anyone got pics of a lil aluminum nailhead in a hot rod? i havent seen one in person... anyone here lucky enough to have a pic of one that ISNT i a brit roadster, LOL...
Back in the early sixties, some kid built a full fendered early Vicky with the little Buick in a tube chassis running home built independent suspension and got it into, I think, Hotrod magazine. It was in sometime in 1964 if memory serves me right, but I've lost my copy and can't recall (I know, shades of Hillary Clinton under oath ) when the issue was printed. Really trick little car and way ahead of it's time from what I remember of the article on it. It would be worth trying to find a copy again.
Twofo, Also Hot Rod had, as I recall,the testing and development of the 215 engine as power for an Indy entry.The olds/pontiac version developed a little less power than the Buick headed version..I think below the heads the engines were the same.Also I remember one being installed in a corvair as rear engine not mid engine and they used a marine cam arrangement to provide reverse rotation so as to use the Vair rear axle.I believe they said OMC used this engine in inboard marine service using both CW and CCW rotation.I have owned 2 63 F-85 Olds with this engine and found them to be the smoothest and quietest V-8 around(except flathead Ford).I still have the engine that has the turbo(Jetfire).
Dan Woods built a T bucket with one, the engine block and heads were completely polished,...looked great,....it was featured in Rod Action in the 70's.
And why no Brit rods. The 215 is more popular in Britain than a small block chevy. Everyone runs them - in everything.
Yep. From what I understand Rover actually purchased the engine design from Buick back in the 60's, and used it for a LONG time. Hell, for all I know they're still using it. They're great motors. I think they even did versions that were well into the 4 liter range. It should be noted, however, that they're not nailheads.
I had one in my '33 pickup - ran a full hood, so it wasn't seen & it wasn't pretty, but it was very reliable...
The Rover V8s are in all the Range Rovers up until the BMW engined one from a few years ago. In fact many British cars were available in Britain with the V8 but only got the 4 bangers for the US market because - wait for it!!!! GM didn't like Leyland using the V8, which they basically got for free, to compete against their cars. The British got their MGBs as coupes with the V8. Called the MGB V8 GT. The Range Rover, the Land Rover, all Rover cars (P5, P6 and SD1) and the Morgen among others. Rover developed that engine a lot so the later Rover 215s are a much better motor. It's a lovely story how Bob Mitchell just donated that engine to Rover who were really stuck in an engine crisis at the time and ended up giving Britain their all time favorite engine.
Yup they are still using a bored out version in ..........................................................wait for it...........................Wait for it..................................TVR Tuscon
no offense, but i dont think thats a 215... valve covers are on too big of a angle... 215s sit almost like nailheads...
That's a 215 alright - looks like they might have different valve covers adapted to it - looks like a wedge-shaped spacer underneath the valve covers...loads of adapters for different valve covers for these little engines
upon further review i stand corrected... i REALLY like the finned valve covers on em sittin like stock, like a mini nailhead!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! sorry guys! more pics>? maybe a full view of car/??
Yes it is an Olds 215. Just a stocker with some polish woth and some Offy valve covers. Nothing trick... DuckusCrapus
The 300 crank can be machined to fit. The main journals need to be cut down. And the crank is longer in the rear. So you need an adaper that spaces the seal out. And, a custom flywheel is also required. D&D Fabrications http://www.aluminumv8.com has everything you need. Best setup is a Rover block with the aluminum 64 Buick 300 heads and the 300 crank. Close to 300 CI. The 215s and the Rovers have a one-of-a-kind bell housing pattern. The 300 is BOP.
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