Ok, let's start an own thread for my 401 rebuilding plans. As some of you know already, i want to do a light rebuilt on the recently bought 401 out of a 64 Electra. The engine was dissasembled already but the seller put it together for shipping. Maybe i can take some pics on the upcoming saturday at the shop. My shop is a few miles out of town so i usually go down there at the weekends. The Wildcat is parked there too. Plan is to clean this motor up, dissasamble it, look what needs to be new like the bearings, maybe pistons, gaskets and what not. Then get it together and running and switch it with the original motor out of my Wildcat. Then rebuilt the matching numbers engine properly. So i can keep the car running while working on the engines. Since i've never done something like that i will need your help. Will do it step by step and ask every dumb question i have in mind. Some pics of the delivery: [/IMG] [/IMG] [/IMG] [/IMG] And two pics from the last show two weeks ago. First pics with the new springs in the back. Lift the car up a bit since the old springs seem to be pretty tired. [/IMG] [/IMG]
Welcome from another Nailhead newbie. Just like you I am starting a 401 rebuild. I have done a number of different motors over the years, small block Chevys for the most part. Very little of that knowledge seems to carry over to the Nailhead. They are one of a kind. Fortunately there is a lot of help here.
Frankscat - I love your freakin car. Love the body style, love the colors, love the ride height....is it a bucket seat or bench seat car? Lets see some pics of the interior! Also, tell us more about the Bremen car scene! Are there a lot of like minded car guys around you? How is it to get parts for American stuff? is it all mail order through Rock Auto, etc...?
Again big thanks for the warm welcome. I will start a thread for the car in the "members rides" section and will show the car in detail. It's a 65 2dr HT 401 custom with black interior. So buckets and middle console with shift stick are in there. Car was originally painted in a light green metallic. The actual paintjob is pretty bad. I don't like the color that much. Plan is to grind down the new paint cause the original seems do be underneath. But thats a plan for the future.
Welcome aboard Jan! Nice car. The Nailhead disassembly is pretty straightforward, but a couple of cautionary tidbits; be sure that you know which headbolt came out of which hole - there are different lengths, and some have different heads for mounting accessories. Also be aware that there are several bolts that extend into the water jackets. They will require sealer when you reassemble. Be careful and take notes. There's nothing particularly difficult about a Nailhead, but it isn't a small-block Chevy, and mistakes can be expensive and time-consuming.
Hmm, i think most of the bolts are out. The previous owner did a complete diassasemble on this engine. If i'm at the shop at saturday, i will take pics of everythink that was delivered. Let's see with what i have to start there. Thanks for the valuable advice. (Since i have to translate a few words with the internet, don't get me wrong. Really trying to say what i mean:TU
Your English is a lot better then most of our German.In fact it's better then most of our English! No apology necessary.
Played with the nailhead on saturday. Dissassembled it komplete down to the block. Now i will take it to the machine shop for measurements or will do measurements for myself at the university as far as the right tools are availible there. The block, crankshaft, rods and pistons are in my daily right now. Hope to make some progress over the upcoming week. Camshaft is missing so far. Previous owner forgot to send it with the package. Will be delivered in the next days. What do you nailhead guys think about the wearout the pushrods show? Can i reuse them? Won't go to far with this build. Pistons were cracked and one of them broke while delivery. But used but good pistons came with the package. Hopefully i can reuse them.
Jan - no used OEM pistons please. They will grenade and tear up your engine. Talk to Tom Telasco about pistons he's making, or call Russ Martin at Centerville or Carmen Faso for something off the shelf. Unless yours are replacements like TRW or something,you're going to be buying new ones
Will have a look on those aftermarket pistons. A german friend says i should get them from EGGE. Middlemotor Rod
I used a set of EGGE's in an Oldsmobile. They worked out pretty good, but I'm not sure how the nailhead ones are.
The other thing I wanted to mention, is that I love the artwork in the background. The broad on the wall is the kind of thing I would have love to have posted in my garage but for a wife and child who would tend to think otherwise...:laugh: I'm also looking for an old 1960s or 70s vintage Luebeck license plate, (HL) have any idea of where I can get one?
I will ask my flatmate for that "Hansestadt Lbeck"-license plate. He is from there and his parents still live there. Maybe he has an idea. Why are you interested in that license plate?
Do a search of EGGE pistons for a "Nail", not good reports. The ONLY viable/reasonable cost for pistons are MINE, which are forged.
You may want to build this engine the best you can. Document everything so when you correct matching engine gets rebuilt, you can sell this one for more $$$. BTW, Nice pic of girlfriend on your wall.
That's where I was originally from. I was born there and up until a few years ago, we still had some relatives there. We emigrated to Canada a long time ago, but I still have a soft-spot for the place.
Dropped the block, crankshaft, rods and pistons along with the balancer and some small stuff at the local machine shop today. They will clean everthing up and then take some measurements first. Afterwards i will see what have to be done and hopefully how much i have to spend on this. Have a few questions so far. Because of the metric system over here i have to convert every spec to mm (Millimeter). What is the first oversize diameter for aftermarket pistons and how much tolerance/clearance is usually between the cylinder diameter and the piston? Same on the bearings for the crankshaft? Till now i absolutely have no specs neither any knowledge. What about reusing the bolts? What must be new, what can be new what does not have to be new? Are there tables with the needed torque for the bolts doing the assembly? Or manuals? What about the articles on webrodder.com for nailhead overhauling? When i click on "buy the full article" there is a totally insane price on that. Any suggestion? So far, so good. I really want to make fast progress on that engine rebuild. Hopefully it don't get to expensive. I'm more willing to spend the money for the matching numbers engine. When i finally have two good engines and the original is back in the cat i want to build a hot rod or something else around the spare engine. Hmm, love me a 66 Skylark 2dr, Nailhead powered manual trans too. Lets see. Further plans for sure.
The Buick chassis manual will have all the engine build specifications!!! Online '65 manual is at www.65gs.com. Look in the 'Electronic Garage' section There is also an online '66 Buick Chassis manual online at www.Buicks.net Look in the 'reference' section. You have to be signed up to view it. Both are great sites with lots of info and forums too. For piston/bore oversize, you need to see what piston rings are available. Measure the bore first. Pistons need 0.001" to 0.004" clearance depending on piston material: Cast pistons can be as tight as 0.001", forged pistons will need more clearance since they expand more when hot. The best pistons are the forged pistons from Tom. They're more expensive too, but are custom made to your needs. EGGE pistons have had problems reported. Other pistons are Silv-o-lite, Sealed Power, and I believe Rebuilders Choice. Most will reduce your compression ratio and power. Forged pistons from Tom are worth the extra money! Bearings are 'standard' size, 0.010" over, 0.020" over or 0.030" oversize. Most bolts can be reused, but get new connecting rod bolts. ARP makes them for the Buick 455, they will fit the 401-425 too.
