Steve B

By Year:<P>95 Suburban, 6.5 turbo diesel, 4x4<BR>85 Park Avenue, 280K miles<BR>85 Suburban, 6.2 diesel, 4x4<BR>67 Skylark, 525 stage IV, TH 400<BR>66 GS Skylark Conv, 401/ST 300-to be 425/4spd<BR>65 GS Skylark, 401/ST 300 in progress<BR>63 Riv, 401/ Dynaslow, with 65 front clip<P>Dad's Buicks:<P>83 Regal, 455/TH 400<BR>70 Estate Wagon, 455/TH 400 - Rough<BR>67 Sportswagon, 340/TH 400 - Rough<BR>59 Electra 2 DR, 401/Dyna

Check the solenoid as 462 cat described, but you should be able to manually pull the TH 400 into low below 40 MPH. Check to see there is nothing in the way of the shift linkage under the hood or where the linkage connects to the shifter arm. Make sure the bushing and spring are on the shifter arm that goes to the trans. There is a linkage adjuster for the gear selector where the linkage connects to the shifter arm on the trans. Loosen the bolt, push the linkage up through the adjuster a little bit at a time, and tighten the bolt. Repeat the process until the trans will click into low when you shift it there. You may need to adjust the neutral safety switch if the back up lights do not come on in R, the starter won't engage in P or N, of if the starter will engage in R or D. Then go have fun in low. Bet your tread life will never be the same!

You can use the the shroud from a 67 GS 400 in that application. Poston has a glass reproduction for around $115.

The problem with the secondaries seems to be related to my right foot and the big grin. I don't know what comes first, but they all seem to work together.

You will also need a Nailhead spreadbore manifold. That manifold was only avalable in 66 on the big cars. I think they were only on the 425s, but I am not 100% sure. I put one on my 401 engine. I can't tell you how economical it is because the secondaries keep opening up.

I just want to make sure I have this right. If I got the complete front disc brake system from a 71 Monte Carlo for my 66 GS, I would have to replace the Monte steering arms attached to the spindle with the ones from my 66. Then just put it all back together using the Monte master cylinder and proportioning valve. Is that right? <P>Thanks - Steve

Brian, <P>I am sure. Poston sells the same frame mount to install a 400/430/455 for the 64-67 Skylark. These are copies of the 67 GS 400 frame mount. I used that frame mount to put a 430 in a 65 Skylark, and then used the same frame and motor mounts to put a 455 in a 67 Skylark. Both engines were in the same place relative to the radiator and trans mount. They used the same driveshaft as well. The 66 and 67 also share the same front suspension kit, but some of the 66s (earlier) used the oval lower control arm bushings. Mine has the round bushings like the 67. All of this tells me that you could reverse that process and use 401 Skylark Gran Sport frame pads, engine mounts and motor mounts in a 67 Skylark. You know how I feel about the Nailhead, but most people (myself included) opted to put a 455 in their 67 GSs as it was a direct bolt in with the existing frame mounts.<P>The GSCA only guarantees their headers to fit a 65-66 Gran Sport Skylark (or a 64-67 Skylark/Special with a 401/425). They will be making another run in 2002. I think they sold for about $340 with shipping and all. The ones I sold on Ebay went for $610. They wanted/needed them now and did not want to wait for a year and a half.

Having both a 66 and a 67, I can tell you that the frame was the same from 64 through 67. 68 is when they made the change to the frame. If you had the frame pads and motor mounts from a 65-66 GS Skylark, a 401/425 would drop right in a 67. I dont think there is a "kit" to put the 65-66 400 (401) into a 68 and up body. I you had the 65-66 GS Skylark engine and motor mounts, you would have to weld up some frame mounts to put the 401 in the 68.

The high compression ratio is not the same for both years. The 64 is listed at 11:1, but the 65 Chassis Service Manual and the NHRA list the 65 300 at 10.25 compression. I think it was the pistons. I remember using 300 11:1 pistons in a 340 to bump up the compression back in the early 80s.

Your crankshaft goes around twice to the distributor once. You may have the distributor 180* out, but I am not sure it would run at all there. Pull the valve cover over the #1 cylinder and rotate the crank clockwise by hand (tool). Turn the crank until you see the #1 cylinder intake valve closeing. After the intake closes, keep turning the crank unitl it comes to TDC. Now check the position of the distributor rotor. The timing is ok if the rotor is pointing to the #1 cylinder wire position in the distributor cap. It is timed to the exhaust stroke if the rotor is pointing 180* oposite the #1 cylinder wire position. If you find that you are timed to the exhaust stroke, keep the crank right where it is, remove the distributor and reinstall it with the rotor pointing to the #1 cylinder wire position in the distributor cap. I hope that helps you out.

For an extra $100 or so why not have it done. If you turn up the performance up one day you will not have to worry about the short block, and you can be sure there are less nasty harmonics. <P>A lot of reman shops do the line bore as a matter of standard procedure. I would not do it unless it was indicated, or the crank was tight in the journals.

Hold up!! The 300 engine has the same trans bolt pattern as the 400/430/455. That means the 400/430/455 will bolt right up to your current trans. I think the 65 LaSabre had a ST 400 trans, but it could have been a ST 300. Either way, if there is a 300 engine in there now a 400/430/455 will bolt up to your current trans. I would not put a lot of faith in a ST 300 behind a 455 though. I think you could use the frame and motor mounts off a 67 or so Electra or Wildcat and the motor mounts from the big block to drop the 400/430/455 in. <P>Your car and the 400/430/455 have the starter on the passenger side. The nailhead has the starter and starter boss in the trans bell on the driver side. The nailhead uses the ST 400 and ST 300, but bell housing for the nailhead trans is cast to mate with the nailhead only. You would have to get a 401 and a trans with the nailhead bell housing for this to work in your car. You would also need the frame and motor mounts from a 64-66? Electra or Wildcat for this to work. That would be a more period correct drive train, but the 400/430/455 will give you the most bang for your buck.

Scott,<P>The vacuum advance opperates over and above the mechanical and initial advance when there is vacuum present. Under light load, conditions the engine can stand the extra advance and it will increase milage to have it advanced. There is a strong vacuum signal under these conditions, and the vacuum vacuum advance increases as the vacuum signal increases. Under wide open or high demand conditions, there is no vacuum or less vacuum. the vacuum advance reduces or is eliminated under these conditions. It is a good thing that it is reduced as the engine would not be able to tollerate this much advance and would perform poorly under high demand or wide open throttle conditions. After a certain RPM, say 2500, your engine really wants less advance as the rpms increase for max performance. Hence, the old Stinger systems retarded timing after a certain rpm by 2* per 1000 rpm. Hope this helps.

Scott,<P>Did you make sure the mechanical advance bushing is still in place? Your curve kit may have come with one. You will get too much advance without it, and it may ping even when you set the initial advance right. It made my 401 run like, well not too good. The bushing is on the under side of the advance tower and it is hard to see with the distributor in place. They tend to disappear after a while. I just pushed the new one on, but I have often heard people recommend epoxying it into place. I would also make sure the vacuum drops to 0 on the port you are using for the vacuum advance when you move the throttle quickly open. <P>Thanks for struggling with that other matter.

The link below is to a flow comparison of some 401 and 455 heads at various levels of porting. Note that a moderatly ported (and expensive) 401 head flows slightly less than an unported 430 head with 455 stage one valves. <P><A HREF="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BuickNailHead/files/Head%20Flow%20Comparison" TARGET=_blank>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BuickNailHead/files/Head%20Flow%20Comparison</A><P>[ 08-02-2001: Message edited by: Steve B ]<p>[ 08-02-2001: Message edited by: Steve B ]

You can contact Greg at (908)362-7692. I highly recommend him. His full weight GS is running in the low 11s with stock intake and exhaust manifolds. I picked up .3 seconds over a street/strip port with his competition porting done to my 455 heads. Good luck!

Yes, the 401 ST300 and ST400 trans have a different bolt pattern and bell housing then the 300 and 340 ST300 and ST400. The converter and all of the other internals are the same. The starter is also on the driver side on the 401, and the nailhead trans cases makes room for it there.

Pull a valve cover, and see if the rocker arms are moving as you turn it over. I would guess that the roll pin sheared in the distributor if they are moving. That could be a good deal if you got the price down some. Walk away and don't look back if they are not moving or only one or two move.

Randy,<P>Would you sell the LH exhaust manifold, or what would you want for the set?

What about these? I can't tell who made them.<BR> <A HREF="http://www.classicbuicks.com/hp&custom_misc.htm" TARGET=_blank>www.classicbuicks.com/hp&custom_misc.htm</A>

Try this link: <A HREF="http://www.parts123.com/PartFrame.asp?ZTM=cadegdha&GHOME=www.vintagespeed.com&TITLE=VINTAGE_SPEED" TARGET=_blank>http://www.parts123.com/PartFrame.asp?ZTM=cadegdha&GHOME=www.vintagespeed.com&TITLE=VINTAGE_SPEED</A>

Try Carmen Faso at J&C's Parts(716)693-4090. He has all sorts of 401/425 parts depending on what you want to do with it. Headers may be a custom item though. Good luck, and be careful not to fly with with those wings

Give it a whirl Brian. The GSCA guys thought they would be worth $700-800 some day. They aren't making them now, and don't expect another run for 1-2 years. Then, only if they get enough commitments. Compared to a custom bent and butchered set that would be basicly the same thing $600 is cheap. These are a proven Hooker Header repo after all. Make sure you list them wide in the discription and have nice pictures. People want to see what they will be getting. Good luck!

If you go to the 455, I would use a ST or TH 400 trans. The extra grunt of first gear will really get you moving. 66 and 67 ST 400s have the SP converter. Only ST 400s from cars with 340 engines from 66 will fit behind the 455. The others fit the Nailhead. All ST 400s from 67 will work. Make sure you get one with a short tail. If you get the frame mounts from Poston, you will only have to slide your crossmember back to the next set of holes. You would need a driveshaft from a GS 400 to make it work, but I would have a new one made up and balanced.

I have a set of Nailhead headers for sale on Ebay in case anyone is interested. They will fit a Nailhead 401 or 425 engine in a 1964, 1965, 1966 or 1967 GM A-Body. The Ebay item number is 588903477 or try: <A HREF="http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=588903477" TARGET=_blank>http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=588903477</A> . <BR>Buick didn't put a Nailhead in the 1964 or 1967 A-Body, but if you did these will work. I think they will work for a transplanted 364 in the same application. The headers may also work for "big" cars with a 401 or 425, but I am really not sure. <P>The headers are new, and have been sitting in my garage for the last year. They have never been fired or bolted on a car. They were the last set in a run of headers by the Gran Sport Club of America (GSCA) a few years ago. The headers come with all of the flanges, bolts, gaskets and reducers for installation. The headers have a 2.5 inch collector flange and the reducers have a 2 inch outside diameter. After porting my heads, I need a larger custom set bent for my project. Selling these headers will help finance part of the custom set.<P>Steve Berry<BR>GSCA #2173<BR>NHRA #H163<BR>63 Riv<BR>66 GS 4 Spd Convertible.<BR>67 GS Clone W/455