I need a Nailhead education

[Curly]

I'm going to a boneyard tomorrow and they have a couple of older Buicks. I know someone got the drums off of both of them and the motor out of one...the other has a nailhead in it.

They also have an old Imperial ('bout a '57 +/- a couple a years) that is full of good trim and interior parts. It is a more door but if anyone is interested I can snap a couple of pics....

This is one of those yards that the guy that owns it knows his shit but the guys running the yard on the weekends sell shit cheap and pocket every third sale.

Is there anything that I should keep an eye out for? Like does a certain freezeplug blow before the others, weak spots in the block, etc? I know about Open carbs filled with water and leaves kind of stuff. Looking for more detailed Nailhead specific Items that I should watch out for.

How can I tell by looking at it what size it is?

I don't have any immeadiate plans for it but it would look cool next to the 8BA sitting under the workbench if the price is right...and what would be the right price anyway http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif?

[choprods]

Hi Curly- I have the 322 its in a 54 buick Super,I think that if the buick is new enough to have the alum drums it should be 58 thru 62- -kinda think something that new would have the better trans/ not Dynaflow.seems like they had a 364 engine and after 62 they had the 400 superturbine trans and later a 425 cu in motor.about any are good property to keep sell or for trading/stick trans' are the shit!

[atch]

http://www.buicks.net/shop/engine_ident.html

http://www.buicks.net/shop/reference/nailhead_casting_numbers.html

(these are actually part of the same site)

[repoguy]

I'd be looking to get the hemi out the imperial. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Curly]

Yeah right....first time I saw the car I was in the tall weeds pee'in. I saw the thing and had to pinch and run over to it. So there I am, dick in hand and burnin', had little spots all over the front of my jeans trying to pop the hood with my one free hand only to find an empty engine bay and a tranny laying on the ground. Turned 90 degrees, released and finished what I had started. Bummer.