After much prodding... Hi.

Black Magik

Black Magik

Member
I've been reading almost non-stop for a few days as a member. I found the site while trying to research my current, long standing project. A 1956 Nash Metropolitan Gasser... Although it would never meet any of the Gasser classes with an 85" wheelbase; I envision a small block powered, straight axle car right out of Mr. Toad's Wild Ride.

My dad taught me a deep appreciation for classic cars. I built my first car in high school, a 1972 El Camino. I bought it from a wrecking yard and we rebuilt it from the frame up. Small Block 350, and a TH350. She was an ugly wreck to say the least. When we were "done", she was a vision to behold. However, I couldn't leave well enough alone. Elke got a Muncie M21, and a 427 BBC. Then the 427 got a B&M 420 megablower...

The bug bit me hard. I started "the collection". I picked up the Metropolitan my freshman year in college, which influenced my decision to study mechanical engineering. Then the 70 Chevelle, when I got too many tickets with the El Camino. The 70 Ranchero shortly after because you can't have enough car/truck hybrids in the fleet... right?

To support my habit and pay for college I joined the Army; waiting tables to pay for school and car parts wasn't going to hack it anymore.

After a deployment, I fell into a deal on a 68 Charger... It just had to be. I had no project car on the east coast and I couldn't be accused of discriminating against any particular car manufacturer.

The motorcycles just sort of wandered into the stable while I wasn't looking. An XS400, CL350, CB900, and the Sportster. Its amazing what finds its way into your garage over 18 years between deployments. How could you say no... they're small.

Now that life has slowed down and my Elke is running well (fresh out of storage), next is the Nash. She's been waiting the longest. I call her Magik... mainly because of the Edelbrock X1 that I picked up for this project back in 97 at a swap meet. It's one of those voodoo magic tricks to figure out... which leads me to why I joined the forum. Be it dark magic or alchemy, I will eventually learn enough from you all to build a well designed engine around this vexing intake design.

Looking forward to being a part of your community!
 
Welcome to the fold Mr. Magik !!!

Sounds like some wonderful projects, but it never happened if there is
NO pictures!!! heheheh!

Black Magik said:
The motorcycles just sort of wandered into the stable while I wasn't looking. An XS400, CL350, CB900, and the Sportster.
Click to expand...

I had the predecessor to your CL350, the Honda 305 scrambler. Sorry if
you can't find the bike in the picture, but it's there none the less.

Honda305Scrambler.jpg
 
welcome to the site!
posting pictures of any current or past projects would be great!
 
Is the '68 Charger a 383 or a 440? What is the lowdown on the '70 Chevelle, the '64 Impala? A while back I bought a'68 Charger and resold it after finding out so many parts Are not being reproduced or nobody will part with what they have even if it's rotting in their back yard. It's so easy to get upside down on restoring the wrong car.
 
Charger is a 318 automatic that I found in New York. The Chevelle is a 400/400 AC car that I parked in 2001 when I ran off and joined the Army...as you can see from the inch of dirt and peeling primer. Impala is my brother's car...
 
I like the unusual 400 ci in the '70. Was that the 400 GM decided to remain calling it a 396 ci? Or the sac? I'm of in that I love A/C in everything! What's the current status of that car?
 
chromebumpers said:
I like the unusual 400 ci in the '70. Was that the 400 GM decided to remain calling it a 396 ci? Or the sac? I'm of in that I love A/C in everything! What's the current status of that car?
Click to expand...
Waiting in the queue... lol. Upsetting, but someone stripped the top end off the motor, and stole the bumpers while I was in Afghanistan... apparently they needed the parts more than I did. Insult to injury, they left the hood up and it filled with water. **sigh**
 
Man O' Man that burns me up! You're out there putting your life on the line for us at home and some jerk steals from you! By- The-way, thank you for your service for our country. My oldest son completed 3 tours between Afghanistan And Iraq.
 
Well I guess we can't deny that it happened now with all the pics:D ...... thanks!

Wish I could claim that 305 as mine, but that's just a pic of one like mine. Except for the muffler.
 
more detailed photos of the nash fron several angles will be helpful in seeing its current condition,
I can assure you from some past experiences
,that youll be in for major fabrication of the frame, drive train and suspension components ,
if you expect the nash to run with 4-6 times its original power level
 
A few cateats... as a car lover, I can't justify cutting up a good car. This one is a candidate because it's pretty far gone. The passenger side shock tower was cut, I do have the hood, the front valence grew legs and walked away, and the front brakes are MIA. Floor pans are gone... She's nearly a goner.
rps20151001_064432_061.jpg rps20151001_064744_979.jpg rps20151001_064824_647.jpg rps20151001_064848_593.jpg rps20151001_064916_328.jpg rps20151001_064952_206.jpg rps20151001_065036_375.jpg
 
your obviously going to either do a horrendous amount of body metal restoration, and/or need to find a second donor car to salvage a good many body parts from to be able to get that nash back into decent looking condition.
Now you can do a great deal to restore most sheet metal, but a frank & honest look at what your dealing with before you start dumping, what to most people will be, a nearly UN-beleivable amount of time ,effort and cash into the project might be a good idea.
you can basically forget trying to use the stock frame and suspension as most of thats trash that would be discarded, for your intended application in any case, but the outer body sheet metal roof and grill and hood that show are going to be rather important, at this point Id think hard about either finding a second donor car to salvage parts from or taking a long look at your checking account balance and honestly appraising your skill set , and deciding if you want to buy a decent welder and maybe a plazma cutter and if you can locate a decent donor car to salvage parts from.
Now I'm not suggesting you abandon the project, I'm merely suggesting you make an honest appraisal of what your starting with, where your likely to find replacement parts, the cost in cash and time and your current skill level and tool availability, simply because you don,t want to be one of the tens of thousands of enthusiastic people that spend several thousand dollars and a couple years beating what may be a DEAD HORSE, if you can,t locate parts or have the required skills and tools
,obviously gaining the skills and purchasing the required tools is going to be a huge addition to your ability to do this type of restoration, but in most cases that will almost mandate your having a local skilled mentor or two, and that usually means joining at least two muscle car clubs, and having...
both a place to work on the car thats secure,so parts and tools don,t sprout legs and walk off
and ideally a flat dry solid concrete floor with decent lighting, access to 220 volt power and at least 4-6 12 ton jack stands and a quality floor jack.
Ive seen many people perform near miracles, on projects like that, but Ive also sen far to many guys dump $5-$7 k into a project that eventually gets sold or scrapped after the frustration level gets too high several years into that restoration.


may help
http://tpls63.tripod.com/55metconv.html

http://www.metropolitan-restoration-service.com/metropolitan-pages

http://www.hotrod.com/cars/featured/hrdp-1012-1954-nash-metropolitan/

http://pub48.bravenet.com/forum/static/show.php?usernum=4083188064&frmid=84&msgid=667230

http://www.mocna.us/

http://www.caranddriver.com/features/inside-the-nash-metropolitan-restoration-shop-feature

http://www.metpitstop.com/2013.pdf

http://www.mninter.net/~jrc/web1.html

http://myntransportblog.com/2015/03...er-kenosha-wisconsin-united-states-1916-1954/


 
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I have roughed out a new chassis layout. It's a fluid design scheme. I'm hoping to finish it out after I see what kind of weight I'll be looking at. Of course, tire size and rear suspension will also move things a bit. I don't want to tub it, or cut the fender skirts. So thinking about 205x60R15 out back. It would put me at 24.7" dia which is about as tall as I think I can get in there without looking ridiculous. And mounting points based on 4 link or ladder bars...

Front end will change some as well once I figure out block size, header tube dia/length, and front brakes. With discs I am looking as a 155x80R15, I would have to go smaller to fit some drum brakes.

Based on torque production, I may need to increase the tire diameter in the rear.

I acquired a Ford 9" with drums to narrow, since it doesn't have the tapered axles like the 12 bolt.

rps20151001_073434_359.jpg rps20151001_073335.jpg rps20151001_073400_914.jpg
I picked up 60' of 2x3 .120 wall, I figure about 43' (with waste) under the current design. My friend Andrea is a structural welder, she's going to coach me through it when I'm ready. I don't often weld heavy stock... sheet metal is about it for me.

Also looking at a few other "tricks". Folding front clip, removable hardtop top, and grafting some of my favorite car trademarks... 58/59 impala tail fins, 59 lincoln headlights... I've never retro fit body panels, but I have welded in replacement floor pans on uni bodies, rosette welded holes from tonneau cover in the El Camino, and welded whole quarters and a trunk on a 68 Mustang. I have big dreams...
rps20151001_073510_633.jpg
 
Grumpy said:
your obviously going to either do a horrendous amount of body metal restoration, and/or need to find a second donor car to salvage a good many body parts from to be able to get that nash back into decent looking condition.
Now you can do a great deal to restore most sheet metal, but a frank & honest look at what your dealing with before you start dumping, what to most people will be, a nearly UN-beleivable amount of time ,effort and cash into the project might be a good idea.
you can basically forget trying to use the stock frame and suspension as most of thats trash that would be discarded, for your intended application in any case, but the outer body sheet metal roof and grill and hood that show are going to be rather important, at this point Id think hard about either finding a second donor car to salvage parts from or taking a long look at your checking account balance and honestly appraising your skill set , and deciding if you want to buy a decent welder and maybe a plazma cutter and if you can locate a decent donor car to salvage parts from.
Now I'm not suggesting you abandon the project, I'm merely suggesting you make an honest appraisal of what your starting with, where your likely to find replacement parts, the cost in cash and time and your current skill level and tool availability, simply because you don,t want to be one of the tens of thousands of enthusiastic people that spend several thousand dollars and a couple years beating what may be a DEAD HORSE, if you can,t locate parts or have the required skills and tools
,obviously gaining the skills and purchasing the required tools is going to be a huge addition to your ability to do this type of restoration, but in most cases that will almost mandate your having a local skilled mentor or two, and that usually means joining at least two muscle car clubs, and having...
both a place to work on the car thats secure,so parts and tools don,t sprout legs and walk off
and ideally a flat dry solid concrete floor with decent lighting, access to 220 volt power and at least 4-6 12 ton jack stands and a quality floor jack.
Ive seen many people perform near miracles, on projects like that, but Ive also sen far to many guys dump $5-$7 k into a project that eventually gets sold or scrapped after the frustration level gets too high several years into that restoration.


may help
http://tpls63.tripod.com/55metconv.html

http://www.metropolitan-restoration-service.com/metropolitan-pages

http://www.hotrod.com/cars/featured/hrdp-1012-1954-nash-metropolitan/

http://pub48.bravenet.com/forum/static/show.php?usernum=4083188064&frmid=84&msgid=667230


http://www.mocna.us/

http://www.caranddriver.com/features/inside-the-nash-metropolitan-restoration-shop-feature

http://www.metpitstop.com/2013.pdf

http://www.mninter.net/~jrc/web1.html

http://myntransportblog.com/2015/03...er-kenosha-wisconsin-united-states-1916-1954/
Click to expand...
I do have a plasma cutter, 110v gas mig, 220v mig, 220 spark box, sheet metal press, metal band saw, acetylene torch, etc... and most importantly a friend that is a structural welder, an older brother that's an aluminum welder. The garage is fairly robust. My dad told me to buy 1 tool every week, doesn't have to be expensive, so by the time I was old enough to have a shop I would have what I needed. I got tools for Christmas and Birthdays growing up... so we would leave his stuff alone. He he he... he was a wise man.
 
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