Buick straight-8 engine
| Buick Straight 8 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Buick |
| Also called |
|
| Production | 1931–1953 |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Buick Straight-6 engine |
| Successor | Buick Nailhead V8 |
The Buick Straight-8 engine (Fireball 8) was produced from 1931 to 1953 and sold in Buick automobiles, replacing the Buick Straight-6 engine across the board in all models in 1931. Like many American automobile makers, Buick adopted the straight-8 engine in 1931 as a more powerful alternative to the previous engines. However, unlike most other car makers at the time, Buick had been using a valve-in-head/OHV overhead valve design or I-head since its inception and continued this practice in their inline-8 designs. The engine was sold in different displacements depending on the model of car and the year and was constructed upon two distinct (possibly more) block castings. The smaller displacement versions internally resembled the inline Chevrolet straight six, with additional cylinders. The large block version (the 345 and 320, used in large-chassis models such as the Roadmaster) was considerably heavier and this weight adversely affected vehicle performance and handling. In earlier years the engines used cast-in-place bearings that were then machined, which made engine rebuilding an expensive procedure, but after 1937 they began using drop-in bearings. The last year for Buick's straight-8 was 1953, but only in the Special, as the new V8 322ci Nailhead became standard in all other lines in the same basic chassis. Starting in 1954, the Special received the V-8 as well.
| Production | Engine | Displacement | Bore x Stroke |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1931 | 221 | 220.7 cu in (3,617 cc) | 2.8750" X 4.2500" (72.1625 x 106.6750 mm) |
| 1931–1933 | 273 | 272.6 cu in (4,467 cc) | 3.0625" X 4.6250" (76.8688 x 116.0875 mm) |
| 1931–1935 | 345 | 344.7 cu in (5,649 cc) | 3.3125" X 5.0000" (83.1438 x 125.5000 mm) |
| 1932–1933 | 230 | 230.4 cu in (3,776 cc) | 2.9375" X 4.2500" (73.7313 x 106.6750 mm) |
| 1934–1935 | 235 | 235.4 cu in (3,858 cc) | 2.9688" X 4.2500" (74.5156 x 106.6750 mm) |
| 1934–1935 | 278 | 278.1 cu in (4,557 cc) | 3.0938" X 4.6250" (77.6531 x 116.0875 mm) |
| 1934–1936 | 233 | 233.0 cu in (3,818 cc) | 3.0938" X 3.8750" (77.6531 x 97.2625 mm) |
| 1936–1952 | 320 | 320.2 cu in (5,247 cc) | 3.4375" X 4.3125" (86.2813 x 108.2438 mm) |
| 1937–1950 | 248 | 248.1 cu in (4,066 cc) | 3.0938" X 4.1250" (77.6544 x 103.5375 mm) |
| 1950–1953 | 263 | 263.3 cu in (4,315 cc) | 3.1875" X 4.1250" (80.0063 x 103.5375 mm) |
| source: Carnut.com[1] | |||
1952 Production Engines and Ratings
| Series | Engine | Displacement | Bore x Stroke | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 263 | 260.3 cu in (4,266 cc) | 3 3⁄16" X 4 1⁄8" (80.9625 x 104.775 mm) |
120 hp (89 kW)@3600 rpm |
| 50 | 263 | 260.3 cu in (4,266 cc) | 3 3⁄16" X 4 1⁄8" (80.9625 x 104.775 mm) |
124 hp (92 kW)@3600 rpm |
| 70 | 320 | 320.2 cu in (5,247 cc) | 3 7⁄16"X 4 5⁄16" (87.3125 x 109.5375 mm) |
168 hp (125 kW)@3800 rpm |
| Note: The 320 has a head length of 34 1⁄2" while the smaller engines are 31 1⁄4" long. | ||||
| source: 1952 Buick service manual[2] | ||||
See also
References
- ^ "Car Specs". Carnut.com. Retrieved 2011-12-31.
- ^ Robert Cull. "Buick Straight Eight Specifications". Teambuick.com. Retrieved 2011-12-31.
External links
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