Pinhead63 Posted May 21, 2017 Share Posted May 21, 2017 This is my first Buick a 1963 Special with an all aluminum 215 nailhead v8 (pinhead) and auto transmission shes been sitting in a warehouse for twenty five years 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC-car-guy Posted May 22, 2017 Share Posted May 22, 2017 While struggling to load the car, pinhead and Mr Earl were kicking rocks.... Ha ha ha jk... sorry about the ruts in your driveway 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEarl Posted May 22, 2017 Share Posted May 22, 2017 2 hours ago, wndsofchng06 said: While struggling to load the car, pinhead and Mr Earl were kicking rocks.... no problem, learned some new dance steps. Like I said, I'll just name one of the potholes Matt and the other Mike. I've got a motorgrader coming, to whom shall I send the bill. Oh and thanks for the case of Yuengling, and Rita said she hates she missed y'all. The the first thing she said when she walked in and looked on the table "ahhh, the boys brought me some wine". Looking forward to hearing more about that pinhead. It was actually the first one I had ever seen and thought "Oh look, a little baby nailhead with headers" Not a lot has been discussed here about the 215 aluminum engines. Got a feeling that is about to change, just hope it is all good. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinhead63 Posted May 23, 2017 Author Share Posted May 23, 2017 While im waiting for the master cylinder and fuel pump to get here I thought I'd take care of the important stuff 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinhead63 Posted May 23, 2017 Author Share Posted May 23, 2017 Looks its already catching women! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avgwarhawk Posted May 24, 2017 Share Posted May 24, 2017 That's great! Looking forward to this adventure! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kgreen Posted May 24, 2017 Share Posted May 24, 2017 Nice car! I didn't realize it had an aluminum nailhead in it. If it's not a straight-8 I have trouble identifying them. Good luck with the repairs and recoveries. I'd like to hear how that engine performs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC-car-guy Posted May 24, 2017 Share Posted May 24, 2017 I still think it looks like a law man car..... Tommy Lee Jones could pop out to fight aliens at any moment... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinhead63 Posted May 24, 2017 Author Share Posted May 24, 2017 Thanks guys ill do my best to keep everyone updated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC-car-guy Posted May 24, 2017 Share Posted May 24, 2017 More photos... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEarl Posted May 25, 2017 Share Posted May 25, 2017 1 hour ago, wndsofchng06 said: More photos... yea more pictures, and hurry up and ask some questions about the engine, I want to see what Willie knows about pinheads. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted May 25, 2017 Share Posted May 25, 2017 (edited) 8 hours ago, kgreen said: Nice car! I didn't realize it had an aluminum nailhead in it. If it's not a straight-8 I have trouble identifying them. Good luck with the repairs and recoveries. I'd like to hear how that engine performs. NOT a nailhead. Totally different design. This design was finally sold to British Leyland and became the base for the V8 used in the Land Rover which finally upped the displacement to 5.0 Liters. It first appeared in 1961 and was last used by Buick in 1963; the nailhead first appeared in 1953 and was used through 1966. Mickey Thompson raced a stock block 215 at Indy. The same block, with different heads, was used by Oldsmobile in the same era. Very light weight at just over 300 lbs. A nailhead weighs close to 650 lbs. Edited May 25, 2017 by RivNut (see edit history) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old-tank Posted May 25, 2017 Share Posted May 25, 2017 25 minutes ago, MrEarl said: I want to see what Willie knows about pinheads. What is a pinhead?...and that should answer your question! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEarl Posted May 25, 2017 Share Posted May 25, 2017 1 hour ago, old-tank said: What is a pinhead?...and that should answer your question! Well I guess we know one thing it's not now don't we V V V 1 hour ago, RivNut said: NOT a nailhead. Totally different design. This design was finally sold to British Leyland and became the base for the V8 used in the Land Rover which finally upped the displacement to 5.0 Liters. It first appeared in 1961; the nailhead first appeared in 1953. Mickey Thompson raced them at Indy for a couple of years. The same block, with different heads, was used by Oldsmobile in the same era. Of course it's not a true nailhead Ed, not even close. But you gotta wonder why Buick made the rocker covers sit flat on top of the engine like they do....to look like a nailhead? Just maybe? All I said was it looks like a baby nailhead with cool headers. If I still had my little GT6+ I'd probably be running a 215 in it. I think they are some cool engines and I think I overheard Mike saying something about looking for a 4 bbl intake and carb set up. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted May 25, 2017 Share Posted May 25, 2017 The tops of the heads don't sit horizontal like the nailhead; it's the way the valve covers are stamped that gives it an allusion. Look especially at the geometry of the pushrods as compared to the valves. In the 215, they run sort of parallel to each other with the valves on the exhaust side of the head. Conventional rocker arms. In the nailhead the form an X, like the intakes on a Chrylser hemi. The nailhead does have a hemispherical combustion chamber but all of the valves are in the intake side of the head. Look at the "backwards" action of the rocker arms. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEarl Posted May 25, 2017 Share Posted May 25, 2017 I think we get your point Ed, it's not a nailhead. My point... it's still a cool frickin engine! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted May 25, 2017 Share Posted May 25, 2017 I know many of these still run great and are good engines however, when thinking of the broken water pump bolts in aluminum timing chain covers I often wonder about this situation with these 215 V8's. Does anyone have hands on experience getting one apart? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC-car-guy Posted May 25, 2017 Share Posted May 25, 2017 I was reading that after declining sales, new management wanted to bring back familiar things to help boost sales again. They resurrected the "special" name and wanted to keep the nailhead look. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC-car-guy Posted May 25, 2017 Share Posted May 25, 2017 Just now, JohnD1956 said: I know many of these still run great and are good engines however, when thinking of the broken water pump bolts in aluminum timing chain covers I often wonder about this situation with these 215 V8's. Does anyone have hands on experience getting one apart? Mike reported that the plugs were a real beast. Anti-seize will be his friend. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted May 25, 2017 Share Posted May 25, 2017 Antiseize or oxyguard. And mostly keeping it warm from use. It seems to me that the oxidation process is slowed when the fasteners are kept hot. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raugusti Posted May 25, 2017 Share Posted May 25, 2017 My 63 Skylark has this same engine. Anti-seize on the plugs is a must. The engine was used by Rover until Ford bought them. It was also the original engine in the TR-8. I have a couple of spares around and always make sure they are accounted for when the Triumph club leaves after a get together. I also have a few extra 4 barrel intakes, but the hot setup would be to find the FI off a Range Rover, my understanding is that is basically bolt on. Scott 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinhead63 Posted May 26, 2017 Author Share Posted May 26, 2017 Well she's running but ive got two problems theres a constant backfire you can here it in the beginning of the video and she's stil not getting oil to the heads 20170526_123656.mp4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC-car-guy Posted May 26, 2017 Share Posted May 26, 2017 (edited) The backfire may be running too rich if it's close to the engine. The oil thing Is a little scary The oil pump rides off the dizzy. plumb a known good mechanical oil pressure gauge to the feed port then remove the distributor and turn the oil pump using an electric drill. This lets you test the pump without risk to the rest of the engine. apparently the pump is external to the motor, mounted on the lower passenger side of the front cover behind the oil filter Edited May 26, 2017 by wndsofchng06 (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinhead63 Posted May 26, 2017 Author Share Posted May 26, 2017 Ok backfire is gone I had two plug wires switched and theres oil to the head now I can see it dripping from the rockers and draining back into the head its hard to see in the video 20170526_140944.mp4 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC-car-guy Posted May 26, 2017 Share Posted May 26, 2017 Awesome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avgwarhawk Posted May 26, 2017 Share Posted May 26, 2017 (edited) How do the points, cap and rotor button look? Have you investigated these parts and the gap on the points? Looks to me, in the second video and now you said the plug wires are in correct order, the gap on the points are not where it needs to be. Edited May 26, 2017 by avgwarhawk (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinhead63 Posted May 26, 2017 Author Share Posted May 26, 2017 2 hours ago, avgwarhawk said: How do the points, cap and rotor button look? Have you investigated these parts and the gap on the points? Looks to me, in the second video and now you said the plug wires are in correct order, the gap on the points are not where it needs to be. Rotor and cap are like new the points probably do need adjusting I only cleaned the old one with sandpaper and put them back you wouldn't know the specs by chance? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avgwarhawk Posted May 26, 2017 Share Posted May 26, 2017 .30 gap more than likely. Old school use a match book cover. Don't smoke'em if you got'em. It kills. Do you have the hex key adjustable points? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacerman Posted May 26, 2017 Share Posted May 26, 2017 .030 gap sounds excessive for the points. More like .016. If you are talking about the gap between the rotor end and the cap brass, I don't know what that should be. Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC-car-guy Posted May 26, 2017 Share Posted May 26, 2017 Specs say .016 gap. 30 degree dwell .. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avgwarhawk Posted May 26, 2017 Share Posted May 26, 2017 3 minutes ago, wndsofchng06 said: Specs say .016 gap. 30 degree dwell .. yes. forgot dwell reading 30 ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEarl Posted May 27, 2017 Share Posted May 27, 2017 21 hours ago, Pinhead63 said: Well she's running but ive got two problems theres a constant backfire you can here it in the beginning of the video and she's stil not getting oil to the heads 20170526_123656.mp4 did you change oil, prime the oil pump then turn the engine without the coil wire on to get oil circulated before cranking and running. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinhead63 Posted May 27, 2017 Author Share Posted May 27, 2017 8 hours ago, MrEarl said: did you change oil, prime the oil pump then turn the engine without the coil wire on to get oil circulated before cranking and running. Not in that order i cranked it a bit with the coil disconnected put the new fuel pump on got it running confirmed it had oil to the head and did an oil change 20170526_174756.mp4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinhead63 Posted May 27, 2017 Author Share Posted May 27, 2017 Thanks again for the help guys I've ordered a rebuild kit for the carb but im having a hard time finding a master cylinder any help is appreciated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC-car-guy Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 What have you found? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beemon Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 What's wrong with your master cylinder? Leaking? Spongey pedal? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC-car-guy Posted June 13, 2017 Share Posted June 13, 2017 Have you called Kanter yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene Brink Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 Kanter - for the master cylinder https://www.kanter.com/productdetail.aspx?DeptNo=1100&MakeName=Buick&MakeYear=1963&CategoryID=54&ProductCode=233&Router=Catalog nothing for a rebuild kit but if you can find one they are easy to rebuild. Good luck. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Phillips Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 When working on that 215, be very mindful of the bolt torque specifications as well as spark plugs. Don't over-tighten anything or you will strip those aluminum threads. I have owned several of these. They are good engines. Pete Phillips, BCA #7338 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted June 18, 2017 Share Posted June 18, 2017 My wife gave me an early Father's day gift today -- the August 2017 issue of Hemmings Classic Car. She bought it because of the article on a 1964 Pontiac GP (like mine), but there's also a very interesting article about the genesis of the Buick V6. The V6 was derived from the 215 V8 and the article also details the evolution of the BOP compact car line through the 1960s. (The August issue must have just come out, as it is not yet on the Hemmings website.) 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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