hello lou from ny well i hope someone can help i have a 41 buick special and i like to convert it to a 327 or 350 chevy motor using the same dynoflo ******, has anyone done this or can someone direct me to a vender for help thanks all please reach me at roadster601@aol.com thanks
I know of no adapter for that swap. Along with that, those old Dynaflows never did take much punishment with the stock engines before failing and I have serious doubts one would hold up behind a later model more powerful engine.
Lou........do you have a '41 or '51 Buick Special? '41's did not have an auto trans option. Dynaflow wasn't available until '48 IIRC. In any case, Mr48chev is correct......no known adapters for anything to those transmissions, although I disagree that they are THAT bad, but there are much better choices in newer transmissions..... The obvious problem with driveline changes is the Buick torque tube drive is just not compatible with anything but Buick manual or automatics. Ray
hey hnstray thats for the info the car is a 41 buick special with a 54 buick nail head thanks for the info,any suggestions on a engine ****** combo to replace the ****** and torque tube i guess rear has to go as well or to get another nail head any suggestions thanks
If you're going to spend any amount of time working on the drivetrain of this car, get rid of the Dynaflow. They're horrible transmissions. A 401 or 425 Nailhead is what I'd go with. Open driveline, and you can swap in an ST/SP400 transmission on it. As far as rear ends go, if you go up to the 401/425, you can just swap center sections. The only thing you'll have to fabricate is something to locate the rear end.
To best of my knowledge....there are NO Buick open driveline center sections that will bolt into the old housing, whether it's from the '41 or '54 donor car. Buick 3rd members only interchange up though '55, '56 changed, and all of them up to that point are torque tube. It is possible to convert a TT to open drive, but not worth the effort in my opinion. In those older rear ends Buick used a double row ball bearing on the pinion shaft. I know of several Buick rear ends that have failed or are noisey (including two of my own). There are several later model rear axles with the 5 x 5" bolt pattern that can be swapped for the original. You are correct that the original Buick axle housing braces are woefully inadequate minus the TT. But, The '60's/'70's GM pickup "truck arm" (aka Nascar arms) is an excellent alternative and is essentially the same as what would be required to beef up the originals. There are several threads on these...search "truck arms" or Nascar truck arms" and "348 in a '50 Buick" for examples. EDIT: I am using a 9" Ford (from an Edsel) in '40 Super. Mercury's from '55 up through about '60 use 5x5" bolt patterns. ('55/'56 though, are Dana/****er not 9") Galaxies from the '73 thru '78, Chev Pickups from about '71, late Full Size rear drive (Caprice,Roadmaster etc), '78/'79 Caddy Seville etc etc all have the 5 x 5" bolt pattern. All the GM models are Salisbury integral housing types.....the Ford 9" has the 'drop out' center section. Once you have made the rear end open drive you have any number of possibilities for the engine trans replacement. A later Buick nailhead and, as suggested , a Turbo 400, is one such possibility. I haven't measured my '40 Super for clearance on a ST400, but I think that would be feasible as the V8 can mount a few inches forward of where the straight eight was positioned. However, a Chevy, later Buick 340/350 or ????? with a 2004R or 700R4 would be worthy of consideration. Ray
thanks you guys all very good info that i didnt have, ill keep you posted as to how i get this done thanks
You might want to go to talk to zman on here. He's sort of the resident Buick expert. I'm sure he'll have good advice.
Wow, wanting to go from a Nailhead to a SBC, sounds like you might have a car with some history to it. Was the Nailhead put in there back in the day? I'd love see pics before we help you change the car.:roll eyes: A later Nailhead would be cool, but like was said it opens a can of worms as far as the torque tube and all is concerned.
Just to clarify the 57 through 60 torque tube rears will take the open driveline center section from the 61-63 ish full size Buicks.
Didn't doubt that......it's just that if you have a '61/'63 Buick rear end as a donor for the third member I would think, in this case under discussion, it might be just as easy to use the whole thing. The adaption or fabrication of suitable control arms, ***uming one is keeping the coil spring steup, would be same either way. Same for any alternative sourced rear end. For a '56 up vehicle, keeping the original housing, axles, brakes etc. might be more appealing even though one still has to provide suitable control arms. In any case, I love the old Buicks.............have for more than 50 years and counting! Ray
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