Hi and hello from Germany combined with an urgent question

[lupocamino]

Hello to all of you in the american Buick Forum!!

My name is Wolfgang (friends call me Wolf), I am from Germany and have bought a 1952 Buick Super Convertible this week. I am trying to add a picture if I can manage it.

I am so happy and proud of the car although it is still much too cold in Germany to ride with an open roof. But, unfortunately right now I cannot drive this wonderful car at all.
On the day I bought it I had to drive it home to my place which is located only 55 miles away from the seller's place. But driving with approximately 45 to 50 mph on the highway suddenly the sound of the motor was increasing and then "boom" one loud bang, silence, smoke inside the car, that's it. We stopped and then we saw a big hole (about 3 to 4 inch diameter) in the block.
I directly called the seller who is a very reasonable and helpful person. He was very surprised and he promised me that we would together manage this catastrophy. Well, I let the towing service bring my car to my place. The block can not be repaired any more.
Therefore I am now looking urgently for a new block or a complete motor. I have a 263 cui-engine, the block No. is 67964515.
Does anybody among you in the community know where I can get a block or a complete motor (maybe a revised engine with documentation or whatever...).
Many thanks in advance for your answers and the help,
with best but because of the situation very sad regards from Germany,
Wolf

[bob k. mando]

we have a classified section on this site, as of Jan 1st, 2013 this engine was still available:
http://www.teambuick.com/classifieds...3-motor&cat=53

ebay motors, search all of craigslist and the AACA forums are also places to keep an eye out.

1952 was the last year of the straight 8 engines. the Nailheads are very narrow v-8 engines designed specifically to replace the straight 8 engines in the old style, narrow frames/engine compartments. what i'm getting at is, if you get really desperate you can probably swap in a 322ci Nail without 'too much' difficulty.


ps - nice looking car.

[SuperST8]

1953 was the last year for the St8!!!!!!

we have a classified section on this site, as of Jan 1st, 2013 this engine was still available:
http://www.teambuick.com/classifieds...3-motor&cat=53

ebay motors, search all of craigslist and the AACA forums are also places to keep an eye out.

1952 was the last year of the straight 8 engines. the Nailheads are very narrow v-8 engines designed specifically to replace the straight 8 engines in the old style, narrow frames/engine compartments. what i'm getting at is, if you get really desperate you can probably swap in a 322ci Nail without 'too much' difficulty.


ps - nice looking car.

[bobc455]

Sorry I can't help with the engine, but it is a great looking car!

-Bob C.

[lupocamino]

Hi Bob,

very many thanks. Even I haven't been able to enjoy the car up to now I am still proud.

And (I think this is also very important) my wife is also happy with the car. We both hope to manage the motorproblem soon and then we will clean and polish it and then we only need summer and holidays...

Many regards,

Wolfgang

[bob k. mando]

1953 was the last year for the St8!!!!!!



*shrug*

if you want to get picky about it, 1952 was the last year all Buicks were equipped with Straight 8s and 1953 was a split production year with 263 Straight 8s being relegated to the Special ( lowest class ) model while everything else got 322 Nailheads. 1952 actually was the LAST year any 320s ( big block straight 8 ) were produced.

all of which has nothing to do with my point: that Nailheads are designed to fit into engine bays which were originally designed to hold Straight 8s and are a much more viable swap than many other v8 options.

[lupocamino]

Hi Bob,

I have two minds now. On one side it would be nice to have an almost original car from 1952. Except the roof and a new paint all on my "new" Buick is original. So, a straight eight would match very well. If it's a 263 I can also re-use a lot of my parts for the rebuild of the motor.

On the other side, as long as I can't get a good straight eight, why not use a nailhead-engine?

Btw Bob, you are a "Profi". I have an offer now for a straight eight engine, the seller says it comes from a 1952 Special. The engine number is "67012694". Can this be correct?

It also was made for manual trans but I have Dynaflow. Is there a chance to get the engine adapted?

Can you please help me?

many thanks,
WolfAnrufen
SMS senden
Zu Skype hinzufügen
Sie benötigen Skype-GuthabenPer Skype kostenlosAnrufen
SMS senden
Zu Skype hinzufügen
Sie benötigen Skype-GuthabenPer Skype kostenlos

[JR9162]

Hi Bob,

I have two minds now. On one side it would be nice to have an almost original car from 1952. Except the roof and a new paint all on my "new" Buick is original. So, a straight eight would match very well. If it's a 263 I can also re-use a lot of my parts for the rebuild of the motor.

On the other side, as long as I can't get a good straight eight, why not use a nailhead-engine?

Btw Bob, you are a "Profi". I have an offer now for a straight eight engine, the seller says it comes from a 1952 Special. The engine number is "67012694". Can this be correct?

It also was made for manual trans but I have Dynaflow. Is there a chance to get the engine adapted?

Can you please help me?

many thanks,
WolfAnrufen
SMS senden
Zu Skype hinzufügen
Sie benötigen Skype-GuthabenPer Skype kostenlosAnrufen
SMS senden
Zu Skype hinzufügen
Sie benötigen Skype-GuthabenPer Skype kostenlos

Wulf, If you use a 263 CID straight 8 that has a manual trans style crankshaft, easiest thing to do is rebuild it using the crankshaft from your blown dynaflow equipped engine. So I'd pull the crankshaft out of the blown engine and ensure it's still useable. If not, the manual style crankshaft is much more difficult to convert to an automatic (dynaflow) transmission than the automatic style crankshaft is to manual transmission.

If I were installing a 322 Nailhead in my car, I'd get one from a 1956 Buick Super or Roadmaster along with the Dynaflow that was/is connected to it. Best year for the 322 and best year for a Dynaflow that will fit a 322. The 322 can be installed into your 1952 Super. However, it's not a simple "bolt in" affair. Another upgrade you may want to consider is 1952 - 1955 Roadmaster front brakes. They are 2.5" versus 2" wide.

[raycow]

I have an offer now for a straight eight engine, the seller says it comes from a 1952 Special. The engine number is "67012694". Can this be correct?

It also was made for manual trans but I have Dynaflow. Is there a chance to get the engine adapted?

Your engine number is correct for 1952 production. The lowest number for 1952 engines is 6646230, and the lowest number for 1953 is 6950620. The last digit (4) is not part of the sequential number, but instead indicates that the engine was installed in a Series 40 (Special) car.

As previously mentioned, the manual shift crankshaft will need modification to mate with your Dynafow transmission. However, if the manual engine has good bearings and journals, it it could very well be less expensive to modify the manual crank instead of repairing the Dynaflow crank. My suggestion would be to take both cranks to your machine shop and request a cost estimate for each one.

Unless you feel you must have the additional power of the V-8 engine, I would advise against the V-8 conversion. This will be MUCH mre work than installing another straight 8. You may already know that you will need to make new frame brackets for mounting the V-8. Besides that, the later transmissions will not mate to your existing torque tube without modification. Lastly, you will need to convert the electrical system to 12 volts if this has not already been done.

Ray

[lupocamino]

Hi Ray,

many thanks for the confirmation that the motor is really a "small block" that matches very well in my Super.

I hope (!!!) that we can manage it to make one "new" motor out of my blown block and the engine with the manual shift. I hope my Dynaflow crank will be still in good shape.

Right now I fortunately have the option to get an engine, it makes me happy !!!

Very many thanks again for your supporting informations,

many regards,
Wolf