1960 Invicta 401 Nailhead ID

[fhogeweg]

Helle everyone,

I’m new to this great forum and I am having some small problems with my 1960 Buick Invicta convertible. I would like to take it apart the engine and rebuild it.

Now the biggest problem... I don’t know if it is the original 401 engine. So before I order my parts, hoe can we identify the correct engine.

I found a number at the front of the engine: 4G4006709

And another number: 1190415
Anyone have some idea??

Thanks Ferdy

 

[rcull]

"Buick Engine Identification, by the numbers" in the "Reference!" section of the site.

Click the "Reference!" tab above, look down to "Buick Engine Identification", click on "Buick Engine Identification, by the numbers". It has a page describing where to find the numbers which necessary to identify your engine.

 

[nailheadnut]

YEAR	H1, TYPE	CODE
1959	V-8 364*	3F
V-8 401*	4F
1960	V-8 364* Standard engine	3G
V-8 364*	L3G low comp. engine "regular gas option" auto. trans.
V-8 401*	4G
1961	V-8 215 Standard engine	H
V-8 215	LH low comp. engine
V-8 364*	3H
V-8 401*	4H
1962	V-6 198	6I
V-8 215	I
V-8 215	HI hi comp. engine
V-8 401*, 2 bbl	2I
V-8 401*, 4 bbl	4I

 

[Buford26]

You can also read my answer here:

http://forums.aaca.org/topic/316749-1960-buick-invicta-engine-id/


What it tells you depends on what side of the engine it is from. Since it is 9 digits long, I'm guessing it is from the driver side of the engine, which makes it the car/engine serial number. This number decodes as follows:



4G4006709
4= Series 4400/LeSabre
G = 1960 model year
4 = built at Kansas City, KS
006709 = sequential number, range for KC was 001001 to 032090



You said you were working on an Invicta, if this was the original numbers matching engine then the engine serial number should start with a 6 and match the serial number plate in the driver door jamb. This engine is from a LeSabre, so you will need to find the engine production code. The engine production code will be found in the same location on the passenger side and it is usually less than 9 digits long. Bill listed two of the engine production codes used in 1960, the complete list is:




L3G = low comp. 364 V8
3G = 364 V8
4G - 401 V8





The format AB123 didn't start until the 1963 model year, so in 1960 the numbers following the engine production code are a sequential number, which can be upto 6 digits long since 1960 Buick production was 253,999. My guess is the engine production code will start with 3G, making it a 364 nailhead V8.