Nailhead ID

I am just wondering if anyone knows what motor was stock in a 64 LeSabre with a 2 barrel carb? I may have to buy the whole car just to get the brake drums so I am wondering if the motor is any good?

Thanks

 

401

 

Fraz is right, it will be a 401. Added bonus is that 64 was first year for the Super Turbine 400, otherwise known as a turbo 400. 64 has a one year special valve body, but it is not really a problem, just cost a little more to rebuild. Still about 10 times better trans than the previous dynaslows that were connected to nailheads. Any 401 or 425 intake will swap on there if you get the engine running and want to put more carburation on it.

Go here to positively identify that nailhead:
http://www.buicks.net/shop/engine_ident.html

 

Hold on there pilgrims....the '64 LeSabre came standard with a 300 cube aluminum head V8 (derived from the 215), except for the wagon which came with a 401. The distributor on the 300 is up front, on the 401 it is in the back. Happy motoring...Frankp.s. Ten lashes to Fraz for a boo boo.

 

Ain't my fault. It was, um, his fault! Yeah, his fault. Blame him. That darn guy......

 

Buford got it right. Rule of thumb, the only Buick v-8 with the distributor in the back was the nailhead. If it's in the front it's somthing else.

 

Speaking of nailheads I saw one with an auto trans in a local scrapyard, not an automotive junkyard. Not sure what scrap is going for these days but at something like $.12 a pound it might be some cheap parts for somebody. I have no idea what vintage or size it is or even if it's still there. It's at the far east side of Midwest Iron and Steel in Hutchinson Kansas. If anybody is interested I could get over there in a couple of days and see if it's still there and get a couple of pics. Let me know.

I like this yard a lot. If you hit it right they get lots of great cutoff stuff. I picked up a large folgers can of gently used hose clamps for next to nothing several weeks ago when I saw the nailhead. Last summer I got a couple of 6/71 blowers. Fun part was I brought in a bunch of aluminum cans and they gave me the blowers plus the balance in cash for the cans.

 

Thanks for the info. Is the 300 worth grabbing? It looks good, but does it perform? Parts hard to find? When I looked at the motor the heads did not look like they were iron?? Maybe it is a Canadian motor??