Hot Rods 401 Nailhead in a '57 Chevy! Build pics!

Been working the past month and a half on this, almost every day after work. I'm getting close! The engine is a '66 Buick 401ci Wildcat 445 with a SP400 trans (switch pitch converter). It all fit in the car quite well, and right now I'm working on building fenderwell headers. The driver's side is all together and about half welded up. Looking to have it running in about 2 weeks!
-Dean

 

Cutting, grinding, and welding...
-Dean

 

need vid of it running

 

That's kool. I hope it runs as good as you're expecting. Race only or street/strip?

 

Great looking car.

 

Street/strip. Open headers all the way but I should be able to get away with it. The car is an original race car and ran a best et of 10.90@131mph at Orange County International Raceway.

 

Everything looks good. It is nice to see something unusual in a tri five..

 

Sweet. You plan on putting the motor/car on a dyno? I'd be curious to see what kind of numbers it puts down.

 

I hadn't planned on it, I might be able to get to a ch***is dyno if anything at this point. I'm curious too though. Stock is 325hp/445ft lbs. I've added dual quads and those headers, so maybe somewhere in the 365hp range? It should move pretty good I think. Last thing I do is change the gearing, I'm thinking 3:89's.
-Dean

 

What did you use for front motor mounts and the trans?

 

That thing is going to soar! The SP/ST400 is so much better than a Dynaflow. Your transmission with some high-ratio gearing is going to make that 401 come alive.

I am curious about the dyno, I've heard Nailheads are tricky to upgrade carburetion-wise.

 

I've been hankering to do a 401 Buick with period correct speed equipment on the outside and 21st century parts on the inside (modern cam lobes, lite pistons/low tension rings, current porting technology etc.) to see just how much power it would make. A customer of ours built a 4.00 stroke 348 last year with the Edelbrock top end and Isky roller and two 750cfm carters and made 650hp with 11.0:1 cr and pump gas. Nice car! by the way and cool to see a nailhead in it.

 

Thanks! The motor mounts are the universal Nailhead mounts from Speedway Motors. We cut half the bracket off and used them as pads to weld the mounts down to. They stick up off the front crossmember like little struts. As for the trans, a standard Chevy TH350/400 mount bolted on in place of the Buick mount, and I used the crossmember that was already in the car to mount it. The car had a 350 in it when I got it, and all I ended up doing was moving the trans crossmember back one set of holes into it's old 427/TH400 position and it lined up perfect! Never had to drill one hole or weld a thing.
-Dean

 

Those 401's are fun to drive, lots of torque right off idle. Those headers might change that some. be interested to see ch***is dyno
Should be fun.

 

I was wondering if you ported that Offy manifold at all. They are notoriously bad from the factory. The stock dual quads made better power as did the single quadrajet '66 manifold.

As for the 3:89's, I'm not sure about that, some math might be needed. You're really not going to want to try and spin that thing up to much.

You're also going to want some real positive crankcase ventilation.

Other than that, looking good. I like the headers a lot...

 

Love the look of it!

 

Almost done! Cranked it over the other day. One header is finished, the other is finish welded, just have to grind it a little and paint it.
-Dean