From the Reference Section:
- Carter Dual 4-Barrel Carburetor Idle Adjustment
- Carter Dual 4-Barrel Carburetor Adjustment
- Carter Dual 4-barrel Carburetors, Linkage Sticking
- Buick Cam Specifications for 401 and 425 nailheads
- Buick Cams from Kenne Bell, 401, 425
    - Nailhead Engine Specifications
- Head Flow Chart
- Nailhead Oil Pump
- Nailhead cam specs and cam selection
- Nailhead Parts Interchange
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 14

Thread: 401 in a Riv?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Nova Scoti
    Posts
    31
    Rep Power
    0

    401 in a Riv?

    So my American Standard catalogue states that all 66 Rivs cam with a 425 that was standard but the site Spec chart has 401 listed as a possibility or am I reading that wrong?

    Also I thought all 425s were supposed to be red and 401s blue but I see pictures of 66 Rivs with blueish engines. Is there a quick explanation for this?

    I know putting together cars was not a exact science in the 60's and there are things out there that is different then the books so I am just curious.

    Thanks
    Tony

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 1999
    Location
    Dbl Oak,TX
    Posts
    745
    Rep Power
    25
    The dealer brochure and the shop manual indicate the '66 Riviera was available only with the 425. Reference to a 401 in the '66 Riviera is a goof.

    Dealer brochures show the 425 was red in '66 only. Not all 401s were blue-green. Owners may have installed an engine from a different year, resulting in a different color. Too some may have repainted motor if they didn't like the red. Others may not be aware red would be correct.
    What has been, can be again. (Bob Wills, 1942)

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Nova Scoti
    Posts
    31
    Rep Power
    0

    Thumbs up

    Thanks

    That was what I was thinking and I have been checking other sources that say what your saying. When I pulled the power steering pump off the black paint on it was wearing off and it was a bluish green underneath, When I cleaned the engine up and repainted it I don't remember seeing that colour...so I thought I would ask if anyone knew of 401s in 66 rivs.

    Thanks
    Tony

  4. #4
    Look for the two letter code on the front of the engine in front of the valley cover on the right (passenger) side. Should be an MW or MX if a '66 Riv. GS late production.
    Tom Telesco
    Classic and Muscle Automotive
    12 Cook St.
    Norwalk, CT 06853-1601
    Day Phone 203-324-6045 ET
    NailHead Mini-Starters '53-'66
    Adjustable Roller Tip Rocker Arms - All NailHeads
    Custom forged pistons
    Front & rear neoprene seals
    Many other "Nail" parts
    "If I can't get it, you don't need it!"

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Nova Scoti
    Posts
    31
    Rep Power
    0
    Thanks Telriv

    Sorry for the late reply...Canadian Thanksgiving long weekend. I was looking for those markings and could not find them but I might have looked at the wrong spot. I was gonna send pics of the markings I did find...but its not letting me. So here goes
    Drivers side front 7JL016987 there is writing and a arrow saying Engine number.
    Passenger side front JT311 there is writing and a arrow saying Prod Code.

    I also got numbers on both heads but I thng its just head part numbers.

    Not sure if this helps to figure anything out...

    Tony

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Nova Scoti
    Posts
    31
    Rep Power
    0
    Well...it appears that I have been wrong all these years and instead of a 425 under the hood of my car it is actually a 63 401 out of a first gen Riv...... Well don't I have egg on my face.
    That will teach me to not track down codes. I am surprised though...everything was there, including AC, and all looked like it was supposed to be there. Everything I ordered was for the engine was for a 425 and it fit but I guess both blocks are pretty compatible. Oh well.

    I still love the car...always did so I will still carry on with the car and not try to find a correct engine at least not at this point...according to the books there is a 15hp difference and the same torque so am I really missing anything?

    Should make getting parts to fit more fun though...lol.

    Tony

  7. #7
    The 7J is out of a '63 Riv. The other numbers are the original VIN of the donor car. JT is a '63/401. Since your Riv. has a TH400 trans. & the '63 Riv. had a DynaFlow IF the adapter was not used on the end of the crank (or the crank swapped from the original 425) the snout on the torque converter will have NO support & wear/wipe-out the front pump & bushing in short order. If you ordered all the parts for a 425 they would ALL fit except the pistons & rings which are 1/8th. larger in diameter than a 401. Unless it was bored 1/8th. over to make it a 425 which is a DEFINITE NO-NO.


    Tom T.
    Tom Telesco
    Classic and Muscle Automotive
    12 Cook St.
    Norwalk, CT 06853-1601
    Day Phone 203-324-6045 ET
    NailHead Mini-Starters '53-'66
    Adjustable Roller Tip Rocker Arms - All NailHeads
    Custom forged pistons
    Front & rear neoprene seals
    Many other "Nail" parts
    "If I can't get it, you don't need it!"

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Nova Scoti
    Posts
    31
    Rep Power
    0
    Thanks for that Telriv.

    So you got me thinking....and a little freaked. I did some reading about this which is why it took me awhile to respond to this.

    So what you are saying is that a TURBO 400 Tran wont just bolt up to a 63 401 without some extra modifications. The car was a runner and I drove it before it was laid up. I never took the engine apart or the tranny so I assume if things were not right I would have found out then.... or am I incorrect? I bought the car in 90ish and drove it off and on until 92. Car was laid up until I started working on it in 2011. Its a long story. The only thing I did to the tranny was order a filter, build fluid lines and change the fluid. The filter was the wrong one...it was flat. The one I needed was a weird looking thing that I cleaned and just reused. When I researched more it seemed to be called a strainer. I assumed it was just a older model of Turbo 400 but now I am second guessing myself.....could this be a Dynaflow? Could that drive train be put in a 66 Riv? Would you even want too?

    At this point I just want to confirm what I got and work with it. I thought I knew what I had and I was wrong with the engine so maybe I am wrong with the tranny. I thought I knew what they looked like and Dynaflows are a little different arn't they? Everything seems to work and the car can move...except now because there is no power steering pump on it. Where it is right now it will be hard to jack up to read numbers on the tranny until I get the pump back on and that wont happen until I sort that out{see other post}so any info will be welcome.

    Thanks
    Tony

  9. #9
    Tony, They certainly could have swapped in the 63 engine and trans combination if the donor car was available with the brackets and driveshaft needed to complete the swap. The frames are basically the same from 63-66 under the Riv with some differences in brackets and their locations. The driveshaft yoke is also a different size from 400 to dynaflow.
    Steve B.



    67 GS 525 Buick Stage IV
    66 GS Convertible
    65 GS HT
    63 Riv
    02 Subaru WRX Turbo
    03 Ford Cobra Convertible (Factory Supercharged)

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Sep 1999
    Location
    Dbl Oak,TX
    Posts
    745
    Rep Power
    25
    The gear selector on the '63 goes P-N-D-L-R.

    On the '66 it is P-R-N-D-L2-L1.
    What has been, can be again. (Bob Wills, 1942)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
TeamBuick.com Privacy Policy