Neoprene front & rear seals 401/425
- Thread starter nailT
- Start date
Thanks a ton!. Just curious, are these for something other than a nailhead and just happen to be the right size or does someone still make them for nailheads??
Do you run a parts store or something?...i'm a newb, don't know the folks here.
No, I have my own repair shop for the past 30 or so years. I deal mostly with the "Ole Nails" rebuilding & such, that's one of the reasons I have them in stock. I have also designed & sell mini-starters & "Adjustable, Variable Ratio Roller Tip Rocker Arms" for them. I'm involved with what I believe to be the 2 fastest normally aspirated "Nails" in the country.
Who's the other one Tom? I know about Bob.
Now THAT is too cool. I'll file that and keep that in mind as the rebuild continues. Do have a listing on what else you have in stock?.
What's the short story to making a nailhead go fast being they appear to be intake/exhaust limited...and from what i've read you can't exactly auger em' out and put trash can valves in there. Do you scream them (somehow) or keep them at a relatively low RPM?. Do you have a block girdle/main supports in there?. When you say naturally aspirated...carb or injection? (those old Hilborn's look wicked on a nail for some reason). What cars do you have the fast nails in?.
Hey, while we are on the subject....do you have or know of anyone with a good aftermarket dual four intake for a nail?.
As an aside, my dad goes out to Bonneville almost every summer for speedweeks and he came across these really cool Canadians running a nail in a roadster, here is an old article on them:
http://www.rodandcustommagazine.com/featuredvehicles/1928_ford_model_a_roadster/index.html
There are many things you can do to help the "Nail" in your quest to make it go fast. Problem is it all costs $$$$. More than the average is willing to spend. You need to think outside the box. Normal logic in many cases doesn't apply here. I can help you achieve those goals along with a set of "My Rockers". And yes, I'm also somewhat involved with Gary Weldon's car, although I won't be going to Bonneville. Wish I could. Gary's car is faster with the carbs. He used the Hilborn's but it was the older, smaller set & he can get more CFM flow with carbs. Both the '66 Skylark GS & the '51 Henry J use carbs. We want to see how fast we can get them to go in their current configuration before trying any injection set-ups. I feel 10's are in the future for both. The GS has done a best with a tire spinning 11.08@122MPH & the J 11.35@118. I'm also trying to get my fingers in on Ed's bike with the '59/401 with carbs. that's running mid-high 10's now & see if we can get him into the 9's. You can ask Bob, Buddy, Tony, Ints, Wes & many others about my experience & tuning skills on this & other Buick boards.
Tom T.
Tom T.
Tom T.
Tom T.
You work on the Watson & Weldon Bonneville car?????????....the world she's a shrinkin'!!.
Lemme ask this, the nail myself and my dad are working on is going in a T-bucket...2,000lbs soakin' wet with a 200lb driver. Not much is needed in the performance department right now (hell, don't even need first or second gear!). We just want to get it back together, shake it down, have some fun driving it then probably next summer add some umph. When I say add umph, it obviously wouldn't take much to go from a rocket ship to an asteroid in such a small car. Where would you start?. The engine is a 66', engine ID is MT (somewhere on this site or another that ID says it's a 340hp 66' 401 with a T5 tranny. As I said we are not in need of "go-fast" right now so we will put it together in as stock as possible format keeping the stock compression ratio.
What do your rockers do or how do they improve performance? (keep in mind we will no matter what keep it a low RPM motor)
Are the HEI conversions worth their price?
Dad says he wants a 2x4 intake on it (probably 2 AFB's or Edelbrock equivalent), mostly for looks...is that going to hurt performance in stock form?
I guess what are your top 5 areas of performance improvement?
Lemme ask this, the nail myself and my dad are working on is going in a T-bucket...2,000lbs soakin' wet with a 200lb driver. Not much is needed in the performance department right now (hell, don't even need first or second gear!). We just want to get it back together, shake it down, have some fun driving it then probably next summer add some umph. When I say add umph, it obviously wouldn't take much to go from a rocket ship to an asteroid in such a small car. Where would you start?. The engine is a 66', engine ID is MT (somewhere on this site or another that ID says it's a 340hp 66' 401 with a T5 tranny. As I said we are not in need of "go-fast" right now so we will put it together in as stock as possible format keeping the stock compression ratio.
What do your rockers do or how do they improve performance? (keep in mind we will no matter what keep it a low RPM motor)
Are the HEI conversions worth their price?
Dad says he wants a 2x4 intake on it (probably 2 AFB's or Edelbrock equivalent), mostly for looks...is that going to hurt performance in stock form?
I guess what are your top 5 areas of performance improvement?
Tom,
That bike sounds downright scary!
Steve
That bike sounds downright scary!
Steve
Tom is in a position to know the dyno results but I would be shocked if a normally aspirated nailhead has ever made 600 hp given the head design limitations.
Yeah, I hear what you are saying...but from what i've been told unless it's really light car you gotta be somewhere in that ballpark to make those et's.
I went to college with a fella that had a 72' Camero with a pretty strong "455" Buick...it ran 11.20's and he said that's about what it dyno'd at. He did have it lightened up a bit (no fender wells, interior gutted, some plastic, etc..). Also, a family friend has a 78' Camero with a 732 inch Merlin in it...he runs 8.50's at 155ish and that's a few hp over 1200...there's lots of difference (and money) between a low 11 and a mid 8.
Guy at my shop has a '68 Camaro that runs 8.30's@160 with a 638 Merlin 3. This is in a fully streetable, full frame & interior car. The GS is over 3K pds. & a streetable full stocker type car. Everything that's been done, except for the roll bar, is completely bolt-on & can be returned to stock in a couple week-ends. The J is slightly under 3K pds. & can also be streetable if a few things are added. I can tell you the GS is under 500HP & the J is under 400HP. I didn't say I worked on Gary's car, I was Involved & his uses a 2x4 set-up.
On your build you need to look ahead to the future as far as being able to add performance enhancing products. After you get somewhat used to it you will want to add more!!! It's a male thing, we always want more!!!!! The lower ends are pretty strong. We don't have any girdles. Just quality bolts when all is put together along with a small block fill to get rid of some cylinder wall flex using an epoxy, not cement. Just like these "Rockers" & "Starters", it's more about a passion & a love for something that's a little different. I have proven they can perform as well as being the best looking dressed up engine in existence. There are 3 head porters I've worked with that have gotten better results than others in the past with my suggestions. I don't even get any recognition or mention about what I've offered them as far as what works, etc. Kinda erks me but it's making the "Nail" an alternative engine to look at come time for building something. I guess that will have to be recognition in & of itself. Many don't know & will never know how deeply involved I've been in furthering the "Nail". 1st. off forged pistons with valve pockets deep enough for at least a .600"+ lift. Keep the compression at least around 9.5-1. A "Nail" can handle 10-1 with todays gas. Even a small amount of head work is beneficial along with the correct valves, springs, etc. The distributor can be a modified stocker, converted with the proper advance curve & running the vacuum advance. No need for an "Aftermarket" distributor. 2x4's you can use the new Eelco or the older Edelbrock. Even the stock manifold flows better than any other intakes besides what's listed. Unless the engine is modified heavily I would use a 600CFM carb. as a primary & a 750 as a secondary with progressive linkage for reasonable fuel mileage. The 600 on the rear will give good throttle response as the primary carb. & the 750 will be your secondary as a dumper. Build it to enhance the torque capabilities & low end. This will make it a fun driver. Keep the R's below 6K. The "Rockers" WILL enhance the airflow even over a "Hotter" cam. From a completely stocker with no work at all an improvement of 35-40HP is possible in stock form. On something that's been modified to pass as much air as possible on the dyno it has shown a 20HP improvement. Making HP is all about getting the air in & out. On a N/A "Nail" the intake side is the problem over the exhaust. The proper cam plays an even bigger part in all this. Forget the rump-rump, although "My Rockers" will enhance that also. There has been much written & testimonials from others.
I can type for days & not cover ALL the details & typing with one finger takes hours.
Tom
On your build you need to look ahead to the future as far as being able to add performance enhancing products. After you get somewhat used to it you will want to add more!!! It's a male thing, we always want more!!!!! The lower ends are pretty strong. We don't have any girdles. Just quality bolts when all is put together along with a small block fill to get rid of some cylinder wall flex using an epoxy, not cement. Just like these "Rockers" & "Starters", it's more about a passion & a love for something that's a little different. I have proven they can perform as well as being the best looking dressed up engine in existence. There are 3 head porters I've worked with that have gotten better results than others in the past with my suggestions. I don't even get any recognition or mention about what I've offered them as far as what works, etc. Kinda erks me but it's making the "Nail" an alternative engine to look at come time for building something. I guess that will have to be recognition in & of itself. Many don't know & will never know how deeply involved I've been in furthering the "Nail". 1st. off forged pistons with valve pockets deep enough for at least a .600"+ lift. Keep the compression at least around 9.5-1. A "Nail" can handle 10-1 with todays gas. Even a small amount of head work is beneficial along with the correct valves, springs, etc. The distributor can be a modified stocker, converted with the proper advance curve & running the vacuum advance. No need for an "Aftermarket" distributor. 2x4's you can use the new Eelco or the older Edelbrock. Even the stock manifold flows better than any other intakes besides what's listed. Unless the engine is modified heavily I would use a 600CFM carb. as a primary & a 750 as a secondary with progressive linkage for reasonable fuel mileage. The 600 on the rear will give good throttle response as the primary carb. & the 750 will be your secondary as a dumper. Build it to enhance the torque capabilities & low end. This will make it a fun driver. Keep the R's below 6K. The "Rockers" WILL enhance the airflow even over a "Hotter" cam. From a completely stocker with no work at all an improvement of 35-40HP is possible in stock form. On something that's been modified to pass as much air as possible on the dyno it has shown a 20HP improvement. Making HP is all about getting the air in & out. On a N/A "Nail" the intake side is the problem over the exhaust. The proper cam plays an even bigger part in all this. Forget the rump-rump, although "My Rockers" will enhance that also. There has been much written & testimonials from others.
I can type for days & not cover ALL the details & typing with one finger takes hours.
Tom
hudroadster
Member
Hi Tom!
Here is newb from Finland.I dedicated various of Nailhead Buicks,but last five years i´ve been married with 1930 Hudson RS Roadster powered by Nailhead,of course :bgrin: It went last year in 1/4 mile 13.6 @ 104mph with big tire spinning,track was old small plane airport and it was very,very slippy.And the another thing,it was my first time in strip,so i did some hassles with shifting etc. :blush:
Engine hasnt any special parts,only little bigger cam from TA,750 Edelbrock.Thats it.Altough bad megaphone headers which lost horsepowers,but they fits the style :bgrin:
At the moment i building up 425 for my new toy,1930 A-coupe Ford.
You talking about Hilborn.
I have a old one mechanical from ´50s or ´60s,which is converted for the EFI´s.It run by GM Haltech box.I try to use it on Hudsons 401,but
i had a idle and tune up problems,and i believe that they came from twisting butterfly shafts,they doesnt open and closed at same time.
Heard that new productions Hilborn throttlebodies has some kind of splitted or two pieces butterflies shafts per side.Is it true?
I didnt see any good pictures from shafts and hex links.
So the questions is,do You have any good idea for the shaft problems?Please dont say,throw them away :bgrin:
Or do You know any guys,who has for sale used,reproductions EFI throttlebodies? Yes i know,that in Hilborn has,but at this time they cost too much for my wallet and delivery time is so long.
I´m also really thankful from good pictures from repro EFI that if could modified my old one to work.
Here is few pics of my combination,dont care about hex link and wood spacers,i know hex is in wrong position and woodies are protos.I try to keep heat off from throttlebodies,because it seems like shafts twisting more by heat and idle stay over 1400rpm.Those woodies helped with this problem.
Thanks!
hudroadster
Member
Thanks :blush:
Hudson has TH-700R4 and 8 1/4" with locker and 4.10 gears from ´86 Ram Van,its enough wide,because Hudson is much more wider than A-Ford and car is channelled heavily.
A-Coupe get that 425 with Hilborn + T-5 and 9" with detroit and 4.11 gears.It have to run low 12sec or i hang my self :angry::bgrin:
I have a plan port and flow the heads and over bored block to .060.
In fact guy from engineering shop called friday evening and told that block is ready now and everything is balanced.
Big cam and other stuff came from TA and after all jobs going to dyno.Maybe its only dream,but i try to dig out about 400-420 hp.