question about buicks

[**DONOTDELETE**]

my buddy has a 55 buick (not the one im giving away) and wants to change to chevy trans open drive and rear end. anyone whom has info or has done this, your info/advise would be appreciated

[ChuckleHead_Al]

I have stuck by my buick transmission and rear-end, but there have been past post about that switch. Try the search key up top, type in some keywords you should find info. If not somebody should help...

[leadsleadolds]

I can understand the tranny and the rear end but naiheads are bad mofos. I'm sure many people would be willing to help haul off that old motor

[C9]

As much as I like and respect the SBC's, they don't belong in Buicks.

If your bud doesn't want to deal with Nailheads tell him to find a late 455, bolt on the long tailshaft Olds T-400 trans to help with the long driveshaft bit and put that in.
A 9" Ford rear axle hung on parallel leafs works quite well.

Find the right motor and you get 510# torque stock.

Buicks are a car for an individualist.

Putting an SBC in one is akin to spitting in church.

And that's about as polite as I can put it.

[Mutt]

Jeez - he just said he wants to put a Chevy transmission, open driveline and rear end in it. Why all of the grief about Chevy engines???? http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif


Mutt

[TagMan]

[ QUOTE ]
Buicks are a car for an individualist.

Putting an SBC in one is akin to spitting in church.


[/ QUOTE ]

And a great big AMEN, C9 !!

ratrodpaul: I swapped my lil' 264 for a 401 in my '55 Spcl and put in a 4-speed with open drive shaft. I kept the stock rear axle and it seems to be holding up fine. I made a couple of screw-ups along the way, but the design I have now seems to be working out real well. PM me if you want any sordid details.
The interest I get when I raise the hood made the effort well worth while.....those vertical heads seem to grab peoples attention. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
-Bob

[Fraz]

Will need a new rearend, driveshaft, and an adapter plate to bolt the chevy trans to the nailhead. Nailheads are their own beast, trust me, I have 3 of them. How much $$$ is he wanting to spend, cuz it looks like he's gonna be in for at least a grand by the time he's done.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

he wants to keep the nailhead so don't fret, his problem is a blown trans and as we all know those are shit. so we thought that an adapter plate and chevy running gear would be the way to go; being that i have more chevy shit in my yard than you could shake a stick at it SEEMS that the only real cost would be the plate and labor? any ideas fellas?

-paul

[leadsleadolds]

www.transmissionadapters.com (http://www.transmissionadapters.com) they got what you need. I belive the rear end out of a cutlass is the right width I'm not possitive though. Talk to these guys but dont tell them about your chevy engine thoughts if you think the people here gave you shit http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/NailHeadBuick/

[**DONOTDELETE**]

setting the record straight: it never crossed my mind or that of my buddys to swap to chevy motor, its got a nail head and thats what will stay in it

[kustumizer]

yeah the dynaflows are shit, reverse is known to go. I had my 322 with a auto dyna and i was going to get a trans adapter to put a 700r4 but i heard those werent that good of tranny eithier and i was also going to switch to chevy rear with leaf springs in stead of coils and torsion bars, i think you would be on a good route doing this because parts will be easy to get for those parts and you will know what you have underneath! Hope all this jibber jabber helped! Nate

[Fraz]

Might check with Phoenix Transmissions as well for an adapter. They're a bit less expensive than Bendtson's.

[ABone312]

I had a '56 Special with a 322 and 3 speed stick. I had an old adapter bellhousing for a GM trans and planned on an S10 five speed. For the rear, looking at the cutaway drawings of the rear diff, it already has a seal on the pinion shaft. From that, I figure you would just have to unbolt the torque tube, remove the shaft, and get a yoke that fits the spline. For the suspension, I had Chevy truck trailing arms that really fit well in the frame. I was going to use them, make mounts off the X member for the front, and keep the rear coil springs. It seemed simple enough, but I sold it before I got that far. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif