Sizing up a possible Fall/Winter project. Came across a small ot of parts & pieces from a 67 Riv plus a 66 Riv with no motor and trans. Some questions for you Riv guys: 1)Are the 67 sheetmetal parts similar enough to use them on the 66? 2)Can the dash and gauge set-up from a 67 be used in the 66? 3)How difficult is the swap to use a 67-69 400/430 and 67 BT code switch pitch in place of the 66 425? Can a 67 SP400 bolt up to a 66 425? Next step is to convince the wife... ray: Thanks in advance.
As for the first two, they're the same as far as I know. Only some of the chrome trim is different. I've owned both 66 and 67 Rivs. As for mumber three, I don't know.
Doug-the nailhead pattern is different, so the '67 and up trans don't mount up. Nailhead in a '67(Joe Nabb) has done the reverse of what you are considering-hopefully he'll post with his knowledge-good luck
You will need a new radiator for sure if you swap engines. The 66 Riv has a rare radiator which is reversed from the standard one so keep it if you have it because the tanks are getting hard to find. It will be easy to find one for a 67. Motor mounts are different of course. I do think the tranny mount is the same. Best bet would be to get a complete engine/tranny with all brackets and even the carb. I do think the sheet metal will mostly bolt up. I was once told by a 66/67 specialists that the door hinges were the exact same but that was about it. LOL I also think the dash is the same. I can't remember for sure, but I do think years back I used a 67 in a 66. Don't forget though. Those Nailheads look great when the hood opens and they run good too. They are my favorite all time Buick engine and as tough as a nail.
Remember, the 430 is wider than the Nailhead. That in itself may lend some problems. When I made the swap, I put a smaller Nail in place of the larger 430. The hardest part of swapping a 430 with a 425 is welding the frame pads for the motor mounts onto the frame in the correct spot. If you screw up on this, your fan will scrape on the shroud. One more thing, if they aren't mounted so they fit squarely onto the block, they will pull out of shape and the stress can cause the mount to tear apart. Also, the correct '67 430 motor mounts are scarce, left side is way thicker than the right. The Nailhead mounts are both identical and easier to find. The way I did it was to mount a bare block onto the tranny and with the timing cover, water pump and fan in place in the fan shroud and the fan centered, then I tacked the frame pads into place, and did the final welding with the block out of the car. No room for error here. If the car you have has a/c, the evaporator outlet sets in a further away position in order to clear the bigger 430. Not much, but enough that you will have to bend it or else swap it out. In fact, you may need all the a/c pieces from the '67 because things were a lot different between the 2 years. I presume this was to accomodate the bigger 430. The horns are mounted differently so the a/c muffler can mount on the right fender well (opposite the battery) instead of on the frame as the '66 was. Also, the core support will need to be re-drilled to accomodate the reversed radiator, and the radiator cover and shroud is different between the 2 years. Also, different power steering pump and hoses. Different exhaust pipes, tranny cooler lines, and I'm not certain but you may have problems with the oil pan clearing the center link and idler arm, those were different also. No biggie, but the rear tranny support is boxed on the '67 although the '66 should fit just fine. Then there's the wiring harness......that's different also. And where the positive battery cable attaches to the starter on the 430, it attaches to the horn relay on the 425. A lot to think about. :idea2: I think I may be forgetting some things, but for what it's worth I'd say stick with the Nailhead........there's so many differences between these 2 years and you won't discover all of them until you start trying to fit things together. And besides, that Nail sure looks mighty fine perched in that engine cradle! :Brow:
Thanks for all the responses guys. :beer I'm not very familiar with the Nailheads but I'll do some more reading. I imagine the parts and pieces to rebuild one are probably at even more of a premium than the 400-430-455 parts. I'll have to take a closer look at the car itself - the guy is selling it as a parts car with no motor and tranny and that's all it may be good for. Does come with a separate 71-72 455, a 67 BT code SP400, and a big pile of 67 Riv parts. I do like the look and stance of those 66 Riv's though! If the body and interior are in reasonable shape maybe it'll be worth keeping around and tinkering with.
