LARRYCAROL Posted January 4, 2023 Share Posted January 4, 2023 Straightening tie rod will definitely make a difference, also grease king pins and linkages and steering box. Drive and see if you feel any difference. It would be great to put a few miles on it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luv2Wrench Posted January 5, 2023 Author Share Posted January 5, 2023 This afternoon and evening I attempted to remove and straighten the tie rod. As I was attempting that I noticed that both the frame rails are damaged. It appears as if the car hit something head on but with the frame only. This explains the bent tie rod and why it was driving like a crab. It also explains why it was hard to turn at extremes, the tie rods were rubbing up against the damaged areas of the frame rails. When I have the car stripped and on the rotisserie this will be something I can address. The frame rails are boxes and they will not be too difficult to cut open and repair. It will certainly be tedious and time consuming and wasn't something I was planning on. I'm not particularly happy about this. I did look the car over prior to buying it but I failed to see the damage as it is mostly hidden when the wheels are pointed straight. I was mostly looking at how bad the rust was and only look at the frame rails in general. To make matters a bit worse, it does look like one of the spring perches has started to fail to the point it is touching the tie rod. I feel at this point that anything short of a complete restoration of the front end, including straightening the frame rails would be a bit of a waste of time. I don't feel like a day or two of work is really going to make any difference. Unfortunately it appears I have bought a wreck and I'm just going to have to deal with that next year. I still love the car and I'll make it great again. I like to think of this as I'm adding to my skill set. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JV Puleo Posted January 5, 2023 Share Posted January 5, 2023 12 hours ago, Luv2Wrench said: ... I like to think of this as I'm adding to my skill set. One of my favorite Talmudic sayings is "every misfortune is an opportunity". You are right to think of it as just a further challenge and the opportunity to acquire new skills...As Ed has said, "if it were easy everyone could do it." 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ojh. Posted January 5, 2023 Share Posted January 5, 2023 Hard to imagine the circumstances to cause that damage to frame only. There is a Nash-Healey forum on FaceBook where one of the members just made a replacement front frame section and he posted photos, its very well done. You'll probably destroy the rod end trying to get it out from that beam, they are an odd thread, a straight pipe thread if i recall right, Moss Motors has them. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1912Staver Posted January 5, 2023 Share Posted January 5, 2023 This is a very unfortunate discovery. That's going to be a involved repair. But worth it in the end. 98% of the car still looks to be in very reasonable shape in my eye. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laughing Coyote Posted January 5, 2023 Share Posted January 5, 2023 That sucks Jeff, but I know you will get it all fixed up and better than new. Just another adventure with old cars. The engine came out looking nice. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve_Mack_CT Posted January 5, 2023 Share Posted January 5, 2023 What a great outlook, largely why the MG turned out so nice. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luv2Wrench Posted January 5, 2023 Author Share Posted January 5, 2023 3 hours ago, ojh. said: Hard to imagine the circumstances to cause that damage to frame only. There is a Nash-Healey forum on FaceBook where one of the members just made a replacement front frame section and he posted photos, its very well done. You'll probably destroy the rod end trying to get it out from that beam, they are an odd thread, a straight pipe thread if i recall right, Moss Motors has them. I saw that this morning, kinda strange timing! The rod ends are pretty much already destroyed without me even getting near them. Any chance you know the Moss part number? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ojh. Posted January 5, 2023 Share Posted January 5, 2023 I'll have a look this evening. There is a chance you will have to break that beam from the pivot to wrench the nuts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luv2Wrench Posted January 6, 2023 Author Share Posted January 6, 2023 4 hours ago, ojh. said: I'll have a look this evening. There is a chance you will have to break that beam from the pivot to wrench the nuts. I tried to remove the beam to get at the nuts but couldn't get it free. I then tried the nuts on the ends and they came off easily... I might have heard one of them laughing at me. 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ojh. Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 Check with Moss Motors Ltd, part# 021-181 TieRod Set, best to confirm your thread, there are differences from time to time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Jones Posted March 21, 2023 Share Posted March 21, 2023 Jeff, though I don't own a Nash Healey, I do have a Dual LeMans Jetfire engine. It's a 1956 version that I intend to install in my 1936 Nash Ambassador. The pictures and information in this thread have been very helpful as I plan out my project. Your pictures of the cylinder combustion chambers and exhaust ports were the first I've been able to find. Did you have any issue with removing the head studs? I've heard they can be a problem. As I understand it, the mild steel exhaust was prone to rusting out but Waldron's offers it in T304 stainless steel for the Ambassadors with OHV 6 that could be adapted to your Nash Healey. Given the proximity to the carburetors, I'm considering having the pipe ceramic coated though an insulated shield might also work. I noticed you purchased a gasket set from Olson's for $505. I was just quoted $420 for an overhaul gasket set. Were there additional gaskets that you purchased? I want to make sure I have everything in hand. Your issue with the rings is interesting. I see that the Nash club store carries pistons and ring sets for the 234.8 cubic inch smaller bore version but only pistons for the 252.6 incher. The pistons are reasonably priced ($330) but since rings aren't available, I think I'll bite the bullet and have a set of higher compression custom forged pistons made with a modern low drag ring set if I need pistons. Thanks for the tip on Kennedy American. I'll be ordering a pilot bushing and a few other parts from them soon. Do you have the part numbers for the correct oil seals from McMaster Carr? Do you know if the harmonic balancer is inside the crankshaft pulley? I found correspondence between Sig Erson (then shop manager for Isky Cams) and a Nash Healey racer that mentioned Nash cams were steel. Most flat tappet cams are made of cast iron as were Isky's Nash cams. Distributor gears need to be compatible with the cam material (steel gear on a cast iron cam or vice versa will lead to rapid wear). It looks like having my existing cam reground and lifters refaced would be a safer way to go if necessary. I hope you don't mind all the questions but you're the only guy I know that has actually opened up one of these engines. Thanks! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luv2Wrench Posted March 22, 2023 Author Share Posted March 22, 2023 2 hours ago, Daniel Jones said: Jeff, though I don't own a Nash Healey, I do have a Dual LeMans Jetfire engine. It's a 1956 version that I intend to install in my 1936 Nash Ambassador. The pictures and information in this thread have been very helpful as I plan out my project. Your pictures of the cylinder combustion chambers and exhaust ports were the first I've been able to find. Did you have any issue with removing the head studs? I've heard they can be a problem. As I understand it, the mild steel exhaust was prone to rusting out but Waldron's offers it in T304 stainless steel for the Ambassadors with OHV 6 that could be adapted to your Nash Healey. Given the proximity to the carburetors, I'm considering having the pipe ceramic coated though an insulated shield might also work. I noticed you purchased a gasket set from Olson's for $505. I was just quoted $420 for an overhaul gasket set. Were there additional gaskets that you purchased? I want to make sure I have everything in hand. Your issue with the rings is interesting. I see that the Nash club store carries pistons and ring sets for the 234.8 cubic inch smaller bore version but only pistons for the 252.6 incher. The pistons are reasonably priced ($330) but since rings aren't available, I think I'll bite the bullet and have a set of higher compression custom forged pistons made with a modern low drag ring set if I need pistons. Thanks for the tip on Kennedy American. I'll be ordering a pilot bushing and a few other parts from them soon. Do you have the part numbers for the correct oil seals from McMaster Carr? Do you know if the harmonic balancer is inside the crankshaft pulley? I found correspondence between Sig Erson (then shop manager for Isky Cams) and a Nash Healey racer that mentioned Nash cams were steel. Most flat tappet cams are made of cast iron as were Isky's Nash cams. Distributor gears need to be compatible with the cam material (steel gear on a cast iron cam or vice versa will lead to rapid wear). It looks like having my existing cam reground and lifters refaced would be a safer way to go if necessary. I hope you don't mind all the questions but you're the only guy I know that has actually opened up one of these engines. Thanks! Glad you found my posts helpful! I did not have any issues with the head studs. I used the two nut technique and they all came out without issue. I did apply heat and Kroil before I started. The exhaust studs were the hardest to get out but heat and Kroil eventually worked. I believe the Nash Healey had not only a shield between the exhaust and carbs but it was done in such a way to funnel air from behind the radiator. I'll try to find a picture and post it below. The gasket set was $415 + $90 shipping and handling. They will want to know the distance between the carbs. Check and see what kind of rear seal you have and make sure they send you the right one. There are two different types. One is a rope seal. I believe oversized rings were available but I didn't want to bore out the block. That might be an option for you. Unfortunately I don't know which of the oil seals I used. I can find all the part numbers I ordered. The harmonic balancer is in the crankshaft pulley. $209 to get rebuilt, $17 shipping in USA. email David for more information langsatherdavid@gmail.com I didn't know about the camshaft being steel, that is interesting, thanks for the info! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Jones Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 Thanks Jeff. I told Olsons the distance between carbs was the narrower 8.5" for Carter YH carbs (versus the wider for SU carbs). I'll see if I can get the balancer off this weekend. I need to get one redone for a Chrysler flathead straight 8 too. Now to design an engine run stand and order the steel. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luv2Wrench Posted April 26, 2023 Author Share Posted April 26, 2023 This weekend I took a 13 hour drive to pickup a Gray Marine Fireball 327 and the parts needed to convert it back to an automobile engine. I was extremely lucky to not only find the 327 marine engine relatively close to me, but to also find another seller that was selling the parts needed to convert it back to an automobile engine and they were only a few hours away from the seller of the engine. All together it was a 13 hour drive but I met two great guys and have a wonderful 327 to possibly put in the Nash Healey next year. I took the heads off and was amazed at the condition of the cylinder walls. I think the engine might have been rebuilt shortly before being taken out of service. The bore was 0.030 over and the cross hatch pattern was still clear all around. I might have lucked into a really good engine. I'll tear it down next year and check all the tolerances. I wouldn't be shocked if all it needs is a gasket kit and some love. For those that don't know (which included me a couple weeks ago) the Gray Marine Fireball 327 is an AMC 327 long block that Gray Marine marinized, mainly by changing the cooling system. There are various pieces that are needed to go back to a car engine and I was lucky that a seller was selling what was left of an AMC 327 that threw a rod through the block. I think it might also have a camshaft that is more suited to power at lower RPM so I might get that reground. 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r1lark Posted April 26, 2023 Share Posted April 26, 2023 Very cool, that will be great in the N-H! I assume it has a 'normal' rotation cam in it? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luv2Wrench Posted April 28, 2023 Author Share Posted April 28, 2023 On 4/26/2023 at 6:08 PM, r1lark said: Very cool, that will be great in the N-H! I assume it has a 'normal' rotation cam in it? If the arrows on the crank are to be believed... it will rotate in the correct direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nash healey 53 Posted July 4 Share Posted July 4 On 10/27/2022 at 3:56 PM, Luv2Wrench said: Please allow me to introduce my next, next project. Full restoration is tentatively schedule for early 2024 or as soon as the 1913 Metz Model 22 Roadster is completed. I bought this car from fellow AACA member @Olympic33 and I can't say enough about how easy he was to work with during the process. I wouldn't hesitate to buy anything he's selling, super guy. I had @Bills Auto Worksship the car to me and that was also a great experience. Super communication, right now time and very professional. The car will need a considerable amount of work. All of this was known before the purchase and I even flew up there to visit and try to get a grasp on how to do the work. The rocker panels and other areas were built in such a way that they rusted from the inside out. This car is no exception and the solution is to cut the rockers out, fix everything behind them and then replace. Fortunately for me an Aussie restored 2 Nash Healey and posted detailed pictures of the repairs I'll need to do. The second issue is the engine is not original. It is the correct type and can be made to look original and that is one solution. The second solution is to do what multiple Nash Healey owners did back in the day and swap in an AMC 327 V8. Nash technical engineer Carl Chakmakian installed an AMC 327 in his Nash Healey and, literally, wrote the book on how to do so. I've located a couple of suitable AMC 327s and I'm leaning towards this solution. Since the full restoration will not being for so long I feel like the best thing to do at this time is get the car running and driving. I don't have a lot of room and will need to move the car around some so having it under its own power would be very helpful. In addition I *really* like the car and feel like with a couple weeks work I can get it to the state I feel comfortable driving it around. I think it would be fun to take out even with its extra patina paint job. Plus... if I drive fast enough maybe the rest of the paint will flake off and I won't have to media blast it. I started looking at the brake system last night and the wheel cylinders/shoes look fine. Hoses seemed reasonable in age but I ordered new ones. The master cylinder was empty and looked a bit corroded inside so I order one of those as well. Since I overdo everything... I plan to remove the engine/tranny, break them down and do a full inspection before hopefully putting them back together with fresh gaskets. I'm going to check the compression as well and if it seems reasonable I might dingle ball hone the cylinders and put some new rings in. This will give me a good idea of the cost involved should I choose to keep the engine as well as some confidence should I choose to drive the car around. Below is as it arrived off the trailer and then in the shop after a bath. Note how amazingly clear the glass is... like a new car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nash healey 53 Posted July 4 Share Posted July 4 Did you get the Nash Healey finished ?Just getting to the end of mine ,bit more difficult being in the UK 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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