401 Nailhead

[whiteworks]

Definately cool engines. Can't wait to light this up, waiting on the correct paint to show up. Turns out there is about one guy in the country that mixes the correct color, most folks opt for harvester green but I just can't cut that corner.

 

[whiteworks]

And what might this project be?

63 Buick Riviera, 325 HP, 445 torque, those are factory specs and the marketing departments back then were known to embellish a bit from what I understand. None the less gonna be a torquey sum bitch lol Rivermobster is getting after it, nothing crazy like the other stuff that comes out of their shop, but will definitely be a clean runner:thumbsup

 

[Boschma]

Cool! What are you going to run for an intake?

 

[whiteworks]

Cool! What are you going to run for an intake?

All stock.

 

[Johnny_5]

if I was tire kicking, what's this going to go for when you're done?

it's only my favorite 60's car...

 

[whiteworks]

if I was tire kicking, what's this going to go for when you're done?

it's only my favorite 60's car...

Define done, lol. I've seen sano 63's in the low 30's, brings me back to the done part, this car is being built to drive and beat up a bit (have some fun). Not gonna go all apeshit and make it sano, just super clean and ready to run hard.

 

[Tom Brown]

That would be an excellent engine to run a portable bandsaw mill.

 

[whiteworks]

That would be an excellent engine to run a portable bandsaw mill.

Define portable?

 

[Tom Brown]

Define portable?

Steel studs for a frame, joined with sheet metal screws. Car tires for bandsaw wheels, a tongue formed at one end, a tow truck dolly, and magentic trailer lights.

 

[OCMerrill]

Steel studs for a frame, joined with sheet metal screws. Car tires for bandsaw wheels, a tongue formed at one end, a tow truck dolly, and magentic trailer lights.

A Bayliner?

 

[Tom Brown]

Rat saw

 

[rivermobster]

A Bayliner?

That was good...

 

[whiteworks]

Steel studs for a frame, joined with sheet metal screws. Car tires for bandsaw wheels, a tongue formed at one end, a tow truck dolly, and magentic trailer lights.

I'd like to see you run that piece of equipment:thumbsup

 

[74 spectra20 v-drive]

Nail heads are cool, my dad has had this in the wood decker since 65'

 

[rivermobster]

Nail heads are cool, my dad has had this in the wood decker since 65'

Beautiful. :thumbsup

 

[Willie B]

...I have a friend about 30 miles away in Chico who has a Riviera,...that he says is a factory lightweight... ...Dual Carter AFB's,...acid dipped body panels,...roll up windows,...no insulation... ...It's either a '63 or '65,...can't remember which???... ...He says Buick built a handfull and toured the country running them at various dragstrips for awhile as a promotion... ...I vaguely remember seeing two of them run at San Fernando???... ...They both ran in the 100 to 110 in the quarter range???... ...Anybody ever heard of such vehicles,...or is this a memory hallucination on my part and a bullshit story on my friends part???...

 

[92562]

Awesome! My favorite is '65 GS. One day I hope to own one. I've owned several other '65 rarities but a '65 GS would be the top!

 

[Sleek-Jet]

I owned 3/4 of one of those for a while. My CJ-3B had a 225 V6. Cool little engines. Always wanted an old wooden flatty with a Nail Head, just because.

 

[Flyinbowtie]

That flat bottom is beautiful.

WW I am amazed at and admire your restraint. I would carefully package all of the stock intake shiznit away, and be bolting a progressive 2x4 set up on there with some shiny stuff exactly like the boat has on it.
I simply could not resist.
True duals and a set of Smithy's or other period perfect pipes.

 

[whiteworks]

Nail heads are cool, my dad has had this in the wood decker since 65'

That boat is badass:thumbsup

That flat bottom is beautiful.

WW I am amazed at and admire your restraint. I would carefully package all of the stock intake shiznit away, and be bolting a progressive 2x4 set up on there with some shiny stuff exactly like the boat has on it.
I simply could not resist.
True duals and a set of Smithy's or other period perfect pipes.

The thought of running a more exotic intake has crossed my mind, but there is something cool about bone stock.

 

[zhandfull]

That boat is badass:thumbsup


The thought of running a more exotic intake has crossed my mind, but there is something cool about bone stock.

:thumbup: I agree

 

[rivermobster]

My office was a bit crowded last night...

 

[whiteworks]

Here are a couple pics of the car right now, the body is super straight, paint is clean, interior is pretty tight. The major bonus is there is zero rust, once the mechanical stuff is done this will be a pretty nice car, not concourse show stuff just a bitchen driver that didn't cost a fortune. Most of the cool cars from the 60's are just off the charts on pricing these days, I chose the Rivi because I feel there still affordable as well they are an absolute pleasure to drive, tilt wheel, power everything, pretty amazing for a 50 year old car. So for now the car will stay stock height, the wheel and tire package i want to do cannot be justified as financially viable, its just cool as shit. Gonna have the kid run the car for a bit and see if he wants to personalize it to his (my) liking. At that point money spent will be 50 cents on the dollar return at best, we'll see, my intuition tells me it wont be long before we lay it down and throw some new shoes on it, however something still super cool about a clean stock vintage vehicle.

 

[whiteworks]

My office was a bit crowded last night...

View attachment 273410

Your office is the shit, for those that are unaware of Joe's work environment its the real deal. JMS racing engines is a top notch facility with more equipment, experience and knowledge under one roof than you can imagine. My decision to have Joe do this project was based on the fact that regardless of what we were to find once cracking this thing open it really would not be an issue and the end result would be phenomenal. when we are done this will be a super reliable car that you can get in and blast up the coast without a care in the world. In reality this car will be used on a daily 10 mile round trip commute on PCH, cool factor of this car and this drive, off the charts:thumbup:

 

[rivermobster]

Your office is the shit, for those that are unaware of Joe's work environment its the real deal. JMS racing engines is a top notch facility with more equipment, experience and knowledge under one roof than you can imagine. My decision to have Joe do this project was based on the fact that regardless of what we were to find once cracking this thing open it really would not be an issue and the end result would be phenomenal. when we are done this will be a super reliable car that you can get in and blast up the coast without a care in the world. In reality this car will be used on a daily 10 mile round trip commute on PCH, cool factor of this car and this drive, off the charts:thumbup:

Or in other words, nuthin but a bunch of old guys work here.


The engine compartment is getting painted this saturday btw. Looks pretty crappy right now, but i'm working on it as we speak. My painter does real nice work though. And yes, I am taking pics.

 

[rivrrts429]

This car is badass.

Never really took notice of them when I would see for sale ads online. I guess I pictured something different and didn't bother to open the links.

I would definitely lurk one of these on Saturdays after seeing this.

 

[whiteworks]

This car is badass.

Never really took notice of them when I would see for sale ads online. I guess I pictured something different and didn't bother to open the links.

I would definitely lurk one of these on Saturdays after seeing this.

They seem to have flown under the radar for a long time, kinda funny actually. Generation 1 Riviera was in production for 3 years 1963, 1964, and 1965 total units produced was 112,244, figure 50 years of use and abuse I just cant imagine there being a lot of them left. Originally the car was designed to be a Cadillac model but they turned it down and what we have is a Buick today, lots of bells and whistles for the day and quite complex interiors (in other words a real bitch to mess with LOL) All kinds of unique stuff on these cars, here is a pic of a frame off build, way different going on under there.

 

[Johnny_5]

however something still super cool about a clean stock vintage vehicle.

clean classic driver, I like where your head is at.

 

[whiteworks]

FBT, these pics are just for you so the boys will know what your saying.

 

[gregk1]

my 65 wickens 425 nailhead

 

[whiteworks]

View attachment 273594 View attachment 273595 View attachment 273596 my 65 wickens 425 nailhead

Sweet boat:thumbsup

 

[Flyinbowtie]

Thanks WW, sooth my soul there a bit.
I am all with the stock look vibe, just with a twist.
I used to know a guy up here, a crusty old fart, he was the father of a kid I ran around with back when.
The guy loved the early '70s F-250's, the divorced transfer case factory highboy trucks. He also had a thing for Buick V-8s, the big nailhead to be exact. When he was a kid he had a '36 Dodge pickup with a 401 and a 3 speed.
Anyway he got into transplanting nailheads into the F-250's. He'd get the engine in, do a 2 inch spring lift on top of the factory highboy deal, and put a clean maroon paint job on the truck with white solid wheels. 35 inch tires.
He drove the truck around for a year til some guy up from Sacto saw it and had to have it.
So he sold it.
And built another one.
I would guess there are now 4-5 of these trucks, same engine, same paint, same lift, wheels, tires, running around down in the Sacramento Valley. He still drives the last one he built around up here, see it and him every now and then.
He got too old and grumpy to build any more.
He still has the '36 tucked away...his son is gonna get that when the old man passes, and when he does it will get a sympathetic resto and get put on the road again for the first time in 40 plus years.

 

[rivermobster]

Weekend progress...gotta pull all the masking tape now.







Tapatalk 2.0/HTC One

 

[whiteworks]

Starting to take some shape:thumbup:

 

[coolchange]

Your Rivi is bitchen, and to find one in that condition is near impossible! But you know that. We're members of a select few, my daily driver is a 67 El Camino. Heres a pic of what I think is the nicest Rivi out there. Lots of VERY subtle mods. Belongs to Gary Baca

 

[SummitKarl]

nailheads are awesome motors, they look so good with edelbrocks fined dress up kit

 

[whiteworks]

nailheads are awesome motors, they look so good with edelbrocks fined dress up kit

This one is not electric

 

[whiteworks]

 

[whiteworks]

Pics are trickleing in from Rivermobster, loving this color.

 

[Flyinbowtie]

Looking Good WW.

 

[rivermobster]

Progress...

Tapatalk 2.0/HTC One

 

[whiteworks]

Rough mockup of exhaust manifolds.

 

[whiteworks]

Final assembly getting underway.:thumbup: covering lots of points, gonna be a nice driver.

 

[whiteworks]

Just picked up trans, consensus was to just do it now lol

 

[whiteworks]

Before and after of the Dynaflow transmission. Joe found the Dynaflow guru and we had the entire trans gone through, as luck would have it, it was a good call and it would not have lasted long. I was looking at this pile of shit on the work bench and my intuition told me that as soon as we hooked it up to a fresh motor it was gonna spit parts LOL. I actually learned some stuff about this trans while talking with the guru, its only a one speed and everything takes place in the torque converter. it does have a manuel low setting with a 4 to 1 ratio and that is why it is mistaken as a 2 speed trans, shifting from low to drive under heavy load is the weak link and I have been advised by the guru "NOT TO DO THAT" LOL.


good read on it if your so inclined.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynaflow

 

[69GS]

Your Riv is coming along nicely and will be an awesome driver when done. My Dad had a 64 Riv with I think a 425 nailhead and two four barrel carbs and for a big heavy ass car would get up and go. Love the Riviera's. Check out V8 Buick.com. There's a ton of info about Buicks on there and some unbelieveable Buick collections of all models.

 

[whiteworks]

All dressed and ready to go to the dance:thumbup:

 

[rivermobster]

Cool pic!!! :thumbsup

 

[HOOTER SLED-]

Looking good. :thumbup: But you ain't bad ass unless you rock some dingleballs and velour tuck n roll in that sum bitch. Orale.

 

[whiteworks]

Looks like it fits