brad54

I've got a whole library of vintage Motor's Manuals, but as luck would have it, the only one I'm missing covers '59-'64. (Every other year, from '35 to '87, but that one's eluded me!)<BR>I've got the Chilton's manual, but it's not much help.<BR>Were there two different transmissions available? The previous owner thought it might be a '61 engine, but didn't remember for sure.<BR>Would the trans pan be the same as later Turbo 400s? It's a sinlge 4-bbl engine. <BR>Also, what's the deal with the bellhousing extensions on the blocks? I've read on here that the bell housing mount on 401s changed at one point. What was the difference, when did it occur, and can I tell what it was without the torque converter and flex plate?<BR>Oh yeah, will finding a torque converter be a problem? Are they application (Buick) specific for these engines?<BR>Thanks,<BR>-Brads

A friend of mine just gave me a 401 and the accompanying trans. Not knowing anything about Nailheads past 1956 (and precious little about those either!), could someone tell me how to decode the year of the block and what casting numbers I should be looking for (is it as easy as those big ones on the sides of the cylinder heads? Or that one on the water cross over? Probably not, but thought I'd take a shot)<BR>What auto trannies were found behind 401's and how can I identify mine? It's got a real, real short tailshaft, and the trans mount is located on it.<BR>He was under the impression it might have been the Buick version of the Turbo 400, but didn't know for sure. If that's the case, are the tail shafts the same?<BR>Any and all help is greatly appreciated!<BR>-Brad

First, the starter relay on the carb: It's magic. Really. <BR>Don't worry about it trying to re-start the car--I've spent a lot of time fiddling under the hood on my '54 (with the same type of starter system), and I've never had a problem. I did figure out that by having the key in the "run" position with the engine off, and then putting the linkage all the way forward, the car will start. And it'll roll over your toes if you've left it in gear and it's a stick shift. So you can start the car manually, from under the hood, the same as with the gas pedal.<BR>As for the carb tuning, get yourself a factory shop manual--it's all in there, and it's how I learned a couple of months ago because I went through the same exact thing swapping from a 2-bbl to a 4-bbl.<BR>Also, get a vintage Motor's Repair Manual covering that year of car, and work with that. Both of these are excellent resources, and will answer this and any other question you'll have. (Don't get the more common Chilton's manuals--they're not as good.)<BR>Good luck!<BR>-Brad

I've got the same deal on my '54 Special--single running back to just ahead of the rear end, then splits. I didn't bother with a muffler though. Talk about a nice rumble! It gets looks everywhere, and is noted for it's sound around town.<BR>Of course, it's only a 264, and compression was rated at 7.2:1 from the factory, and I'm sure mine's less than that because I suspect the rings are wasted. So I can get away with no muffler.<BR>However, when I build the hot 322 for it in the coming months, it'll have true duals. I'm going to cut holes through the X-member and gusset them, basically mirroring what's already on the passenger side. The only place it'll get tight is around the clutch/master cylinder assembly.<BR>-Brad

Gas tank? Oh man do I know about gas tank problems! I know the Howard Franklin Bridge in Florida, going over Tampa Bay, sways about a foot and a half on center, even on a calm day, because of crud in the gas tank.<BR>If you live anywhere near Flordia, ship the gas tank to a place called Restoration Depot (941-773-2545) and have them chemically strip it. It will clean all the crud out, and de-rust it.<BR>You won't like this next part: you should replace the fuel lines, front to back. The inside of the lines can rust if the lines ever sat empty for any length of time, and the rust in them is like talcum powder. It's amazing stuff, and no matter how long you flush clean gas and change filters, it never seems to clean out. Think about how long the fuel line is--that's a lot of area to rust. Inline Tube in Detroit makes a real nice replacement set of lines that are accurate.<BR>Take my word on this--you're going to have to rebuild the fuel system to really enjoy the car.<BR>Congrats on the cruise!<BR>-Brad

Other manifolds available? Like what?<BR>I know there is a 3x2, factory 2 and 4 bbls (have one of each), and I suppose a log intake would fit, but are there more?<BR>Can the intake runners be opened up at all?<BR>I really like the idea of multi carbs, and found a 2x4 for $75. The engine will get used a lot.<BR>-Brad

I've read here a few times that the Offy 2x4 intake for the Nail Heads isn't worth it's recycling value, especially compared to the factory 2x4 intake. Why? What specifically makes them a miserable intake?<BR>Also, that's on the bigger engines--how do they perform on a small 322, with a pair of original 4-bbl carbs (or something similar in size--I want to keep the foot starter)?<BR>I'm guessing fuel economy would be better with a 3x2 intake, even with progressive linkage. Anybody done the comparison first hand?<BR>Thanks,<BR>-Brad

You know what? I agree with you! Good luck on your letter!!!

I bought a coil spring compressor off a Mac or Snap On truck, and it was only $35. The one I have has the two fingers on the top, and then at the bottom it has a flat plate that slides across the coil, with the threaded shaft running the length of the coil. It's a great compressor, and I've been very happy with it.<BR>Don't ever, ever change front coil springs without a spring compressor, because they are compressed and under pressure in the front A-Arms. Don't use the ol' Floor jack under the control arm using the weight of the car method. If that spring pops out, it'll leave a pumpkin-sized hole in whatever is in its way.<BR>For the rear, the springs are only under the presure of the axle housing and the cross member. The springs aren't under pressure, and thus won't fly out when you loosen them. On my '54, I supported the car on jack stands, then unbolted the bottom of the springs, lowered the axel housing, and then disconnected the top of the springs.<BR>The top could be a [censored], because of the rubber impregnated burlap biscuit in the top of the spring pocket. It grabs onto the threads of the bolt that holds the spring in. I spent six hours with an impact wrench and a 36-inch long 3/4 drive ratchet to get them out. Six hours under the car, working over my head. With rust in the eyes. Wear eye protection is the last bit of advice I'd give.<BR>But the new stance is worth it!<BR>-Brad

But think of the millions of poor Chevys that were butchered for their engines...<BR> <BR>I don't think aluminum heads for the Nails are practical, but what about modern trans adapters (700R4 to a 364, for instance...or modern 6-speed to 401/425, etc), and a decent aluminum single 4-bbl intake that accepts later Carter and Holley carbs. Maybe re-popping the embossed finned aluminum Buick GS valve covers, but putting the breather in a better spot, etc. Header flange kits. Spin-on oil filter adapters for all the engines. Stuff like that. Good cams, not regrinds with out-of-date lobe profile technology. <BR>If someone offered this stuff, do you think people would buy it? That's what I want to know.<P>For instance, anybody realize that a 322 Nailhead has a 4-inch bore? So does the 350 Chevy. And a bunch of other "modern" engines. So chrome moly piston rings are available, as are the high-zoot Zero Gap rings. No more "Bore as you drive" cast iron piston rings. Do people know stuff like that?<BR>-Brad

A sheared rivet on the clutch plate killed my pilot bearing, which now gives me a good 1/4-3/8-inch play on my input shaft. The car is a '54 Special. I've got a spare 5-bolt cover trans to rebuild (for just such an emergency), but I'd like to convert to an open driveshaft so I can get something closer to highway gears in the rear end (3.40 is the tallest I can find for the torque tube driveline). I know a Pontiac tail shaft will bolt to the back of a 6-bolt cover trans. Does anyone know if an olds or other make has the right length input shaft or mounting ears on the main case to bolt in place of the Buick box? I'm faced with buying a new trans for the conversion anyway, so I'm trying to make my search as broad as possible.<BR>Or, does anyone know if gears higher (numerically lower) were offered in anything that will bolt into the housing of a '54? <BR>Thanks for the help.<BR>-Brad

Bolt it to your engine stand.<BR>I also saw some guys at the race track rebuilding one once: They had a 55 gallon drum and laid the trans, tail first, into the drum. Then they put two big honkin' screwdrivers through two of the bolt holes at the bottom of the bellhousing, and then hooked the screwdrivers over the edge of the drum. It wasn't pretty, but it was very effective.<BR>Angle iron braces bolted to the work bench also might work. I don't think it'd have to bolt to all of the holes all the way around the bell housing.<BR>Good luck.

Will the Olds trans bolt to the Buick bellhousing? The problem with the '39 Caddy trans is that it'll be even harder to get parts for than the '54. Plus I doubt it's synchronized.<BR>I've got a spare 5-bolt cover trans, but I really want to go with highway gears, and can't find a way to do that with the Torque Tube. (3.40 is still a bit too steep. I'd like 3.23 or even 3.10 or even 2.90)<BR>I appreciate the offer, but I don't want to part with the car just yet. (Hope my wife doesn't read this...)

I want to go with an open drive shaft for mainly one reason: highway gears. It's got the stock 3.90 gears in it, and I've got a set of 3.40 gears from an automatic car, but 1) the gears sat for a long time and the teeth are slightly pitted 2) 3.40 is still a bit too steep. I'd like to go to a 3.20-or so gearing.<BR>The ideal set up would be an overdrive manual trans (like from a '58 Chevy)and an open drive shaft. That way I can have like 3.55 gears and still get gas mileage. I know I'll have to fabricate control arms running up front, and the accompanying cross member. I'll also have to have the input shaft of the trans lengthened almost 2 inches and re-heat treated to work with the stock bell housing.<BR>Unless you know of a way to get highway gears with the 3 speed. It doesn't have to be fast off the line--I've got another car for that. I just want something I can get on the open road with!<BR>Thanks,<BR>-Brad

Anyone have, or know where I can get, a Manual trans with a six-bolt cover. I just pulled the 264 out of my daily driver '54 Special because of bad noises coming from the bell housing: A sheared rivet on the clutch disk sent metal bits into the pilot bearing, which wiped out the bearing, and the resultant slop at the end of the input shaft now gives me about 1/4 inch of play in the mainshaft at the trans. <BR>I'm figuring this is the catalyst I need to an open driveshaft at this point, but I need a 6-bolt trans to do that. Either that or hunt down an OD trans from a '58 Chevy and have a machine shop lengthen the input shaft. But then I have to convert the steering column, too.<BR>Thanks

I'm curious: there's a company (actually a couple) that specializes in early Hemi engines. Dodge, DeSoto and Chryslers. He makes a decent living, and business is really picking up for him. He doesn't deal with the later 426 Hemi engines, or any of the related components. He sells old speed equipment, replacement parts like bearings and pistons, etc., and has developed a lot of new parts, such as timing chain covers, aluminum heads, several different manifolds, heavy duty con rods, etc.<BR>Is there a market like this for Nail Heads? I know there are a couple of companies that specialize in Buicks, and Buick engines, but it seems like Nail Heads are an afterthought to most of them. Is my perception accurate?<BR>I'd be interested in your thoughts.<BR>-Brad

I'm curious: there's a company (actually a couple) that specializes in early Hemi engines. Dodge, DeSoto and Chryslers. He makes a decent living, and business is really picking up for him. He doesn't deal with the later 426 Hemi engines, or any of the related components. He sells old speed equipment, replacement parts like bearings and pistons, etc., and has developed a lot of new parts, such as timing chain covers, aluminum heads, several different manifolds, heavy duty con rods, etc.<BR>Is there a market like this for Nail Heads? I know there are a couple of companies that specialize in Buicks, and Buick engines, but it seems like Nail Heads are an afterthought to most of them. Is my perception accurate?<BR>I'd be interested in your thoughts.<BR>-Brad

You mean like Dyna-Flash? Are we limiting this to GM? Didn't Ford have the Cruise-O-Matic? <BR>Man, those names alone had to shave at least a second off the 0-60 mph times and add 10 miles per hour to the top end back in the day!

That info on the year change is gold! Do you have the copies of the articles you quoted? I'd gladly pay you for photo copies. <BR>(Got anything concrete on the 9.5x2.5 finned drums from '67-69 Skylarks?)<BR>As for the stud question, I don't know what the bolt diameter is for your wheel bolts. I do know on the drums I have (from a '63), the hole in the drum is a lot smaller than my '54s wheel bolts.<BR>Sometimes manufacturers put left hand threads on one side of the car due to tire rotation/lug nuts loosening, but that theory seems to have gone by the way side. I don't know how that would affect bolts on the back side of the wheel.<BR>You might also have a clearance problem with the bolt heads.<BR>My personal (and I stress that) opinion is that it'd be better to go with a wheel stud. A drill press will clean the threads out (I didn't have one at the time), and a look at the book at NAPA or somewhere will show that there are a ton of differnt combinations for wheel studs, with the dimensions listed including bolt diameter, bolt width, shoulder diameter, shoulder width, etc. Check out the studs before you make a decision.<BR>Thanks again for the info on the years!!!<BR>-Brad

Good point. Thanks!<BR>Now that you've mentioned it, those "wishbone" tubes are probably pretty thin.<BR>

Antique Automobile Radio in Palm Harbor, Florida. They can completely restore (and I do mean completely) any radio to factory specs, including new buttons, face and lense and internals.<BR>They can also upgrade the radio to modern internals, add hidden CD-player jacks and make it generally perform like a brand new high-end stereo, yet look totally concours resto correct. I've got one in my '54, and I love it. The modern conversion costs about what a new high-end radio would, while the CD player kicks that up.<BR>Their number is 800-933-4926.<BR>Hope that helps.

Not picky at all! I'm doing my '54 Special as a custom, and I'm shooting to make it look like it was done in about '59.<BR>I want to keep it period correct, but I'm going to probably use a later model FrigidAir A/C compressor (mid-late '60s) Mopar 8 3/4 rear (intro'd in late '50s-early '60s), 90-fin aluminum drums on front (mid-late '60s), 45-fin drums in back, and Gran Sport finned aluminum valve covers. Those won't be "period" perfect, and the rear won't be GM, but it's stronger than the '57 Chevy rear I have (and the Chevy rear is more valuable to a collector).<BR>I'd think your GM rear would work with the wires, and running finned aluminum drums would look great!<BR>

Since someone mentioned tools, here's my .02 worth:<BR>I've never once had anyone at Sears question me when I returned a tool. Plus they carry every tool as an individual part, while many other stores don't stock "singles." If you've got a busted wrench or socket from Bench Top (K-Mart) and you go to replace it, you may not be able to because they don't carry singles, only full sets, and they might not want to break up a set, even though it's warrantied for life.<BR>Long after the initial sting of buying quality tools wears off, you'll be happy with them during use. Buy cheap tools, and you'll curse every time a screwdriver tip bends and strips a screw head on the way out, or a wrench stretches it's jaw and rounds off the bolt.<BR>Tip: GearWrenches are awesome, fully warrantied, and worth every penny. And they're cheapest at Ace Hardware or Sears on sale. You won't want to live without them.<BR>FloorJacks: I've got a Craftsman 2-ton floorjack that I bought 13 years ago, and I really want to get rid of it--it looks like hell, and the 3.5-ton wasn't available then. Unfortunately, the jack still works like a champ, holds pressure (I tested it last week by holding a '57 Chevy wagon 6-inches off the ground for a few days), and does everything I ask of it, including things I shouldn't ask. It just won't die, which irritates me because I'd like to get a new one that goes full lift on one pump until it hits resistance, then works like a regular jack. What brand do you suppose I'll get?

Instead of carb cleaner, try WD-40. But be careful as all of these are flamable!<BR>I had a vacuum leak, and found that I'd put the carb gasket on upside down (the gasket between the carb and the intake manifold). There is definately a top and bottom!<BR>You know that curved "channel" on the intake ahead of the throttle holes running left to right? It's not symetrical across the intake--it doesn't extend as far on one side as it does the other. I'd have thought I'd notice something like that while I was installing it, because it's obvious when you know to look, but...<BR>I chased that one daily for weeks.<BR>-Brad

Well, if we're talking custom fabbed stuff, ship the old rear end housing to Drive Train Specialists in Michigan and have them mount the stock perches and brackets to a Mopar 8 3/4 rear end housing (it's cheaper and stronger than a 9-inch). Then all you've got to do is take the stock "wishbone" arms, split them (cut them off the torque tube) and make a mount for them up front. A simple cross member, a simple tubing end with a bushing in it (welded to the end of each arm) bolted to a bracket on each side of the new drive shaft should get the job done.<BR>Then you don't have to worry about new shocks (you can keep the stock brakes/backing plates/shocks and mounts in the rear), pan hard bar, coil springs, etc.<BR>If you go this route, make sure they transfere the backing plate mounting flanges to the new housing. <BR>That'd be my two cents' worth.