1956 Nash/Rambler 195.6 OHV
1956120 hp @ 4200 rpm; 170 lb-ft @ 1600 rpm
First OHV conversion of Nash’s long-running 195.6 family
Nash 195.6 OHV Six enginePhoto: AP-1630 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Nash · Rambler OHV Six
Nash 195.6 OHV Six
The 1956 overhead-valve conversion that modernized Nash's long-running compact six.
195.6
Cubic inches
Nash converted the 195.6 from side valves to an overhead-valve head for 1956, substantially improving breathing without abandoning the established bottom-end dimensions.
Key variants
All variants1956 Nash/Rambler 195.6 OHVLater AMC/Rambler OHV 195.6
Displacement
195.6 ci
Bore
3.125"
Stroke
4.25"
Years
1956–1957 Nash-branded Rambler era
Key Takeaway
The OHV 195.6 retained the proven 3.125 x 4.25-inch bottom-end dimensions but moved the valves into the cylinder head. The change substantially improved breathing and output without forcing Nash to discard the familiar long-stroke short-block.
Technical Specifications
- Compression
- 7.47:1 in documented 1956 specification
- Horsepower
- 120 hp @ 4200 rpm in documented 1956 specification
- Torque
- 170 lb-ft @ 1600 rpm
- Architecture
- OHV inline six
- Block
- Cast iron
- Cylinder heads
- Cast iron
- Valvetrain
- Pushrod OHV
- Aspiration
- Naturally aspirated
- Fuel delivery
- Carbureted
- Firing order
- 1-5-3-6-2-4
The OHV 195.6 retained the proven 3.125 x 4.25-inch bottom-end dimensions but moved the valves into the cylinder head. The change substantially improved breathing and output without forcing Nash to discard the familiar long-stroke short-block.
Internal Specifications
Variant-specific values are labeled. Engine families that span multiple years or RPOs can have different heads, cams, induction and rotating parts, so the exact code/year always takes priority.
Identification & Output
- Engine codes / RPO
- 1956 195.6 OHV six — later AMC-era serial prefixes vary by year and carburetion; identify exact engine by stamped serial/date and induction setup
- Casting numbers
- The OHV 195.6 shares bore/stroke with the flathead but uses a different head/valvetrain/oiling arrangement. The reviewed sources do not support one universal casting number for every 1956–1965 OHV engine.
- Power rating
- Period brake horsepower / SAE gross-era rating
- Horsepower RPM
- 120 hp @ 4200 rpm in documented 1956 specification
- Torque RPM
- 170 lb-ft @ 1600 rpm in documented 1956 specification
Operating Specs
- Production notes
- For 1956 Nash converted the 195.6 to overhead valves while retaining the 3.125 x 4.25-inch bore/stroke. The 1956 version still used the earlier side-mounted water-pump arrangement; a front-mounted pump followed in 1957.
Compatibility Notes
- The OHV and L-head 195.6 share displacement but are not simple top-end-interchange engines; oiling, cooling, head, valvetrain and external hardware differ.
- Manual- and automatic-transmission versions can differ at the crank/flywheel interface; verify the donor engine and transmission before planning interchange.
Notable Applications
1956 Nash Rambler1957 Nash Rambler
Strengths
- Improved breathing over flathead version
- Good low-speed torque
- Direct bridge into AMC's later 195.6 family
Weaknesses / Watch-outs
- Long-stroke architecture remains rpm-limited
- Early water-pump arrangement differs from later versions
- Specialist parts market
Common Upgrades
- Electronic ignition
- Improved carburetion
- Exhaust upgrades
Racing History & Legacy
The OHV 195.6 was engineered primarily to improve everyday Rambler performance rather than as a factory race engine. Nash/AMC’s better-documented international competition record belongs to the larger Ambassador-derived Nash-Healey engines.
The OHV 195.6 was AMC’s first straight-six continuation of Nash engineering and bridged the company from flathead economy engines toward later overhead-valve AMC six-cylinder families.
References & Image Credit
Engine image: AP-1630 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Key Factory / Build Variants
Later AMC/Rambler OHV 195.6
1957–1965Application/carburetion dependent
Continued development with revised front-mounted water pump and later one-/two-barrel calibrations
Engineering Notes Worth Knowing
01
195.6 cu in / 3.2 L with 3.125 x 4.25-inch bore and stroke.
02
Cast-iron pushrod OHV inline-six.
03
Carbureted and naturally aspirated.
04
Documented 1956 output: 120 hp and 170 lb-ft.
History · context · related reading
The Story Behind Nash 195.6 OHV Six
Nash modernized its long-running 195.6 by changing the cylinder head rather than starting over. The OHV conversion delivered a major performance gain and carried Nash engineering directly into the early AMC years.
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