ok i found a guy locally who can do the rebuild on my 401 for the '64 without me having to blow all the money i have. so it looks like i won't be going the bastariztion route i had been thinking of. that being said lets talk nailhead fuel systems. now my plan for the car is stock rebuild and i'm not shooting for anything other than making a good solid daily or at least most days driver out of it again which is what it served as for about the first five years i owned it. what is the best set up to use for the best mpg and drivability? it seems to be a matter of opinion on where you ask. well we've got a good mix group here and lets hear your opinions. i know most of the guys on the nailhead yahoo group say the qjet is the best all around. i have the qjet intake but not the qjet so what carb is the BEST qjet? i've heard something about the early 70s qjets from the 455 being the best but needing some modifying to be used right or wrong? most of the guys on the v8buick board say either run a holley or dual quads. i don't really want the dual quads but haven't discounted it either. as for the holley it's got a pos holley 750dp on it now and the mileage is horrible(9 or so to a gallon). thats what i'm trying to get away from. i'm looking for mileage more than performance as it's a custom not a hot rod. also while we at it anybody sent the distributor to the guy who convert them to hei? is it worth the $$$? i've got the petronix ignitor2 in there now and even though i've never had a problem i know lots of people have. well actually we did have problems when we put it in the first time so i guess i should say i haven't had any since the install. is it possible to get 20 or so mpg out of a stock nailhead? thats the range i'm hoping for. i guess there a still a few folks who like the carters that came on there so lets hear those opinions to as i'm open to whatever...ken....
I have a '55 Buick Special (model 48). When I got it, it had the stock 264 cid with stock 2bbl and a 3-speed. I drove it a lot, even on a couple of 1-week vacations, once to Boston and once to R.I. from upstate New York. I kept detailed records (kinda **** that way) and I was averaging 11-13 mpg. I tore it apart after a couple of years and put in a '62 401cid nailhead, with 2x4 Carter 500cfm AFB's, a BW Super T-10 4-speed, converted to an open drive shaft and installed radials. I used the stock rear end (3.36:1 gears). I was suprised to find, after a couple of years driving, that I was actually getting slightly BETTER gas mileage (avg 13-15 mpg, if I didn't shove my foot thru the floor all the time (you don't wanna know what the MPG were when I get on it a lot, however). My theory is, that because of the extra HP, I wasn't hitting the go pedal as heavy and as deep as I was before, to get the car rolling. I like the Carter AFB carbs. They look "traditional" (that word is getting as stupid and over-used as "rat" is), but I don't think they're any better or any worse than Holleys or Edelbrock (virtually identical to the new Carters) or most other carbs. Gas mileage is a lot more about how your personal driving habits are and the gearing you use, at least that's been my experince.
From a builders perspective I would have to say that the 2x4 with a pair of well tuned 500's is a good route. A good tri-power set up is also a good route since you will run off the center carb quite a bit. The Q-jet is a good way to go due to the small primaries but they are difficult to find good ones. If you are running the SP400 trans the switch on the manifold will give you a little trouble when connecting to an aftermarket carb but this is easily remedied. Good Luck and look me up if you need any parts.
Get ahold of Cliff Ruggles, he is not only a great engine and transmission builder but a true Q-jet GURU. He can make a Q-jet run better than anyone, and he can supply the core. Honest guy with a great reputation, all of the Pontiac guys rave over his Q-jets. I just had one done by Cliff for my street Pontiac 400. This Q-jet will replace a good running Pontiac Tri-Power, because I want mileage AND peformance. I had mine built off of a '77 Pontiac 350 carb, an 800 CFM unit. The '75 and up carbs had better castings, Cliff can re-calibrate these lean-running emissions carbs for your particular engine with no sweat. Finding a 'good Q-jet' isn't hard. The Q-jet carb would be the only way to go in my opinion if you want good fuel mileage without giving up performance on your nailhead. Cliff's Q-jets
The only 2 intakes that make more power than the quadrajet manifold are the stock dual quad and the Edelbrock B262. If anyone says different I think they may be delusional. The 3x2's and any of the Offy's pretty much ****. The driveability of the quadrajet is by far the best as well. Get yourself a good carb and run it. The carbs are pretty easy to get, setting them up correctly can take some work but I think you'll be happier in the long run...
zman you were one of the folks i wanted to see a reply from. i've got an email out to the guy above to see about having him do a qjet for it. so hopefully i'll get that info soon. sending you a pm on another note...ken....
zman is correct.....i had a 425 for a while. 4 carb/intake combos (ONLY) are: 1. edelbrock b262 2. factory dual carb (afb's) 3. factory quadrajet (i heard it was a '66 only) 4. factory afb single anything else is junk.
[ QUOTE ] now my plan for the car is stock rebuild and i'm not shooting for anything other than making a good solid daily or at least most days driver out of it again which is what it served as for about the first five years i owned it. [/ QUOTE ] You guys need to read what he's after. Every manifold out there for a nailhead can be a good reliable driver. I build parts and motors every day and every one is different depending on there application. There are a lot of opinions on what to use when building your motor but very little of it is based on fact. If you want a reliable daily driver with good economy; stick to the stock 2bbl. If you want power; I have a blown alky nailhead for ya! Decide what you like to see under your hood and build it. There is alot of middle ground. But when it comes right down to it; It's your car and you should build what you want. not what someone else thinks is the way to go.
[ QUOTE ] You guys need to read what he's after. Every manifold out there for a nailhead can be a good reliable driver. I build parts and motors every day and every one is different depending on there application. There are a lot of opinions on what to use when building your motor but very little of it is based on fact. If you want a reliable daily driver with good economy; stick to the stock 2bbl. If you want power; I have a blown alky nailhead for ya! Decide what you like to see under your hood and build it. There is alot of middle ground. But when it comes right down to it; It's your car and you should build what you want. not what someone else thinks is the way to go. [/ QUOTE ] Yeah whatever... if you talk to the Nailhead community and the GS guys and the guys at V8Buicks, you'll find out the same thing I just said. And there is no way you want a single 2 barrel on a 425. I wouldn't have one on a 401 either. The Quadrajet IS the best all around set up for the Nailhead. There are only two others that make better power period. And if the engine you built for Paul on the Nailhead list is any representation of your work, no thanks. So you can keep you blown alky motor to yourself. I'll take Ironhunter Ray and Tom Telesco and Russ Martin's advice first.
suede, i build what i ****ing want have for 18 of my 32 years now. the point is which ironiclly you missed i was asking opinions from guys that knew what the best idea was for good economy and performance. which i really already knew was the qjet intake. first it's hard to stick with a 2bl when it never ****ing had one to begin with. second i've got the qjet intake. i was really looking for info on what qjet is the best to run and so on. you can learn from others who have done **** in the past and save yourself some grief and $$$$. it would be dumb not to. i've been playing with this car for about 8 years now. it was a $400 rusty 45000mile barn find when i got it. well the guy i got it from had pulled it out of one barn and put it in his for about a year and then i got it. as i've said before you want custom paint i can do whatever you want. flake ,candy, panels, scallops whatever. i started painting when i was 14. my mechanic skills are limited. partially because i was a good painter from the get go and usually traded paint work for rebuilds with another shop. shoulda learned more mechanics but it was always just easier to swap out work. yes it's my car and it will be built my way but opinions doesn't mean your letting someone decide how you car is built...ken....
I am also looking into this topic...thinking of ideas for my 264 I like the look of tri-power but am open to other ideas
If you had any clue of what you where talking about thent hat would be a first! You don't know a thing about Paul's motor any anything else about my business for that matter. Your just pissed because your buddy tried to steal from me and I called him on it. Get over it.
Hey Luckystiff. My reply was not trying to tell you what to do. It is your car and what you are happy with is what counts. I'm glad you are running a nailhead. I just get tired of the nailhead and Buick boards with there off-based facts from folks who spend more time on the computer than working on the cars they claim to know so much about. Again, good luck and if you need anything let me know.
[ QUOTE ] If you had any clue of what you where talking about thent hat would be a first! You don't know a thing about Paul's motor any anything else about my business for that matter. Your just pissed because your buddy tried to steal from me and I called him on it. Get over it. [/ QUOTE ] I guess you're saying all the guys in the Nailhead community don't know what they're talking about. Hmmm maybe you're full of ****, yep you are. You only ever come on here to sell ****, that's it... Maybe you should make it right with the people you ****ed over first. As for Paul's motor that's a bunch of ******** and you know it. Just like the rust free body you sold on here. You got away with it but some of us don't forget. And how bout that Patent Pending BS on the intake risers... Yeah whatever, you're the thief.
I would recommend you get over whatever you have your problem with or take it out on someone else but if you want to hate me and talk BS then go ahead. We do more with nailheads in a week then you do in a year. Again get over yourself because you and Paul are all alone. And check with the patent office again before making your stupid claim again.
I'm glad you think so highly of yourself. You know by making it all right you can get out from under this. And it's not just with Paul either. Did Frank T. ever get his parts? All the threads for that are still in the yahoo archives as well. or how about a pdf of what you promised paul and what he got after having to pay to get it straightened out. PDF I don't know what the end of the deal with JimA was and he's not on here anymore. But most of it is here Older Thread Intake Risers... Prior art my man prior art and they have no listing for a application for an intake riser by you or anyone else. I just checked, you gotta love the internet. Are you still threatening lawsuits? Cause I'm about to have some water jetted for myself... Come on dude make it right and maybe it'll all be ok, but as long as you try this BS it ain't gonna fly. You seem to be doing alright for yourself. You sure are making some neat stuff and you'd probably sell enough to cover it all anyway. Hell if you made it right I'd buy parts from you, but as long as you keep claiming you did nothing and are a saint and there is all this stuff out there it's gonna keep coming back to bite you in the ***.
This is ridiculous and completely insane. We have hundreds of satisfied customers and dozens on this board to speak for us. nuff said. BTW I spoke with Dean, wasn't my motor Paul sent to him. Your buddy lied. And Jim and I talk all the time.
Dude you are so full of ****, and you have an answer for everything. The whole thread is there on the Nailhead list, I guess I'll just put hat together for you. And like I said there was Frank T., JimA, and Jim that was producing the intake risers. I don't care if you have hundreds of satisfied customers you ripped off a few people and threatened one I know of with baseless accuasations and lies. Maybe if you were a man and fixed you **** up I'd let it go but you just keep making **** up.
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