What is the best Buick Nailhead Motor?

If you should decide to run a stick in your car, quick time makes a ****ter shield that adapts a Muncie or a top loader to it.
Two things they don't mention in the discription are they are NOT Sfi approved, the fly wheel is enclosed in the block,only the clutch is housed in the bell.
And the other which I found helpful is the clutch fork can be installed in either the drivers side or the p***enger side.
I used a early Chevrolet forged fork and made a bracket for a slave that allowed me to put it on the p***enger side.
It gets real tight on the drivers side with the starter,steering box and the clutch linkage.
Every little bit helps.

 

I have a fresh 364 never fired with 4 barrel for 2000. Can ship. 5412180249

 

Dude Toners post is 8 years old.

 

An old post, I know, but I think the poster meant the Super Turbine 300 (aka ST-300), which is a 2 speed automatic, but is not a Powerglide. It does have the switch pitch converter like the ST-400. Also used in Pontiacs and Oldsmobiles.

Ray

 

See above post. I answered that one before I came across your later post. Just to reiterate, Powerglides never were not installed in Buicks and , most definitely not behind 401s.

Ray

 

Love my 425

 

The nailheads mounted at the front of the engine and the tail housing. and with all that power and torque you never hear of a bellhousing failure because of not having mid engine mount. Yet every time someone mentions mounting a small block chevy in that manner the doom merchants claim it will fail? I got a couple of nailhead engines. one a 322 has a offenhauser adapter to a ford large bell flathead trans. The other a 401 has wieand valve covers and wieand dual 4 intake and try Y hedders. It has a adapter to a lasalle trans.

 

This thread is new to me; just now saw it. That said, I've been running a 401 in my '36 ( pic at the left ) since 1965; no complaints. The nailhead gurus at C.A.R. & Nailhead Buick ( Russ & Matt ) have stated that the 401 is preferable to a 425. They also prefer to use a 364 in older cars with narrow radiators since the 401 tends to run a bit warm. From what I've read from them I believe the 364 is their overall favorite.

 

Back up. 65 401 in my 32 Vicky. First time for a nailhead and it definitely moves with the TKO 600 and Winters QC. I swapped out the alternator to a generator for a traditional look. Looking for a pair of early original tin spark plug covers to finish it off

 

The very best one I have ever seen was owned by a guy named Tommy Ivo

 

...and/or Tony Nancy.

 

I fell in love with Nailheads when TV Tommy Ivo showed up at Minnesota Dragways in the early sixties with his twin engine car. I thought ( and still think) that it is the best looking dragster ever (I thought the four engine car was a ridiculous overreach).

I saw it again about 15 years ago at Don Garlits' Museum of Speed, which only reinforced my original opinion.

 

you didn't use a delco gen.?-that is almost funny/cute!

 

Delco gen is too big, longer and width. Plus, except for the Buick motor, it’s a Ford

 

Got a 401 with a SP turbo 400 in the cl***ifieds for sale. As soon as I can take a pic, I'm going to offer an Edelbrock 6x2 intake with it for extra $$, plus I need to find my 61ish LH exhaust manifold that clears steering better than the later one.

 

Hello,

Well, old history rides again. We had been following Tommy Ivo and his single Buick motor race cars for quite some time at Lion’s Dragstrip. It was always the one that stood out in the pits. The bright red body, color coordinated single motor and injection to boot. The FED was one of the fastest and plenty of records show case that point.

Since Easter is coming up fast in few weeks, this memory brightens the day… Easter falls on various days as by lore… in 1959, it was a race day and the results speak for themselves.

We kept seeing the bright red single injected Buick FED winning a lot of races.


Jnaki


Then, before the 1959 Riverside Raceway East Vs West Drag Meet in December, the twin made an appearance at Lions and got the bugs worked out.

Thanks to “Mr. Nailhead” for the recording… Turn up the volume…


Then my brother and a few teens from Long Beach went to the December 1959 Riverside Raceway East vs West Drags to see all of the top racers in the USA against the West Coast contingent.

The new twin Buick FED did well against the top compe***ors that day and ever since...

Finally, a few months later, we saw the twin at the 2nd annual Smokers March Meet in 1960.

The first wheelie for the twin at full power…

After the twin was setting records and winning almost at will, the first PRO tour of any drag racers started with a road trip throughout the USA. Tommy Ivo and his friend, Don Prudhomme.
Don Prudhomme Book excerpt:

“Then, as history has told us, he and Don Prudhomme went on a cross country road trip to start the whole touring thing for the big time, big name drag racers, first from So Cal, then from all over. They were getting paid to tour and show up at various drag strips in the USA.”
The first one that was the most famous, due to the fact that no one else was doing cross country road trips for drag racing sponsorships. Sure, others towed across the country for a big Westcoast event starting in 1959, but these two guys started the whole “pro touring” events and attractions.

“Road Kings? Ha! True to the club's ***le meanings...”

Ever since Don Prudhomme was part of Tommy Ivo’s crew and friend, my brother and I have always liked the progress of his career. It was one long, successful, compe***ive career. He was seen as an integral part of each of Tommy Ivo’s Buick FED race cars. He was even part of the first professional USA road tour of the major dragstrips with the Ivo Twin Buick FED.
YRMV
IVO vs valley home + other top FED race cars.