Quote:
Originally Posted by AVGWarhawk
The nailhead 54-57 are wet valves. There are no valve stem seals. When starting the engine there is a puff of oil smoke which is inherent to the design. Buick added valve stem seals later. Marvels would be of some use here because these valves have been know to stick from sitting to long thus bending a push rod. Since I drive my cars once a week weather permitting I do not worry about stuck valves much. I do use Lucas Classic Car oil as it is rich in zinc that the tappets require. Zinc is all but removed from today's oils.
The upkeep of these older cars is fairly easy. The after market support is quite good for Buick and other manufacturers. It is growing every day. Plenty of clubs and folks with parts. There are a few parts we call "unobtainium" as you ain't going to find it, period.
I can say since driving these older vehicles I appreciate my daily driver much more. Sometimes driving the 54 is a chore and like wrestling a gorilla. Bias ply tires track and grab inconsistencies in the road. The 60 I just purchased is much more pleasurable to drive. The leaps and bounds of improvements in engineering from 54 to 60 is remarkable.
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The upkeep would be easier not having to deal with oxygen, map and other sensors or computers. Points, condensers and the like and you're good to go. I know guys with early 70's G.M classic vehicles and they upgraded the distributors to Hei systems. Silicon grease on the underside of the module once a year as part of routine maintenance and they are fool proof. One other thing with marvel, my understanding was it helped lubricate the valves in fuels without a lead content in older classic cars without hardened valve seats.
Modern cars today encompass incredible engineering. 300hp is now common in basic " grocery getter " vehicles. A friend's basic 2007 Ford Mustang with a 3.7 liter 6 cylinder engine pumps out 305 horsepower and gets an honest 30+ miles per gallon. With a tuned dual exhaust and the use of an X pipe, I'm sure it could get 35 MPG or better and increase the torque and flatten the curve. I have driven various sports cars and yet I know someone with a 2000 something Toyota Prius that will out turn and out handle most if not all of them if not outpower and outrun them .
The newer cars may have the engineering but they rust out in a couple years and devalue faster than most people can make payments on them. The older cars like your 60 Buick have character and much nicer lines and don't look like a shoe box on 4 wheels either.