Can you hop them up? Of course. I'm not sure that means they'll ever make a lot of power though. I see two interesting ones around my area. One has a very long home-built four-barrel manifold on it, and the other has a blower. But small as these motors are I doubt either is truly fast.
Yes, they can be hopped up. But the 49 to 51 320 c.i. will make more H.P. for you. Take a look at my 9.40's @ 147 in the 1/4 mile straight eight! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=17252&pictureid=182012
Good motors, I don't remember exactly, but I recall something about them having poured bearings that make them not so great. Can someone refresh my memory?
53 was the first year of the V8 and also the last year of the straight eight. That's why "Nailheads look like they do. The engine was made to fit in the narrow bay that the inline engine fit into.
buick straight 8 s are neat mills for different , they have insert bearings i believe early ones were babbit weigh about 800lbs plenty of torque but not a lot of horse power on the expensive side to rebuild the heads are a big restriction read up on them on the buicks.net board under straight eights a good source of knowledge over there a guy named jerkie has souped one up a bit intake manifolds and exhaust manifolds are limited also not alot of performance parts floating around except for factory dual carb intake and dual exhaust manifolds , i have a 53 263 holding down a pallet in my garage
'48 was the last year for babbited rod bearings, but even at that, they were always full pressure lube and quite durable engines. Lots of them used for stationary engines, saw mills, etc.........You have to love these old engines for there "charisma", not their max power output compared to a modern engine, especially a modern V8. Basically the same thing with flathead Fords....an obsolete************** if there ever was one, but look at the devotees!! I, too, happen to be a Buick straight eight fan and have a 263 in build (punched to 269.9 aka 270), but don't have illusions about it being a world beater. But for just cruising around and taking trips, with a (more) modern trans and rear end, it will do just fine. Different strokes............... Ray
i wanted to swap out my 263 for a nailhead at first but i wasnt lookin for speed, just a good runnin motor perfect for cruisin around with the family. the straight 8 runs like a top and has oodles of torque so im keepin it. plus it gives the car a lot of character. the "it's got a straight 8? i never seen one, pop the hood!" never gets old.
Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't there a class in salt flat racing devoted to these engines as well as inline flat heads! And don't they run high mile an hour. Case in point Dave Dozier's '34 Air Flow with a supercharged Chrysler straight 8 ran around the 150 mark , same motor in a streamliner about 250. As for Buicks check out the salt flat sites you will see some interesting fabrications. Rob
you want to sound like a straight 8! you can play around with em as much as you like. 8 1-barrels, 4 sidedrafs (like the 53-55 Corvette had 3 on the 235), or 1 4-barrel, do whatever. straight pipes. port the heads. if you got a babbit engine no problem, buy some newer rods with inserts, back to I think 37 they all have the same crank. check buicks.net there's someone called alleycat there who is a master of getting these engines way out there.
there's a guy who has a custom intake & exhaust on one i've seen at ralph's & miltown a few times. the exhaust has 2 dumps out under the front fender, sounds awesome! i'll try & find a pic.
I'd check out YouTube. There's a lot of straight-eight stuff on there. I don't know why you'd want to make it sound like a V8 though. Different strokes, I guess...
My Dad had a '51 Buick hardtop. It ran like a sewing machine...Literally...Even sounded like one. Acceleration was leisurely. Anything can be made to run, but if you're looking for any serious power, there are way better starting points, IMHO. If, on the other hand, you are just looking to be different, the straight-eight is a great place to begin. Good luck with that.
With the correct exhaust, it will sound WAYYY better than any V8 ever built. There is a 320 from Springfield MO that runs Bonneville, dont tell that guy they make no power. His records prove otherwise. What blows me away is, that car still has plates on it!!
53 Buick staight 8-any power? Of course they make good power. ; They carry a 3,000 plus car up to over 90 mph, at least, that's the faststest I can attest to but I'm sure they'll do better than that. With only some head work to increas the breathing with multi carbs, headers, etc, it's a no-brainer that 15 to 20% increase in hp could be expected.
i thought there was a pic of the intake & exhaust, but anyways this is the car so check it out if you happen to run into him at a showhttp://Live4TodayProductions.zenfolio.com/p110219696/e1f82ab03
i ran a 52 buick with a stick it was peppy even with a few plug wires on wrong for 3 years engine good watch for stuck heat riser and cracked exhaust AT trans .. bad
My '53 was a fantastic ride ! Last year for the 263...used only in the Special that year. Smooth as silk, plenty of torque...road like a dream ! In 1941 you could order a dual-carb setup, it was called "Compound Carboration". Good luck with yours ! Jonnie King
Great cruiser motor, torque galore, plus they are 'off' the beaten path. But, if you want fast there are better platforms to start from, plus they are spendy to hop up.
I'm pretty sure I read an article on this guy and he had some really sick stuff. Also, I know that when it comes to the straight 8's they can generate plenty of power. Typically the things that held it back was that they had gears which were way to low in the cars, yet in 37, the Century was the fastest production car and that went 107mph consistently. I don't think you can get a multi carb set up for the 263 like you can for the 248's, but you can get the split manifolds for them, and they sound awesome. Beats a V8 in my eyes any day.
If you go to You-Tube, and look for Salt Cat Racing, you will see a couple of videos [with sound] of a straight 8 at about 180. Also, go to Facebook and search Salt Cat Racing, and you will see some pics of it in the build stage, and also one of the owners' 51 Roadmaster, w/a twin turbo EFI straight 8. It runs 3 inch exhaust to the rear with no mufflers and only the turbos to quiet it a little. Very sweet sound.
1937 buick straight 8 . Owned by bobby minus of savannah, ga. 139 and some change m.p.h. At maxton , n.c. Back in may of this year.
If it has a Dynaflow transmission you will have to change to a stick to get any amount of acceleration.
Ok...question for you....I have been running a 263 inline as a daily for almost a year now. I am looking at a 41-42 dual set up. I heard you can mod them a bit and get em to work on the 263... Why did Buick move away from this set up? They used it for only 2 years and then dumped it. Was it the war? Any old timers out there know?
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