Thread: Mulholland Heights Buick

Tweet

Hi People,
I watched the film the other day and was greatly impressed with the
heavy convertible..Can you tell me what year model that was and what
motor did it have? I am guessing that it was a V8 but am not making
any bets..
Any info please...Skyeking..

'49 Buick Roadmaster. Mulholland Falls, not Mulholland Heights. Originally equipped with a 320 cubic inch straight 8.

My Dad had a 48 Roadmaster convertible, black with a red leather interior. They were fantastic cars. Every year we would drive it from Pa to Florida for our vacation and when I think back on it that was a really long trip in a car of that era.

It met it's end when my Mom put it into a guardrail and then a trailer truck that couldn't stop hit the back end and spun it around 180. I don't think he ever forgave her for killing his baby.

For the time they were really sophisticated cars......Dynaflow transmission, power windows, not sure if it was power steering and brakes though.

Don

Hi People,
Thanks for replies. The straight 8 had the 4 disc vents per side
and the later V8s had 3 is that right?.
I came across a farmer with a mint condition 1937 4 door sedan
which was pure stock except for an inline brake booster which
would have been an assett.. The farmer used to use it some
Saturday nights to go to the old style movies which were about
a 60 mile trip away. All the best from Skyeking.....

The number of portholes denoted the class of Buick. Expensive models had 4, lesser models had 3.
The straight 8 was used through 1952. In 1953, a V8, referred to as a nailhead because of its tiny intake and exhaust valves, was introduced and ran in production through 1966. The valve covers on the nailhead were vertical rather than being V'd like most V8's. This gave a distinctive look to the motor. It was a much-sought-after motor by hot rodders, probably mostly because of its unique "eyeball".

50's television actor Tommy Ivo used nailheads exclusively in all the cars he built, including the 4-motor, all wheel drive dragster he is most famous for. Someone told me once that Tommy's father owned a Buick dealership. I don't know if that is true or not. In this pic, Tommy is the kid standing by the rollcage with the Iskenderian T-shirt on.....Check out the 4 nailheads....

Originally Posted by techinspector1

The number of portholes denoted the class of Buick. Expensive models had 4, lesser models had 3.
The straight 8 was used through 1952. In 1953, a V8, referred to as a nailhead because of its tiny intake and exhaust valves, was introduced and ran in production through 1966. The valve covers on the nailhead were vertical rather than being V'd like most V8's. This gave a distinctive look to the motor. It was a much-sought-after motor by hot rodders, probably mostly because of its unique "eyeball".

50's television actor Tommy Ivo used nailheads exclusively in all the cars he built, including the 4-motor, all wheel drive dragster he is most famous for. Someone told me once that Tommy's father owned a Buick dealership. I don't know if that is true or not. In this pic, Tommy is the kid standing by the rollcage with the Iskenderian T-shirt on.....Check out the 4 nailheads....

Kool old pic,I have a friend who would go gaga if he saw all those nailheads together,,,hmm,probably has,he is building a Barris style custom,nailhead,six carbs,all sorts of fruity bits he has scrounged over the last couple of years..The body is getting the attention at the moment,scratch built roadster/bucket type body,complete with glass dome.

[ Hi there,
Before Chevys had their own V8s to use in trucks they used the 322
Buick motor with special "CHEVROLET" tappet covers.Citation Peterson
publishing circa 1960..
Edition regarding all USA trucks and limited maintenance..Big green books.
nailhead because of its tiny intake and exhaust valves, was introduced and ran in production through 1966. The valve covers on the nailhead were vertical rather than being V'd like most V8's. This gave a distinctive look to the motor. It was a much-sought-after motor by hot rodders, probably mostly because of its unique "eyeball".
I thought that the 322 had twisted inlet ports which Ford allegedly
assimilated in their 429 S.O.H.C V8 in later years. Food for thought
All the best from Skyeking

50's television actor Tommy Ivo used nailheads exclusively in all the cars he . In this pic, Tommy is the kid standing by the rollcage with the Iskenderian T-shirt on.....Check out the 4 nailheads....[/QUOTE]

Speaking of nailheads, thought I had sold out all my nailhead parts till the other day in a corner of the little garage stands a 425 nailhead crank!!!!! So, now do I sell the crank or start searching for nailhead parts again????

You already know the answer to this one Dave.
The Wildcat will be beggin' for a big-inch nailhead.

Originally Posted by techinspector1

You already know the answer to this one Dave.
The Wildcat will be beggin' for a big-inch nailhead.

Thought about that.....but also been thinking C4 or C5 Vette from front to back.........

Or you could be the contrarian and do a Lincoln Mark VIII all alloy 4.6 with the IFS and IRS swapped in.

Originally Posted by techinspector1

Or you could be the contrarian and do a Lincoln Mark VIII all alloy 4.6 with the IFS and IRS swapped in.

Hmmmm... Funny you should mention that!!!!! Put a bid in on a totalled Mark 8 today!!!!!! Guess if I get it that would be the deciding factor, huh?????

Sounds right to me, my friend.

Now, if somebody would come buy my pickup and the 'maro, I could get to work on it and the Ranchero!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Man, money is really tight!!!!! Haven't sold a dang thing other then a cheap pair of bucket seats in the last 2 months!!!!!!

For those of you who don't know, Dave has a '54 Buick and I've been leanin' on him hard to make a Wildcat out of it....