I bought a 29 "coupster" this last monday so now begins the fun part of gathering parts. A friend of mine told me about a Buick engine in a boat that I am going to look at tomorrow. He told me he thinks it's a Nailhead. Said it was the original engine and its a 60s model Evinrude he believes. I know a lot of boats had buick V-6s but a Nailhead?? Can anyone help clarify this for me? Thanks in advance.
I understand you could get a nailhead in a boat in the 60s, but be careful, I read in a '65 Skylark manual that they made them in reverse rotation.
Yea I've been having dirty thoughts about your Nailhead. It's what pushed me in that direction. Your Falcon is sick. Can't wait to see it finished.
i seen one in tucson it was a old racing wood boat. had tow fours and all teh tricked out stuff on it. i dont know what ever happened to it
Im on a Boat! I would like to see a nailhead motor with cool tilted intake. so lets see one. ... on a Boat!
Nailheads have been used in boats since they came out, but they have nothing to do with Evinrudes which are outboards...unless someone adapted one to an outboard lower unit like Wayne Horning (Wayne Chevy speed equipment) did with a Corvair. Old school... I use to work with this guy back in the 90's. He runs a '63 Stevens with a Nailhead but he reversed the cam in it, intake ports are now the exhaust and so on, and runs that little blower. A conversation piece but that boat in the first picture would clean his clock.
Boat engines can rust severely in the water jackets, especially if they were run in salt water. It's a 45 year old engine. If it's a $100 engine, then it may be worth the chance. Have the block dipped to clean out the water passages. Rust and sediment can settle in the nooks and crannies arond the cylinders. If it was ever used in the northern states, freeze cracks are common too. Steve
I would be interested in any marine parts on the Nailhead if you decide to sell......................
Ok bare with me now , reverse rotation nailhead side by side with a reg. one in a digger. Maybe just put the flywheel ring gears together. Oh shit I getting excited.
I am surprised he hasn't chimed in yet so till he does here's a teaser pic............... I liked it so much I am building a clone for the west coast! Hope he dosen't mind ...........................
>>>>>,Johnson/Evenrude ,,,,Jon/Rud we call em ,,never did a Nailhead Inboard Boat Motor ,,sumone mighta did a motor transplant with a OMC outdrive tho ,,???? be interesting to see what you find ,, This is my '77 Biesemeyer Jet,,,
he sold it last year, its too bad we didnt get to see the '37 and the boat together with the car painted.
You had better look into that swap the cam only stuff . We got a 440 mopar boat engine and found out the pistons are in backwards due to wrist pin center line.
I'm going but the way it's looking it's going to be by plane. I don't think I am going to have time to get a car together by then. It's always been in this part of Texas from what I understand. Will do. Man I thought I was a little throwed off!
I didn't make it out to see it today but the guy emailed me some pictures. I don't think it's a Nailhead so what is it?
Looks like a buick to me. Its saltwater cooled and probably has an OMC outdrive on the back. Evinrude also made boats in the 60s
Thanks for the info. Bummer it wasn't a nailhead find but it still might be used until a nailhead can be sourced. Does anyone know how closely the 300 is to a nailhead in size/deminsions?
yes, thats a Buick 300 "rover motor" - also called the pinhead. a good motor --- if the valley pan is accessable from under the manifold it is. You still can find some good speed parts for those.
lol, ask any old mopar guy about swapping the piston location on a wedge mill. easy extra hp.... They'll be juuuuuust fine.