Any body have suggestions on a period manual or auto transmission to suit a standard rebuilt 401 nailhead that would perform reasonably well or would something modern be more suitable?
what year 401? if it's a Dynaflow crank then the SP400 isn't a straight bolt on, you need to do a few things first. But a manual is still easy enough. if it's a 64-66 401 then the SP400 or ST400 are a straight bolt it up proposition, they're basically TH400's that have the Nailhead bellhousing pattern. Switch pitch or not your choice. For a manual a B&W Super T10 or a Muncie are usually the Manuals of choice. For the Bellhousing and flywheel go to... http://www.transmissionadapters.com/Buick Bellhousing.htm
A Chevy trans, 3 speed or 4 speed , will bolt up to a Buick bellhousing. The Nailhead ST trans, automatic, is a great ****** and pretty much has the insides of a GM Turbo 400.................to put a more modern trans on your Nail would take adaptor kits and money. Hey, Skids.......If you search "Nailhead" on the HAMB, you will come up with a days reading, great stuff here, good luck. While I was typing zman came up with it all...............
cool, that makes it easy to do the ST/SP400 if you want an automatic, and easy if you want a manual as well.
I'm using a 63 dynaflow 401 but when I built it I used the crank out of a core 65 motor. The bonus was the 65 came with a SP400 but the motor had a huge crack down one side. I found a killer deal on a trans adapter so I'm going with a 700r4 to hopefully get some great highway traveling and mileage.
Personally I don't see the need for a 700r4, the torque of the Nailhead will pull a decent gear for the highway and still accelerate great. They don't spin high RPM's so that again negates the higher numerically gearing.
Wouldn't that all have to do with tire size and rear end ratio. I don't have to put it in overdrive until I hit 80.
Some of it yeah, but what is your rear drive ration and what size tires? If it was a steep enough rear gear where you would need the O/D then most likely 1st is to steep to be very useable with the Nailhead RPM range.
If you intend on using the SP400, you might want to stick with a 65-66 model (from a nailhead of course) since it is dual range and some have switch pitch feature. That is what I would do. And if you are set in going 700R4, why not go 200 4r as these are suppose to be good units too?
All SP400's are Switch Pitch, hence the SP. The regular ST400 (Super Turbine) are not, they are regular 3 speed autos. The ST400 has no dual range. The big difference between 64 and 65-66 is the valve body. The 64 is a one year valve body. As for the 700r4 or the 200r4. Another thing to consider is if you have a heavy right foot, left down under and in the UK I guess, they may not last in stock configuration as well.
Hey Zman, are you sure about that? according to my research into this I found this: SP300 is switch pitch 2sp power glide variant ST400 is 3sp switch pitch 3sp based off the th400 Th400 is a th400 there is no SP400 Sp=switch pitch ST= supet turbine TH= turbo hydromatic I may have to re evaluate my sourses
So what did Buick call the 68 up 400's TH400 or ST400? Just trying to sway the dude to 65-66 for the dual range feature. Those years are the only dual range 400's that have nailhead bells. (Jeep did use the pattern too (I believe without SP), but we are talking Buicks here.) After 66 it was BOP pattern. The guy will probably go with the later transmissions, because of the od. Also has money to burn too, what with the adapter (1K).
Ok, real quick, before there was a TH400 there was the ST400 in 1964 for both Buick and Cadillac. The switch Pitch variant of that transmission is referred to as an SP400 to differentiate it from the regular ST400, they were available for the Nailhead in 65-66, there are stories of 64 models as well, but I think they are mid year at best. All 3 speed auto's for the 64-66 Nailhead (big Buick) are NOT switch pitch. The only SP300 that fit the 401 was from the 65-66 GS Skylark, they are rare.
except for ST400 is 3sp switch pitch 3sp based off the th400 Not all 3sp autos from 64-66 were Switch Pitch, the early ones with the one year valve body were not, as were a whole lot of the 65-66 ones.
I know there was still some ST/SP stuff that besides the Nailhead and it went on for a few years. Probably until 68 at least, I tend not to pay attention to those as they are BOP and of no use to me. I know if you search SP400 you'll get a lot of stuff from 67-68 as well.
Zman knows what he is talking about and I respect his input and have used his advise before. My frame has been set up for the 700r4 and have a new rebuilt one setting here to install. Money to burn, nope. I have done a lot of research on here before making my decision. It has a lot to do with how I drive and what equipment I will be running, tires, gears, torque converter, cam and etc. So I must have one of those rare 65 SP400's. What are they worth? May put it on the cl***ifieds here.
What shape is it in? And I'm not saying they're super rare, but harder to find unless you know where to look. I think I paid $200 for 2 the last time I bought any, both were bascially cores in my book.
It was working when the motor was pulled. So I was told. Not sure how long it had been setting around. I would consider it a core at best. It does have the converter with it as well.
Haha, that would get really wierd. We still use the right foot. It's just the side you guys sit on that you got wrong. Pete
I would want the SP400 you have, but it is for a Nailhead and I am looking for a BOP one. Guess I am stuck looking at 65-67 Olds, 67 Buicks, and perhaps 65-67 Buicks with small block buick and SP400. I don't think Cadillac had the BOP pattern till 68 and by then the SP was gone.
Point well taken! Thanks Now why didn't I remember that, hell I have read several threads about that subject. (Old age setting in!) I believe I can find an Olds transmission fairly easy. Damn the SP subject is getting to be pretty interesting, especially on V8Buick website. I had an idea of using it for an application, but now seems alot of people want the SP's for the drag racing stuff.
! have a 64 nailhead engine/trans for my project, I would like go for the switch pitch. The idea I guess was that the switch pitch giving a whole bunch of bottom end punch with tall geared differential for cruising and mileage. the 700r4 does it with a low gear in first, along with o,drive, plus lockup. But then you may have too high gearing for a carbureted engine. Be running too low rpms. I seen some good burnouts from a stock 65 Buick Wildcat with 2:75 gear.
"I seen some good burnouts from a stock 65 Buick Wildcat with 2:75 gear." My 66 GS skylark (401 2spd PG switch pitch 2.7x gear) would just fry the living daylights out of the tires and pull forever on the highway. Absolute pleasure to drive that car. The body died and I swapped the drivetrain into a car with 3.50 gear. It was very hard to keep the tires from busting loose. Anybody not used to it who would drive it would bark the tires <!-- / message --><!-- sig -->
Im trying to find a ****** for a 364 nailhead, When looking for a SP400 how do you ID one besides knowing what car your pulling it out of?
I just picked up a 1963 401, no plans for it as I bought it more for the brackets and distro that it came with. I have a friend who has a ST-400 who was going to use behind his 61 but due to the torque tube setup, he decided to just refurbish his existing. He offered it to me, is there anything odd about a 1963 401 I need to consider if I plan to buy the transmission?
Switch pitch has an extra elec connection for the converter stall speed, a regular ST400 or TH400 has a single elec connection. Switch pitch also has a horseshoe shaped indent on the pan, whereas the std ST/TH is flat bottom pan. But the best way is to look for the 2 electrical connections to be sure as I think the pan could be swapped (not likely, but weird stuff happens).
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