Bad News Buick. Is our 401 Nailhead too far gone? | Redline Update #4

[@patmclean1951]

It’s great to see that not everything is sunshine and roses in the KZbin rebuild world. Thanks for posting the crap that those of us in the real world often face.

[@tracerloenan8020]

Davin does a great job. His personality, knowledge, and easy demeanor, makes this channel a lot better to watch. Thanks for the great job you all do at Hagerty.

[@NebukedNezzer]

In 1960 I was 15 and bought my first chevrolet v8. it was a 56 265 that had been bored 1/8 of an inch and fit with 283 pistons. IF, the builder had fit the wrist pins correctly it would not have self destructed. Cost me 400 bucks in 1960(a lot of money then). I got screwed and learned a lot. have owned lots of chevys since and now own an LQ4 6L silverado 2500 ALL cast iron engine. great vehicle and will keep it forever.

[@mancubzavala865289]

Take notes fellas. This is the reality of rebuilding a classic engine. Thank you Davin and the RedLine Team for keeping it real!

This reminds me of my Grandfather's lumber axe. I have it today as a family heritage keepsake. It's 140 years old. The handle has been replaced twice and the axe head once.

[@brejaimecastillo8851]

Wow never knew how much precision machining was put into rebuilding a block. Your videos have definitely given me the inside nature on this fine work

[@Laxpowertoo]

I rebuld 1920's vintage engines, and I can assure you those seats are almost pristine compared to some of the gems I get to play with.

[@442tom]

I love this series! I’m not capable of building an engine but big muscle car fan and really like watching guys who know what they’re doing bring one back. Thanks a lot guys!!

[@Mavrick2787]

Wow. Talk about heart breaking. At least you guys are honest and show the whole process instead of just saying we got a new engine and heads. Can you guys explain a bit more about sleeves and how they are held in place, are they just for function or can they handle hp past stock, and rough cost of sleeves.

[@asarand]

I think your engine needs a new engine.

[@1957powerwagon]

Nah, just a new block and heads

[@gosportjamie]

@@1957powerwagon That pretty much is a new engine...

[@Trevor274]

gosportjamie that’s the joke...

[@Anth230]

@@1957powerwagon lol

[@gosportjamie]

@@Trevor274 I thought it was a joke, but sometimes, especially on here, you can't be sure...

[@ALABAMAHEADHUNTER]

It's amazing to me how bad some engines can get . I will be rebuilding a 1950 V8 Flathead ford soon . Unloaded it off of a truck this morning . It's been sitting since 1974 . I put a pull handle on it and it actually turned all the way through . Flatheads can be a challenge to tear down . Working on a 1917 American LeFrance 900c.i.d. engine too . Got about 25 or more complete rebuilds in my shop right now .

[@Fullion-CA]

As a machinist for over 20 years in a different than automotive industry, thank you for showing more details about the shop. Very interesting.

[@arkangelnorthman]

new block new heads...YOU RE ALMOST THERE!! new everything...lol!!

[@craigr13666]

Nailheads are a goo solid platform. Strong architecture. We've saved plenty of them old motors. The next step on block work for the shop I used to work at would be starting to bore the worst cylinder to see if the porosity would or wouldn't allow for sleeving. It's expensive but worth it for some guys. Kinda like what you guys did with the heads and checking to see if you were able to install seats.

[@craigr13666]

Most of the times as well we were able to find a bigger valve and seat combination to work for the application that's satisfactory for the customers use. Not just to get by and get it out the door, but reliably and roadworthiness

[@musicalal3752]

Your determination and effort are considerable. I'm really liking these incremental updates and analyses, it's all very interesting. Keep them coming and best of luck with it, thanks for sharing.

[@garethmayfield4014]

love these videos. master craftsmen at work. good sensible engineering without all the drama. brilliant stuff gents.

[@kevintibbetts5249]

This is the best content you guys make, I cant wait for the 60 + minute summary of the time lapse

[@coreyshort9461]

Love the nailhead stuff, when I was a kid my dad had a 32 5 window Ford Coupe that had a 401 nailhead in it with two fours and a dynaflow transmission.

[@inkno701]

I can't trust anyone on April first.

[@masonmd1468]

Vegaspsycho I do to

[@kimthomas8433]

,6v Jcv888

[@tadjohnston4883]

Good day to post a video about a 401 on 4/01.

[@supraguy149]

I had a 425 wildcat in my 63 La Sabier backed up by a hydromatic 2 speed !! I loved that car! Sooo much fun was had in that car!

[@michaelbenardo5695]

Hydramatic has 4 speeds. DynaFlow has 2 speeds.

[@chriswenkle2635]

Really enjoying the ongoing saga of the 401 Nailhead. Those trashed heads would make good boat anchors.

[@jakespeed63]

About 5 years ago, I rebuilt a 1966 Riviera engine. Body had over 300k miles!!! Not sure if engine was number match. Previous owner bought it new and had the engine done once before. Either way, was a difficult build. Auto Machine, here in Orlando, help me salvage it. Went .030” over and all hardened seats, for the heads. Thank God, for an old timer Nailhead enthusiast, in California that helped me through some of the rough stuff. Not for the faint of heart ❤️😎🏆🏁

[@waqarahmed4129]

"we are going to take some experts advice" This is the most impressive line in whole video.

[@keith73z28]

I never herd of a Buick Nail Head, But I bought a 1970 Olds Vista Cruiser off of my Dad with a 455 cu in in the back "trunk". Finally after wating forever (almost), on Parts, my machine shop and former circle track/Oldsmobile Race enthusiast put it together for me cuz he felt bad. And on days I was pissed off after work I would mash the gas pedal to the floor and it seemed possessed with a desire to cheer my ass up! A Carter square bore I think was the only carb I could get right outta the box tuned for the 455. I had to figure out the camshaft was positioned on the other side of the distributor hole from a Chevrolet, even tho the firing order was the same. ( Plug wires needed to be started at the #1 tower on the Distributor, then go around COUNTER Clockwise around the cap.) I knew I could not beat Wayne Campbell's comment. But sometimes the youtube commentors come up with some really good reading. Keep it up guys gearheads like this stuff.

[@donaldadams7570]

I’m a NailHead fan since 1968 when I turned 16 & started driving my folks’65 Skylark GS 2dr Coup 401/300 2spd w/2,800 Rpm Stall Convertor. I would “ power brake “ at full throttle, release my brake foot & shift out of Low to 2nd at 85 mph & sail on up too 130ish ( speedo bouncing back to 60 & then bury beyond 120 mark. Power braking 0-60mph consistently 4.0 ish seconds. This car beat everything I raced 9:43 9:43 9:43 including a’68 Chevelle built 327, & a ‘65 GTO 389 Tri Power 4spd . Anyway, my cyl head machinist hardseated both my intake’s & exhaust’s in my ‘65 401 heads but he “ machined the exhaust seats to half their height to fit without cutting too deep in the port. He’s passed away 4 yrs ago but my heads have had no issues running at all !!! 😎

[@sugirosie]

Serdi 60/100 was a revelation to us head machinists when they came onto the market. My all time favourite machine.

[@gosportjamie]

With the fact that this block seems to be free of cracks I do wonder if that makes it worth going to the expense and trouble of using sleeves in all 8 pots, that's a known amount of money whereas you don't know how many blocks you'll need to chase up and buy to get one that's free of cracks and suitable for your intentions for this engine. Sometimes the expensive solution works out cheaper in the end...

[@mortenjrgensen5497]

I got one of this in my 1959 Buick Electra..Mine was low miles..so it was in good condition. I made a 3 angel valvejob, bowljob and polished the chambers. I also did matz the intake and ex manifold..and some other stuff..now it runs so good..I dont know how much extra hp my job gave the engine but it feels stronger (",)

[@victorbitter583]

Great to see that Serdi in action. I used to operate one about 27 yrs ago.

[@thebigpicture2032]

Great series. I like how you’re doing a 401.

[@jordmosselman3403]

It will make a nice coffetable no? Thanks for the vids, cheers!

[@ncs353a]

Would be fun to just build that one with the sketchy parts and see how it does on the Dyno / when it lets go. Not the usual direction nor purpose of these builds but would be entertaining. May be good enough for an engine stand queen?

[@gruntrucker1]

Go for the big dog ...... 425 !!! Had a 65 wildcat with one What a monster!!!

[@skylinefever]

Sure, it would be better to have a 425, but how much more does it cost to get a 425 versus and 401?

[@gruntrucker1]

@@skylinefever nail heads aren't in high demand ...... You never know what you'll find if ya just ask. Your right 401s are more plentiful and I wouldn't blow the whole budget on a 425. Now if they can find the dual 4bb manifold and carbs .......

[@uberuberdude101]

really enjoy these types of vids showing the restoration process

[@KINDIRBUDS]

Have a 401 and trans pulled it back in the 80's ran good when pulled had 60,000 miles. In upstate NY $800 takes it.

[@Henchman1977]

New heads, new block, new pistons.... Are you familiar with the Paradox of Theseus's ship?

[@oscar2hot4u]

But at this rate, he's almost at the end of the ship being changed over. There's nothing left haha

[@SilasHumphreys]

I had a bicycle once that I did that to over about ten years. I could literally have rebuilt the original bicycle and still had spare parts left over. Everything got replaced.

[@isaakwelch3451]

Personally I'd fix what they have

[@garycorbin2789]

Grandpa's Axe ? Three shafts four heads still cuts as grandpa left it ?

[@ApostleDavids8w]

I guess it depends what your going to do with it. If just a 8.5 to one compression driver so what the cylinders are not a 100 percent. Or go max bore with thinner cylinders and use block cement or don’t run the rpm high.

[@williammatthews2948]

401 Buick Nailhead boat anchor for sale, at scrap metal price.

[@SteelOfLegend]

I'll take it, $20.

[@k.c.slawncare6046]

It would make a good glass-top engine block coffee table for a man cave.

[@SD40Fan_Jason]

I think most folks would've given up by now! I look forward to seeing the progress on this project. Good luck!

[@NeverNotMaking]

It’s a bummer, but we know the risks on these old projects. Keep wrenching!

[@p.d.nickthielen6600]

Like the series and the issues here make it more interesting. Wonder if you would ever do a y-block ford

[@6h471]

Any of these old pre unleaded fuel engines need to have hardened exhaust seats installed to last, and these heads don't have enough metal in the seat area to do that, it's kinda over.

[@LarsonFamilyFarm-LLC]

Gosh...block and heads are bad....probably a good reason why that engine was taken to the salvage yard to be crushed. I wouldn't sleeve the engine.

[@westernblood3732]

Had similar fears when building my 401, so I bought two engines, just in case I needed one good block. Luck of the draw sometimes. Also, cutting Nailhead valves are a no go, there just isn't enough material in a stock head.

[@TBendez]

I like this style of video, updates. Sad to see you having such bad luck both with the block and the heads!

[@jnljnl8485]

I had the same heartbreak when i noticed water seaping from the casting line on the side of my factory heads on my 70 chevy. 700$ later it had a new big cam and some threaded milled and ported 305 ho heads after finding 20 sets of them and no 2.02 valve factory heads . gave up some flow but made up for it with compression and cam.😂 it made enough torque to just smoke a clutch on the 2-3 shift in the sand.

[@billspinks4357]

Jack up the radiator cap up and stick a differant/new engine under it!

[@martinkollar7651]

WOW... I thought that this kind of damage is repairable. I have much to learn. Thx for video.

[@0616ko]

Sitting on the edge of my seat to see where this goes.

[@russell11fitzgerald]

So your building a nailhead and you have a crank and rods

[@brucebello9892]

Loving the series so far, think you nailed it.......

[@michaelcuff5780]

Same thing happened to me with a 351 Cleveland block out of a mustang. First block, too rusty. 2nd block, found a nail in the cylinder wall while boring the block cylinders. Freakin night mare!

[@jackdale9831]

The '64 aluminum heads from the 300cu " Buick V-8 are reported to fit larger nailheads, although if you could afford it, the absolute BEST thing to do would be to "3-D replicate" the 425cu" heads in aluminum & titanium metallic-substrates, allowing more easy displacement & Hp from your/another block. Hot-rodders like the "look" of the nailhead, but if they were such great engines, GM would NOT have switched to the 455cu" Stage-I & II architecture for their dominence in the '72 & later stock-automatic classes.

[@TheDutyPaid]

New block, new pistons, new head, new water and oil pump, new starter and keep the rocker covers. You can still tell people it is the original engine.

[@patrickreid2767]

Great video!!! Great editing!! Good humour!!

[@chennemeyer]

Sleeve all eight and new seats all around, seems crazy but otherwise you arent resurrecting a basket case, your just building a parts engine. Go for it, it's only money, and it's gonna hurt regardless, mind as well have a fun story.

[@joeschlotthauer840]

Great look into the workings of an engine machine shop, would like to see more. Go out and get a bigger nailhead, was 425 the biggest...

[@simoncabron4915]

We need more on the Nailhead build!!!

[@twitchbook-1]

That machine is insane, great job

[@morrismckinnon6047]

"Triggers broom" comes to mind!

[@UnderWhelmed55]

Old school. I love it.

[@carl_marks1626]

At least they had a go at the heads so no doubt for us viewers. Shame that block is crack free but wants 6 sleeves. That’s the way it goes

[@arod4496]

I enjoy watching these videos. Keep up the good work👍

[@albertgaspar627]

the coffee table remark isn't far off. Think of a 1950's cutaway display used in a shop class or at a dealership to sell a new engine design. Chrome some of the parts (Rustoleum actually makes a nice chrome paint that looks like old chrome in need of a polish) and white paint the edges, and now you have some man-cave art that may sell on eBay to recoup some of the loss.

[@v3riety166]

Hell yeah! U guys do some amazing work. Keep it up!

[@lorenzobeckmann3736]

I rebuilt a few nailheads and would have gotten whole diff motor after seeing the heads; seeing the heads before motor goes in any tahk--already good-by motor. maybe I'm forgetting that this is 2019, but parts cars are out there..

[@nutsandbolts432]

Wish I would have seen this 2 years ago. I got a 425 and might have been able to make a deal with you.

[@hippynurd]

Ive really enjoyed many of these videos, I only started watching after I started looking for engine teardown time lapse videos, because Im making a video too, and thought it would be fun to do stop motion with it. You guys have some really awesome videos, and Ive watch many of them. I also really like your commentary videos about the time lapse ones, those are pretty interesting.

[@danieledwards1081]

Sleeve it! If it hasn't got the other common issues, just bad bores, it's a perfect candidate for sleeving

[@janannanderson4999]

That rebuild would certainly “nail” ones bank account.

[@SchnelleKat]

Goodluck on the search!

[@fsarfino]

Loving this build series !!!

[@Mebob2001]

dam that sucks guys... but thats how she goes when you are dealing with old iron! mabey some newer aluminium heads for the old girl?

[@johnfalkenstine8377]

Very nice machine shop, good equipment.

[@danw1955]

My first hunch on another video was correct, unfortunately. At this point, you'd be much better off sourcing another complete engine out of a junkyard somewhere (preferably in the south-western part of the US where the precipitation isn't such a big factor). Anything you find in the 'rust-belt' is going to be exactly that.😜 Even with shipping costs, you'd probably be ahead of the game to get something usable from out in this area of the country.😉

[@ronaldrutledge1926]

I've seen engine blocks be sleeved before

[@kaisantiqueengines569]

Congratulations on 700k subscribers

[@jonathanschomer6853]

Beautiful work to try and resuscitate a tired rusty engine.

[@BobWiersema]

Heads are fine, just weld the new seats in. Block should be ok to. Just cut it till its smooth then fill it up about a inch from the top with hydro cement so it keeps it shape. What could possibly go wrong?

[@secondthought2320]

Looks s you got a great boat anchor.

[@comajoebuck999]

Sleeve every hole! Then, no torque hone...JB Weld for those valve seats. The interference fit holds them in, anyway.

[@gerald4027]

I used jb weld instead of head gaskets.

[@eejif]

I use JB Weld for head bolts.

[@gerald4027]

@@eejif.Head gaskets too?

[@jeepoffroad91]

I'll be the millionth comment for this, but here it goes. I wanna work for you. These are skills that are known by just a few people any more. I want to be one of those people that are handed this knowledge and be able to pass it to someone when I'm ready. But bottom line. I wanna work for you, with you however you wanna put it

[@eronacalloway9159]

Should of used it for Landfill. I dropped a Froze Up 273 in a hole in my backyard covered it with dirt and planted a Bush

[@steveashcraft718]

You didn't use a ridge reamer before trying to remove pistons? I always have when a block had a ridge in the cylinders.

[@oliversworldofwheels4910]

Love the video like always!

[@LuisEnriqueMartinez-rc7km]

nice resarch, now the second alternative!!

[@franciscoalberto6658]

Congratulation 👍 brother.

[@NathanNostaw]

So it will still be the same engine, just with a new block and heads, pistons, valves and maybe cams? :)

[@skylinefever1658]

Cams are almost always replaced when rebuilding an American OHV engine. However, some rare cams get reground. Technically that might mean the cam is saved.

[@thomaskepler8154]

Its to late, but I have a set of 401 heads, have a complete 425 too if you ever want to do another one.

[@brunotulliani]

Great video!

[@Hagerty]

Bruno - Thank you for watching!

[@aliandrosilva2325]

Poxa vcs são fantásticos, não inglês, sou brasileiro eu adimiro muito os motores. Tenho meu carrinho velho Monza ret hoje fiquei muito triste meu motor deu ruim. Mas se Deus quiser vou arrumar. Abraços amigos mecânicos. 👏👏🇧🇷

[@skylinefever]

I have heard of using nickel spray welding on damaged integral iron valve seats instead of pressing in a hardened seat. Could this be done here? Anyway, good luck finding some cores that are rebuildable. I have heard that when dealing with older cars, people often have to inspect 5 or 6 junk cores before they find a usable one.

[@marcryvon]

There is no more material in there ! Decades of tin worms doing their job. Nah, this lump is dead.

[@budwhite3570]

I was thinking that most vintage blocks were getting sleeved anyway, I know it must be expensive, but I guess if this is some sort of budget build off then I guess money saved is optimum. As for the heads, I suppose I might understand why there isn't enough metal,....maybe from water jackeet erosion,...if I am understanding that right, but I suppose if that was an ultra rare set of heads then build up by spray welding, if I remember the term rightly, could build it up. I suppose its all about time, and someone else getting paid to do the work. Welding the valve seat areas, well, I saw a video of a guy who built up such an area that was over ported and some other mishaps, on some rare heads, I guess its all about how to get more metal on the back side on the water jacket side, I guess I sound full of it as a layman with minimal training and experience, but aspire to have more,....somehow.

[@rubengallardo152]

Couldn't you silver solder those seats in to get a secured install and make sure you also have thermal conductivity. What is the overall cost of rebuilding a 401? I have two that need rebuilding. I repaired two of those Serdi valve cutting machines when I worked at Edelbrock.

[@Skitter302]

Lot # 401, Coffee table. Let start the bidding.

[@ldnwholesale8552]

That block seems very rusty. And may be corroded out. Sonic testing measures rust. Been there done that. Though those old blocks have a lot thicker walls to start with unlike most 70s and later engines. Some of those strike water at .030. And yes those exhaust seats are stuffed. And those old soft iron blocks crack when you hammer inserts into them. Seen that time after time. Problem is getting uncorroded 60 y/0 blocks and heads

[@ms90sbabyy]

This week on Redline coffee table builds!

[@jamespn]

All you need is a replacement block and cylinder heads, wait, that’s replacing the entire engine. It will be interesting to see if you can find a junk nail head out there .

[@pnotuner1]

Can a good welding man put some new metal around the valve seat area? I think it's worth a try.