The Buick Special 264 4.3 OHV /Pushrod engine was produced from 1954-1955. Dont limit yourself to just checking emissions controls use your smoke machine to check numerous vehicle systems. To date, I have had only one Nailhead that needed line boring of the main bores, says Martin. HOT ROD Digital Archives Available Free on MotorTrend+! As with any senior-citizen engine, you should check the condition of the block and internals carefully, looking for cracks in heads, cylinders and water jackets, gouged cylinders from OEM wrist pins that came loose, or a loose balancer bolt (they need to have 225 ft-lb of torque to stay on) that could have caused damage to the crank snout. 322 Buick/Chevy Truck nailhead--info anyone? - Buick - General Here's What Made The Buick Nailhead V8 Engine So Special Before buying any of these engines, remove the starter and look at the block closely in this area. water jacket is too close to valve seat. Next, the engine gets squared up by decking. The old chain will be 12 links, the new one is 16. The coolant passages are too close to the seats, so you are likely to either cut into the coolant passage while cutting for the seat or the metal will crack while installing them! He accomplished all this while juggling an acting career. Nailheads are having their renaissance today, though, as a newer crop of rodders discovers the trifecta appeal of their low-end torque, their narrower width (for a big-block engine), and their classic looks. ! Take the short-block to a machine shop for a thorough exam. NEVER install hard seats in the heads. 1959 Buick Engine Specifications - Hometown Buick It's difficult to see the revised pent-roof combustion chamber on the '56 head (right), but the larger tulip exhaust valve that helped increase exhaust scavenging versus the flat '54 is readily apparent. This "dig-out" performance appealed to hot rodders right from the beginning. A few of the more serious drag cars sported huge chain-drive Roots-style blowers. Ivo had successfully raced a single-engine Buick dragster, gaining notoriety by running the fastest gasoline-powered e.t. Ivo and fellow racer Kent Fuller built the four-wheel-drive, four-engine Showboat dragster, which was immediately outlawed by the NHRA after its completion. The final build, sold from 1963 to 1966, delivered eight cylinders, 425 cubic inches, and 340 horsepower. To go to the next level we needed bits from a '56: the heads, rods, and exhaust manifolds. Here's the coolest part of our build: the Weber carb intake from Kring Buick/Milr Products. In other words, theyre rarely chosen for high-performance use anymore. All clearances are kept as close to factory specs as possible. The short stroke lets the engine spin quicker than a longer stroke engine. BorgWarner kits like this one around. Armed with a bit of a plan and two 322s, we headed to Max Herman Sr. at H&H Automotive to help us map out the logistics. Centerville Auto Repair Buick NAILHEAD V8 1953-1966 Engine Specialists ALL ORDERS TAKEN OVER THE PHONE 530-272-1564 open mon-fri 9-5 pacific time -prices on website are subject to change at a moments notice. In its day, the Nailhead's design ethos fell between NASA's Saturn V and Wile E. Coyote strapping on an ACME rocket. Save up to $5,119 on one of 111 used Buick Envisions in Paterson, NJ. Displacing 264 or 322 ci, the new Buicks were state-of-the-art, powerful, overhead-valve V-8s. Tom remained a pro racer for many years after in Top Fuel and Funny Cars. Herman performed an excellent mild port job, clearing out the flash and smoothing and blending the entry. Because all Nailheads are externally balanced, the flywheel/flexplate must be installed with the index holes lined up, Martin explains. While the design of the heads didn't make for great high-rpm breathing, they worked superbly at doing what Buick engineers were aiming at: making torque. All nailheads have identical valvetrains, so rather than rebuild the stock, cast-iron, 1.5:1 rockers from the 322, we procured a set of lightweight 401 aluminum 1.6:1 rockers and sent them to Rocker Arm Specialist for a complete rebuild and an upgrade to adjustability to help us dial in the valvetrain. The Nailhead had a big-bore, short-stroke design that offered tremendous torque spread . 123795. Upgrading to hardened valve seats isn't necessary in nailheads, which is good because material is thin and coolant passages are very close by, making the odds of cracking the heads during cutting pretty good. bore and stroke. Your search for a Nailhead to use in your next project should probably be focused on the 364-401-425 engines. If that wasnt enough motivation for your driving style, Buick engineers brought forth an optional 10:1 version that brought power output to an even 300 hp. Secrets of the Buick Nailhead V8 | Mac's Motor City Garage The earlier engines are harder to find, and the later engines have bigger valves and other improvements, although vintage speed equipment and trans adapters for the earlier engines are sometimes easier to find, perhaps because hot rodders "traded up" when the bigger Nailheads came out. It was an engine for engine lovers, a love letter to gasoline-powered engineering. In 1953, Buick introduced its first overhead-valve ("valve-in-head," as Buick would say) V-8 engine in a 322ci size, and with 236 hp, it received immediate notice, triggering a climb in. How bout raising the ante by two nailheads? The head design allowed decent-flowing intake ports, but the extra bend in the exhaust ports made for a restrictive design. While Norm's car was showy and radical looking, Tom built a very clean street rod with the emphasis on performance, as attested to by its nearly unbeaten status on the streets of the San Fernando Valley and the dragstrips of the L.A. area. The best Nailhead porter I know is Mike Lewis of Pro-Tech, out of Fresno, CA, Martin says. Six Strombergs, two WCFB four-barrels, three deuces, and everything in between. That, coupled with the unique Stromberg four-barrel, helped deliver a rating of 200 hp and 309 lb-ft on the old SAE gross scalestrong numbers in those days. 401 Nailhead V8 Powered 1963 Buick LeSabre | Barn Finds At the same time, there are clear frontrunners. Today, you see Buick engines in a variety of hot rods, not just nostalgia or trad rods. One glaring exception to the rule was TV Tommy Ivo and his insane multi-nailhead-powered dragsters that set precedents of punishment upon the racing scene. Buick Stock Replacement Parts. Forged Pistons and All About Pushrod Design. The rest of the short block build process is by the book.. Save up to $3,958 on one of 165 used 2016 Buick LaCrosses in Newark, NJ. (Top) .001 - .003 (Bottom) .002 - .004, (Top) .0015 - .0035 (Bottom) .0025 - .0045. Boring lets the machinist control where the metal is removed so a minimum metal is removed from the block most is taken from the main caps. Buick Nailhead Engine Build: Step-by-Step Guide - MotorTrend Here you can also clearly see the '54 windage tray. The Buick cylinder heads are comparatively easy on valve seats, but the material around the seats isn't copious, so many a Buick head has been ruined by someone trying to install hard seats and hitting the water jackets. If the seal lip looks distorted, grind the seal ends a small amount where they butt and re-check the seal., The next step is to install the bearings and crank can be installed. The nailhead was introduced for the 53 model year as a replacement for the straight-eight engine. 53 valves are same diameter as 54 aside from stem length. Martin says you can add them to all Nailheads but never install exhaust valve seals. Buick's Big, Bad V-8 Engines: The Nailhead, 430, 400, 455, and More, 10 Outrageous Sleepers Youll Never See Coming. Watch your local classified papers and hit the swaps. Problem solveda special cam was ground for the reverse-rotation motor, and the cam gear was revised to spin the oil pump and distributor in the correct directions. We remanufactured this 1955 Buick Special 264 engine with new pistons (Egge), rings, engine bearings, gaskets, timing set and oil pump. While he tended to the tuning and repair needs of Ferrari and MG owners from the '50s on, he wasn't above building hot-rodded Buick engines and running them in "sports car specials," which at the time were usually built from various aftermarket bodies made of the new Fiberglas wonder material and mounted on a postwar Ford chassis or tubular design. Trucks Invade the 2023 HOT ROD Power TourMega Gallery! Tips for assembling a Buick 401 Nailhead V-8 - Hagerty Media Bellhousings were designed and produced to back up nailhead engines with strong manual gearboxes. Unfortunately, we know of no one then or now who made an adapter plate (as they did for Olds V-8s) that swapped the starter over to the right. The smooth power of the Nailhead motors was still praised by owners and auto writers, but according to industry observers, it was Buick's failure to read the mercurial styling trends of the late '50s that killed their sales. Like the Small Block Chevy, the Rocket 88 Olds, the Ford Flathead and the Chrysler Hemi, the Buick Nailhead engine is one of those that has the immortal smell of history all over it. 1955 Buick Specifications - Hometown Buick The first nailheads of '53 to '56 came in two sizes: 264 ci in the entry level cars and the much more powerful 322-incher usually reserved for the upper-end models. I need connecting rod length, piston size and also would like to know if anyone has used chevy pistons and rods in this engine if so witch one's and what modefications you had to make. Nailhead Power TodayFrom the mid-'50s to the late '60s, hopped-up Buick powerplants filled the engine compartments of dragsters, roadsters, lakes cars, show cars, and fat-Ford hot rods across the nation, then they seemed to fade out of favor as factory hot rods and high-output big-block engines, the cream of the musclecar era, became available to any rodder with a steady job and a cosigner. Anyone have any info on the truck engines? The early 264-322 heads (up to mid-1955) have a very small pushrod hole that should be enlarged if a larger cam is used, explains Martin. There is enough aftermarket performance equipment being made today for the Buick Nailhead engine that you could assemble a fire-breather without ever visiting a swap meet or eBay, although there are still good vintage external items out there in fairly good numbers for the traditionalists. What could be any better than a twin-engine dragster? Buick made four different 401 engines, three of which have different blocks. The crank should spin smoothly by hand. N.O.S. A 401ci nailhead powered the first A-body Buick GS and paved the way for the dominating Stage 1 powerhouses of 1969-1974. Quench pads were added in '54, though chamber sizes, piston heads, and head gasket compressed thicknesses varied throughout the run of '53 to '56 nailheads, so compression ratio must always be checked when mixing and matching parts. 401 Buick Nailhead Seme and Son Automotive That would be great if it was. Instead it was match-raced around the country, driven by Ivos former tire wiper crew assistant, Don Prudhomme. Here's What Made The Buick Nailhead V8 Engine So Special. Note that the mains have their respective numbers cast into the tops making it easy to replace them in the correct order. What is the best Buick Nailhead Motor? | The H.A.M.B. - The Jalopy Journal Check out this 1965 Nailhead engine built by high performance automotive specialist. Nailhead engines use a high dome piston and rods that are Buick only, NO interchange with Chevrolet.. 427 chey pistons have the same dome as the nailhead I need the rod length for the 401 nailhead. 1955 Buick Special 264 Nailhead V8 - Los Angeles Machine Shop- Engine This will prevent attainment 'of the proper torque and will require replacement of the damaged part. Buick went on to maintain its position at GM, and in the overall marketplace, with innovations like an aluminum V-8, the first V-6 in the U.S., the fabled Grand National turbo cars, and with constantly reinvented styling. Performance, dependability, and luxury were all successfully meshed in the Buick line's reputation, that first attribute forged in racing competition, including taking checkered flags at Indianapolis Motor Speedway even before the Indy 500 had been thought of. The spark plug cover stud goes into a water jacket, so make sure it's sealed well. From that success, Tom developed an interest in a pure race car, and wound up trying his injected Nailhead out in a friend's dragster chassis. all 54 to 66 valves are the same overall length. This is where it gets complicated. Big thanks to Don Kring for setting up the somewhat complex linkage for us on the carbs. Gearheads nicknamed the new V-8s nailvalve or nailhead motors because the intake and exhaust valves were relatively small in size and installed vertically. The Nailhead was campaigned perhaps most famously by TV Tommy Ivo, who raced a twin-Nailhead (placed side-by-side) dragster as well as a radical four-engine, four-wheel-drive dragster named The Showboat. So what is it about the Nailhead that makes understanding it so difficult? With the go-fast disease progressing nicely in his system, Tom then had Kent Fuller build a new chassis and campaigned this with an injected Nailhead (Top Gas) in 1958, followed later by a twin-engined Nailhead gas dragster (he sold the single-engine Nailhead car to buddy Don Prudhomme). Measuring from one of the front boltholes to the one on the opposite side, the 264/322 manifolds measure 8 1/4 inches, 364s measure 8 5/8 inches, and 401/425 intakes measure 9 inches. From proper oil clearance measurement to making sure the valvetrain is serviceable after assembly, the details matter and Davin makes sure to get it right for this turquoise Buick.. You dont need hard seats. The Buick Nailhead had a big-bore, short-stroke design that offered tremendous torque, spread out over a wide RPM range. When I google 322 Buick Nailhead specs, I get a range of #s all over the place. This is the arena where Nailheads shine. we are not responsible for honoring old prices.- The '56 redesigns of those parts plus a compression bump to 9.5:1 were responsible for bringing the '56 322's rating up to 255 hp and 341 lb-ft. To build our hot rod 322 we're going to combine the best elements of our old '54 and a core '56 engine to build a solid performer. If you want a bigger cam make sure it has at least 214 duration at 0.050 or you are just wasting money on an HP cam, he says. For several years, it was called the 'Buick Eight' or . We're sure the original manufacturer had ratcheting crimping pliers or something similar. Everyone has their own opinion. It needs to have the starter changed, as well as having the charging system checked out. 1947 Buick Super Reno, NV | Hemmings The stock short rocker arms eat up bronze guides in a short time., Valve seals were only used in 1966 and only on the intake guides. There is not enough room, you can block off oil passage holes and/or cam sprocket will not clear them. The '56 water pump is a revised and more efficient design than the '54, but unfortunately the front cover from our parts engine was heavily rusted and pinholeda common problem on neglected nailheads. They made incredible torque at the expense of high-rpm horsepower, but horsepower wasnt our goal. But one of our favorite nailhead-powered cars was a dragster photographed at the 58 NHRA Nationals. 322-364-401-425 Bolt Torque Spec's | Centerville Auto Rep It featured 299/290 degrees of duration and 0.441/0.439 inches of lift at 0.050 on the intake/exhaust, ground on a 109-degree centerline. Design Variations Of course, great design does not always mean simple and in the Nailheads case thats a fact youll have to come to grips with. But that didnt compromise the intended purpose of this motor. Atop our Kring intake we're running Empi's (yeah, the VW guys) new Weber 48 IDA-style carbs. These engine blocks rarely crack, but if they do, the crack is usually hidden by the starter. A complete 425 Buick weighs 620-640 pounds, which isn't bad for that much displacement, and can easily be svelted-down another 50 pounds or so with tubing headers and a typical aluminum aftermarket intake manifold. Since we're newbies to Weber-style carbs, tuning expert and all-around accomplished racer Wyatt Radke from Empi took time to swing by Dyno-Motive to help us balance the air and fuel flow. Without the right gaskets, engines can leak oil front and rear of the gasket from the oil passages that feed oil to the rockers. Sanderson Headers has the hot side covered, and the right year and model of original cast-iron manifolds can work quite well in some applications. The immortal small-block Chevy has to win on longevity and versatility: that beast was born in 1955 and is still getting planted in brand-new machines today. Good thing too because according to Bill Mizia at B & T we were pretty far off, which is very common on vintage engines. This Buick was squeezed with a crank-driven blower, which fed pressurized air intothe exhaust ports? That would explain why the exhaust was ducted straight out of the intake. Often referred to as a Nailhead V8 engine. Light Em Up: Drag Racing, the HOT ROD Power Tour Way. The 264 is a great engine for a light weight car, the 425 is going to give the most torque for heavy cars and trucks and for towing. The blocks have a tall deck height for a good rod stroke ratio (the taller block allows for a longer rod). Rather than deal with points, we upgraded to an Ignitor electronic ignition from PerTronix. 322-364-401-425 Nailhead Engines. Like the Small Block Chevy, the Rocket 88 Olds, the Ford Flathead and the Chrysler Hemi, the Buick Nailhead engine is one of those that has the immortal smell of history all over it.. Web, View semeandsonautomotives profile on Facebook. The striking new Kring rocker and spark plug covers required longer-than-stock mounting bolts. Fortunately for us, Rocking B Enterprises just released its killer new aluminum cover for 322-425ci nailheads. I use two plugs on the galley hole behind the distributor there is enough room without blocking oil passages unlike the three front plugs and apply green threadlocker on all of them.. variations. Used 2016 Buick LaCrosse for Sale in Newark, NJ | Edmunds Only a very limited number of 66s were ordered with an optional 340hp 401 fitted with 11:1 pistons and a Quadrajet carb in lieu of the standard Carter AFB. Related: Cast vs.