Projects Mish-Mash Nash -'52 Rambler Wagon

I thought the 300 was going to be for mock up and a 215 aluminum engine was going to be used? You've done an awful lot of work on the 300 though, would be a shame not to use it in something!

 

In an ideal world, I would install a fully rebuilt Olds 215, but I have plenty of items to scratch off my to-do list and spend money on first, so the Buick 300 is the engine for now. I was waiting to see if the oil pressure and compression numbers in the '66 300 were acceptable before going any further, and now that I know both are, I can slowly collect the Olds 215 parts.

I removed the RR quarter panel last night and started repairing the rusty areas and replacing the metal which was no longer present. The size of the panel makes things a bit cumbersome, but having a panel which can be taken off and put back to check the fit often is a wonderful thing.

I had to remove the previous inner flange I made, and made it an inch wider, closer to the factory piece in width. The lower rear quarters, rear valance, and inner quarter have two bolts per side which, as far as I can tell, were used to hold everything in alignment before the final welding and brazing was done. The four bolts were not easy to access when I disassembled everything, so I may only retain two, but the bolts (and their matching holes) are very helpful for aligning the panels now as I piece things back together.

New inner flange welded in place, and inner face ground flat, in preparation for...:



... the new outer flange:



I made the piece larger than necessary so I could weld, trim, and grind on some metal mass, creeping up slowly on the final rough shape. I still need to patch in the vertical and concave sections here, but I'm happy with the progress I made. At least now there is something string and positive to use for alignment:







In the last image above, you can see the fender washer and flanged nut used to retain the bolt though the alignment hole. I still need to grind the plug welds flush, too, but it's now solid enough to work off of and continue making progress.

 

VHT paint holds up very well. I put that shit on everything. Chassis and Rollcage black, their Chevy orange and header paint is quite good.

 

Good to know, thanks. Here's the color I used:



It's a very fine metallic, not bass boat-ish, so I'm happy with how the engine came out so far:







I'm going to give the stick oil pan a chemical strip first and see how how well (if?) it cleans up. The intake manifold needs to be primed and painted, as do the dipstick and harmonic balancer, so, more to do before buttoning it up for winter.

I did get the RR corner piece welded in place, but there's more finessing to be done. The overall contour is close, with a small amount of difference compared to the intact LR corner:





Yes, I goofed labelling the template.

 

Please go in and paint the background of the timing marks Black, so the light only flashes on the raised sections. Some idiot many states away will thank you!

 

Thank you, and, done.

 

Thank You!

 

Probably spent a bit too much time smoothing casting seams and rough spots on the intake manifold before I primed it, but I want to get it installed before I wrap the engine up for the winter, so at least it's primed. Next week when it warms up a bit I'll finish paint then install it.:



Yeah, it's a 2-bbl. Not sexy, but the only other option is the one-year-only '65 4-bbl manifold, which is also cast iron and not very common, so this'll do for now.

Also had some time this evening to do a bit more work on the right rear corner, welding and grinding the quarter panel's flared lower edge again, so it's in better shape now. Still have one low spot from a crease I couldn't quite reach from behind, but otherwise the metal in that corner is close to finished. Good thing, too, because I need something to use as a reference for repairing/remaking the valance panel which sits between the left and right quarter panel ends. As seen below, the last few inches of the valance panel (right side shown) are completely rusted away:





The back (inner facing) side looks worse than it is, as the visibly rusty sections never received paint from the factory, so I am going to media blast the panel and hope for the best. I am not going to use the lower lip/flange, so that'll save me a bunch of work.

Back on the body, I tack welded the rear edge of the quarter panel to the filler piece next to it, to keep things (mostly) aligned while working on the valance panel, then made a pattern for the new valence panel flange, and cut it to shape:



More test fitting and adjusting, then adding the bolt hole so all three panels can be pulled together:





Still a bit of fore-and-aft misalignment here, but I will massage that when it's time to install the quarter panel permanently. The new flange matches the quarter panel contour well, and leaves a consistent gap which will be filled by the valance panel patch once in place.





My plan is to fully weld the vertical seam where the quarter, filler, and valance panels all meet, instead of a combination of bolts, spotwelds, and brazing as was done from factory.

 

I realized I needed to finish the left frame rail repair before I could proceed with the valance panel, so, off with the left quarter panel:





With the quarter panel removed, I had full access to the last 16" of the frame rail, so I added multiple plug welds to secure the outer frame rail face to the inner box section, then a few stitch welds at the top edge. The inner wheelhouse panel is wavy from the stamping process which doesn't make for a great match with a flat patch panel, but considering it's inside the wheelwell... it's fine.



The inside of the quarter panel is very solid with minimal surface rust, and all of the undercoating scraped off easily. A little more cleaning up of the backside yet to be done, then on to making the fuel filler door surround...and removing that big dent.

 

Left inner quarter panel/wheel well cleaned up nicely with the surface conditioner and coarse drum. There was some light surface rust in a few areas, but I'm delighted how clean and straight the metal is here. Hopefully I can get the quarter panel permanently reinstalled by the end of the weekend. I want to prime and paint the inside of both inner and outer quarters before it gets too cold.

 

I took advantage of one of the last few 50 degree plus days and got both inner wheelwells finish prepped and primed today:





Right side was mostly ready, just needing a few plug weld burn marks re-primed. The left side required three tries to properly patch and repair a thin spot/hole, but...fixed. Not sure I will get around to applying a finish coat of any sort before winter weather sets in, but it's mostly protected for now. Still some work to do on the fuel filler door area and such, but than can be spot primed later as needed.

I also welded in two right angle braces on both sides of the trunk area, which will support the outer edges of both trunk filler pieces. The original support pieces were spot welded in place with the flange above the filler pieces, and neither was in great condition, so this solution should work well. After everything was cleaned up, I primed both inner trunk area sides with grey primer. Again, nothing fancy, just protecting the bare metal areas until final assembly:





I also cleaned and prepped the insides of both quarter panels, then covered both in red oxide primer, so those should be well protected for now, too.

 

I'm enjoying following your repairs on the car. Great thinking, and application, on an orphan car.

 

Thanks. I guess one of the benefits of working on an oddball vehicle is the freedom to change things as desired, without worrying about what fits, the quality of reproduction parts, etc., because there's not much of anything available.

 

Really enjoying following your project! Thanks for sharing it with us.

 

I'm lurking in admiration too...you're doing magic with it...especially for a pink cat...a Kool Kat at that......I can hear that tune as we're speaking...Seriously odd and seriously cool Cars these were...

Its also refreshing to hear so many here mentioning the weather...Getting nippy this way too...I guess its that longitude thing...our chilly distance from the ole equator.. We still have a bit of time before it happens......but not a lot...

 

Always good to hear, thank you for checking it out.

Ha, no magic here, just figuring it out as I go, but I'm enjoying the process.

As for the weather, I love this time of year, but being so close to Lake Michigan, humidity is always a factor, especially if there's an east or northeasterly wind blowing. My garage is attached, though, so I can work in all but those bitterly cold days, and still be comfortable.

I figured I should work on narrowing the rear axle while I have both quarter panels removed, so I mocked up a 15x7 and 15x6 wheel, checking the fit with the right quarter panel in place. I am thinking if removing 3" from each end of the housing, so that should still give me room for a 4" backspace wheel if needed. My main concern is if there will be enough space to remove a wheel and tire in case of a flat tire, due to the 'fixed' skirt section on the quarter panel. The stock wheels and tires weren't an issue, but 4.5" wide wheels... yeah, not happening.

Clearance is better with the 6" wide wheels, as expected, though both wheels are still half an inch outboard of where they would be with 3" of housing length removed:





A bit tight at the outer lip with the 7" wide wheel now:





Still more measuring and checking to do before I cut the housing ends off. It does look like the emds were slipped into the axle tube (Ford 8", 2.875" O.D.), so I should be able to cut them free, and have the I.D. turned at a shop. I have a miniature Sherline lathe, but 3" is the max O.D. I can work with, so I'll have to find someone to do it for me.

 

Unique cars with unique problems...not the first one I've seen with clearance challenges for getting a little wider rubber under...Reminds me of Indian motorcycles in a way with their skirted fenders...

Our quest for lowering adds to that many times as well...but you seem to have given the thinking cap a great workout overcoming the dilemma...heck it almost makes one contemplated a quick disconnect pivoting suspension to help access that issue...a modest inset to the inner wells would be another way but that comes with other challenges as well...you won't have an itchy head with this car ever...

 

Not a bad idea for a pivoting suspension, provided the driveshaft, shocks, brake lines etc. were all factored in the final build, pulling the rear shackles, would be easy enough, maybe those following along have some creative ideas.

 

Thinking about it a bit more, if a rear tire goes flat, that should make it a bit easier easier to remove compared to when fully inflated. I plan to carry a space-saver spare, so fitting that up inside the wheelweel shouldn't be a problem. I think I am in the clear with the 6" wide wheels after checking out tire section widths last night.

 

That or delate a fullsize tire to get it in. My thinking is if you can get the old one out you should be able to get a new one in...The spacesaver is a good one as well...gets you back to the shop or somewhere you can take your time...

Truth be told I can't remember the last time I had to change a flat...But when they have to come off it has too...

Maybe you could make a plate on a solid point on the floor/frame area above the rear end and use a small scissor or hydraulic jack to push the rear end down enough to ease removal and install then release once in...

 

Interesting idea, Stogy!
Just having a small cheap porta-power in the back would make all the difference, provided you are able to jack up and support the car.
https://www.amazon.com/VEVOR-Porta-Power-Kit-Hydraulic/dp/B0BYHWJD9C/ref=asc_df_B0BYHWJD9C

 

...similar to this one:



I got lucky today, as an Olds 215 V8 popped up on fb marketplace locally, and I picked it up this afternoon. The numbers on the block indicate a '63 4-bbl Olds, while the head numbers are the 185 hp version, so... more research to be done.

Initial tear down was encouraging, with no snapped off bolts nor stripped bolt holes, but Cylinder #1 appears to have been a mouse house at some point, so the top 1/2" or so of the liner has some surface rust. I noted one healthy scratch in cylinder #5, two pinholes in the oil pan, and he timing chain was very stretched, too. Not surprising for an engine this old, honestly, but it appears to be a solid foundation which to build upon, so I'm happy.

The good(?):



The bad:



The ugly:

 

I'll be watching this new engine idea.

Need this?
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...to-chevy-4-speed-trans-adapter-he-25.1301923/

 

*edit* Yes, I did. Thank you for the heads up.

 

Final tear-down of the Olds 215 revealed no real surprises, but the block will need to be overbored. I noted a few light scratches in various cylinders, and one much deeper than the rest in cylinder #2. The crank turned freely and all eight pistons came out without issue, too.

It's interesting to see the iron cylinder liners in the aluminum block, too, never having seen one of these engines up close before. Hard to see in the beliw pic, as the Al block material looks stained and cast iron-, like, but...:



Scratch in cylinder #2:



The worst looking rod journal:



Bottom end, still together:

 

Technically speaking, the Olds 215 V8 fits.







Barely, but being able to set the engine block, then the heads and valve covers, in place by hand is an odd feeling. Additional engine bay clearance will be created in the future, but it's nice to get a solid visual regarding what I'm working with space-wise.

 

Nice work being done, & interesting project. May as well modify the inner fender now, to fit the mill n exhaust/etc. Looks like it won't take too much. I suspect the 215 Buick/Pont style heads would fit better/easier(but that would be too easy. ). Your combo of parts will be a nice pkg. Manifold looks like it could be planned & redrilled for 4bbl(or 2 - 2's)? Or worst case, plenum top cut & a sheet welded over for 4bbl or small blower? Not sure how much material is on the port side of either the heads or manifold to allow planning, but eons ago when heads got cut heavily for compression increase, the head I-port side & usually the manifold port side had to be planned to bring things into alignment.
Years ago(in school), after seeing an article in a EngineSwapping book, about a Buick215 in an MGB, a friend & I decided what one smart guy could do, maybe we could do. Yah, well... After reading up on the Al mills, we decided on a 4bbl Olds, instead of either a Buick or a Poncho, due to better heads, more compression/hp & a 3sp auto trans. = Mistake - for that project. Olds was a bit too wide & we had to cut the front crossmember - which got interesting, & modify the innerfenders too. Eventually, car got done, but it'd gone together real quick-like w/the correct pile-o-parts(instead of trying to be creative). Live n learn. Mostly Learn... .
Marcus...

 

Yeah, I relented and accepted the fact that no vintage engine worth installing would fit without enlarging the engine bay, so I like where things are at now with the Olds 215. I'm still doing research and digesting more info regarding engine build options, but the stock Nash engine crossmembers all bolted in, so I will be doing plenty more learning here, too, Marcus.

I got the remainder of the trunk area in primer a few nights ago, seam sealed the joints last night, so at least all of the bare metal surfaces are primed. I will hold off welding the left and right trunk filler panels in place until the rear valance panel is settled, just in case I need to gain access for welding. The rear axle hump section cleaned up nicely, but will be permanently hidden by the forward trunk panel once installed:



I realized while test fitting post-primer I forgot to add flanges to both filler panels to give the bottom ends of the interior panels something to attach to. No idea what those panels will look nor be like at the point, so I will figure something out later.

I picked up a donor metal station wagon liftgate which has a contour very close to the existing valance panel, so that should come in handy...:



... with this up next on the to-do list. :









At least the metal is clean.

 

You could glue or bolt or use riv nuts for flanges for the panels...No heat required...they glue airplanes together these days...your work is a joy to witness that trunk looks prime-o...

 

Well, big boy pants have been donned, and making curved metal pieces will soon be possible here. I was long overdue to buy a shrinker and stretcher, and I got lucky and happened to stumble upon a very heavy steel base for $5, so now on to making a formal stand with foot-operated pedals.



I actually have two tubular X-style table bases I could use, but they don't have nearly the mass the crusty base does. We shall see...

I did get the inner flange on the left quarter panel removed and replaced last night, so that's progress at least. I was a bit concerned about the quarter panel lining up against the body after I cut it free, but it went back on (temporarily, with Clecos) easily and everything lined up very well, so no worries about the left side. Crusty, but mostly intact, and far better than the right side:



I drilled out the spot welds holding the flange to the quarter panel, then used it as a template to cut a new piece. New piece welded in and... didn't take any pics. Whoops.

I decided to remove all of the extra flanges at the lower edge of the quarter panel-- one for stability, the other which supported the lower extension panel which I removed entirely-- so I will have a clean surface to add the new lower quarter panel extensions when that time comes.





New outer flange for the valance panel fits nicely, but I drilled the bolt hole in the wrong spot, so I will correct that tonight.