Engine Swaps in a '66

[Guest drewriviera]

Hi guys,

I recently joined the ROA, having owned my '66 for about 7 years now. The guy who I bought the car from had the engine rebuilt by a hack! He literally made my engine around a set of flat top pistons!!! That's right-a 425 with flat top Pontiac 455 pistons!! Needless to say by the time I bought it, it has no compression, and I can't really save the block and heads because he shaved so much off of each to make them work with the pistons...I guess my first option would be to replace it with another nailhead, but I have an entire shed full of Olds engines. I was used to building Olds engines before my Buick purchase, and seeing as how my Riv is not original, I would love to put a built 403 or 455 Olds in it. My question to you guys is has anyone in here ever swapped out the nailhead for an Olds engine? The blocks are the same size on the outside, so whether you put a small block in yours or a a big block it doesn't matter...Surely someone has tried this? Just wondering if I could get some insight to this swap?

Thanks

-Andrew

[tim63riv]

Andrew,

Sell the Olds parts in the shed and buy another Nailhead for the 66. These cars are really coming into their own as far as value goes, why make it into a car that only a handful of guys would care about?

Engine swaps are done everyday, but successful ones require time, sound engineering and MONEY. Accessory brackets, exhaust routing and radiator outlets are some of the things that get missed in engine swaps.

It is your car and your money, do what you need to to get the car up and running. Just don't write off the Nailhead without thinking it through.

Good Luck,

Tim