Guys, Apparently 54' with its factory 3 speed. Forget about the fan Anybody can tell whether its a 264 or a 322 ? Is it worth to get one of this earlier and smaller nailheads ? are performance parts available ? Asking $500 Thanks Diego
try www.v8buick.com those guys there can direct you better than I can. i have a baby nailhead, the v6 from 1962, and i can still get a performance cam and headers for it.
That looks like a red X to me. Casting numbers on a 54 264 3 sp block are 1391871. On a 54 322 look for 1391753. Pete
I have a '54 322 in my rpu. I've been looking at your pix and walking back and forth into the shop to compare. The heads and valley pan look pretty much identical. Those early valve covers you have look to be in great shape. The ones with the embossed shield are gettin' hard to find -- one of the Buick re-pop companies still makes the color stickers that go onto these shields, if you're into a resto-look. (If you're not, sell 'em to me!)
Check the engine reference section on www.teambuick.com - http://www.teambuick.com/forums/view.php?pg=indent_engine_53-58. The casting numbers will tell you if you have a 264 or a 322 for sure. And yes, it is a nailhead. Where are you located - I might be interested in the engine and trans.
The 264 was offered only in the Special, so if the body is not a Special, it's likely you have the 322.
Mh, I guess its a 264 in the end good thing is the manual tranny is there. Are those good transmissions ? I do like the looks of a nailhead for sure but is it worth to build such a small cid engine ? Anyone running one of this ?? Thanks guys D.
Thanks. I still dont own it. Im looking to buying it for myself. Im far away from you, dont think you're gonna like shipment costs
264's and 322's are the baby nailheads. What you have is a V6. It's actually the baby brother of the 215 Aluminum V8... If the distributor is in the front it's not a Nailhead...
322 has a real harmonic balancer, 264 just has pullys bolted to front of crank. If it's a 264, the trans has, to quote Brad 54 (I think) "gears made of glass". There is a heavier duty 3-speed, has 6 bolts instead of 5, (I think), they are hard to find. Also, I have heard it is next to impossible to find a cluth for a 264. Maybe a Nailhead guy will chime in. I have one, with a WONDERFUL tri-duece 322 I might let go, but...... Also, try the search. Not many new questions on the HAMB.
Is not a V6 man and 264s and 322s are V8 engines. Just by looking at the valve covers you can tell its a nailhead. I have no doubts about that, I was trying to figure out which one. Thanks for all the help huys.
Maybe you should go back and read my reply... I replied to btbsandman calling his V6 a baby nailhead. And no, just looking at the valve covers will not tell you it's a Nailhead. 215's and 300's had the horizontal valve covers as well. Is the distributor in the back? That and the horizontal valve covers will ID it as a Nailhead the easiest. Jeez.... .
It,s hard to tell from the pic,s but all of the afore mentioned details plus it looks like a big rochester 2 barrel on it also hints that it is a 264.
I'm building up a 264 engine right now. If the engine is big enough depends on what you want to do with the car and the size (weight) of the car it's pushing. I'm NOT planning on taking my car to the drag races, but I'm sure the engine will have enough power to get the car around the block – and the scratch the tires every so often! Again, I think it all depends on what you want to do with the car and how much horsepower you want/need.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o> <o></o> On the topic of finding a 264 manual clutch - Yeah, they are hard to find. Just as hard to find is the 264 flywheel which is NOT interchangeable with the 322, as most parts are between the two engines. The 264 flywheel is balanced differently than the 322 flywheel. According to email exchanges I’ve had with Russ Martin (http://www.nailheadbuick.com/) a 322 flywheel on a 264 engine will shake the 264 apart. For my configuration, I've got a stock 264 clutch, but I'm planning to run a more modern Chevy clutch bolted to my stock flywheel. The 264 flywheel bolt patterns match up to a Chevy clutch. <o></o> <o> </o> Also – As general information – Clutch Masters (http://www.clutchmasters.com/) in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" /><st1lace w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Rialto</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">CA</st1:State></st1lace> is the place to go. They machined my 264 flywheel for $23 while I waited. They also have a HUGE inventory of new and used clutches. Clutches is pretty much all they do. <o> </o> Todd
"According to email exchanges I’ve had with Russ Martin (http://www.nailheadbuick.com/) a 322 flywheel on a 264 engine will shake the 264 apart. For my configuration, I've got a stock 264 clutch, but I'm planning to run a more modern Chevy clutch bolted to my stock flywheel. The 264 flywheel bolt patterns match up to a Chevy clutch." Russ is exactly correct on that. I had a 264 in my '55 Special that was slipping real bad. I tore it apart and had it rebuilt by a clutch rebuilder in town and it slipped just as bad afterwards. I then did a little digging and found out the pressure plate was pretty weak, even for a little motor like the 264. I bolted a Chevy pressure plate to the original Buick flywheel and it worked great until I yanked it and installed the 401, but that's another story.....
The Jalopy Journal
