suntreemcanic
Experienced Member
This is the RPM drop I will experience. Well my modification may not exactly fit in with the stock crowd but gotta change or I will not be driving the car much more. My 52 Buick Super Estate Wagon has Dyna Flow, straight eight and 3.90 rear end gears. I bought a 71 Chev 1/2 ton pick up rear end today with 3.08 rear end gears and trailing arms. I am going to put a nailhead engine in, a switch pitch turbo 400 and the Chev rear end. The lower gear numerically rear end will make higher speed driving more attainable and with the V8, air conditioning will also be possible. I rebuilt the transmission last winter, I am starting to assemble the nailhead and I finally found a good rear end. I pulled the cover, the ring and pinion and side gears looked good. I plan to replace all the bearings and seals and call it good. So I can get rid of the leaking Dyna Flow and enclosed drive shaft. I have new cracks forming in my straight eight exhaust manifold and I have used my last spare. I have one last long trip in my Buick to San Diego in September, I hope the exhaust manifold lasts, or it could be a loud trip. My only unknown is the steering gear. I have factory power steering and the gear is so big a V8 will not fit with it in there. The lower A arms are so long that a conventional rack and pinion will not work because of bump steer. A conventional steering gear might also be to big. Has anyone had experience with electric steering? I am planning on having my Buick back on the road next year. My intentions are for this modification to look like it came from the factory.