Engine Identification

OK, just managed to clean the block off enough to see the casting number and to no surprise it doesn't match anything on the site. It is:

Block Casting No.: 1165752

Hey guys, I'm new to the site and love it. Tons of great info here! I have a couple old Chevy's, but finally got my dream car - '56 Buick Super Riviera!

http://www.mazlyn.com/1956/after_bath.gif

Here's my predicament. I've checked the engine identification chart and other places and believe the engine in this car is actually a 1955 264, but want to be sure before I make any decisions on whether I want to keep it (if it's a 322, I would definitely keep it). Below are the engine, head and intake numbers:

Engine Serial No.:
II046244 (I believe this is a 1955 264)

Head Casting Nos.:
[Passenger side] 1166349-2 (comes back as 54-56 264/322)
[Driver side] 1166349-10 (comes back as 54-56 264/322)

Intake Casting No.:
1165308 S (comes back as 53-55 322 w/ 2bl)

The only number I'm completely unsure about is the engine serial number - it doesn't match up with anything on the identification charts. I found a thread (don't remember where) that leads me to believe it's a '55 264. Any assistance on positively identifying this engine that you could give me would be greatly appreciated.

I was also wondering what your opinions were regarding keeping and running a 264 in that car as opposed to putting a crate motor in.

Thanks in advance,
Mike

Did you find the engine serial number as shown here:

http://www.teambuick.com/forums/view...t_engine_where

Hi Bob, thanks for the reply. I sure did. I found the serial number on the machined surface on the top outer edge of the left cylinder bank (II046244):

http://www.mazlyn.com/1956/serial_no.gif

And the casting number behind the distributor at the back of the block (1165752):

http://www.mazlyn.com/1956/casting_no.gif

I found a thread on the HAMB a while ago in which a guy had the same casting number and was experiencing the same difficulty in definitively identifying the engine. In that thread, a poster or two stated it was a 264, but there was still some debate. I guess the only way to really determine which it is by the bore size - is that correct?

I'm definitely getting a quick and dirty education on Nailheads in my first 72 hours of Buick ownership :bgrin:

Thanks,
Mike

circle track and possibly drag strip tech crews often have a pneumatic tube that threads into your spark plug hole that will tell you approx what the displacement of the engine is.

other than that, yeah, you'll probably have to pull a head to verify the bore diameter.

OK, that should make it a 1955 264. The serial numbers start at
V720080-4 and end at V1460022-4

Your las number is the 4 read it like V1104624-4 even though the V isn't there.

Excellent, thanks guys.

Does anybody have any thoughts about whether I should keep this engine in the car? Is a 264 too sluggish to have in this car or will it pull the car along just fine? I want to make sure the car can drive comfortably down the road without having peole tailgating and waving their fists at me. I have a 1950 Chevrolet with a 261 from a GMC truck that will do 65 all day, but that 'aint fast enough for Texans. I'm constantly getting people riding my bumper, dirty looks and obsence gestures when I drive that car - no respect!

Thanks again for the help - I can put that one to bed and move on to the next issue (whatever that may turn out to be).

Mike

Back when I 1st. got my '55 Special it had the 264 & 3 spd. manual trans. From the factory the rear gears were 3.90's. With the little 2 bbl. carb. it would cruise at 85MPH all day. The person that owned it before me (1959) was chased by the State Police in Ct. & clocked doing 125+MPH by the troopers behind him. They couldn't keep up. The only way they stopped him was he ran out of FUEL!!!! Spent time & a big fine. That's the way I came about the car, he sold it to me to help pay for his lawyers.

Tom T.

I installed the stock 4 bbl carburetor and intake manifold from a 1955 Century on to my 1955 Special with the 264 cid engine and it gave the car more power. I also installed the Pertronix ignition system and that improved it more.