Technical Considering a rebuild on my 401 Nailhead

Was looking at doing a tranny swap but seems like a waste to spend time and money putting a new tranny behind a sick motor so.....

I have a '63 401 in my 61 Electra and i am considering having it rebuilt. Does anybody know of a place in the Phoenix area that does nailheads? I got a quote from one shop here and they told me it would be around $9k! Im guessing they did not want the job because that seems pretty crazy.

Im considering the rebuild because compression test shows one very low cylinder (about 100) and the highest was only 150. It runs ok but must have a bad exhaust valve becuase it fails the old dollar bill test.

Thanks for your input

 

Any shop that understands older engines. You should get by for a usual sbc or Ford build, parts may be a little more. Check with Centerville Auto Repair 530-272-1564 for parts and tech assistance. I have a 364 in my Model A and a 401 going into 55 F100, and an extra 401 just because it was free. Oh by the way the guy that quoted 9K sounds like a jerk, just saying.

 

Should be able to have it built for $4-4,500. Welcome to the HAMB.

 

Whatever you do... DO NOT try and put hardened seats in the heads. It does not need them and will most likely ruin the heads. Most of the build for a Nailhead is pretty basic, there are just a few things that are quirky. There are more than a few threads on here discussing them. Parts are a little more than your basic SBC but well worth it.

 

This will be interesting.
Subscribed. Because I have a '64 401 with 100kmiles & someday it'll need a rebuild. I guess refresh or full rebuild, stock vs higher performance could be all over the board from $,$$$ up to $$, $$$.?
I know the buick website used to have Tom Telesco, a HAMBer, or V8Buick, russ @ centerville, & Ross Race engines.
Let us know what you find out.

 

Everything we build is off dyno.... Broke in properly and tuned......

 

There is a good looking Nailhead here in the classifieds. Don't know anything about it other than what's listed in the ad.

 

Goatroper2: I'll play dumb, because you really didn't make a personal advertisement. But where's your shop? Do you have a link or website so we may inquire how to make our nailhead run & look like the two fine examples you posted above?

 

Well it may just need a valve job but no way to know without getting into it. Have you tried a leak down test?

@9K for a rebuild what they want is for you to have their name inked on your ass cheek.

 

All my contact info is in my signature...... Not sure why it only shows on computer screen .... and not when its opened in the ph app ....
I might add that..... never let having to ship deter your build.......we have access to surprisingly low rates country and worldwide .... with door to door service.........

 

Awesome, thanks for the input! Ive been reading everything i can on this site and others to get smart on what to look out for like zman said no hardended seats.

Joe you are right about being jerks, those guys quoting 9k are pretty proud of their shop, lots of Barrett Jackson type stuff. They did not like the fact that i had alredy sourced some of my own parts cause they couldn't charge a 30% overhead on them. they like the guy that drops off a car and a blank check.

Nice looking builds goatroper!

I asked Russ Martin if he knew anybody down here but understandably he said he does not refer anymore cause if it doesn't work out the customer gets mad at him. Too bad i am not in NorCal.

 

No leak down but numbers are the same for wet compression. Also no exhaust gases in the coolant and it cools well runs 180 moving and idling in the heat it stays around 190-195.

 

Also just out of curiosity i put a boroscope down the plug holes and there isnt any scoring or anything with the pistons, unfortunately i cant turn it around and look at the valves

 

Buddy just had one done for $6500 in Amarillo, Tx.

 

I spent around 3k on mine here in Boise. 30 over and balanced. Pretty much stock build.

 

Ok good to know, were those prices pulling the motor and doing some of the work or did the shop do everything? 3k sounds really good and i dont think i would hesitate on that price, i coild still do the transmission too.

 

You need to Put into perspective what quality parts cost.... What machining /labor costs are ...... And a 3G rebuild doesn't get very much in the way of what 50+year old engine needs .... The 6500 price mentioned is more inline with what it really takes..... Anything less and your kidding yourself

 

Agree 100%.

For example the machine shop order initiated for my own 50+ year old Pontiac 421. Close to $2100 just to start and it may go up a bit from there. On top of that I'm paying $1000 to a very experienced friend to do all the cleaning, painting and assembly work.

This does not include any parts needed to accomplish the rebuild. The parts cost just for the basics like pistons, rings, con rods, bearings, pushrods, rockers, oil pump, harmonic balancer, valves and springs and all the other new parts needed to do things right will easily exceed $2500.

All of this assumes I got the 421 engine block, crank and heads for nothing which isn't the case. Also not included here is the cost to purchase, recolor and replate my Tri-Power carbs and any other incidentals including other cool parts that might be considered 'window dressing' but nonetheless purchased for this 10K build:http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/pontiac-fans-1964-421-ho-engine-build.969317/

This 421 Pontiac engine is really nothing more than a nicely 'blueprinted' restoration of a factory hot rod engine, factory-spec cam included so nothing at all exotic. Some high-quality forged pistons and rods were thrown in for both reliability and to drop compression to run on today's lousy pump gas.

I don't think you can get that Nailhead rebuilt properly for anything less than 5 or 6K, best of luck. Do it once, do it right and drive with confidence.

 

Thank you all for the input, now i just need to find a shop I like. The car is a big girl so it would be nice to have the full potential of the Motor on tap, i would love to have more than stock but i dont think think the rewards are worth the $$$. I think stock and a better trans would make for a whole different car.

 

The 3k included everything from top to bottom. Heads, valves, oil pump, gasket kit, new pistons, new cam, timing chain, full balance, all bearings, freeze plugs installed from Centerville, magnaflux block and hot tanked everything. Short block assembled and ready to go. Old time local shop and I supplied the parts and all listed with the 3k price.