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Revell 1984 Olds 442


wisdonm

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Is it a nail head V6?

No ; it has its roots in the 215 aluminimum V8 . On a related topic : While both Oldsmobile and Buick had Al V8's of 215 cubes , they were actually two distinct engines . The 225 Odd-Fire V6 , however , was Buick through-and-through (including the 60's Jeep applications) .

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No ; it has its roots in the 215 aluminimum V8 . On a related topic : While both Oldsmobile and Buick had Al V8's of 215 cubes , they were actually two distinct engines . The 225 Odd-Fire V6 , however , was Buick through-and-through (including the 60's Jeep applications) .

Your right overall John. The 225 odd-firing V6, which started off as a 198 cu. in. odd-firing V6, was a design spinoff from the 215 aluminum V8. Neither engine is considered a "nail head." As for the difference between the Olds and Buick aluminum V8s? The overall the engine is Buick. The only change to the Oldsmobile version are the heads and intake manifold. Why this was done back in 1961, is beyond me? But, Oldsmobile wanted and designed their own heads for the the engine. It was a different time, and each GM division ran things the way they saw fit. And they looked at other GM divisions almost as much of rivals, as vehicles from other manufactures. So god forbid, a Oldsmobile that would be powered by a totally Buick designed engine back then? It was not be. Well.... Not completely.

The tooling for the Buick odd-firing V6 was sold to Kiaser-Jeep in the late 60's. Though the engine was installed in Jeeps before the sale of the tooling. After AMC bought Jeep in 1970, they then proceeded to design the Jeeps to accommodate their own straight-six. And put the tooling for the V6 in storage. The fall of 1973 fuel crisis hit, and Buick was looking for a way to make their cars more fuel efficient. They found out that AMC still had the tooling for the V6 and was willing to sell it back. A few years after Buick bought and brought back the 225 cu. in., 3.8 liter odd-firing V6, they modified the crank and turned it into the even-firing version. With modifications this engine would have a very long life powering Buicks and other cars. It was finialy discountinued in the mid 2000's as Buick's famous and bullet proof 3800.

And most of you know what happened to the aluminum V8. Buick designed a cast iron variation of it starting in 1963 model year, at 300 cubic inches. This was later enlarged into Buick's 340 and 350 V8s. It is not the exactly a cast iron version of the aluminum V8. But, like the V6, it's overall design is very closely related. The aluminum V8 and it's tooling were sold to Rover in England. Which got what? Another 35 years or so, out of the tooling? A well designed engine by Buick. But, it cost more to build than cast iron V8s. Which is the only reason Buick and Oldsmobile got rid of it.

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I heard a tale that GM tried to buy the aluminum V8 tooling from Rover in the mid-70s.  Rover declined to sell the tooling but offered to sell GM complete engines.  GM declined this offer as they felt Rover's price was too high.

Not sure if that was 100% true, but that's what I heard.

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