An acqaintance living on the rough and rugged Salmon River in central Idaho called me the other day telling me he had a 1960 Buick LeSaber if I am interested. Sounded like the body was marginal, but the engine is not frozen up. I asked him the displacement and if it was a nailhead, but he didn't know. Said he thought that the distributor was on the rear of the engine and that it has a 2-barrel Carb. So, I'm figuring that it's probably a nailhead engine, but not a 401. Anybody else got a better fix on what engine it probably is, assuming it's the original engine?
Oh, yeah, I suppose that one would have a closed drive line too, wouldn't it? Not as desirable as an open drive line, right?
All 1960 Buick LeSabres came with a 364ci nailhead. They could have different compression ratios and therefore different HP and torque, but all motors for the LeSabre were 364's. You can verify the engine by pulling some numbers off it. Facing the car, there is a group of numbers on the front of the valley pan that are upside down. They should start with 3H. The 3H means it is a 364, if it is inedeed the stock motor. Transmission could be a dynaflow or a 3speed manual. Last year for the enclosed driveline. I own a 60 4dr Flattop, and soon possibly a 4dr sedan, so I know a bit of info due to having to do research for my own car.
What are all these drive line options you guys are talking about? I am looking at getting a 1960 Le Sabre as a daily driver, and want to know if I should look into changing out any drive line components. Thanks.
'60 drivelines Driveline options. Option 1 is the "standard" Dynaflow switch pitch 2 speed transmission. Heavy, inefficent, expensive POS transmission as far as I'm concerned. Option 2, and MUCH MUCH more rare, is the 3 speed column shifted manual trans. Usually a Saginaw with the tailshaft converted to fit the 60's enclosed driveline. I have yet to hear of or see a single 60 that's still around with this option. I know it's an option because the factory brochures and stuff for the 60's say so. 1960 is the last year for the enclosed drivetrain, also known as a torque tube drivetrain. Believe me when I say these are a giant pain in the butt whenever you need to work on the trans or rearend. Sure, the trans slips out fine, but it'll take you forever to put it back in. Aggrivating to say the absolute least. I'm going to swap in a nailhead-only TH400 with open driveline and a different rearend into my 60. It will require some alterations to make it fit and work right, but I have the main components already.
Thanks a lot, that clears up some questions. Could you elaborate more on the enclosed drivetrain, please? Also, what makes it a nail-head only TH400? I was thinking of getting a trans adapter and using a 700R4.
When I said nailhead only, I meant that the case is set up to bolt directly to our nailhead's partially integrated bellhousing. The cases are unique; they're completely different from your typical Chevy or BOP TH400. Have been reading about adapters. Have seen only two of them, one made by Phoenix Transmissions and the other is from Bendtson's. Both seem to be very well made. Expensive, but well made. Dunno about using a 700R4, they're not the strongest trans in the world. I think a TH400 could handle the torque of a nailhead much better. With a good rearend geared in the low 3's, you'll get plenty of grunt off the line and still have good hiway manners.
Thanks a lot, that's some good info. Is there somewhere that I can check casting numbers? A Le Sabre I am looking at has a casting number of 4G40 29582, and the owner thinks it is a 401. Thanks.
It's a Le Sabre for sure, because I can see the emblem in the pictures. I wonder what kind of tranny it has.
