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1956 Ambassador special leadsled build |
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8ton
AMC Apprentice Joined: Feb/21/2017 Location: Central VA Status: Offline Points: 34 |
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Posted: Jan/28/2018 at 11:17am |
Hello all,
Around a year ago i picked up a '56 Nash Ambassador special "super" with the intent of getting it going as a family cruiser. Due to a little procrastination, it has more or less sat till a few weeks ago. When I got the car it drove Ok, with a slight miss, a lower radiator hose that looked like it would burst at any second and a leaky heater valve. The brakes had been redone with new hardlines in places, but need going back over. The upholstery is trashed and the paint not far behind. The rear subframe is rotted. After a few weeks of owning it, a valve stuck and bent a pushrod. The plan so far is: Pull engine and trans. Rebuild heads, port match and de-bugger. Clean oil pan and evaluate short block. Most likely install new timing set, mild reground cam and lifters. Install small 4 barrel carb on '60s intake. Install dual exhaust, xpipe, dual glass packs (leftovers from another project) Adjust transmission bands and reseal. Replace many of the old hard and soft underhood lines that have seen better days. Paint engine, underhood areas and crossmembers. Insulate firewall and make a polished aluminum cover for it. Drain, clean, paint gas tank, look at relocating filler neck to inside trunk. Flush rear diff. Reassemble engine and trans and install. Strip interior, repair heater valve and replace speedo cable. Take front seat to upholstery shop. Make door panels at home. Drive for a few weeks to let funding catch up. Phase two will include rear subframe replacement, suspension rebuild and lowering, and power disc brakes. Edited by 8ton - Jan/30/2018 at 5:45am |
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pacerman
Supporter of TheAMCForum Joined: Jul/03/2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 9060 |
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Be sure to clean the gas tank. Old fuel is probably what stuck your valve. Lots of experience with that here on the forum. I am happy to see any project involving the forgotten pre-1958 AMCs and Nashes. Joe
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Happiness is making something out of nothing.
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Buzzman72
AMC Addicted Joined: Sep/15/2009 Location: Southern IN Status: Offline Points: 2726 |
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I'm a big fan of the 250 Rambler V8. Post as many photos as possible!
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Buzzman72...void where prohibited, your mileage may vary, objects in mirror may be closer than they appear, and alcohol may intensify any side effects.
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8ton
AMC Apprentice Joined: Feb/21/2017 Location: Central VA Status: Offline Points: 34 |
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Thanks guys! I added cleaning the tank to the list. I havr been busy the last two weekends working on a home repair project for my wife, but have been getting a little done.
Both heads are off, the radiator is at a shop to be cleaned and tested, the transmissio lines and soft fuel line are sent out to a hose specialty shop to be made. Engine gasket set is here ($61 Amazon was the best price I could find). I have cc'd the heads and started on blending the brow and peak in the chamber. 68cc with champion h-18y plugs (3/8 thread reach), 67cc with autolite 437 plugs (7/16 thread reach). Even these are far short from the face of the chamber. I have matched up a plug with a 1/2 reach, a NGK BPR6hs #7022. With the gasket removed its face protrudes into the chamber 1/64 or so. I will be ordering very thin copper washers to use as gaskets to index the plug electrode forwards the open side of the chamber. I haven't cc'd with this plug yet but i expect to be close to a 65cc chamber. I may cut .010 or .020 off my heads but am waiting to pick my cam profile first. A 58cc chamber would be required to make 9-1 cr, but i am not sure i will go that far. I will get some chamber/ plug pictures later in the week. Edited by 8ton - Jan/30/2018 at 6:10am |
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CamJam
Moderator Group Joined: Jan/04/2014 Location: Arizona Status: Offline Points: 6553 |
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Cool! I love the old bathtub sleds.
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'73 Javelin 360 (current project)
'72 Baja Bronze Javelin SST '69 Big Bad Orange AMX (2018 Teague Heritage Award) SOLD |
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LakesideRamblin
AMC Addicted Joined: Dec/21/2015 Location: So. California Status: Offline Points: 2694 |
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Cool ride. Nice chicken.
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LakesideRamblin
69 Rambler 360 73 Javelin 360 "If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn't sit for a month." T. Roosevelt |
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8ton
AMC Apprentice Joined: Feb/21/2017 Location: Central VA Status: Offline Points: 34 |
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I have made a little progress. Cam is chosen and about to get mailed to Oregon cam for a 250/260 grind. Timing gear is all iron and almost no wear, but chain is a bit loose.
When pulling lifters and push rods i found 1 lifter had been swapped for a 'vL13' from a 59 dodge v8 and that a random amount of the push rods were slightly longer than the rest. Porting is coming along slowly, I need to order better abrasives and cutters. This week I plan to get a belt sander and sand blaster from Harbor freight. |
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8ton
AMC Apprentice Joined: Feb/21/2017 Location: Central VA Status: Offline Points: 34 |
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I have been busy with work and my family, but have been making some progress. I traded for a holley 4150 from a '65 Marlin, rebuilt it and am running it on my truck to get the floats in the ball park and work all the leaks out.
I got my cam back from Oregon cams, it is a 250/260 grind, with 206/212 @ .050 and .432/.443 lift. I now have to match up a set of valve springs that won't bind. Top contenders are LS chevy, FE Ford and Big block ford. They are all close, i am hoping to borrow some from a friend's machine shop. I am hoping for 120-150# on the seat, and 220-300 open. Oregon also sent me a set of new US made hydraulic lifters. However we found that the cups are for 5/16 push rods, but my push rods and rockers are for 1/4". The cam grinder cautioned against using the 1/4" pr in the 5/16 lifters, although that is how the engine was running be for (except the one oddball lifter, it had a 1/4" cup). Also, 1/4" pr replacements are not available, and i need one to replace the one I bent. My options are replace my rockers with ones with 5/16 cups, or get custom push rods. I need to mock up and measure, since the cam is ground and it looks like the block has been decked a bit. |
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farna
Supporter of TheAMCForum Moderator Lost Dealership Project Joined: Jul/08/2007 Location: South Carolina Status: Offline Points: 19692 |
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A lot of the custom pushrod companies allow you to change ends -- so you could have two different size ends. Any progress??? Not many people doing anything prior to the mid 60s. I always follow the older cars as I find them a bit more interesting. Javelins and 64+ Americans are the "Camaros and Chevy II/Novas" of the AMC world (or "Mustangs/Falcons is you wish)... lots of them! The 69 SC/Rambler and some of the Javelins are "special", but in the end it's still a V-8 American/Javelin....
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Frank Swygert
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