1955 Buick starter question ?!

[buick55]

hi all,

 

I have a 1955 buick special with a delco starter 1107621.

now I can buy a starter from a 1956 buick delco number 1107646 as spare part.

 

it looks like the same, but does it really fit and work?
why I ask is, in the 1955 shop manual it says the starter rotates clockwise, in the 1956 it says counter-clockwise.

is that correct? cause then in my opinion it will not work. but all sellers say both starters are for 1954, 1955 and 1956 nailheads.

 

confussing for me...

 

[Beemon]

1955 and 1956 engines to my knowledge rotate clockwise. If the starter is mounted on the driver side, then it has to rotate counter-clockwise to rotate the flywheel clockwise.The only way the starter can run clockwise is if it's on the passenger side, or mounted through the torque converter.

[buick55]

so both starters will interchange each other with no problem?

from my knowledge all engines from 54-56 are nearly the same, starter sits on drivers side.

maybe someone can surely say if the 1107646 will work on a 1955 264 nalihead engine

[NC-car-guy]

 264 and 322 starters will swap from 53- 56.  And I know for sure they should NOT turn in different directions. 

[JohnO]

I'm not sure what your plans are. In those years it is best to rebuild the starter that came with the car. I can't speak to the 55's but in 1961 Buick used three different block castings for the 401. So, even a starter that came off of one 1961 Buick with a 401 will not necessarily fit another. The same could be true for cars in the 50's, but I am not sure.

[Bhigdog]

3 hours ago, Beemon said:

If the starter is mounted on the driver side, then it has to rotate counter-clockwise to rotate the flywheel clockwise.The only way the starter can run clockwise is if it's on the passenger side,

 

You might want to draw some circles and rotation arrows with the starter on either side of the car.....................................Bob

[buick55]

29 minutes ago, wndsofchng06 said:

 264 and 322 starters will swap from 53- 56.  And I know for sure they should NOT turn in different directions. 

great thanks!
thats the information I needed

[Beemon]

6 hours ago, Bhigdog said:

 

You might want to draw some circles and rotation arrows with the starter on either side of the car.....................................Bob

I think the issue is of perspective. From the front the engine turns clockwise,  from the rear it turns counter clockwise

[Bhigdog]

But moving it from side to side, as you mentioned, doesn't change the rotation direction of the engine. Changing the direction the starter faces (pinion facing fore or aft) will change the direction the engine rotates. Just sayin. We likely both mean the same thing...............Bob

[Frank DuVal]

I'm with Bhigdog, draw the circles and you will see the starter can be mounted anywhere along the ring gear and still turn the engine in the same direction. Make the starter face the other direction, then the engine turns the other way.

[NC-car-guy]

7 hours ago, Frank DuVal said:

I'm with Bhigdog, draw the circles and you will see the starter can be mounted anywhere along the ring gear and still turn the engine in the same direction. Make the starter face the other direction, then the engine turns the other way.

Yes and i promise no nailhead with a dynaflow has any mounting surface to wind up with the starter going the wrong direction.

[JohnD1956]

One thing to watch is some applications will run an engine in the opposite direction.  I think Marine applications will run the engine counter clockwise as a general practice.  I knew of two V6's used that way, but am unsure Nailheads were ever installed as marine power plants.