Just wondering if anybody has an idea of what a 322 Nailhead "complete carb to pan , needs a complete rebuild" would be worth. Came out of a 53 Super road master.
Not being a smart*** here.......just clarifying....it is from either a Super or a Roadmaster........seperate models.......although for 1953 they used the same 322 V8 and are more alike than not.........The '53 Specials still used the 263" straight eight...'54 Specials got a smaller displacement (264") version of the V8 and the Super, Century and Roadmasters continued the 322. As to value, if it's not stuck or cracked somewhere, anywhere from 200 to 400 would seem reasonable to me, but it's value is whatever you feel comfortable paying for it.
Whether you pay $350 ,$500, or $700, that will be the cheapest part of this deal. You will have at least $1,400 in parts, plus machining for the rebuild. I'll bet the 322 was attached to a Dynaflow-junk trans for a hot rod, torque tube driveshaft. Another $1,200 to buy parts to mate to a 4 speed. The 53 was the first nailhead and had a poor vibration damper and bolted small end connecting rods rather than pressed. If you could find a GOOD running 53 nailhead, you might be able to get away with the $1,200 for clutch & bellhousing parts. (Nailheads are cool, not cheap) You can do better than this deal.
Like cheapskate said, the '53 engine is the worst of the bunch for performance use. The pistons are '53 only, the heads have 1 1/4 inch exhaust valves, the aforementioned connecting rods....a '55 or '56 engine would be a much better candidate.
Also some other points. The '53 has a one year only head/piston combination. Real high dome IIRC. There were problems with it, I think detonatiion but not sure. All 54 and part of 55 have connecting rods with a pinch bolt on the wrist pin side. Late 55 and all 56 did not, they were conventional press fit. Also, the early hydraulidc lifters are hard to find and expensive. Different lengths with corresponding pushrod length differences. 56 are more common and cheaper. I have heard of using 56 lifters on 54 and 55's but the camshafts were made of different materials and according to factory service information I have they are not interchangeable. You might want to talk to Egge first because there may be some other issues, possibly oil pump related too, I can't remember all the details.
Distributors are physically interchangeable, but 53 to 55 use a different drive gear than 56 due to the camshaft material change. Also the 56 water pump is internally different. I don't remember exactly wht is the difference, I would have to find my 56 Peliminary Information book from Buick.
FEEDER...those old engines were called NAIL HEADS, because the VALVES are very small. and in my view those old mills have past any value, concerning hot roding! i'am just saying...POP.
another worthless post, build what ever you can old man and bring it to the HAMB Drags in August and I'll have a Nailhead stomp you *** into a mud puddle. No value my ***... and get rid of the stupid mustang avatar. and it wasn't the size of the valves it was that they sit straight up in the heads like nails in a board.
Actually, they were originally called NAILVALVE Buicks, because the original valve diameter was so small they were compared to......... nails. It had nothing to do with the valve position. However, as often happens with language, the term NAILHEAD was subs***uted for Nailvalve, it caught on, and that's what they are universally known as now.
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