Starting a company; what parts for Nailhead era Buicks do you want to see?

How about Repo exhaust manifolds (GS type) and oil pans would be on the list

maybe a updated single 4 carb manifold (aluminum)

Harmonic balancers or even a fluid one design to fit with out modifying a BBB one??

maybe a Big air cleaner (Rivera or GS) that will fit the newer Carter/Edelbrock or Holley carb

I know this is not specific to Nailheads but how about radiator Bumpers that fit the original Radiator plates on cross flow radiators (fit meaning contoured and the retaining nipples line up with the holes)

Thanks for hearing my wish list
Jim

 

oh david if you need search on a post i made theres some templates on here

 

Thanks Andy,

I guess I'd have to vote for the supercharger bracketry.

Also, I see you chose my engine for your avatar. That's the shot I took of my Electra's 401 with the dual carbs. Looks like you're right into the whole Nailhead thing which is great for the rest of us. Thanks for stepping up.

 

http://www.hamptonblowers.com/ Done!

I'm curious, why do so many people want serpentine belt systems?

 

That was easy. Thanks.

 

Since i'm not a nailheader, bear with me- what about a GM style HEI distributor with solo mechanical advance??
Robert

 

I was aware of Hampton, and I think BDS makes kits too. However, I was talking about a centrifugal supercharger not a roots type blower.

I know I want a sepentine setup just to run modern accesories, plus they can handle more horsepower without slipping (more surface area).


Bill, you don't mind if I use your pic as an avatar do you? It's just sucha pretty Nail!

 

You'd be competing with this:

http://www.msdignition.com/Products..._Buick_Nailhead_Ready_to_Run_Distributor.aspx



While not an HEI-clone, it's a very nice distributor from a respected company (although I've seen some evidence that they've gone downhill due to outsourcing to China.) If you didn't want the vacuum advance (solo mechanical advance???) it's easy enough to disable it.

 

Add my vote for the serpentine belt kit. I would prefer polished aluminum pulleys. Aluminum is lighter then steel, and there's no point in pretending a serpentine belt is "stock". It's gotta fit an engine with all the accessories - power steering and a/c. and a tensioner is a must. If the price is within reason, you can consider this to be an order. Too bad you can't do manifolds. I would love to have an aluminum 4 bbl intake manifold that would fit an Edelbrock/Carter and or Holley. I would probably pay a stupid amount of money for a good one. Good luck!

 

Nope. I'm proud!

 

PLEASE do a finned oil pan!!

 

Thanks for all the suggestions guys!

I've been keeping a running tally. Nothing has been decided on thus far, we're still working hard to finish up the first product. I'll let you all know if and when anything happens.

Thanks again!

 

Aluminum adapter plate that can be bolted to one of the common dual-quad manifolds (Offy) and support a GMC blower. The purpose-built manifolds are $$$ and have no more science in them than this in any case.
1. width matches the bolt pattern of the GMC base
2. center has the 2 4 openings as rectangles. but undersize for exact location match and porting
3. tall enough that all hardware clears valve covers etc.
4. drill it yourself to the carb stud pattern when it's properly positioned (no welding)
5. skeleton-ized in non-critical areas for weight saving and appearance
6. include cardboard templates of 6-71 base, Offy stud pattern, etc.
7. instructions for countersinking bolts, etc.

 

A factory styled air cleaner from stamped steel to accept the newer AFB's. And yes, a repop of the OE dual quad air cleaners but they accept the newer carbs and another bottom base for the original AFB's.

A aluminum finned oil pan

A aluminum water crossover tube

Serpentine belt pulleys ( might do them myself... lol)

Copies of the OE BUICK radiators. (my 62' has opposite tank hose connections from a cheby, but matches a Furd, but these don't fit! too damn small radiators Have to find good tank cores for recoring)

 

A good 4 core rad that will fit all models.....that one for each model.

 

March Pullies did a serpentine belt on the Air Ride Technologies Buick wagon.

They used two idler pullies, one on each side of the water pump so the OE water pump could be retained.

Here's a link to an article with pictures.

http://www.popularhotrodding.com/enginemasters/articles/buick/0501em_air/photo_09.html

 

There's two ways one could do a serpentine setup. You could do a TRUE serpentine setup where one belt drives everything. That would be the most difficult as it would require idlers. You could also do a setup that uses two serpentine belts, much like the original v-belt setup. That would be the easiest.

 

I don't believe March did the setup. the pulleys were probably from another March setup, The builder just used the March pulleys. I contacted March, they did not have any work started or planned for the Nailhead

I believe if enough of us contacted March, they would consider it

Roger

 

There seems to be a lot of interest on the serpentine set-up. My question is why?

Other than just doing something that is different and new, what's wrong with the factory setup? A big dissadvantage of a serpentine setup is if you loose a belt, you loose everything. Also the fact that I can find the right sized v-belts just about anywhere. But if I had to choose I like the idea of the two serpentines better anyway.

Erik