401/425 cam and heads

N

nailT

Member
Hey Guys

Brand spankin' new to this forum and i've got questions:
Getting ready to rebuild a 66' 401 to replace the bone stock 65' 401 that went splodey. The replacement motor is from a 66'GS. First, are all nailhead heads the same or is there some that are "better" than others. Also, cams, are stock nailhead cams all the same or were some performance oriented?. For the record the car it's going back in is a T-bucket so I don't need more performance but have a line on some pieces parts and need to know what i'm dealing with.

Also, I know speedway motors has a lot of the rebuild parts needed but are there other places to get the parts? (I have not searched the forum yet due to time constraints but will as time permits.)
 
Mayhaps I should be more specific. Are the heads and cam from a 65' 225 the same as the heads and cam from a 66' GS??. I may be doing a swap of parts and I don't need any suprises...the last one was good enough.
 
I just did a quick snoop around your site and I don't see anything that answers my questions.

How about this....what makes a GS a GS??. Did Buick just put a different exhaust and pan on the same ole' 401 and call it a GS?.
 
what makes a GS a GS?

most years the GS was a trim option and sometimes a handling package. some years it was coded as a separate model from the base Skylark or Century upon which it was based but that's really just hair splitting. any appearance of "GS" on another model other than Skylark/Centurion is nothing more than a trim/handling option.

the performance motor option was the "Stage 1" from 1969-73(?).

in 66 there was a dual 4v carb / intake setup that was available from the dealer or the factory but that wouldn't affect your plans.



First, are all nailhead heads the same or is there some that are "better" than others.

for the most part, the same. if you'll notice in our casting number reference, many of the same castings were used on Nails from 364 to 401 to 425




Also, cams, are stock nailhead cams all the same or were some performance oriented?

i'm sure some are "performance" oriented, but every Nail cam is pretty lumpy. the small valves meant they had to have a lot of lift to feed the larger displacements.

what was the actual model of the car you pulled the engine from? if it was a Skylark GS, it probably does have a more perf oriented cam.




are there other places to get the parts?

www.TAPerformance.com is the catch all Buick company
www.PostonBuick.com is a close second
Tom Telesco has roller rockers, i forget his screen name here
there was a Nail specialist in the PacNW ... i think it was Northwest Engineering or Eelco or something?
 
"what was the actual model of the car you pulled the engine from? if it was a Skylark GS, it probably does have a more perf oriented cam."

It was origionaly thought that it was a 66 GS something or other but the code is MT so that makes it a 340hp 401 according to the ID sheet on this site and does not say it's a GS anything[BUT...the guy said the pan is unique and wants it..and he did say the GS exhaust manifolds, oil pan, engine mounts and something else were unique on the GS's] (and the engine is factory red if that means anything). That's OK, a bone stock 325hp nailhead in a T-bucket (pre grenaded engine that is...) is about the funnest thing i've driven. I just don't want to get mixing and matching my good parts with the new stuff and hit a snag.

"are there other places to get the parts?

www.TAPerformance.com is the catch all Buick company
www.PostonBuick.com is a close second
Tom Telesco has roller rockers, i forget his screen name here
there was a Nail specialist in the PacNW ... i think it was Northwest Engineering or Eelco or something?[/quote]"

I knew of TA Performance but much appreciate the other linky. It appears with the little snooping i've done that there is no place for one stop shopping for nailhead parts.

Thanks for your help, it's much appreciated.
 
HOLY COW that Poston Enterprises has the goods. Thanks a TON for that link and I don't know how I didn't stumble across them. Regular gold mine that place is!!
 
he did say the GS exhaust manifolds, oil pan, engine mounts and something else were unique on the GS's

i've never heard this before. special valve covers, yeah. doesn't mean it's not true.....

the only oddball oil pan i've ever heard of for Buicks is the Riviera, due to the X frame they have. Riv's are always center sump, as far as i knew everything else was always rear sump. maybe higher capacity?




Poston Enterprises has the goods. Thanks a TON for that link

:thumbsup:

the one in the NW i was thinking of is Eelco now.
http://www.eelco-usa.com/index.php
 
Well, if it aint obvious, I know next to squat about Buicks (other than some are monster torque beasts). This fella seems like an honest guy and I have no info that says he's wrong... and I guess for what I need it doesn't matter....I don't need the pan or anything he needs so it's a good purchase in my book. I'm more concerened that I can put my heads and intake on it with no problems (mine is a 65 from a duece and a quarter and his is a 66 that "appears" to be a bit more performance oriented (it's a 340hp according to this site's id chart and mine is a 325hp). Both are 401 nailheads so unless someone pipes up i'm going to put my stuff on his short block and i'm back off to the permagrins.
 
Ok...some confusion. The motor I have is from a 225. The motor i'm going to purchase is from a Skylark. Is there is difference in the oil pans on these, ie, is one a rear sump and the other a mid sump???
 
the Riv uses a center sump pan. i believe all other Nails and BBB's are rear sump. that would include both the Electra and the Skylark.

which type of pan do you want for your t-bucket?
 
the Riv uses a center sump pan. i believe all other Nails and BBB's are rear sump. that would include both the Electra and the Skylark.

which type of pan do you want for your t-bucket?
 
I've got it all squared around...I think. The engine that's in the T right now is a mid sump out of a 225. The new shortie i'm buying is a rear sump out of a Skylark. Either will work on the T, there are no interference problems. The potential rub comes in when I take my pan and I assume my pickup tube/screen and put it on the new motor. I'm told that's not a problem. Do you know anything different?.
 
Do you know anything different?

nope, sounds right to me. keep the pickup with the pan that it belongs in and everything should be cool beans.
 
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