It's a well known documented fact, well by those that are really into the trucks.... it's in plenty of books, I've seen enough of them as well, try visiting any of the truck shows where there are restored trucks.... it was more popular in the 3/4 ton and up trucks, but there are 1/2 ton that came with them as well... here's a passage that talks about it from one of the books... Like its sister General Motors divisions, Buick produced its own family of V8 engines to replace its straight-8 engines. These engines came in many of the same displacements as those from other divisions, but were entirely different. Buick/Chevrolet Truck "Nailhead V8" Buick shared its first V8 with Chevrolet's trucks. This family lasted from 1953 through 1956 in Buick cars and from 1956 through 1959 in Chevrolet trucks. It was an OHV/pushrod engine like the then new Oldsmobile "Rocket V8" engine. This motor became known as the "Nailhead" for its unusual vertical position of its small sized valves -that looked like nails... The Nailhead V8 family employed a camshaft with higher lift and longer duration to offset the smaller sized valves and arguably restrictive intake and exhaust port areas I take cash bets on this topic...
Krylon, glad I could be there for ya'! And if any one has a set of those ugly '54 or early '55 gauges they want to send me I'd take them just so you don't have to look at them. Even if the gauges are gone I'd take the ugly ass panels just to make your shop more visually pleasing.
Here in Canada I thnk the Nailhead was available only in the ton and a half or bigger trucks. The City of Edmonton Alberta had a 4 x 4 Chevy swb Napco panel truck for their bomb squad. I don't think they retired it until the late 70's early 80's.
I can see why you feel that way. Kinda looks like the 4 wheel drive woody you built on Monster Garage....and quite a few other builds on your show...........
Usually when I see big ol' truck around here, the guy driving it is like the comic book store owner in the Simpsons.... or a hilljack.
At the time Chevrolet didn't have anything powerful enough to move all the weight so in came the ole "Nail" to save the day.
I know where there is a truck just like the one in Jesse's post on page one. It runs great and the own doesn't show much interest in it. A friend of mine is putting a shitty paint job on it. From conversations I've had at his place, the owner is a doctor or geologist and doesn't care about the money or the truck. He doesn't have a place to put it in Country Club Estates so my friend just keeps it out on his property. Anyway, (shameless plug coming) I still have a 63 Dodge truck for sale or trade.......anyone?
Sorry, heard that one this weekend and had to use it... Put yourself in my shoes and ya have to admit that's pretty funny.
i've got a 322 Buick Nailhead and manual trans bellhousing assembly straight out of a 55 Chevy truck. it has some of the well worn original Chevy orange paint on it still. it's got about 55,000 original miles on it.
I just threw up in my mouth...heaven and hell have finally united, and it's as ugly as anyone could have imagined. At least we do know the gay minority in the Austin hot rod scene ain't so minor anymore.
That's really wierd, On a TV show once I saw the body for my 29 RPU being carried in the back of a truck just like this: c
It's interesting your 322 Buick was painted Chrevolet Orange. I don't remember which color the '55-57 265 Chevy V8s were in the trucks, but I know for fact the 283s that came in the '58 up trucks were painted Gray. This tying to figure what came stock as an option can drive a person nuts. I would like to see a buildsheet on one of those Nailhead powered Chevy trucks, it would end the mystery for once and for all... maybe.
This is the newest member of my collection, a 1956 Chevrolet NAPCO Panel Truck. Took it in on trade for slamming a 1958 Chevrolet Apache. I have always wanted a NAPCO Suburban, but I'll take a Panel Truck instead!
Just a couple miles from my house is a 58-59 Cheby 1/2 ton 4x4 for sale. It looks really straight, has all the chrome side trim and a big window.
The Jalopy Journal
