My 401's transformation

Discussion in ''Da Nailhead' started by 1972Mach1, Mar 15, 2017.

  1. 1972Mach1

    1972Mach1 Just some M.M.O.G. guy.....

    Here's some pics of the 401 in my Riviera when I got it, and after a bunch of cosmetic fixing. I put bought and polished a valley cover from Richie's Dragmaster, installed some Offenhauser valve covers, did Doc's dual plane mod, pulled and painted pretty much everything in the engine compartment, replaced every bolt on the engine with stainless allen head bolts, installed a flex fan, etc......I bought a Caddy style air cleaner and pinstriped it, and getting it to fit under the hood definitely took some "massaging" and a drop base with some custom spacers I made, but I got it to fit with no mods to the car. Pretty happy with the results :) NAILHEAD1.jpg NAILHEAD.jpg nailhead12.jpg nailhead14.jpg
     
  2. 64 wildcat conv

    64 wildcat conv Silver Level contributor

    Nice work :beer
    I am doing the same to my '64 Wildcat this year. I have a pair of dual quad repop valve covers and an aluminum valley cover to polish and install. I'll be painting the upper half of the engine as well but no mods. One day I'll have enough saved up for a decent rebuild.
     
  3. slosteve

    slosteve Active Member

     
  4. 1972Mach1

    1972Mach1 Just some M.M.O.G. guy.....

     
  5. Mister T

    Mister T Just truckin' around

    Very nice work Lucas. Makes a huge difference in appearance. :beer
     
  6. 1972Mach1

    1972Mach1 Just some M.M.O.G. guy.....

    Thanks fellas. The paint on the engine is actually a lot more "red", and matches the pinstripes. I think the flash on the phone makes it appear orange....The engine was rebuilt before I got it, luckily, and just needed cosmetic upgrades.
     
  7. telriv

    telriv Founders Club Member

    Lookin' good Lucas. How did the mods work out??? Any performance improvement????


    Tom T.
     
  8. 1972Mach1

    1972Mach1 Just some M.M.O.G. guy.....

    Thanks, Tom. Still have snow here on the ground, hopefully will be out and about next weekend as it's warm (50ish) this week, and it's melting fast. I usually wait until the roads have been clear and the street sweepers come, but I'm pretty excited to get the Riv out and tuned. I've had the Caddy out once already, but it's a car I don't mid if it gets a rock chip every now and then......
     
  9. John Codman

    John Codman Platinum Level Contributor

    Looks great Lucas. I wouldn't bet the farm on it, but I think that style of air cleaner assembly first appeared on Oldsmobiles. Does anyone know for sure?
     
  10. 1972Mach1

    1972Mach1 Just some M.M.O.G. guy.....

    Yessir, you are correct on the Oldsmobile air cleaner. Cadillacs also had them, and that's what most people refer to them as, though.......
     
  11. 1972Mach1

    1972Mach1 Just some M.M.O.G. guy.....

    Probably has something to do with Cadillac sounding "cooler" than Oldsmobile :laugh:
     
  12. TheRev

    TheRev Silver Level contributor

    Looks great.
     
  13. 1972Mach1

    1972Mach1 Just some M.M.O.G. guy.....

    All finished :) riv2.png RIV4.png
     
  14. 1972Mach1

    1972Mach1 Just some M.M.O.G. guy.....

    Hi Tom, I took it out for the first time this past weekend since doing the "refurb", definitely not a fast car by any means, but it runs well. Seems to have a lot more midrange than before. I think I'm going to play with the step up springs in the Edelbrock and get the needles to come up a little quicker. If I was very worried about performance, I'd pull the Dynaflow for a TH400 or a 200-4R first for sure, but I kind of like it's smooth one speed nature for normal driving. It's got enough grunt down low to be entertaining, especially in first gear, but I've got the Mach 1 if I feel like I need to go fast. I'm really digging the Riviera in general, just a few more kinks to work out of the car.
     
  15. telriv

    telriv Founders Club Member

    Lucas,

    One thing your missing using the Edelbrock carb. is the Dynaflow linkage for the switch-pitch converter for HIGH STALL. Makes it a slug in D, but in LOW GEAR & high stall you'd be amazed at the performance. In Low in HIGH STALL it's actually got MORE torque multiplication than a TH400 in 1st. Probably comparable to a 200-4R in 1st. With 3.23 gears you'd almost be able to complete the 1/4 mile in low at around 5K RPM's.
     
    322bnh likes this.
  16. gs66

    gs66 Silver Level contributor

    Looks great, nice job!
     
    1972Mach1 likes this.
  17. 1972Mach1

    1972Mach1 Just some M.M.O.G. guy.....

    Hi, Tom. Here's a pic of my carb. I'm assuming that the switch pitch control rod is what I've got hooked to the bottom of my throttle linkage (I just put it through the linkage and drilled a small hole in it for a cotter pin). The previous owner just left it there hanging, but I hooked it up. It goes to what looks like a vacuum canister on the side of the trans. If that is the switch pitch, what is the best adjustment for performance? When should it start pushing it down? Thanks again for your time. switch.png
     
    Last edited: May 3, 2017
  18. telriv

    telriv Founders Club Member

    Lucas,

    When the throttle is to the floor, carb. opened all the way, that rod should be pulled all the way forward. With the rod dis-connected it should pull itself back as there's a spring inside that is supposed to pull it back to the
    Low Stall" position. That part the rod is attached to is called the High Accumulator which controls the "Switch-Pitch.


    Tom T.
     
  19. 1972Mach1

    1972Mach1 Just some M.M.O.G. guy.....

    Thank you sir. I tried it on my lunch break and there's a definite difference you can feel....Much stronger under full throttle, especially in Low. Super happy with how well it pulls now.
     
    slosteve likes this.

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