Looking around for different power plants I came up with little history on this motor. I tried to do many searches on the history of the nailhead (IE in hot rodding) for a paper of mine awhile ago, but came up with very little. I am curious about the history of this motor. When people started putting them into their hot rods, set ups and what not.
Max Balchowsky ran them in his "Old Yellar" race cars based on a model "T" frame. Balchowsky kicked the butts of numerous english can am style cars. Balchowsky also taught TV Tommy Ivo how to build Nailheads...... This motor has a great racing and hot rod history.....
If youre lookin for a "oddball" motor to run in your hot rod this is it. looks great, makes WAY more power than a flathead and is considerbly cheaper than a hemi. Ive done my fair share of research as well as owned flatheads and hemi's and i came out in the end with a 401 nailhead. All this is just my opinion though, dont mean to offend any flathead or hemi lovers as they have there place in hot rodding just like anything else!!
They suck,horrible motors,look funny and sound like shit.What ever you do please do not buy a nailhead....that leaves more for me!!!! I loves me some nailheads...
There was a really good series on them in Street Rodder a few years ago too. I learned a lot from that. For a practical nostalgia engine that's going to have some umph I think it's a great choice. Plus they look so purdy dressed up.
I heard a story a while back about a Hot Rodder working in a Buick dealer back in the day. He had heard about the new OHV motor they were coming out with for the next years lines and ordered a replacment motor from Buick. The story goes he had it dropped into his A before the first factory car with the engine hit the lot... On second thought it might have been an Olds motor...Anybody know?
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