OT...1957 Nash Rambler...OT

[BobT-47P15]

Article about Charles Nash in this month's Hemmings Classic Car mag.

[PatS....]

deliver it to me and I will pay six two five cash:cool: Nice find!

It would probably make the drive without a problem, but as tempting as it sounds, Don, I'll pass for now

[Young Ed]

It would probably make the drive without a problem, but as tempting as it sounds, Don, I'll pass for now

Do you know how to get it out of second gear?

[PatS....]

Do you know how to get it out of second gear?

Who, me????

[Merle Coggins]

I think he's refering to this tune.

I remember my dad singing this when I was a kid. He used to have a Nash Rambler. I need to find out what year it was.

Merle

[PatS....]

It's been many many moons since I've heard that one!! Funny as heck!

[B-Watson]

"Nash Motors was founded in 1916 by former General Motors president Charles W. Nash who acquired the Thomas B. Jeffery Company. Jeffery's best known automobile was the Rambler. Nash enjoyed decades of success by marketing mid-priced cars for middle class buyers."

Got this from Google. The history and innovations of Nash / Rambler are very interesting. My hunch was right about a Nash/GM connection, but I did not realize it was this close.

Charles Nash was plant manager at Buick Motor Company in 1908 when he hired one Walter P. Chrysler. Chrysler followed in Nash's footsteps becoming head of Buick when Nash departed GM in 1916. Nash left GM when William C. Durant, founder of General Motors Company (1908) and General Motor Corporation (1918), returned to GM. Chrysler left GM in 1920 due to Durant's meddling in Buick affairs.

In the 1930's Nash was looking for a successor and approached Chrysler for some ideas. Chrysler suggested a former manager, one George Mason, who left Chrysler to head Kelvinator. Mason agreed to take charge at Nash with one proviso - Kelvinator was part of the deal. Thus Nash-Kelvinator Corporation was formed in 1937.

Nash / AMC used Delco ignition parts into the 1960's and used Hydramatic from 1950 through 1956. Nash of Canada purchased transmissions and brakes from GM of Canada in the early 1950's - both Chevrolet and Nash used torque tube drive. But no "trades" were involved. Strictly parts for cash. Kaiser, Frazer, Willys, Hudson and Lincoln all used GM's Hydramatic in the early 1950's and Nash used Packard's Ultramatic in 1955-56 along with the Packard V8 engine.

From 1957 through 1971 AMC used Borg-Warner's automatic, the one that started life in 1951 as Ford-o-matic, and various improved versions. In 1972 AMC started buying Torqueflite automatics from Chrysler for use in their cars. The Eagle 4WD models used Chrysler-built 4WD systems.

Bill

Vancouver, BC

[B-Watson]

Bill, thanks a million!!!

The serial number is 6306.

I didn't write down the other numbers and the tow truck can't get the car till the morning. I figured it was a 56 because one site said that the "Nash" medalion on the hood wasn't used in 57.

Number Plates

The serial number is DT-6306 - note the DT to the left of the stamped number. That makes your car the 906th 1956 Canadian-built Nash Rambler as the first was DT-5401.

Note the "1" in front of the "56" for Canadian production.

The body number is 5789, and as the first sedan body was 5001, your car is the 789th sedan built. The other 217 cars were 4-door wagons. The hardtop sedan and hardtop wagon models were imported from Kenosha.

Was wrong about the paint, though. P-77 is Mint Green.

Will have to get back to you on those hose connections by the master cylinder. Have some photos somewhere of a 1956 Hudson Rambler wagon, including the engine compartment. I moved this past month and have not sorted everything out yet.

Bill

Vancouver, BC

[greg g]

Weren't the other two connections for the Weathereye thremostat and control valve? Check to see if you car might have been retro fitted to by pass that. If the hoses go to and from the heter core with no volves inthe stream, then the controls were likely bypassed. Look up under the dash and see if those other hose connections lead to a unit with wires and cable etc connected. As it appears from your picture that the heater controls are to the left of the steering wheel, that would be my guess. Especially since it looks like some body has been playing with the heater box as evidenced by the silicone. Wonder it the PO fixed the he heater by subing a heater core and bypassing the controls.

[PatS....]

Thanks alot, Bill. As always some very helpful, accurate info!

Greg, I think you are right. I was under the dash...not as easy as it once was...and it appears that the connections go to the heater control as you mention.

It is a Nash and they were definitely not "normal" so this isn't a surprise.

I'm also willing to bet it was bypassed back in the day because it leaked, so I'll keep an eye out for an NOS valve and leave this one for now.

It ran really bad yesterday and would barely pull itself into the driveway. The line feeding oil into the filter blew and puked oil all over the street as well. I love old cars

I checked the plugs today (in the rain) and they were all not even finger tight. Took them all out without tools! All were very wet...gas. Carb is also leaking a bit.

So, I'll wait to decide how it runs until I give it a fair chance to run by having things in proper order.

Hopefully some proper maintenance will make the old girl happy.

Edited August 14, 2009 by PatS....

[greg g]

While the plugs are out, do a compression check. My mother had a 62 Rambler Wagon. It had a similar syatem bu on the right side of the wheel. She came home one day with a scalded foot and lower leg after the under dash hose ruptured and sprayed her with 180 degree anti freeze. Guess thas why the others had them i the engine compartment.

[PatS....]

Compression check for sure, fingers crossed.

Maybe a valve under the hood is a better idea...I hate getting burned!!!

[greg g]

Pat, I think the only real reason to have one under the dash was it had a thermostat in iit so it sensed the tepm of the air in the pass cabin and adjusted the valve to maintain the Temp. I think it did this by mixing outside air in with the heated air In your pic there is a cable next to the heater core housing, does that control the defroster flap or is that a blend air flap???

Whilst remembering family cars, My borther had a 61 Rambler and his did the same thing.

I had a 64 American with a similar set up but it kept its plumbing in tact while I had it.

My aunt also had a couple of the Rambler Americans with the flat head 6 engine, man were those things dogs, 50 to 65 on a level highway took about a minute.

The OHV engines were much livelier.

We also had the distinct pleasure of having Rambler Vehilces for Driver's Ed in Highschool.

All the dealers kids were in my class or the class before and or after, and the dealership was just aroud the corner from the highschool.

Just for the heck of it see what the little rambler dealership turned into

The kids parlaid Dad's money into quite a deal

http://www.driversvillage.com/

[Don Coatney]

We also had the distinct pleasure of having Rambler Vehilces for Driver's Ed in Highschool.

I drove a Checker (Cab) for drivers education. Three speed on the floor and a flathead 6 engine. I was allowed to take drivers education at the age of 15 and a half in Indiana. Got legal to solo on my 16th birthday. I hit the local drive-in that evening for the first time without fear of arrest;)

[PatS....]

for the first time without fear of arrest;)

The fear of arrest isn't as bad as the fear that the parents might show up

"Feel the fear and do it anyway"

[PatS....]

So much for a driver and not another project, and stupid me for believing a seller. He says the thing has a stuck valve and the popping goes away after it's warm.

How about a shattered and gone tappet and bent pushrod. Yup, that'll go away when it's warm.

He's all proud of the new rubber mat for the front. I had to take the front seat all apart to get the slider mechanism unstuck, so I thought I would straighten around the poorly installed mat.

Floor and underneath structural members are gone...he had filled the cavity with old carpet underlay and filled the remaining cavities with expanding home foam insulation.

So, button this heap up and store it for winter and make a decision come spring. I can't deal with another project on so many levels. Pi$$ed at myself more than anything for not recognizing a 2 dressed up as an 8 and letting a seller lie his a$$ of to me and not catching that.

A fool and his money are soon parted.

Edited August 20, 2009 by PatS....

[Plymouthy Adams]

Pat..sounds like a good cause to give a man buyer's remorse..in this hobby be prepared is everything..if it was such a good deal why are they parting with it should be your first question. I go with the "believe nothing they and say and expect only 50% of what you see to be real." Fewer disappoints that way..with this in maind and my out of pocket expensive in inital purchase I have always walked away feeling pretty good about my new toy. There as so many way to decieve a buyer and the flashbang coat of paint and undr coating is just a few...over use of POR15 as a substitute for a panel is common place and a heart break to the new owner. I will never again buy a car that has been worked by a PO...sorry this is not to be be considerered a slap in the face to anyone here..I have over the years found it much easier to work a rusted car with know visable damage than to try and second quess any covered up area for eventual re-work..I have even informed one seller up front that regardless I am buying the car, be truthful with me as to what is under the area they may have touched....lies, all lies and he had absolutely nothing to lose in answering truthfully..so yes Pat..I feel your pain...it is disheartening and builds not trust or faith in fellow man..

[Young Ed]

Pat fix the engine patch the floor with some screws or rivets and just keep it as a decent driver.

[PatS....]

Under normal circumstances, one of the first things I do is lift the floormats to look at the floor by the door. It's where the moisture collects from the drivers feet and pools...and rusts...on 90% of old cars.

I didn't do it this time

The weather was nice and I normally would have got my a$$ down and looked at that same area from underneath.

I didn't do it this time

It's not that, in the big scheme of things, that it's THAT bad or that the work it needs is expensive or onerous (just learned a new word ) it's just that I didn't want another project. I'm not really able yet to devote the time and energy to the 49 Chrysler and it is the one I really want on the road.

I just thought the Rambler would be a neat fair weather driver.

I should maybe take up home brewing beer and drive the minivan.

[greg g]

hey the expandable foam has nearly half the strength that Nash put in there, fill it back up, put some fiberglass mat over it, fix the pushrod and drive the s box, go to a lot of cruise ins and put a for sale decal on it, you might could turn it over tp the next guy if you get it running good.

[T120]

Pat,You know,what Greg says makes some sense.Sorry for the disappointment,but have fun with what you have.As have others,I've bought a few cars over the years I'd like to forget about and I can't say I've made any money buying or selling cars.But it's a hobby and that wasn't my motivation.

[greg g]

Hey Ford and GM are foaming formed steel frame members, they say it for harshness, vibration and noise issues. But we all know foam is cheaper than steel don't we?????

That said there is probably structural foam available to body shop stores to replace the factory stuff during collision repairs. So you can upgrade from the Home Depot (insert Canadian equivilent here) stuff to the real thing.

[PatS....]

Step one will be to find the pesky tappet at the bottom of that pushrod hole. If I can locate that and get the pushrod replaced, the rest will be doable. Can't see the tappet and can't feel it. I wonder if it's shattered?

Some guy at Hotrodders is dropping an Olds Quad4 and 4 speed into his Rambler...

[BobT-47P15]

Hey Pat -- this one may be a first cousin to yours. Found this ad in the

current edition of the Big Nickel, an area shopper paper.

1963 RAMBLER classic wagon, 6 cylinder, 3 speed, factory air, $650 or best offer. 620-848-3709, 417-438-5805.

[PatS....]

It was suggested to me that I turn the engine over a bit to see if the tappet would come up into place and the rod go back in that way, so I hooked up the remote starter button, had it in one hand and the pushrod down the hole and after about 5 revolutions, I FOUND IT!!

So, the push rods are back in place...one very slightly bent...the valves are all adjusted to the cold setting and it runs great.

Still need the head bolts torqued...these engines require it every 5-8000 miles, check the firing order again and set the timing and see where I'm at from there.

This 196 engine was originally designed as an L-head. In the early 50's they redesigned it into an overhead but one drawback was the requirement of the head bolt re torquing. It's a 15-20 minute job so no big deal, but important to make sure it's done.

Some days you're the windshield and some days you're the bug.

After a year and a half of being the bug, today I got to be the windshield

Edited August 23, 2009 by PatS....