For all of you Nailhead fans.... .....(in your opinion) what is the best year & size? If ya got 'em....show 'em!!
64-66 are the best years... 401 or 425... though I have a soft spot for the 364's from the late 50's.
I have a completely rebuilt, never fired, 1965 401 that I might be looking to sell!? (sorry for the spam)
All Nailhead motors are great, but the '65-'66 401c.i.- 425c.i. have some advantages. Only in '65 and '66 did Buick offer the Nailhead with the bullet-proof Turbo 400. An electrically controlled "switch-pitch" (dual stall-speed) torque-converter was also offered on some models. The stock configuration used a throttle-position switch to control it. Some have modified it though, and hooked the wiring to a dash-switch in order to have full control, or even a switch on the brake in order to have the ability to hold the high stall-speed during launches untill the brake has been released. I believe the larger cube 425 was also only offered in '65 and '66. I think too, that these last two years for the Nailhead were the only ones to have a separate bellhousing, making trans. adaptation easier, including stick-shift models. The ealier versions had an integral bellhousing, and used the dynaflow trans. But with the array of trans. adapters available now, even the earlier Nailheads can utilize varied transmissions. If you're really tight on space under the hood, the externally smaller 322c.i.-364c.i. might be needed. I'm going by memory, (which is always taking a chance with me) and I believe this info is correct, but feel free to correct me guys. Rick
64 also had the ST400, though there is a slight difference in the 64 vs the 65-66. 425 was offered from 63. None had an "integral" bellhousing, but all of them had a couple inches of bellhousing on the back of the block. The 264-322 are smaller, but the 364 is only different in deck height and is the same dimenesions on the bottom just slightly narrower on top.
Ok, i drove 8 hours to OH on Sunday to pick up a 401 nailhead & it also had a Dyna trans. The 401 has not been started in over 15 years. When I came home late Sunday night, I removed all plugs,they were clean.I spray some lube down into each cylinder. I turned it over by hand,great compression. I then removed the valve covers,intake & valley cover. Turned it over again,all lifters are moving,valves are opening & closing.Cam lobes look good,no flatties. Rods are good. As far as i can tell by "ear" the pistons,rings should be good also. I still have to get it on the engine stand so i can drop the pan & check out the bottom end. Block#1349046-2 = 401 1962-1966 Intake#134924 (seems odd because the chart only shows 1349425=1962) Heads # 1196914= 401 1959-1966 Exhuast manifolds # 1348347: i could not find this # on the chart. Bottomedout39,where did ya get those headers?
What does it take to hook up a manual trans to a 60's nailhead? Not looking for expensive restorer parts but an easy route to go manual. Chevy pieces? Bell housing adapters? Not a fan of automatics.
are there any major changes in the lower end from the 322,364,401/425 anything that would make one engine last longer, handle a LITTLE more power longer (anyone more stout then the others). i'm thinking of putting one in either the '36 or the '47 fords and i want them to drive far and long. i think i'm going with an a/t also. lastly anyone have any loose outside dimensions (vs a sbc maybe )
http://www.transmissionadapters.com/Buick Bellhousing.htm All Nailheads have forged bottom ends. if they are put together correctly they are good and stout and last pretty good. Carmen Faso has kits to upgrade the oil pump as well. It is factory limited to 40PSI
liked the 1961 364 2 BBL in my LeSaber. Scrapped the car kept the nail head. Should have kept the dynaflow. For a 2bbl. it ran strong . Air cleaner said 425 ft lbs. Cool engine
I've always been a closet Nailhead fan. Kinda being the result & bi-product of ownership of 64-65 Rivi's. Such a distinctive looking engine that is instantly recognizable like Hemis and 409's. Anyway, I've always wondered, what kind of power can you get out of a strong street/strip 425 Nailhead? Can you get 500 HP out of these things and are they reliable at those levels? What's their weaknesses?
You can easily get 500 ft/lbs out of them. The heads limit how much horsepower you can squeeze from one. My 401 dyno'd at 405 hp, but the compression has been bumped to 12:1 and the heads have been worked-over extensively. -Lee Atomic Radio www.atomicpinup.com
what he said....but my hot rod has a 264 and it runs out just fine, I'll use my 322 or 401 on the next one. Wish I had a 425...
Lee, what pistons did you use? Were they custon Egge ones? Im looking for some for a 0.030 over 401. Has gobs of lift though so they need to be high comp and fly cut. Doc.
I liked your quote so much, I had to use it for my signature!!! Hope you don't mind. I like the 64-66 401's and 425's Own a couple of em. I also like the 364
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