Nail Head help

any one got nail head knowhow

stevenm wrote:

any one got nail head knowhow

www.v8buick.com


http://www.v8buick.com/forumdisplay.php?f=9

Hello, Dale here, I do have the '95 service manual, books 1 & 2, I've owned a '63 & 64, long gone but a lot of fun. Currently I own a '95 of course.

I have been known to build a nailhead or 2..... What is your question????

Steven,,,,
In my opinion, the nailhead buick engines that were built from 1953 thru 1966 were the best engines that buick has ever built except for maby and I say maybe the GN engines that came later.....
The 1953 engine should be avoided because buick improved the later ones so much more making them easier to work with.... All of them had forged steel cranks, forged steel rods, hi nickle engine blocks and heads,,,, good free flowing exhaust manifolds,,, they are tough as a boot .... they have good cooling systems, and good oiling system that needs no mods to support a performance engine... there is a bunch of vintage speed equipment,,,,, intakes,,, 2x4's,, 3x2's,,, everything except a single 4 aluminum intake, which I am working on now,,,,, but you can do my Doc dual plane mod on a factory single 4 and come up with a real good performing manifold....
You can get finned aluminum rocker arm covers and a finned aluminum lifter valley cover,,,plus the 1966 th400 switch pitch trans will fit engines from 1959 on up..... but be carefull swapping transmissions and do your home work because buick used a closed drive shaft untill 1960 or so.... to swap in the th400 you need a open drive line....
just some ideas......