Technical Nailhead.... considering purchasing.

Local guy selling a
1954 264 nailhead, Older rebuild
Needs crank turned and new bearing The engine is completely disassembled.
Asking $800.

Thoughts /suggestions
Tks Gents
ed

 

Not worth $800. A unless it has some rare speed parts. The 322 I much better and a 364 or 401 beats a 322.

 

No frickin way.

 

I had a complete 264 disassembled that I couldn't give away. I scrapped the block, crank, rods, pistons. That said I have 322 and 401 powered 32's and they are great motors. I would search out one of those, and you should be able to find for $300-$500.

 

Older rebuild and needs the crank turned?

$800?!? nope nadda no way !

complete carb to pan maybe $500.

price out parts and machine work on an older nail head

awsome engines , but spendy to get right.

 

Thanks Gents. Looks like I'll keep on looking.
More info:
bored .030 Offy tri power with Ford 94s, Mallory dual point distributor, Schneider racing cam and lifters, new clutch, cragar bell housing. Everything else is almost new. The engine is completely disassembled. The heads are rebuilt.

 

Ive got a 322 that I never heard run. They stated it was knocking. Its now stuck. has a 4 bbl intake. I would sell for a $100. The carb and valve covers are missing. I pulled the rocker arms & pushrods. No valves are stuck. I filled the intake with oil. then opened the intake valves. every cyl is 100% full of oil.

 

Heck, around here guys would ask that much for just the tripower. If the bore and pistons still look good, I would check around and see if a local machine shop would turn the crank reasonable and think about reassembling it. I'm not an expert on nailhead interchange, will these parts fit on the larger motors. If the 264 doesn't have enough beans maybe you'll stumble on a 322 or 401 to upgrade. If you have it together and out at a run somebody is always going to walk up and say, "I've got a Buick engine at home under the bench"

 

In my first post I stated unless It has some rare speed parts.

 

I was curious and checked a couple other Buick threads and it seems only interchange is with the 322 except for some misc and sheetmetal parts.

 

Save your money and go get a 425 Would not waste my money on anything smaller!
I had two 425’s over the years in my ‘50 Chevy. Great engines
Very heavy engine though.....
Swapped out the Nailhead for a 500Caddy. More cubic inches and a lot lighter!
Kolie

 

I wouldn't pay anything for a 264.

 

Thanks again Gents
You all saved me from another"blunder buy"

 

Sounds to me like there’s $800 worth of good ol speed parts there that you neglected to mention in your first post. The 3x2s, bellhousing clutch and flywheel, and distributor would sell in a heartbeat in the classifieds. I wouldn’t blow it off, look it over closely then decide. Try to get the price down if you can. I wouldn’t be afraid to run a 264 in a light weight hot rod.


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

I have a 264, great little engine. Friend has one in an A rdstr, goes like a cut cat. With the jewelry, as a good runner, I feel it’s worth $1500, go from there. Deduct the price of a gasket set, bearings and machine work, any labour and you’re in the ballpark. $600 wouldn’t be a awful price if everything else is good.


Sent from my iPad using H.A.M.B.

 

here a complete low mileage, drive train, with rebuilt fuel pump. in a convenient carrying case.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/54-buick-special-4dr.1079825/

 

I had a 264 2 barrel in a 40 coupe. Lots of torque. I did lose in a drag race with a 68 Road Runner.


Sent from my SM-J727U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

If it’s going in an open hooded car where it will be exposed I’d say go for it. A dressed out nailhead is hot rod eye candy.

 

Buicks are torque monsters. The 264 would go nicely with an early Ford drive line. See if you can negotiate with the seller. A stick flywheel, Tri power intake and Mallory make the purchase worth while.

 

2 very knowledgeable nailhead guys are; west coast mr martin who most people know. east coast is tom telesco, stamford ct. he helped build the fastest nailhead door car around.

 

There's a complete running one out of Dallas on CraigsList....it's a 1956 I'm sure....go check it out....think it has a standard transmission

 

I have a 401 mated to a st400 trans if interested

 

The '54 mill was a good mill in '54. It is not an in demand motor by hot rodders it just has too much working against it out of the gate.

 

I always wanted to run a nail head since I started mine 6 years ago. I had started with a 351w/t5 combo, but quickly swapped out for 364 Nailhead/ 4spd Muncie combo with encouragement from couple hot rod buds and girlfriend. cant wait to get this on the road. I went with the bigger engines I lean towards 364-401 ,but some parts don't swap over

 

In high school, I had a 322 in a 38 Chev coupe, manual 3 speed. That was one great little motor! Torque? Yes!

 

I had a 55 Buick with a 3 speed and a 264 cu Nailhead that could barely get out of its own way. The good news is all the 264 standard shift parts fits a 322 Nailhead. Thats what I replaced the 264 with. I agree with the statement theres no replacemant for displacemaent. The 264 is too puny. $800 for one would be insane.

 

Keeping in mind, that a 55 Buick is twice the weight of a hot rod.


Sent from my iPad using H.A.M.B.

 

Possibly the deal is paying a fair price for the speed parts and stick parts. and getting the engine for free? We need pictures.

 

Quite frankly, if you haven't bought it by now, you probably made a mistake. Offy tri-power (with carbs) , a Mallory dual point, and a Crager adapter? There's your $800 right there.

 

I often say if my 32 wasn’t Ford Powered , it would be a Nailhead for sure . What he is asking for a core , it would take a real Nailhead to pay that for it , in my book .