Nailhead motor swap

[55buickspecial]

Ive been trying to find a answer to this question for the last month but I cant find a decent forum. I have a 55 Buick Special with the 264 and a Dynaflow, as most of you guys know performance parts for a 264 and even a 322 are like non-existent. I want to swap a 364,401, or 425 in there. A friend of mine has a good running 401 I can have for free, is there a way to put this motor in with out monster fabrication? I found out the bell housing from a 57 Buick will bolt to my Dynaflow and give me the later bell style, what I'm wondering is can I use the motor mounts out of a 57 which came with a 364 in my 55 and then bolt them to the 401? I can do motor swaps I'm just not much of a fabricator so that would be the only thing worrying me.

[telriv]

The engine swap to myself is just about a bolt-in. I did a '59/401 in my '55 Special many years ago. What I remember was I used the mounts motor metal plates from the 401 which has 4 bolts holding it to the engine. I stripped off the rubber. I then took the '55 mounts, after setting the engine in place, & took careful measurements. Drilled the 3 holes nec. in the 401 plates & bolted the '55 mounts to them. You will have to use a little persuasion to gets the mounts to line up to the frame, but I ran it like this for 20+ years. My car was a manual trans. so it was a cake walk. I believe if you use the bellhousing & torque converter from a '57-'63 DynaFlow they will bolt-up to your '55 trans. Torque converters on DynaFlows come apart in many pieces so get a manual. The torque converter is the heart of the DynaFlow trans. & if it isn't correct performance will suffer & the trans. will have a short life. Gas pedal linkage, gauge hook-ups, etc. are all compatible & bolt-up.

Tom T.

[55buickspecial]

From what was told the trans is too shallow to accept the later style converter? Im a little confused about what you did with the mounts. I'm guessing you removed all the rubber on the mount and left the steel plate that was on the back bolted to the block, but what did you drill the 3 holes in?

[telriv]

read my response again

[NailHdking]

Ive been trying to find a answer to this question for the last month but I cant find a decent forum. I have a 55 Buick Special with the 264 and a Dynaflow, as most of you guys know performance parts for a 264 and even a 322 are like non-existent. I want to swap a 364,401, or 425 in there. A friend of mine has a good running 401 I can have for free, is there a way to put this motor in with out monster fabrication? I found out the bell housing from a 57 Buick will bolt to my Dynaflow and give me the later bell style, what I'm wondering is can I use the motor mounts out of a 57 which came with a 364 in my 55 and then bolt them to the 401? I can do motor swaps I'm just not much of a fabricator so that would be the only thing worrying me.

10 years ago,Rob(Stage 1 automotive)and I put a 401 ,st400 and a 1 pc drive shaft in a 61 invicta for a customer. It was actually very easy. The car flew!!! deciede how original you want to keep your car, the contact Stage 1 automotive and let Rob set you up. He may even have a 425 for sale good luck Jerry