Nailheads in Trucks

[Guest Yellowhawk]

Does anyone know the history of Buick nailhead engines placed in Chevy trucks by the factory in the 50's. I am told the 1957 Buick 364 was used in some chev one tons. Thanks, Rich

[Mark Simmons]

Rich- I remember working on GMC'S with Pontiac V8's in them in the mid to late fifties. These were installed in the pickups thru medium trucks. I can't recall seeing a Buick nailhead in the GMC's or Chevrolets that we worked on even thru the sixties. We worked on those types trucks all the time. All the Chevy's that came in were powered by Chevy V8's of that time. Mark

[old-tank]

Some 57-59 Buses and bus size Chevrolet trucks used the Buick 322...called it the Loadmaster.

http://forums.aaca.org/f115/322-buick-chevy-truck-nailhead-info-191617.html

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

Two cousins, both deceased, drove trucks in the 50s. They hauled meat from Nebraska to NY City. I remember them and Dad talking about the Buick V8 engine in the truck they were driving. A tractor trailer! They were very enthusastic. I don't know which engine or which truck. Was about 1954.

Ben

[NTX5467]

I believe you'll find that the Buick and Pontiac V-8s were used in GMCs rather than Chevys, circa 1955 second series, for several years. Had HydraMatics behind some of them, too.

I believe the Pontiacs went in the 1/2 tons, with the Buicks being in the 3/4 and 1 ton models, but a little Internet research revealed otherwise. Pontiac V-8s in the lighter-duty models, with Oldsmobile "370" V-8s in the 550 - 600 models. Buick 322s were re-nomenclatured as Chevy "Loadmaster 322" for 54-60 passenger school bus chassis only circa 1958. Source: 1957? GMC truck also links to other similar old GMC truck websites. Even a mention of a GMC 702 cid V-12 from 2 GMC 351 V-6 truck motors!

The "other" V-8 engines were used until GMC got their own line of V-6 engines. Unline more recent V-6s, these were designed for truck use and were somewhat legendary in their time. 305, 351, 401, and larger.

BEFORE GMC got their own inline 6 cylinder engines, they used Buick inline 6 cylinder engines. When Buick discontinued their 6 cylinders, going to inline 8 cylinders only, that's when GMC got their own line of inline 6 cylinder engines . . . 228, 248, 270, and 302.

Regards,

NTX5467

[fivefoottwenty]

Chevy used a detuned (lower comp. pistons and different cam grind) 322 from 1956 until (I think) 1962 in two ton and up sized trucks. About 15 years ago I got a super low-mileage 1956 Buick Special from a guy who had bought it and pulled the engine to replace the one in in his 1957 Chevy fire engine. Everybody always says the nailhead would make a great tractor engine with all of the low-end torque they have. Chevy apparently figured that out many years ago....

[42crazy]

I ran into a situation several years ago when a guy was overhauling a '56 Century, and it had a cracked head. He called me and I had a head. It was identical, except all the casting numbers started with a '9', (Chev. castings) instead of '1' as Buicks. I looked in Hollander Interchange books and it stated just that. Nailheads were used in big trucks from '57 thru '59.