It's not looking good for getting my 32 done for the Showdown. Why??? Cause Nailheads ****!!!! I should have stuck to a sbc! Nobody knows anything about them! You can't get parts for them! They cost WAY too much! Nailheads ****! Anybody want to buy a nailhead with lots of extra parts? I think I could put a sbc in here faster than I can straighten out this nailhead. Sorry for the rant but if I would have went with the sbc it would get done on time. Now I have to fight it and hope for the best. Clark
Man you took the wind out of my sail.. I just picked up a 401 nailhead for a future project. Are you serious about selling it? I might be interested..
Send me a PM with what you have for it, and what you want for it. I kinda think digging out all the information about them is a lot of fun. Suedsled sells stuff for them, things turn up on Ebay, Egge has pistons, the 322 is a 4-inch bore so rings are easy, bearing kits are out there...about the hardest (and most expensive) thing to find is an adapter bellhousing for a manual trans. But you're right--they aren't cheap. -Brad
What specific problem(s) are you having with it? (I know all about messing with oddball engines, BELIEVE me! It would be easier to take the common road, but once you sort out all the issues related to your 'alternative motor', you'll feel a HUGE sense of accomplishment that can't be described! I put two different screwy engines in my Fleetline before getting this one all ironed out and dialed in. It takes extra time, money and effort for sure...but it's worth it!) What help do you need to make the Nailhead work???
Now Clark, Its no different than any other different power house. Flatties, Y-Blocks, Hemi's...... You just need to go through a learning curve and change your friends. Wish I could help. Nailheads are cool but the problem is the time... Now if you were starting this in November before the Pennsylvania winter you'd be a happy camper. I don't even have a referral for you...sorry.
I can't believe you're so beat down over this. You have the Nailhead Guru not to far from you. Carmen Faso 716.693.4090 - J&C's Parts 7127 Ward Road North Tonawanda, NY 14120 Did you talk to Carmen? Probably not. Yeah maybe you need to leave the Nailhead to the rest of us....
Yeah get a grip Clark, I know you ain't no quitter. Guess what I'm gonna do when this Packard engine blows up? That's right, it's getting a SBC.
man I hear ya, there is a reason the road less traveled is less traveled I fought with my 394 **** for years before caving in, put the big Chevy in the Coupe and still ****ed with it for years more! now I find myself collecting more **** to start the fight all over again. why do we do it? is it for the challenge, or the struggle? don't give in yet, see it through, then decide if it was worth it. Paul
Anybody can build a 3 fiddy-3 fiddy in 6 mo.s It takes a man to do it with a Buick!... clutch? what clutch? We don't need no stinkin' clutch!
..........that's the price you pay for being cool! Just drag it up on Friday night and park it with Lullabelle...............
I second that...My Buick took a beating. Finally gave up.. After giving me so much.. I love my nailhead. What exactly are you looking for? And what size engine are you running?
Sounds like frustration is winning over common sense, Time to step back and shake it off. A motor is a motor dosen't matter which one, is it together or apart what's it not doing, if I can give a hand let me know.
I'm not giving up yet. My biggest problem is time. I won't be on the HAMB much over the next week. I just went through everything I have and think the clutch setup will work. I just need a hydraulic throwout bearing. I'll be calling Tilton next. I've got two motors. The runner (I'm praying it's a runner!) is out of a car a HAMBer bought off of another HAMBer (not gonna mention names) is a 264. It was supposed to be a 322. I got it in trade for fixing the frame on the piece of **** it came out of. The input shaft and ears broke off of the ****** just from trailering it here! With the way the rest of the car looks I'm takin some BIG chances on this motor. Since this thing is a 264 will the 322 flywheel work? The other problem I may need to solve is a remote oil filter. I find it hard to beleive every time you ask about Buick stuff the most common reply is check the Buick board. I like the HAMB! I don't want to go to the Buick board. It's hard to read and pictures don't work there. Clark
The balance might be different. Anyone here know for sure? You can machine the filter housing off the piece you have and add fittings and lines to a remote housing. Heck, If you're careful with the saw...you can use the housing you cut off as the remote housing.
****in pansy *** quitter! there ain't NOTHIN real special to know about a nailhead, they're a basic, durable engine, if you can screw a sbc together, a nailhead shouldn't be a problem. last i checked, there wasn't anything in a nailhead that wasn't in any other engine. same for machining, only thing to know there is DON'T put in hardened valve seats. a basic rebuild should do you fine. what's the problem with yours? personally, i think nailheads are the most common of the uncommon engines, they're always popping up cheap it seems. you just have to have a little patience, and you should be able to score an engine that just needs a little freshening for a reasonable price. havin problems finding parts? what parts? where have you checked? where do you get your information from? you on the nailhead email list? i can hardly think of any parts that AREN'T available. you just gotta look a little further than the hamb and the napa down the street. if you really want to give up, i'd swap you out every sbc part i have.
The later nailheads are a lot easier than the early ones. I guess I should have been specific...early nailheads ****. The parts are hard to get for the early ones, with some stuff just not availble. Sure the motor itself is just like any other motor. It's just getting the parts to work together. Anybody know about that flywheel or even how to ID the difference? I'm willing to bet I can't switch it. From what I have been told the way to ID the 264 is it does not have a harmonic balancer. I'm not 100 prcent this is true. I can never get a sure answer on what is what with the early motors. Clark
Hey Clark, Too close to being done and too much effort exerted to give up now. I'd help out if I were worth a ****. I do have a nice orange sbc sittin on my warehouse floor if you want it....I'm sure we could work something out in trade.....DLP
The nailhead is staying. It's too far along to turn around now. I won't do it again though. All the BS and the cost does not make sence. I'm running a hood. Nobody will ever see it. I'm off to the shop.....I've got a lot of work to do!! Clark
Glad to see that you got a grip.Old motors will test you .I think you are gonna p*** your test.That old buick will make you smile every time you drive it.Hang tough.
Puss. 264-322 are same pretty much. So your stuff for one will fit the other. Intakes, heads, transmissions, will all swap back and forth. I see a lot more of the manual trans setups for the earlier motors than I do for the late ones. ePay has 3 or 4 a month. The multi carb U-fab intakes will fit any nailhead long as you adjust the tubes that connect side to side. Valley pans and valve covers fit all sizes of motor. Whoever told you nailheads were cheap? **** can get expensive for any engine. We say check the Buick boards cuz a lot of nailhead guru's don't surf the HAMB. But since you're not wanting to do that, then do this. Click the links and read and print out. Most are about a 401 but same rules apply to all nailheads. http://www.rodandcustommagazine.com/howto/4905/index1.html http://www.rodandcustommagazine.com/howto/4907/ http://www.webrodder.com/index.php?search=buick&page=showStories&CID=15 Go ahead and use an SBC next time, that's more nailhead stuff for ME.
"I'm running a hood so it doesn't matter"???? That's like saying that because Angelina Jolie wears a shirt that noone cares about her ***s.
I've got one of those filter conversions on--good piece. I recommend it. flywheels: According to the guys with the part number books on the Buick Club website, the flywheel for a 264 has a different number than the 322. I don't remember what those numbers are though, but that info is out there. Maybe do a search on www.buickclub.org (note the "org." ending)--I've posted that specific question before. Crank and heads are the same, BUT...years don't interchange, because Buick kept changing the piston dome/combustion chamber configuration. '54 only changes with '54, '53 with '53, etc. Late '55 will change with '56. The 264s will change with 322. Can't bore a 264 out to 322. Completely different casting. Amazing. Cams were different--an extra oil galley on one bearing (don't remember exactly which had it, but it can be an issue. I think the 264 has the galley--so to put a 322 cam in a 264 you gotta machine that galley.) Cam material was different too--Pre-'56 used one type of lifter and distributor gear, '56 uses same lifters as 364/401 and other buicks, same with dist. gear. Harmonic balancers: I can't remember if this is a year thing, or displacement thing. I will check in my books tonight. I know for sure the 264 didn't come with one, but I think the 322s didn't either, untill '55. Again, I'll check. -Brad
Hey Clark. looks like Brad got you some good info. I've had some leaking issues with the adapter so I use a remote adapter. 30.00 and the flywheel does interchange. You got that form me didn't you? Call me back if you need help. Later, Marty
Sounds like it's time to give up on old cars...buy a Hyundai...and spend your spare time watchin' Home Impovement shows (oops...they work on OLD houses)...Did Chevy make a small block house where everything is the same?
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