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195.6 ohv performance engine build

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tomj View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tomj Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jul/11/2017 at 12:45am
Originally posted by farna farna wrote:

The AL 195.6 OHV isn't really all that "exotic". It is RARE to find one in good condition though.

if i was rich, i would play. lol. alas, i'm not. this thing was difficult enough! 

i'm now running DISTILLED water and Water Wetter, the pink stuff, some well-known brand i can't recall right now. at this point i'm not even sure why i need to run a pressure cap, it simply will never get that hot, ever.  of course it doesn't freeze here, if i ever go where it freezes, well, i'm screwed, aren't i :-) 

i think that modern cooling tech and care would just eliminate the coolant and maint issues that probably killed all those engines.

1960 Rambler Super two-door wagon, OHV auto
1961 Roadster American, 195.6 OHV, T5
http://www.ramblerLore.com

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tomj View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tomj Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jul/11/2017 at 12:54am
Originally posted by farna farna wrote:

The L-head block is virtually the same from inception in 1940 (172.6 for the 1941 Nash Ambassador 600) through the last one made in 1965. Stroke changed for size, bore stayed the same -- which is a little weird since they use forged cranks and rods... costly! Probably not enough room in the block for a bigger bore (without affecting external dimensions), though they can be safely bored 1/8" (if you can find pistons). 

i agree it is a weird decision. i never thought about it, but i bet you're right -- the siamesed cylinders means that there wouldnt be enoug metal between the bores. SCREWED! oopsie.

poor Nash. after all this time, and reading, and looking at manuals, and taking their stuff apart, and AMCs decisions, you can see how Nash found themselves with high quality but hopelessly out of date engineering, saw their death coming by 1960. the '56 Nash Rambler, hence the '58--'63 American, was pretty much equipped as if it were a car from 1948. robust, stiff chassis, no squeaks! light weight, but hobbled by an ancient engine -- at it's displacement limit in 1956! -- a narrow engine compartment, that insanely tall front spring/knuckle setup (the lower-stance cars of 62 on, not possible), all conspiring against them.

but as an "old car" that quality is a pleasure to work with. little in the chassis was inherently a PITA, and the worst feature of the engine is the last-minute kludge of the OHV head. 

an interesting mess to play with now!

(but if i -- or we! -- wanted modern, we'd all be driving Honda CRXs. oh wait, those are 30 years old now, never mind.)





1960 Rambler Super two-door wagon, OHV auto
1961 Roadster American, 195.6 OHV, T5
http://www.ramblerLore.com

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