When Buick Built A V8 Engine With Infinite Torque - The Buick Nailhead
266K views · Mar 5, 2026 · Autos & Vehicles
Comments · 524
@adamcvanwinkle · 6 months ago
Everyone talks about the torque (rightfully so) smoothness and and horsepower but let’s not forget they were surprisingly economical getting 16-ish mpg in a huge 50’s car
399
@hemiwarrior6226 · 6 months ago
Buick: "Ugh, we can't get this aluminum block V8 to be reliable!" <br><br>Rover: "I'll take your entire stock."
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@BrickMasterBuilds4522 · 6 months ago
I own a 64 Wildcat with a 425 Dual Carb nailhead ive upgraded things on it over the years and it makes a surprising 522 Hp 548lb-ft of torque.
55
@tedquaker954 · 6 months ago
THANK YOU for not being lazy and using ai voice overs!!
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@charlesdalton985 · 6 months ago
The low speed, how torque qualities of this engine seemed to be a perfect match for the Dynaflow transmission as well. Personal experience is a funny story. A friend in college had a Wildcat 410. He asked me about it, and I said I did not recall a 410 CID Buick engine. Long before the days of the Internet, I talked to my dad, and some other elders. They all explained the naming convention for Buick of using torque. Thanks as always - great work ~ Chuck
158
@MostlyHarmless86 · 6 months ago
In 1985 I was stationed in Okinawa, Japan and was given a tour of the SR-71 facilities. The Crew chief was telling me about the start carts and that there was a guy in California who was responsible for calling junkyards around the country looking for nailheads. When they fired up the twin nailhead start cart, it was the loudest thing I've ever heard, until last year when I saw Deep Purple.
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@doxnoogle5782 · 6 months ago (edited)
The fact that you didnt leave out the starting cart for the blackbird makes this video absolute perfection. Purely a ford guy, but my dad inherited my grandpas 65 wildcat, and i inherited it from my dad, the 401 is no slouch even in a 5200lb boat.
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@teebird94 · 6 months ago
As Denny Manner(Buick legend) once said "we dont make engines with horsepower..we make engines with torque..people may buy horsepower..but they use torque...And Buicks were always torque monsters.
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@hotrodfeguy · 6 months ago
I had a 401 in a 62 LeSabre lots of torque
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@richardkautz2947 · 6 months ago
My Dad told me that he put a 401 Nailhead in a 1953 Chevy and it would smoke the tires as long as he stood on it ! <br> Sounded like a great time ! RIP Dad ! I miss you and your stories about Days gone by !
21
@recoilrob324 · 6 months ago
I rebuilt the engine and transmission in a 65 Wildcat convertible as the first steps in a restoration. This was late '80's and parts were really scarce and we had to have Arias make some custom slugs for the .100" overbore it needed to straighten the cylinders. This put it right close to the 425's and it ran real well for what it was. They had the 'switch-pitch' torque converter in the Turbo 400 and micro-switches to control the pitch on the throttle linkage. At idle the converter would go to high stall so it wouldn't creep, then as soon as you put pressure on the throttle it would switch to low pitch and start to pull away. Stomping on it let it flash up pretty good and that car would lay both tires for several car lengths as it left the line. Those were good days!
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@garycasey5788 · 6 months ago
One of the main reasons for the engine is that it had to be narrow to fit in the cars of the time. It was mostly the steering linkage that got in the way.
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