Moose2 Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 My 64 Riviera is a project car I bought without an engine or trans and I don't trust any of the pictures I've seen on-line to tell me definitively whether the nailhead engine that would be correct for my car has the oil sump well at the rear of the oil pan or if it is located somewhat in the center of the pan. Some pics of oil pans for nailheads show the sump well at the rear, but that doesn't seem like it would clear the steering linkage in my Riv. I stumbled across a Buick 455 someone bolted into a 67 Riviera and it looks like it might bolt into my 64. The car is sitting on its belly so I can't really get a good look at the underside of it, but it seems like the steering linkage is similar to my 64 (runs parallel to the frame crossmember and about 6-8 inches rearward from the crossmember). The pan on the 455 has the sump well located sort of in the center of the pan. Does anybody know if the 455 would bolt into my 64 without having to modify my steering linkage?? I'm just looking for a bolt-in that won't require screwing with the chassis. Feedback would be mucho appreciated!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Stoneberg Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 (edited) My 64 has the steering gear going through the middle of the pan. It has 2 sumps a front and a back. A nailhead motor (425 cu inches) is correct for your car. It has a center sump. Edited May 26, 2015 by Bill Stoneberg (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 (edited) If you're a member of the ROA, read the article in the tech tip about swapping a 400/430/455 into a '66 Riviera. You'll find about 20+ reasons not to do it. The '66 is built on the same chassis as the '67. You'll probably run into double that amount of trouble trying to fit a Buick big block into a '64. A few years ago there was a younger kid here in town who put a 455 into the '63 his grandfather willed to him. He had no room to run an air cleaner even with the block bolted directly to the frame. You'll have to rewire it completely - starter motor is on the other side and the distributor is on the other end. You'll have to replumb it - the 455 is set up for a cross flow radiator and your '64 has a down flow radiator. If I'm correct, only the really early nailheads and the nailheads that came in the A-body cars (Skylark, GS) had a rear sump pan. All full sized Buicks were built on the same platform in that era so a 401 or 425 from the 60's should work. Even one from 59 or 60 should work with a center sump pan. (It the pan had two sumps, it would need two drain plugs.) Look at the middle picture #3 in post #4 in the attached link and you'll see the sump between the front crossmember and the center link. http://forums.aaca.org/topic/158811-1964-riviera-new-exhaust-and-muffler-pictures/ Ed Edited May 25, 2015 by RivNut (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moose2 Posted May 25, 2015 Author Share Posted May 25, 2015 Yeah I know the 425 nailhead is correct for my 64. I was just hoping the 455 would be an easy swap, especially because I have a freshly rebuilt T400 transmission sitting on my garage floor, and I doubt if any year of nailhead would bolt to that trans, would it?? I was hoping I could stay away from the old slim jim transmission; I heard they were a bear to rebuild. I'll steer clear of the 455 though. Do ALL of the nailheads through 69 bolt into my 64, and is the TH400 (?) transmission used with the later ones easier to rebuild than the old slim jim?? Thanks again, and please be patient with me, I'm pretty new to the Buicks and their applications/limitations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moose2 Posted May 25, 2015 Author Share Posted May 25, 2015 I forgot; yes I'm a member of ROA and I appreciate the tech tip article you mention. I'll snoop my back-issues for it.Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric's.64.Superwildcat Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Hi Moose. The TH400 transmission was standard equipment on the '64, '63 was the last year for the dyna-flo. If you were considering the 455 for performance reasons you might consider keeping your 425 (for all the reasons stated above + plus the fact that it was the standard transmission for your car) and consider adding the two four-barrel carb option. It was called the Super Wildcat engine. I've occasionally seen members of this forum and elsewhere put the needed parts up for sale as a unit (intake, two carbs, throttle assembly, valve covers, distributor, air cleaner). Also, the nailheads didn't go through '69. 1966 was the last year for the nailheads. In '67 Buick switch to the 400 ci and 430 ci engines, and added the 455 in '70. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 (edited) The '64's ST400 is a little different than the rest of Buick's ST400's (TH400 in GM terms) but it's still a GM corporate transmission. If you have a freshly built TH400 you could probably find a reputable shop to swap the innards from it into an early case. The only real difference is the bell housing. The 65 - 67 transmissions also had the variable pitch "switch pitch" torque converter. High stall with the pedal mashed to the floor and at idle to keep the car from creeping due to all the torque of the Buick engine. Don't look for the swap in past articles, it's in the Tech Tips section on the ROA's website. Ed Edited May 26, 2015 by RivNut (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Riviera Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 I have seen a number of 455 transplants into early Rive - they were all in the junk yard ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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