63 Riv 401 vs 425

[Guest Steeleco]

I was looking though some old posts and it seems like several people have bought nice old 63's that have the "465" decal on the air cleaner only to find out via the engine code "JT or JW" that they only have a 401 ci engine. As this happend to me when I bought mine last year I kind of wonder why this happens with some frequency.

[RivNut]

Hooligans looking for an extra $$.

One good reason to be well versed on the car in which you're interested before buying it.

What else did the seller hype about the car that you could be sorry for later. If they'll lie about something as minor as the size of the engine, imagine what they might tell you about mileage, or thaat recent overhaul.

Caveat emptor.

Edited March 31, 2013 by RivNut (see edit history)

[60FlatTop]

Hooligan? Maybe I better change my name back to O'Daly. I run my '64 425 with a 401 air cleaner. I put the correct one on a few years back and it covered up that distinctive and very attractive nailhead.

Bernie

[RivNut]

Bernie,

You must be using a '65 air cleaner. Both the 63 (401 and 424) and 64 (425) air cleaners are the same big pancake breather body except for color. The decal on the lid is either 445 or 465 depending on cubic inches.

1963

1964

The snorkle on the '64 is pointing in the wrong direction, it should be oriented like the '63 in that picture.

Edited March 31, 2013 by RivNut (see edit history)

[Guest Steeleco]

Ed,

Those are some great looking engine compartments. Is the silver on the valve covers the correct color for 1963?

Thanks,

[RivNut]

Steele,

There's been a lot of talk about the "correct" color for the '63 engine. It's definitely not aluminum nor is it bright silver; it's more of a dull silver. The color in the picture I posted is about as close to being the color that I think it should be. I'm sure that it's the same with other owners of '63's as it is with me, except for Lee Carroll in southern California - her husband bought it for her new, most of us are not the original owners of our cars and even if we were the paint would have been worn off by now (unless we just bought a car new and squirreled it away and never drove it or showed it.) The '63 Riviera and the '66 Riviera were the only two nailhead powered Buicks whose engines were not painted some shade of green. The '66 nailhead was red. I think that if you're going to paint your engine, just don't paint it with aluminum paint or paint it with any color silver that has a sheen to it and it will look good.

[Guest kaycee]

Bernie,

You must be using a '65 air cleaner. Both the 63 (401 and 424) and 64 (425) air cleaners are the same big pancake breather body except for color. The decal on the lid is either 445 or 465 depending on cubic inches.

1963

1964

The snorkle on the '64 is pointing in the wrong direction, it should be oriented like the '63 in that picture.

The 445 or 465 does'nt indicate cubic inches. It indicates torque rating.

kaycee

[60FlatTop]

I am using the 401 Electra style. It is a personal taste thing. I thad hat big buffoonish stock one on for a while and it just looked like Buick's marketing team lost sight of the heart of my car. Being extremely opinionated, I wanted my turquoise nailhead showing. My wife has instructions for a deduct if I die and she sells the cars.

Edited April 1, 2013 by 60FlatTop (see edit history)

[RivNut]

The 445 or 465 does'nt indicate cubic inches. It indicates torque rating.

kaycee

Torque is a related to the cubic inch displacement. The question was in effect "why do people put the 465 decal on a 401 engine?"

My comment states "depending on cubic inches."

[Guest tip]

I think that if you're going to paint your engine, just don't paint it with aluminum paint or paint it with any color silver that has a sheen to it and it will look good.

i.e. Semi-gloss?