Strokin a NH

This guy couldn't find heads for his Buick straight 8.
So, he built his own;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naNCd4Pok04

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hh3HQln871o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X72DKDIYknc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBOxl3WnPs0

 

I enjoyed that, would like to see that head done. Even though the straight 8 is much easier to work with, still a ton of effort. Again, that odd design of the NH is so restrictive the way the pushrod angle is and how it goes through the block then comes up on the exhaust side and actuating the rocker backwards. Almost needs overhead cams to correct all of that but then it wouldn't have the look.

 

I'm sure you're right.

I don't know about performance building.

I just like Buicks

 

most conventional engines have the push rod come to the topside of the head fairly close to the valve cover edge closest to the intake manifold. The Nailhead was rather unique as they had it come up across the head on the exhaust side and then actuate the rockers toward the intake side (instead of away from it). Also, unlike most engines, the dome of the piston goes into the chamber of the head instead of stopping at the top of the block. Those differences and a couple of others have had hot rodders scratching their heads for 60 years on how to improve upon it.

 

I think:idea2: if someone just made a efficient design to make the heads flow good, such as exanping the ports, that it would work out and make more power.

 

You can expand the runners and bowls to get pretty good flow numbers. No where near what ta heads and other after market heads can flow. Keeps the hp numbers down. You can get good hp out of them and lots of tq. Seems like what ever you do the tq keeps building. The heads might be weird after 60 years but I think they have a ramming effect with the approach of the air and the high velocity that makes the tq. gsgtx has a stroker, 401 Riviera I would ask him about the good points and bad points about it. Right now he is the only one I know of that has one that gets on v8buick . But I don't know everyone on this site so there could be 1 or 2 more out there somewhere. Good luck