I bought a 56 Buick Special 2dr HT last night. Haven't got it home yet, really didn't look it over good, just the engine. I don't know anything about nailheads, never messed with one before. Was 56 engine the 322? Any good? Parts availability? Expensive to rebuild? Anything special to look for? Are the trannys good? Parts available to rebuild auto tranny? Adapters availabe for TH 350? My friend started it when he got it, popped back through carb as it ran. Figure either stuck valve, burned valve, broken valve spring, flat cam. Any specfic problem with nailheads along those lines? Thanks guys!
Run...run away from it as fast as you can The 56 322 is the one to have. Parts are not easy to get and they are EXPENSIVE! Make sure the motor has a harmonic balancer. If not, it is a 264. The tranny that is in it should be a closed driveshaft unit. They are none to be leakers. Not sure about a turbo 350 adapter. All in all, my nailhead was a real pain in the ass but I would say it was worth it in the end. Clark
i have a 322 in my 55 buick. i have found hop up parts like 2x4 intakes, dress up parts like valve covers and valley covers. i'm running into the same dilema with the tranny. mine leaks like hell.....as my local codes enforcement they hate the huge puddle in my driveway as far as adapters i know they make them but they are pricey!! i think they're around $500-700. but they do make adapters to TH350 etc. my motor is strong but i hate the tranny!! it takes about 20 minutes to cross the street. the parts to rebuild the motor are pricey too!! i think eventually i'll put in a small block and change out the drivetrain and keep the nailhead for a roadster project. _T
I have 56 2dr ht with a 322 and a dynaflow. Mine runs strong with a little lifter racket when she's cold. The parts are a pain to come by, especially water and fuel pump, I have an extra fuel pump if you need one - Kanter screwed up and sent me two for the price of one. The only major issues I have with the motor is overheating, on long trips over 70 miles she'll tend to get hot. My tranny leaked like hell, there are two drain plugs for you converter a 180 degrees from each other and these can back off and cause some serious leaking, I tightened those up and she still leaks but at a manageable rate. My tranny works good for what it is, I rock it between L and D and get up and at 'em pretty good. Fatsco sells the gasket set for those trannys and has a pretty good tech department that can visit with you about specific problems. I also have a new gasket set for the tranny if you stick with it, let me know. I have replaced or rebuilt just about everything on my 56/322 so let me know if you run into any snags down the road. If it is a Special w/ the 2bbl carb you can get a cast intake off of a century that we'll take a 4bbl - did it on mine and she likes the fuel (600cfm).
There are a couple of different 322's available in 56. The high compression is the better performer of the two and it's the one with the dynaflow automatic behind it. I'm pretty sure the 264 wasn't available in 56. The trans is rebuildable and you can get parts from a place here in Wichita, KS called A & Reds http://www.areds.com. If you've got the resources you'd be better of getting a trans adaptor and opening up the drive line. Here's one place to get an adaptor. http://www.transmissionadapters.com/Nailhead_install.htm
if you're going with the original tranny you can get some seals here http://www.oldbuickparts.com/cat360.htmdid they make a 6x2 setup for the nailhead?
From the factory, the 322 had 8.5:1 compression and was putting out 188 hp. Another little interesting fact about the Buick Nailhead is that in 1959-1961, Buick had a very radical cam grind in their 401's. It had 299/290 degrees of duration and .441/.449 inches of lift at .050 and were ground at a 109 degree centerline. It had a pretty lopey idle, so in 1962, after Buick customers kept asking why their cars were running so rough, they began to grind them at 114 degrees. Just a little interesting fact. Wolffy
Eddie, you animal. Good move. We had a '55 Century and my older brother would tear up '55-7 Chevy's with it in high school. Wayno
Bellm, go to buicks.net or team buick .com all your questions will be answered. Suedsled on here has a ton of buick parts also. I have a 401 with a t-400 s/p for my 59. Also I believe you can use a 61-63 3rd member and open your drive line up. it will work on the 59's . I'll email you some good articles. TP
Thanks guys! Looked at it again, gotta go get it. Body rusted out bad, tops of quarters, sail panels, etc. Too rough but lotsa good parts.
any buick guys that read this, there is a pretty neat place here in jersey, its located in neshanic station new jersey, and as far as i know all they do is old 30s-70s buick parts. i found them pretty helpful with getting a reseal kit for my torque ball on my 57 super (i think i ended up siliconing most of it anyway lol), and thier catalog had a TON of repopped parts that i would have thought would not be made anymore. i guess either superpage them or google them, i doubt they have a site, but def worth your time looking into.
It seems that all has been said about the 322, so about your tranny, wich is probably a dynomatic, wiich can be somewhat reliable depending on who you ask, but is horribly inneficient, get a th350 and rear out of later GM and you will probably be better off in the long run.
Nailheads are junk...pull that lump outta there and I'll be over to pick it up and get it outta your way. Put in a 350/350 so you'll be just like all the other guys with mullets and Camaros...move to Indiana and maybe you can get in a John "Cougar" Mellencamp video....and you can go to Pep Boys and buy tons of cool made in Taiwan chrome dipsticks/air fresheners/glow-in-the-dark wiper blades. Maybe a "Tuner Wing" out back....cool!!! OK...I apologize...I went overboard...
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