel engine stand, so this is an upgrade.

 

I picked up a '64 Buick 300 today, knowing it was incomplete and filthy, with a crushed oil pump pickup screen, so not really considering using the engine, but...it had nice exhaust manifolds and a crank pulley-- which I don't have. I mainly bought it for those parts and the aluminum heads and intake manifold. Once home, I tore into it a bit, and found the valvetrain is just dirty with oil sludge, though I did find one broken rocker arm tip.

The 2-bbl intake is mostly a lateral move, but will save a few pounds vs. the cast iron version. Not sure if the heads will be useable or worth using-- I need to do more research on the aluminum vs. cast iron 300 heads-- but at least I have the option.

 

After much degreasing, with plenty more to come, I unbolted the aluminum heads from the '64 engine and they look...okay. One broken off rocker arm tip (found it laying up top on the head, stuck in the oil sludge) was the only obvious damage, but there is so much silver sludge up inside the rocker arms that I don't think I'd want to reuse them, even if I could get them completely clean. The steel tips on the rocker arms are rather worn, too, and the wear appears consistent with the lack of lubrication elsewhere. The rocker arms and shafts from 300 #1 are in good nick so they can be used instead.

Since I have both '64 aluminum and '66 cast iron cylinder heads, I thought I'd weigh them, as well as both the aluminum '64 and cast iron '66 2-bbl intake manifolds. Both head weights are for fully loaded heads-- valves, springs, rocker arms and shafts, etc. present and included.

'64 Buick 300 V8 Aluminum cylinder heads -- 20.8 lbs each
'66 Buick 300 V8 cast iron cylinder heads -- 46 lbs each

(46x2) - (20.8x2) = 50.4 lb difference, cast iron vs. aluminum

'64 Buick 300 V8 aluminum 2-bbl intake manifold -- 13.2 lbs
'66 Buick 300 V8 cast iron 2-bbl intake manifold -- 38 lbs

38 - 13.2 = 24.8 lbs difference, cast iron vs aluminum 2-bbl intake manifold

If my math is correct, and engine with the aluminum heads and intake weighs 75.2 lbs less than the same engine with the cast iron heads and intake. I've seen 467 lbs listed online as the weight of a '65 Buick 300 V8 (cast it heads and intake), and 325 lbs for the Buick 215 V8, so a Buick 300 V8 with aluminum heads and intake should weigh right around 400 lbs. I figure 50 pounds more for removing the rose colored glasses effect, so 450 lbs give or take.

 

The mish-mash continues.

 

After cleaning the block as thoroughly as I could, I discovered some casting roughness (not sure what the correct term is) under the grease, and unfortunately, it's worst at the top front of the block, right where you can see it most clearly. Unfortunate, but not the worst thing, either, so I filed the high points and sharp bits off, and I am calling it good. Kind of a bummer that the top rear area of the block is the opposite, and is cleanly cast, but so it goes. Just glad I din't find any major issues under all the grease and oil.

The dark/black areas below are the rough spots:





At least the aluminum intake manifold was painted silver before getting greasy, so while not enjoyable to clean, I'm satisfied it came clean enough:



A full gasket set, timing set, and crank/harmonic balancer seal all arrived today, too:



Head cleaning and disassembly, up next. The Silver Sludge isn't super heavy on these, but it had three of four rocker arm oil feed holes plugged, which is never good to see. I cleaned them out with some brake cleaner so the feed hole below is open, but I'm going to guess there was considerably decreased oil volume reaching the valvetrain on both sides.

 

If the rough casting bothers you, put a small grinding attachment on your electric drill and have at it.
Don't bother making it perfect.

 

Thanks, I may do just what you suggested. Simply toning down the visual roughness in that area would do wonders, I think.

I picked up a rough T5 5-speed today which appears to have come from a '91 GM F-body, but not sure yet what will be useable. Some gears are toast on the countershaft, so we'll see what is worth saving once I dig deeper into it.

The main case bolts up to the BOP bellhousing I have, and at the very least, I can use the main case and tailhousing for mock up purposes. Not crazy about the 15* trans mount pad, but might work out favorably. Will definitely not be reusing the homemade trans mount "adapter" it came with.

 

Decided to bolt the T5 case and tailhousing to the bellhousing and check the fit against the Rambler's firewall and floorpan. There's room for the trans to go upward at least:



The current rear shifter tower position lines up perfectly with the crossmember on the interior side of the floor, so either I need a different tail and rail, or the crossmember needs modification... or both. I need to put the seat in and check how comfortable the shifter position is, then go from there:




The crown of the bellhousing against the firewall prevents any further vertical movement:





The firewall is funky in that area anyway, so clearing out some space isn't an issue.

 

I did some sanding to rid the body of the top layer of chalky white paint, and get a better idea of what lies underneath. It's mostly solid, with some previously spot repaired areas now more visible. Plenty of the original Sky Line Blue is showing now, and appears to have held up well for being 71 years old.



I never liked the exposed fuel filler in the left quarter panel, so with contour gages in hand, I picked out something from the salvage yard which was close, made a template, then a hole to match. I will eventually add a flange around the opening to clean it up, but will probably wait until after I remove the quarter panel to have easy access to the backside. There's a lot of thick undercoating on the back side, too, so best to remove that first. The new door needs more tweaking, but good enough for now:







I looked over the '52 front fenders again, and they aren't exactly mint, so I decided to put pieces of them to use elsewhere...maybe. I would like to use the two cut-off pieces behind the rear tires (LF piece on RR, etc.) underneath the bodyline, essentially extending the body lower and wrapping it around to the other side. I'll have a better idea if it will work out after I get them cleaned up:

 

This is where I'm headed with the rear lower quarter panel extensions (which should ultimately tie into the rear valence panel), but I need to taper them to better harmonize with tapers at the top of the rear quarter panel top and roof. Complicating things is the lack of any firm plan for the rear bumper, but hopefully, that will come to me.

 

I clamped the slightly trimmed lower rear quarter section in place, and it looks like it will work. The contours visually mesh with the adjoining areas, and the lower edge tapers inward a bit as it flows rearward, so I just need to do a bit more trimming and remove a pie-shaped section so it tapers vertically, too. I still need to make the flared rear corner of the quarter panel, hopefully this weekend.









I also spent time cleaning the cast iron cylinder heads and valvetrain parts from the '66 Buick 300. All sixteen lifters were stuck, so they had to be disassembled and cleaned... now I understand why people just buy a new cam and lifters. Not fun, but, it's done.

Both rocker arm shafts, as well as the stands and rockers arms themselves have some wear, but they are usable for a while. Oil pump clearances were within spec, so that was packed with petroleum jelly and put back together. I lapped all of the valves after checking the guide clearance (which was surprisingly good), reassembled both heads, and bolted them back on the block. Have good oil flow up to the valvetrain, so just need to check the oil pressure with a gauge yet. I'm planning to check the compression on all cylinders this weekend, so, fingers crossed. Engine is in self etching primer for now, color to come later.

 

Great work! I haven't found the time to do much on my 61 convertible. Did get a motor and trans -- bought a rolled over 2006 Ranger with 2.3L Duratec and five speed auto. Got it running, but still lots of work to do. Haven't even started on anything with the body, but really don't plan to do much there. You're an inspiration to start finding time!!!

 

I mounted the old starter and it turned the engine over, but it was weak. A quick tear down didn't reveal any obvious internal issues, so back together and back on the block. The first test of cylinder #7 showed 120 psi, and the remaining seven cylinders were between 105 and 110, but the starter motor was not happy, and needed a break between each cylinder. A new starter is in order, but I feel good about the compression overall. Not expecting perfection, but no weak cylinders and even all around is good enough considering the weak starter.

I checked oil pressure at both cordless drill speeds (600 and 1600 rpm, IIRC) and got 25 and 35 psi-- well within the 'good' range for a Buick 300.

I also painted both valve covers with VHT high temp engine paint and like the result, so I'll stick with it for the rest of the main engine parts. It smells all the world like a straight lacquer, so time will tell how well it holds up.

 

I think I missed it along the way, You are using the Buford 300- not OHC 6? I'm following- great work!

 

Yes, I am committed to the Buick 300 now, with a spare '64 300 on hand for mocking things up in the engine bay.