Judd

Y'all Buick changed from clamp on piston pin to press fit pin mid year 55 also. I have two questions, did they eliminate the oil pan windage tray when they changed vents to covers and are the late 55 motors just 56 motors with the higher compression pistons stamped as 55's? Judd

Scott Toooo bad you aint closer. I have a Dynaflow from a 55 Super we could make a trade! LOL Judd 56 46R

Thanks for the info! I guess I'll just use the DOT4. We can drive our cars all year round down here in south Mississippi should we still flush the system every year? Thanks. Judd

Y'all I've decided to rebuild all the wheel and master cylinders on my 56 Special with power brakes. How would I go about changing to silicone brake fluid? Thanks. Judd

Miked Be warned post an intro before you ask any questions.

Miked You might have better luck on this list. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php Judd

Robert Great info and site! Thanks! Now if any body can tell me what the arrow punched in the lower right hand corner of my tag is for? Judd

Chris Don't let any body mess with the valve seats they do not need to be changed from stock. I have 30,000 miles on stock heads with out of the pump regular gas only and no problems and you can machine into the water jacket and destroy the head installing hardened seats on a nailhead motor. Judd

Robert The TOP ACC section at the bottom of my tag has an N after it can you decode this? Thanks! Judd

Chris NAPA or any clutch and gear shop should be able to get the parts you'll need. You should be able to remove a cover from the bottom of the bell housing and inspect the disk for wear if it is like a 56 stick car. Judd

55super Take the lock to a lock smith a good one can make a key to fit the trunk and it should fit the rest of the car. I worked with a guy in a Chevy parts dept in 1969 that could look at the brass parts in the lock and cut a key that worked. Judd

Brad I've been told some earlier Specials ( 264? ) had a smaller bell housing and trans. ? Judd

Brad 56 had higher compression in all series than 55 down motors 40's 2 barrel had 8.9 with Dynaflow, 50,60,70, series had 9.5 also 56 motor has bigger exhaust valves and lighter pressed pin rods. ( some late 55 motors had the pressed pin rods ) Cams lifters distributors must stay together on 56 motor as they were different hardness of metal used on 53 to 55 and will cause high wear if mixed. If you post the number stamped opposite the dip stick on your block we can tell you what motor you have. Judd

Brad I've been told you can drill two bottom holes in a 56 322 bell housing bore the hole for the pilot shaft housing to fit a Chevy 4 speed and slightly oval the top holes in the chevy 4 speed and it will mount right to the stock 322 bell housing. I have compared my 56 322 bell housing to a friends Chevy 4 speed and I believe this is true. Judd

Brad From what I've seen 264s had cast pulleys and 322s had a damper. I talked to a guy on the phone who says his 53 322 has cast pulleys but haven't seen the car yet to verify it. I think the 322 and 264 used the same crank so you should be able to ballance the flywheel to the rotating assembly on the 322. I know some 264s had smaller clutch 322s had 10 1/2". The factory pilot bushing on a 56 is the same inside diameter as the pilot shaft end on a Chevy 4 speed. Keep us posted on your convertion progress. Judd

Lamar If the 54 is like a 56 use an extension and socket through the holes in the frame cross over under the motor to loosen the nuts that hold the mounts to the frame. Judd

Budd I think the J bars are part of the dual exhaust option package on 56s. All the dual exhaust cars I've seen have them allmost all the single exhaust cars don't. Single exhaust rear bumpers don't have the extra bolt hole on the side to mount the J-bars. Judd

MrEarl Will you go through Houston on your way back from Austin? Judd

Marty Yes but the 56 has the oil cooler in the radiator 55 has cooler on the trans. Maybe he needs a rusty 56 super or roadmaster so he can get the whole 56 drive train? The 56 had bigger exhaust valves and higher compression and the radiator will bolt in the 54 for correct oil cooler. Judd

MrEarl I have a 55 Super Dynaflow that I believe is good ( car had cracked block ) that I stole the torgue ball and seal off. You can have it if you want to come to Lucedale, MS ( N.E. of Mobile, AL ) to get it. Judd

I have an original 56 jack that jacks up and down untill you get the weight of the car on it. Does any body know where I can get it fixed? Judd

This must be a common problem I have the same bad solder joint.

Earl I have never seen a ( - ) before the last number on an engine but only in the literature ? My info says a( - ) after all the numbers means a factory .010 over bore motor and a 1 may be stamped as I. Judd

The 4 at the end of the motor number is telling me it is a special motor? and my info says 56 production started with motor # 14600234? the special motors I have here are # 18017464 and 19728864. The 55 Super motor I had was # v8494425. My 56 Special parts car came with 4 barrel set up using factory parts. Also my 56 shop manual says 55 motors would have been replaced with 56 motors changing the 55 only parts on to the new 56 motor because 55 motors were out of production? If it is an early 53 to early 55 motor ( oil fill in the valley pan ) it will have rods that clamp on the piston pin late 55 and 56 motors have rods that press on the piston pins. Judd

56 Special had 322" 2 barrel carb all other 56's had 4 barrel carb. Buick went to 364" in 57. Judd