Beemon

Funny you should mention Russ. That's the guy I'm buying the intake from! Dual 500CFM would be fine and has worked on other 322 engines, stock and rodded. Dynaflow might hold me back but I guess gas mileage really goes up with progressive linkage. I'm assuming the other sources I found that were weary of dual 500CFM carbs on a 322 were SBC guys. I've been doing a lot of research, the CFM isn't additive so it's not 1000CFM since vacuum would drop with both carbs at WOT, more equaling out to 600-700 CFM and Russ suggests a 650CFM carb on a 322 on his website. I think I am going to go for the carbs for now, just because the extra $1000 to get EFI might not be viable when I get to saving up. The carbs will be easier to purchase separately, also, versus dropping $1000 on one EFI throttle body. Plus, as any other consumer, I tend to spend more when I'm saving vs when I'm dumping cash every other paycheck.

I kind of thought it might be too much but from what I've read, the nailhead likes over carburetion. I do plan on putting more than stock exhaust, but would still be the same size pipe and the rest of the car is stock. First thing I suppose would be to get the msd kit and alternator since both setups would need it. I'm running the pertronix right now with a HP coil.

Yeah I was thinking about that, too. Just get new rubber lines and run and tuck them behind the block... My grandfather said every oil change was about 2 qts extra but the engine never skipped a beat and was 100% clean. The part that baffles me is that there has to be a return hole somewhere on the engine but there's isn't one on the oil pan or the valve covers, leading me to believe it may have been routed to the stock oil filter, but then I don't see how that's possible either.

My tax returns and money accumulated from Birthday/Christmas (Love or Hate December birthdays. Depends on whether or not its your turn for the big win.) will only cover the expenses for the rear diff and exhaust work this year. I have one payment for school left to make next month and then I have no more expenses until fall, so after taxes I make about just as much saving up during spring and into summer. My original plan with the car was to keep stock drive train and do small superficial performance mods to the engine, such as an extra carburetor. However, with the onset of EFI, and specifically Holley's new EFI coming out in June that pretty much simplifies the whole ordeal, I'm on the fence. I still want a dual setup, and can achieve this down the road with the Holley EFI, but dual carbs is the equivalent of one EFI and I want some opinions. There's a few intake manifolds on Ebay right now and they also commonly pop up so I'm not too worried about availability. The manifold will be between $200-600 and I'll need it for both setups, so I'll rule that out. The EFI swap also calls for an alternator, but I need one anyways as I'm pushing the limits with the stock generator using the heater blower, seal beams, etc. 2 Edelbrock 1403 carburetors will run about $750, plus plumbing. This will be the easiest since I won't need to replace my pump, and also the fastest. 1 Holley Sniper EFI system will run $1000, plus a $150 fuel tank from Tanks, Inc. and a $540 Aeromotive Phantom 200 EFI sump pump kit and plumbing brings the EFI to ~$1700, but the added drive-ability pays for itself and I can sideline the manifold until next year when I can pick up a second Holley Sniper. Plus if I go this route, I would also invest in an MSD 6A ignition box, coil and Nailhead distributor with lock out for a controlled timing, another $708. This is not a requirement, but I'd like to have it eventually. Obviously leaning towards the carbs, but wanted thoughts.

My front coils are fine per the frame measurements in the shop manual, but the rears are out of spec. When the car was apart, the engine sat in the front without anything but the block on it. The heads were stored in the rear with a bunch of other junk as the car became a large tool storage/cabinet from 1978 to 2010. Does anyone have any dimensions for the rear coils in terms of uncompressed spring height and spring height under load? I know they're pigtails on both ends. I'm trying to find a Moog counterpart. The coils on the market are $200 a pair for anything 50s, but you move to the 60s and they're $50-70 a pair, it's almost criminal. I'm sure anything out of a mid to late 60s full size GM car would fit just fine. I'm thinking it's 9-10 ride height from spring end to end with ~130lbs/in. I know Cadillac rear leaf springs have a capacity of 1190lbs according to one distributor. Thanks in advance!

My grandfather had this old Luber-Finer 200S installed on the right inner fender next to the radiator in the late 50's. I didn't know how it went together, so I didn't put it back on the car. Since Buicks are always unique at the local car shows (not a tri-five lol), and this is some vintage oil accessory that makes the car even more unique, I want to figure out how to put it back on. If anything, this extra oil filter saved the engine. The rebuilder said the oil pan was nearly sludge free and the crank was one of the cleanest cranks he's ever pulled out of a an old engine. Here are some pics I took of parts out of my "Parts that were in the car but may not be associated" bin. My uncle had a Dodge Dart/Plymouth Scamp, don't care to remember which, but I believe in one of the photos that it was his old hydraulic clutch. It's the valve with the banjo fittings and bleed screw. "Warning Outlet Center Port" Just in case the painted label wore off, it was thankfully cast that the center is the outlet. What I believe screws into the hole in the side of the block for the oil pressure gauge. The lines were pre-cut before I got hands on the car. Some other line I know is associated because of the fitting. And I'm pretty sure this is some type of hydraulic clutch mechanism and not related but thought I'd share for more insight. It has a piston in the bore and a tower in front of the banjo for what could be a return spring? Anyways I can see where the inlet comes from - the oil pressure hole, but where would the outlet be? To the oil filter? Or do I have it backwards? I don't know if anyone can really help me on this but thought I'd try and get some help. Thanks in advance!

I wish I was but I'm over here in Washington. Thanks for the offer, though. The shop says as long as I drive it like a normal car, there won't be an issue, it'll just have a noisy rear end like a late GM pickup.

So I know that I got part of this question answered earlier, but I did a quick search and the 1956-1965 gaskets for the carrier are the same. Does that mean I can drop a 65 carrier into my 56 axle and switch to open driveline? Or do the axle assemblies differ on the carrier?

Being a college student and working full time, my project money comes from tax returns. I had the engine rebuilt two years ago, the transmission rebuilt last year and this year was supposed to be the diff. The motor was apart when I started the car and the car sat because the Dynaflow went bad. I should have had the diff inspected at the time I started, too, but I was so jacked on getting the car running for my grandfather I started with the front and moved back. The Dynaflow was a $2400 fix and the diff will cost me $1800. I also just can't pull the plug with these guys, they're the family mechanic and I have a vintage car holding up one of their bays for two weeks during their busy season. With the condition of these rear ends, chances are that rebuilt one will be gone by the time I recoup my losses and they're so rare that another good set probably won't be around the same time next year. My father tells me its the family curse, the natural born losers lol. Always loose tools by just setting them down, having the shop rebuild a bad diff to have a new one pop up on Ebay one day later. After this debacle, I'm looking into just going to a Chev rearend with a 700r4 and truck arms next year. That also bums me out because I just spent a hefty dollar on swapping the rear drums to disc, $400 machine shop time to have the axles matched to the rotors, $205 brackets and $220 in hardware...

I unfortunately do not have $640 to drop on this unexpected repair, $300 on a used junkyard gear set was within budget. I'm quite bummed all of this info is turning up the day after I gave the shop the go ahead to rebuild what I have. Had I known this listing were to exist on a freshly rebuilt unit, it would have saved me $1000 in labor.

Damn. ... I wish you would have posted sooner, they're already in the process of disassembly and reassembly. It was okay before because the carrier was in one piece but if I have them put a hold on something that's already apart I'd just be wasting the shops time. Thanks for the offer, it was just two days late. I also don't think I'd have anything to horse trade.

I know its kind of unrelated to the heating issue, but you may want to buy a new fuel filter. They're usually yellow and yours is brown. In the same picture, it looks like your vacuum tubing for your whipers is also crushed or collapsed, which would lead me to believe it's not vacuum tubing but rather fluid tubing and should probably also be replaced.

I don't have many pictures, but I've always liked this one: And here's one in my "shop": I should get around to making a 'Me and my Buick'.

Well just wanted to give a status update. Turns out the gear set was junk and I never got out to the junkyard. There's one more in Idaho, but I have yet to hear from them and my spring break ends on Sunday. My other leads turned up dry - either pitted or non-existant. The plan is to put it back in the car and see what comes next.

Just wanted to post an update: I got a call today from the junkyard and I might not get out until Wednesday. I want to point out that they made it clear this is not a pick and pull style junkyard and they oversee any parts being removed from the vehicle, hence the one day work advance. About the only thing you can pull are hub caps... I can take a look and see what they have upon request but I won't be able to have them pulled until their employees are free.

Weather is looking good! Unless you mean the gears, then I won't know until I get out there. They're still sealed in the car with the 3.36 gears. I'm taking my original gears to match numbers just in case. I will take some pictures though. If you need anything, here's a full list of what they have - must be a little outdated because they said they had one Century that's not listed on this page, but I found it on another. Bear in mind it takes them one full work day to process orders and most of it is local pick up only, that was the case for the carrier anyways.

Found a salvage yard 2.5 hours away from me that has an unmolested 1956 Buick Century in the yard. I had to pay a deposit for them to pull it so I might get lucky.

Thank you so much this is exactly what I wanted to know. I have a lead on a 3.23 gear set but this will broaden my search.

Okay so am I to assume a 1956 Roadmaster/Super complete rear end will not fit but the carrier assembly will? The ring and pinion are identical but the housing isn't?

Just to be clear, the ring and pinions are interchangeable from 1956 to 1960? Or is it the whole rear end?

Okay I understand now. So would that be a bad thing that it has a smaller spline surface? Doesn't seem like it would affect the 1956 torque tube. Also does this mean that the ring and pinion off a 1957-1960 Buick is the same as a 1956 or are they still different?

Will this bolt up to the original torque tube and mounts? I'm not a fabricator and I hate chopping up the car. The car was in the shop to have all the bearings and seals redone in the rear end anyways. The car can't sit in the shop for long because they have a wait list now and they can't keep the car in the shop if they have nothing to work with. When I was in on Friday, the tech said the gears are in good condition for how old the car is, there is no problem with meshing and none of the teeth are damaged except for the hardening that's been worn off. It's under warranty for one year so they said if I find some gears in the next year they'll open it up for no shop time charge but I'll most likely have to buy a bearing kit again.

Thanks for the links, I'll check them out. Edit: Sent out parts request quote, but neither one had anything listed. Won't hear back until Tuesday...

The guy who runs the local yard does it out of his own pocket in his backyard. Last time I was up there he said he just dealed locally. I already put in a wanted add in Buy/Sell, still no hits. I have until next Friday before they put it back in the car and say come back again soon.

It was loud above 20mph. Shifting into reverse or drive after starting the car always clunked into gear, but after running the gear clunking went away. So far nothing has turned up except for those dirty Ebay listings with the wrong gear set. I would call Wheatbelt, but they aren't around anymore sadly. I'm just in a bind, it can't sit in the shop forever and I have no leads to a good gear set. The cars at the local classic junkyard have the rears torn out already.