32 Nash 1063 convertible sedan

[F&J]

8 minutes ago, Matt Harwood said:

I sure understand burn-out, but you're heading into the fun part of restoration--reassembly. All those clean parts coming together and it starts to look like a car again. This is such a rare, attractive car and you've come so far. Like you, I find tidying up my workspace sometimes inspires me to get back to work on the car--it can feel like a chore if everything is scattered and your tools don't fall easily to hand. And as you've advised me, sometimes a short break can do a lot of good. Please stay with it, I'm really enjoying the process and you're doing awesome work on a great car. I'm eager to see it finished!

Thanks for the encouragement.  When my son almost demanded last June that I should "get some paint on some of the Nash body (to look like it's close to done)" , I'll admit that my heart was not into big projects due to age concerns, reflecting on life, etc.  Even just 4 years ago, nothing on any of my rough cars seemed like any problem.  The last 2 years, even planning a small step seems so overwhelming for some reason.  But, if I do finish anything small, even non car stuff, I then ask myself "why could that seem so difficult, because it was not really hard to do after I finally just did it".  Mind games? 

 

I got in a depressed mindset again this summer sitting around doing nothing except selling parts, so I almost started back on the wood repair on the 34 LaSalle conv that I was so looking forward to back in 2017 before being dragged to the hospitals.  The Nash still seemed overwhelming, and my son said "well OK, maybe if you least fixed JUST the wood, then you'd get that off your mind and get back on the Nash".  Right now, I'm glad I instead went back to the Nash.

At my age, I had convinced myself that I cannot finish TWO rough cars, or should not spend my last sunsets in a shop.  The dilemma is that not only is the 34 Las my one and only lifetime chance to own and more importantly Drive a big heavyweight "classic styled open car" , (and me haven driven other 34 Las cars and love how they run, feel, and ride), I still love the little entry level Nash with it's odd  "upscale" body and options.  It's like that Nash was first bought by a low income guy like me, but was ordered with sidemounts, twin trumpet horns, etc, to "look like a richer mans car".  

 

I don't want the LaS just because it is a higher end car, I am hooked on the cars engineering, the simplicity and reliability of the new inline 8, and that LWB ride with that awesome dash in front of you, and low chromed windshield!  

 

Things may work out in the future, my son says never sell the LaS until I need the money for bills, or have a very important use for the money. (I have a friendly guy wanting it for 3 years and he keeps stopping in to ask. I told him and my son that this is very comforting in case I pass away suddenly, as that guy could find every LaS part no matter where it's hiding here, and my son cannot)

 

So a long post, but my son is also correct in that if I do finish the Nash (and then still feel like working), then the LaS is still here.

[JV Puleo]

Frank, we are virtually the same age...I was 70 about two weeks ago so I understand how these projects can, at times, be overwhelming. But, I firmly believe that we have to keep busy — and I don't mean watching television. My observation is that when people who have made things all their lives quit, they don't last very long. What helps me is to put the "whole" project out of mind and concentrate on just the part I'm working on... Usually, when I finish something, I spend a day or two just thinking of what to do next and pick something I can do. My late mother, who was sewing up until the week she died (at 97) used to say "just do something every day, no matter how small, and sooner or later the job will get done."

 

I also agree you should not get rid of the LaSalle. Forty years ago I had the wreck of a very early Panhard - probably 1897 to 99. I sold it because I'd lost my storage and couldn't see how I could do the work it needed. It's the one car I regret selling. I could have stuck it in the back yard - it had been outdoors for 80 years and a few more wouldn't have made much difference. It is probably the only chance I'll ever have of having a serious pre-1900 vehicle and today I could do the work.

[Matt Harwood]

My 83-year-old father always says that if you don't have a reason to get out of bed each morning, eventually you won't be able to.

 

I look back at so many of my big projects and wonder how I was able to do it. What we forget is that in most cases, it was just chipping away at it a bit at a time. A lot of little steps eventually add up to a long journey.

 

Keep at it, even if it's just small steps. Maybe switch projects now and then--I keep multiple "to do" lists for each of my cars so that if one is being stubborn, I can go do something else a bit more bite-sized.

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

Frank, you are not old . YET! If you are, I would have to admit to being so. Not ready!  I still have a modification I want to do to my Buick. 

 

  Hang in there. 

 

  Ben

[F&J]

Today was the day... My son got 2 more of his friends to help get the body back on with the bucket crawler, and not one thing went wrong, with 3  of us guiding while my son ran the dozer. Had to lift it way, way up to clear the steering shaft and shifter. 

 

Single chain from the bucket, hooked to straps on the dash and where the conv top irons mount.  Spooky looking dangling on one chain, but enough guys to keep the body level and behaving.  .Pic with yellow arrow; That gap is too big big on purpose for now, as I used 4 "too thick" rubber blocks at all 4 corners so there was no chance of hitting the body on the aprons as we worked.

 

Note in most pics that the upper beltlines are just not dark enough to show contrast.  I can repaint them later as planned.

 

It was sunny then but when I came back out for pics, it is cloudy again and the dark blue looks very black. They left after I said I did not need help getting the car back in the shop, but I'm worn out and could not push it in later in the day.  I had already bolted the driver seat back in as I had more room outdoors, so I decided all I needed to drive it in, was a battery and gravity gas can. 

 

It started instantly and idled nice, but no gas pedal or linkage installed yet.  So, due to the geared up first/reverse gearing now, I just tickled the clutch in/out slightly, to rock the car enough to go backwards a bit, to get a running start in first gear to make it over the garage floor step.  Geez, it felt really good to have it drivable again, first actual movement with the new engine.

 

But....I got out and pulled the jumper wire off the coil, and then saw I needed to go in a bit more.  Started it up, and as soon as the clutch pedal was 1/3rd down, a deep squawk noise for a micro-second only, but was then gone, and made no more noises as it was fully to the floor (and still felt normal foot pressure). However it ground the gears no matter what I tried. Same deep squawk for just a split second, only at same 1/3rd down, on each attempt.  I am just too worn out to bother jacking it up today to look up where the clutch belly pan is still missing. 

 

I will sleep on it.   We are supposed to think about "what we did last'', when a certain part stops working. > I had machined the flywheel, and hand riveted NOS genuine GM Chevy clutch facings onto the Nash disc.  I don't recall taking the pressure plate apart, but I will read my old posts.  The first thought is that the ancient facings were too brittle from age, and tore away from the rivets? I babied the clutch while rocking it, so IDK what's wrong yet.

 

 

 

 

[r1lark]

Love the colors Frank! Great to see the progress on the Nash.

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Lookin good!!  6 hours on leaves today and then built an exercise bike for Mrs. Mack, all the A got this weekend was an few minutes of admiring it and thinking about next projects on it..

[Robert S]

Frank. I am 90 and just got a 1931 Nash 8 70 in about the same stage yours is in. All parts had been removed but owner died 8 years ago. But I’m enjoying trying to determine where all parts go. I have no plans or drawings. Maybe we could contact thru Email. Good luck on the 32

[F&J]

2 hours ago, Robert S said:

Frank. I am 90 and just got a 1931 Nash 8 70 in about the same stage yours is in. All parts had been removed but owner died 8 years ago. But I’m enjoying trying to determine where all parts go. I have no plans or drawings. Maybe we could contact thru Email. Good luck on the 32

Yes we can email, but the "spam blocking feature" in AACA prevents you from messaging me as you don't have enough posts yet.  I honestly don't know if I can send you a message, I should try sending you my email today. 

 

I assume your Nash was all complete/correct before taken apart, that makes things easier.  My Nash was hauled out of a junkyard or woods and many parts were missing way back then.  Then the guy who saved it, 1960s?, before internet, used random car parts just to make it run and maybe drive it someday.   He never lived long enough and it showed up at Carlisle Swap in the 80s by a flipper.  There was no way for me to trace it back, to see if the unknown estate had any parts from it.

 

Two of many wrong pieces were a 1938 Hudson distributor, and I think the carb was also same Hudson. The distributor was wrong rotation and actually retarded the timing when revved, rather than advancing.  I could not find the correct one and worse yet, the distributor driving shaft was modified to fit.  I got lucky that the engine from California had the correct distributor and drive rod. 

 

But, both engines have wrong and different carbs, and totally different linkages running across the head in two different locations (on the head of each engine).  I am struggling today trying to blend the linkages together and reach to the WRONG gas pedal.  I am also a fabricator so I will/can figure it out, as I doubt I could ever find the correct bolt-on parts.

 

This Nash has been the hardest car to find spare parts for, that I've ever owned.  Too many models each year, too many changes each year, (even half year changes), and it seems nobody saved Nash parts cars.

 

.

[F&J]

I could not see anything wrong with clutch parts in the bellhousing, so I decided I needed to be able to start and shut off the engine from in the seat first.  Then I'd be able to start it in gear to test the clutch issue.

 

I hooked up a starter pull cable, and a toggle switch on dash for the coil.  Then I wanted a gas pedal.  That meant finding the original wood toe kick board where the gas pedal needs to be mounted to.

 

I put the angled board in, and then saw that I had misjudged how high up the clutch needed to be adjusted to, back when I put the motor in the chassis.   The reason the clutch messed up the second time I tried to move the car, is that with no toe board, I did not know i was pushing the pedal way too far down which causes the disc to not release.  The first time, I must have not pressed too hard, then later on, tired out, I just went too far down, and pressed even harder when it was grinding the gears.  If I had let it up a bit that day, it would have shifted fine,

 

 

I am using the Chevy Carter W1 carb that came with the new engine.  It must have worked good for at least a few Great Races in the former 32 race Nash. My other carb has too many issues to bother with.  But now none of my old temporary gas pedal and linkage fits. I remembered I had found a NOS International bell crank this summer, and saw that I could use to bolt to my firewall.  The bolt pattern was the same as two holes on the firewall.  It's the part with red arrow.

 

Then made a short new rod from the unknown make Art Deco aluminum pedal, to that bell crank.  Then re-bending the longest link that I think came with the new engine. 

 

 

 

Today was the first warm day, but also the last.  So, I had to fix my shop furnace stove pipe and a rotted box that bolts to the furnace for the pipe.  I got it OK for the winter.  Then had to try to fix a coolant leak on my 1966 truck as I ran out of coolant a month ago, and was forced to add plain water where I broke down.  No sense adding antifreeze before fixing the leak.  I thought it was needing intake manifold gaskets which I dreaded doing for a month so far, but it was a single bolt, leaking up through.  Spent lot of time cleaning, sealing, and used a copper washer too.  I'm letting the sealer harden overnight before filling the system.  I will run it tomorrow to see, but I think it is fixed.  Both of these jobs went far better that I dreaded. And i don't feel that well lately, so maybe i can now relax and rest up.

 

I did drive the Nash out earlier to look at the colors again during changing sun all day, but the pics I took are way too deceiving to show.   I simply must leave it be, it looked more blue today...I think..  lol. 

 

Feels so good to be able to get in the Nash and drive it again.  PS, that weird noise? it was the one gallon gas tank hanging on the firewall and it was touching the carb hard, When i push the clutch just right, it allowed the can to rattle against the carb. Geebus, I feel like a beginner lately.

 

Oh, last pic down way below...a wicked nice blue/black 32 Nash 1060 sedan popped up F/S on Hamb,  My car has the same blue in this pic of it.

 

Edited November 18, 2021 by F&J (see edit history)

[F&J]

Back after a long cold winter of not doing anything besides bringing cordwood into the house.  I lost all drive to work and now I'm out of shape physically.  Tried to find the lost spark of wanting to work at all, before warm weather comes.  Then I drove the Nash out of the storage bay 2 weeks ago and parked it in the lot to just stare at it for inspiration. It didn't help because it's just looking like a doodlebug with no fenders/hood, lights.

 

Then a week ago, I found a 2015 pic of the Nash that I posted on another website that I don't have on file:

As soon as I saw it, I knew that if I can somehow find the drive to fix and paint the front fenders, then put the painted hood and headlights back on, this is what I'd see when I walk into the shop:

 

So it finally warmed up this week enough to do bodywork on one fender outside where I can see better and make less dust mess.

It took me a long time to hammer/dolly out so many hits on the fender before using filler.  Then late yesterday while in the house for a break, I heard rain and the fender was outside.  It was still sunny and it was light hail.  I wiped down the fender as I realized I would be able to see if I missed any waves when it was wet.  It's all wet in this pic, but you can't see it:

I did miss a few spots but might be able to finish it today when it warms up this afternoon.  I decided to only get one fender ready for paint at a time, rather than jump around on working both fronts.  Seems less daunting that way, and I don't want to feel overwhelmed.  I simply must play these mind games now until I get my passion back.  I only think of getting the complete nose back together like the blue sedan above.  I block all thoughts of how far I still need to go after that.

 

Also I've been going through this painfully long build thread, and I just can't believe how many tough challenges I was able to do, and I can see in my written words that actually liked doing them back then.  Seeing all of what I've done, I just can't quit now.  No, I've never regretted buying this super rough car.  I still do recall just how excited I was to see it at a local swap when I had zero plans to ever buy another project car. I really wanted to buy it and fix it up, period.  lol

 

Edited April 10, 2022 by F&J (see edit history)

[r1lark]

Glad you are back working on the Nash, I've missed reading your reports on your escapades! 

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

Hank in there, Frank!  You were [ are ] one of my inspirations when I started. "If Frank can do what he does, this should be EASY."

 

  BEN

[F&J]

On ‎4‎/‎10‎/‎2022 at 3:22 PM, Ben Bruce aka First Born said:

Hang in there

 

On ‎4‎/‎10‎/‎2022 at 1:35 PM, r1lark said:

Glad you are back working on the Nash

I got a few hours into the other front fender.  I'm just showing that typically it's not "just sand and repaint".

Both fenders were "repaired" back in the 1930s? with lead near both fender tire wells.  This side needed all the lead removed because the contours were not correct, and no way to straighten it back with so much thick lead. 

 

pic below is with lead removed, no sanding or hammering yet.  If you look along the crease in the fender bead for dark areas, that is where the metal was not tinned correctly.  Then the lead would not adhere so they 'floated" the lead over these spots. It is trapped acid stains.  Also see there are small dark spots elsewhere in dings that are trapped acid. All of what looks like pink bondo is burned primer. Those are high spots.   The shiny areas are all low areas where the lead was. They made/carved a new fake grooved bead from thick lead, as the real bead was pushed way in:

They did not remove the fenders back then to be able to properly work the damage back out on a cheap used car, they just pounded it back enough to glob the lead on.  It's not easy to hammer/dolly near the fender wells even with the fender off. It's taking a lot of time and variety of hammers and dollies.  I had to use a large deep socket to fit under there after these pics were taken. No reshaping had been started by me in any of these pics.

 

Later in life somebody welded a cracked corner.  It was later because the thick lead was already melted off near the goober welds.  The side edge bead is all wavy going from here all the way up to the front.  That takes time to fix.

 

 

Both fenders were hit from the front but at different heights.  Now the curves when viewed from above, are not the same:

I most likely will be reshaping both of these beaded edges to match each other when viewed from above and from the front view.  This stuff takes time and patience but must be done or it would look terrible later. Every fender of this era that I've ever done seems to have been hit there and all along the sides.

 

to remove lead, I use propane torch with a wire brush to get the heavy stuff off, then go back over all of the areas with the torch and fine steel wool. Needs hand coordination or else the steel wool goes up in flames.

 

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[jwbrew15]

On 3/23/2016 at 11:08 AM, F&J said:

Just a quick post to try out the new forum software.

Here are 2 pics taken from the Nash Car Club website of two 1932 "Second Series" Nash sedans with the same main body color that my car had when new.  One is a Big Six 1060 chassis like mine, and the bigger sedan is a 1080 Advanced Eight which is 2 chassis sizes larger. Nash made two more sizes even larger than that 1080 shown below.

 

My original Dupont color chart shows that 1932 Nash Second Series came standard with two tone paint, the main body was one color like these, but the fenders were a contrasting color...but interesting that is says black fenders were "optional".  My car had darker midnight blue fenders and wheels.

 

The smaller Nash below is not supposed to have silver paint on the wheels, and it has an older unknown incorrect bumper on the front.  My car will be blackwalls, too.

 

This is a 33 model 1180 Advanced OHV 8. By 33 most auto's had body as one color rather that 32 and older.

[chistech]

12 hours ago, F&J said:

 

I got a few hours into the other front fender.  I'm just showing that typically it's not "just sand and repaint".

Both fenders were "repaired" back in the 1930s? with lead near both fender tire wells.  This side needed all the lead removed because the contours were not correct, and no way to straighten it back with so much thick lead. 

 

pic below is with lead removed, no sanding or hammering yet.  If you look along the crease in the fender bead for dark areas, that is where the metal was not tinned correctly.  Then the lead would not adhere so they 'floated" the lead over these spots. It is trapped acid stains.  Also see there are small dark spots elsewhere in dings that are trapped acid. All of what looks like pink bondo is burned primer. Those are high spots.   The shiny areas are all low areas where the lead was. They made/carved a new fake grooved bead from thick lead, as the real bead was pushed way in:

They did not remove the fenders back then to be able to properly work the damage back out on a cheap used car, they just pounded it back enough to glob the lead on.  It's not easy to hammer/dolly near the fender wells even with the fender off. It's taking a lot of time and variety of hammers and dollies.  I had to use a large deep socket to fit under there after these pics were taken. No reshaping had been started by me in any of these pics.

 

Later in life somebody welded a cracked corner.  It was later because the thick lead was already melted off near the goober welds.  The side edge bead is all wavy going from here all the way up to the front.  That takes time to fix.

 

 

Both fenders were hit from the front but at different heights.  Now the curves when viewed from above, are not the same:

Frank, the fender on the right has a very similar profile to my 32’ Olds when looking from above as you took this picture. I’ll look to she if I have any pictures of my fenders at this angle. 

 

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[F&J]

I did get the passenger fender front curves to match the drivers side.  I looked over the drivers side and it looked like it needed no more bead bending, so I beat on the other one a long time and it looked good when lined up next to the other fender.

 

but I don't trust my eye because one fender has filler/sanded spots to distract my eye, compared to the all-primer one.

 

Finally thought of making a cardboard template from the good one.  That showed the corner needed to be just a bit tighter, which I did do, but the template was still not perfect at both ends.  It was just the lower part of the front bead heading towards the chassis side that needed 3 hard hits inwards, and it's perfect.

 

Geez, I can't show my pics of that fix, and the repair on the back end goober welded corner which came out really nice.  I went to put the tiny camera card into my laptop card slot (and hasn't been fitting well lately)..... this time it really felt stuck and the pic file did not automatically open.... so I used a thin tool to push it in and now it's GONE...   It went too far, I have no idea if the inner receptacle moved away from the plastic case opening and the card missed it?, either under or above the inner receptacle?, or what.

 

I started trying to see in there with flashlight, nope. Shaking it, no rattles from the card, so then I started to pry the case apart. But it's not meant to come apart.  Then the screen went haywire doing weird stuff and thought I ruined the laptop.  Finally it's working again, but I won't be able to post pics anymore. 

 

I can get my son to take a pic later this year when the nose is all back together.

[F&J]

Got the front fenders close enough for paint today.  It took too many weeks of very short days to do the bodywork, and I lost all last week to cold weather.  Today was the best chance in the forecast, so I just painted them rather than getting any fussier with bodywork. 

 

I just don't like working on big projects anymore, but as I've spent so much effort on fixing so many big issues on this old beater, I must keep going, or else it was all for nothing....

 

Pics were taken an hour after the second coat, but when taking these pics, I saw some dry spots.  I begged myself NOT to try doing a third very thinned flash coat because the spraygun I am now using puts out a LOT of paint and I was concerned about runs. 

 

(My other sprayguns including a Binks 7 never would put out enough paint, so with those guns I always had to get too close to the part.  Now with this gun, I had trouble trying to remember to keep this spraygun way further away.) 

 

But the more I looked at the dry spots, I figured there just was not enough paint there to sand and buff later...so I went for the wet flash coat.  Ended up with a 2 foot long area with some sags on the hidden inside part of passenger fender that faces the hood side, about at the height of the headlight bar and horn.  I will fix it after the car is completely done and the paint is hardened fully.

I only have one big table, so I improvised a very sketchy way to hold the passenger fender.  It never fell down LOL

The quality of my work has gone downhill, but as long as it is not too embarrassing to be seen in public, it will be OK for me.  I just need to face reality at this point. "Frankly Scarlet, I don't give a damn".  Lol.

 

As I put one fender back in the shop standing upright near the bay door, a late day sunray hit part of it and that's the first time this paint mix did not look pure black.  I could really see that it was midnight blue. Thank goodness.   I had painted the undersides of fenders in jet black, including the spare tire well underside, so that black tire well really helps make the fender definitely look blue.

 

Last big parts for "more bodywork agony" are 2 rear fenders, two metal spare tire covers, and the big trunk box. 

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[chistech]

It seems lots of people don’t know that many cars with colored fenders were chassis black on the bottom. A friend painstakingly restored his car and painted the body color on top then masked the tops off to correctly paint the undersides gloss black. When he showed his car a long time judge questioned him about it and told him he had never heard of it, highly doubting my friend. Most don’t seem to realize this fact and especially GM cars. If your in the VCCA, you definitely know it!  The Nash is looking great Frank!

[F&J]

9 hours ago, chistech said:

many cars with colored fenders were chassis black on the bottom

Sadly, there just isn't any "1932 Nash" community out there to share details on such things. 

 

My chassis and most body parts were sandblasted 50+ years ago.  When I took the front fenders off just last year, I saw that the main fender brackets were never blasted or repainted.   They are still the dark blue.   This adds more questions because with blue brackets, that means the fender undersides must have been blue. But why match the brackets in blue, but not the chassis framerails?

 

One member on here asked if the chassis might have been blue.  I just have not yet been able to find any paint traces of that due to former blasting/painting.  As this was the "entry level" cheapest Nash model series of chassis sizes, I have to question why Nash would have done the frame in blue.  Then if the frame really was blue, wouldn't they need to paint the axles and springs to match?  Wouldn't that really add far too much disruption on the assembly line in the worst economic time for auto profits?  ...on the cheapest Nash series?

 

Most other Nash body styles and many larger Nash models had black fenders, so is it possible that the convertible sedan (which was the most expensive body style), also came with colored frames too?  The 90 year old history is lost forever it seems. It does really bug me that I just don't know, and likely will never know.

 

The one major thing that that makes this car so intriguing to me is why on earth would Nash put such an expensive super low production body on the smallest cheapest chassis, and then add optional sidemounts and twin optional exposed trumpet horns, too? 

 

That just seems so crazy from a Depression sales marketing standpoint, as well as limited profit potential. This 2 door convertible sedan body was also available on the smallest 1070 series 8 cyl chassis, so why was it offered on the lowly 6 cylinder chassis?  Makes absolutely no sense to me, except that the 8 cylinder body was exactly the same, so maybe they hoped to gain a few more sales?

 

  That's the only reason this rough incomplete car ever got saved all these decades.  I never would have gone through all of this effort if not for that "intrigue". 

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[Luv2Wrench]

Great job hanging in there and dragging this old girl to the finish line.  We're all pulling for you!!

 

[Dave39MD]

Maybe the brackets were mounted on the fenders so they could dip or paint them?

 

Dave 

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Glad the project is moving again Frank.  Looks like painter's weather at last here in CT, and hopefully yoy get what ypu need to done while we have a good window.  Going into summertime heat soon enough!!

[F&J]

15 hours ago, Dave39MD said:

Maybe the brackets were mounted on the fenders so they could dip or paint them?

 

Dave 

I looked at the brackets yesterday after you mentioned that, but the bracket only bolts to the very outer edge of the fender, so that can't be what they did because the bracket would be flopping around.

1 hour ago, Steve_Mack_CT said:

Glad the project is moving again Frank.  Looks like painter's weather at last here in CT, and hopefully you get what you need to done while we have a good window.  Going into summertime heat soon enough!!

Sidetracked yesterday as I was going to put my unregistered old 1980 Jeep snowplow CJ5 into my storage building, but I remembered that I need to fix the leaking radiator and PS box leak first.  Seems I spend so much time in our scant few months of good weather just prepping for our evil winters!!  (including firewood stuff).  I bought the Jeep a couple of years ago because I can't plow my lot and 2 driveways with the tiny 1963 garden tractor at my age anymore.

 

I took the radiator out and filled with water and can't see a leak, so I have to find a way to pressure test it.  But with radiator out, I can now actually see the PS box, it is leaking at input seal.  I think I have a new Gates seal kit for the generic Saginaw PS box. I need to fix this stuff now rather than put things off like I usually do. Ugh.

[ericmac]

I am a huge fan of Nash products.  This car is a real inspiration.  I will follow your progress with great interest. 

[F&J]

On 5/19/2022 at 11:39 PM, ericmac said:

inspiration

That's one thing i'm lacking the last 2 years..  I force myself to go to the shop, (only in afternoons), and i can't be getting more than a couple hours a day.  I'm facing the fact that I just don't want to do huge projects anymore, but i've put so much time/effort over the years that I just can't quit on it.  I don't go to casinos but this must be like not wanting to leave the gambling table while you are losing.

 

i used to either like the challenge of hopeless stuff and learning more skills?, or was i just keeping life out of my mind?  I do know that when I bought a project for myself, it was something that really perked me up.  I never could see how much work that a rough car really needed, I could only see what it once was.    Not the best plan.

 

 

Anyways, i have not posted much as I tried to struggle through the rest of sandblasting that i really hate.  i ran out of sand on the big rear trunk, and now the local place is backordered on sand.  So I switched to dents and bodywork on the parts that i did finish blasting.

 

Here is the car with front fenders loosely on, i needed to use the headlight bar for that.  Stuck my NOS fender parking lights on for inspiration. All dusty now.

A problem I will face soon is that the running board aprons do not bolt to the chassis.  They are held downwards onto the frame by the rubber body cushions.  But you can't lower the body down on the cushions until the front fenders, running boards and rear fenders are on.  Then the splash aprons can either be slid out or in, or front to back, to the fenders.  

 

The rear fenders need to be bolted to the body when the body is barely raised enough to still be able to slide the aprons.  This seems like a nightmare, because the rear fender boltholes are elongated for adjustment.  It seems like too many things will need adjusting all at the same time. .

 

I was really sick of dent working and bodywork, so I quit on the 2 sidemount covers for now, to be able to concentrate on just the rear fenders.  I got them painted late today when shade permitted.  I will finish the tire covers when I get all the fenders, running boards back on.  Then i'll move some stuff that's blocking the car in, to get it outside to see what it looks like. (for inspiration)

 

Every part of this car was very dented, smashed, and banged up, it just wears me down.  But what else was this car good for back when i got it?  It was too uncommon of a body style to let somebody else buy it for parts

 

 

 

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Frank stick with it, plenty of good weather before we button everything up come fall.  We have been lucky with relatively low heat and humidity.  

 

The car looks fantastic mocked up like you have it.  Hope to see it in person when you get it on the road.

Edited July 11, 2022 by Steve_Mack_CT (see edit history)

[keiser31]

I admire your tenacity! It is looking GREAT!

Edited July 11, 2022 by keiser31 (see edit history)

[JV Puleo]

22 hours ago, F&J said:

  I never could see how much work that a rough car really needed, I could only see what it once was. ...

I have the identical shortcoming...if it is a shortcoming. In my mind, it marks a person with imagination, something you've demonstrated over and over with this resurrection.

[chistech]

4 hours ago, JV Puleo said:

I have the identical shortcoming...if it is a shortcoming. In my mind, it marks a person with imagination, something you've demonstrated over and over with this resurrection.

I think of how many women I would have not “taken for a spin” if I let a little “rough” scare me off!😁

[F&J]

I try to get a couple of hours in the shop each afternoon on most weekdays, but it's no longer fun while working. Age?  I used to enjoy working on parts or small projects like making a part, but super long term rough cars would always force me to put one back in storage for a couple of years when it always became too tedious and mentally overwhelming.  

 

I've been keeping track of the fact that each thing I do on it now is not fun anymore.  So I drove it out to the lot for the day yesterday to just look at it, hoping to build inspiration.   The old pic is from 2 years ago in June 2020, seems like so little progress, but I did not touch it all last winter, and maybe both winters since 2020.

 

I was trying to get the back end of the car together as it faces the garage door and I can get sun.  I ran out of sand halfway into blasting the big rear trunk....But the place near here where I've been waiting for sand on backorder, now just told me they have discontinued stocking it.

 

A 1,5 to 2 hour chore/drive to find more sand across the State, so I guess I'll try to get the nose together instead. 

 

I can't put the radiator shell back on until I find a way to fix a couple of cracks in the thin grille bars (down low) which were from being rusted thin. The spots are too thin to weld.

 

 

I also need to repaint all the beltines including on the hood and radiator shell to the new mix of darkest blue. I almost talked myself out of having to do that while looking at it yesterday, but i will really regret it later.  So, more taping and paint work to do over before i can put any of the nose back on.  

 

Some good comes from driving it into the lot:  It always runs super nice, and after all the torment of trying to refit different steering boxes years ago, this car now steers so light even when parking, which is so un-typical of cars of this era.  I know I've never driven one that steers this light, I just hope it's not too light at 50-55 MPH.  It's an older First Series 32 Nash box but I'm now not sure if it's from a 6cyl chassis, or heavier 8cyl "970" chassis.   

 

...and I'm getting used to the new 3:80 gear ratio.  It seems to start to move easier, or feel more normal, if I let it stay at idle speed rather that rev it before letting the clutch out.  Wanting really bad to try it out at 50-55mph is what keeps me from quitting on it. It might be a great road car with that gear swap.

[JayG]

Do you get your sand at New England Silica?  They are my go to go blasting sand.  

[F&J]

12 minutes ago, JayG said:

Do you get your sand at New England Silica?  They are my go to go blasting sand.  

 

That is the place that will be a 1.5-2 hour trip total by the time I would get back home.   I used to go there years ago when I lived a bit closer and needed many bags at once, as it was priced much better.   I paid a lot more per 100 lb bag for the exact same brand at the local place here, but it was only 5 minutes away.  

 

And my favorite scrap metal recycle place closed due to owners retiring, so no more piles of cheap materials to build stuff with. They were 10 minutes away.  There are no other places that will resell metals like they did. Even machinery and tools that made working easier, at dirt cheap prices.  

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

Frank, someone once said getting old is not for sissies.  I guess we are finding that to be true.

 

  Ben

[JayG]

I go up there from Bristol which is 45 minutes one way.  ( Not hitting Hartford traffic) I couldn’t find anyone closer that had abrasives.  

[Lahti35]

Looking great! NASH automobiles look great in blue/black. I admire your tenacity, somedays it can feel more like work than a hobby when you're in a slump. Keep pulling through and you will get done riding the restoration roller coaster! 

[pmhowe]

“I can't put the radiator shell back on until I find a way to fix a couple of cracks in the thin grille bars (down low) which were from being rusted thin. The spots are too thin to weld.”

 

I have read that modern car manufacturers and the aircraft industry are now heavily into bonding metal (both aluminum and steel) sheets together. As your thin grill bars are to be painted, not plated, you might consider making an appropriately shaped piece of sheet metal, feathering the edges, and bonding it with adhesive. I believe 3M, among others, makes adhesives for this application.  I will bet that you will end up with a grill bar that looks as good as new, and is just as strong as original.

 

I love your Nash, by the way.

[F&J]

2 hours ago, pmhowe said:

As your thin grill bars are to be painted, not plated, you might consider making an appropriately shaped piece of sheet metal, feathering the edges, and bonding it with adhesive. I believe 3M, among others, makes adhesives for this application.  I will bet that you will end up with a grill bar that looks as good as new, and is just as strong as original.

You are reading my mind.. I refrained from saying that I was thinking about using JB weld with a backer piece on the back side where it can't show, but some people don't want to hear about that product.   

 

I think the V shape of each bar might have a perfect spot for a piece of stiff galvanized wire I have from tobacco farm netting.   I need to look at the back of the bars.   Just bond it inside the back of each cracked bar.  Just a couple are cracked.

 

Yes, this entry level Nash 6 cyl grille insert was painted, maybe the biggest Nash 8 had plating.

 

I started on cordwood yesterday so I can't work on the car or show progress for a while. 

 

 

[Roscoe]

10 hours ago, pmhowe said:

“I can't put the radiator shell back on until I find a way to fix a couple of cracks in the thin grille bars (down low) which were from being rusted thin. The spots are too thin to weld.”

 

I have read that modern car manufacturers and the aircraft industry are now heavily into bonding metal (both aluminum and steel) sheets together. As your thin grill bars are to be painted, not plated, you might consider making an appropriately shaped piece of sheet metal, feathering the edges, and bonding it with adhesive. I believe 3M, among others, makes adhesives for this application.  I will bet that you will end up with a grill bar that looks as good as new, and is just as strong as original.

 

I love your Nash, by the way.

Totally agree. I mentioned in my truck's thread about panel bond. One of my local bodyshop guys told me I'd tear the truck apart before that bond would fail- they use it daily on modern cars according to him. I can verify- the product I got, after 15 minutes, you won't move anything it's on. You could pick up the vehicle and the metal would tear before the bond.