Story of My 1966 Buick Wildcat
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ก.ค. 2024
- Bought my first car (and classic car) in 2007 when my dad found it for sale in the Newsday and haven’t turned back since. I give you some history of the Wildcat and some stories of my time owning this piece of rolling history. Come along with me for a ride in the Wildcat!
Some History on the 401 Nailhead: Produced from 1959-1966, they had relatively small valves which had a purpose, enabling a tighter, more efficient combustion chamber. Buick engineers were essentially trading volumetric efficiency and high-rpm capability for combustion and mechanical efficiencies-a worthwhile trade in a road car. All versions through ’66 employed forged, fully counterweighted cranks, forged connecting rods, and a 1-2-7-8-4-5-6-3 firing order.
The relatively small valves and their layout-vertical, in a row, like nails in a plank-generated the familiar "Nailhead" label, which was never actually adopted by Buick, needless to say. The official company names included Fireball and Wildcat. - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
sigh. this was my first car too. White with red interior..factory air, i had electric windows and seat adjustment...and yay! an 8 track player...the 445 engine gave you power, even on a cold morning...I stopped letting my dad drive it because he'd love to floor it and lay just a bit too much rubber...smooth ride, power...i had a lot of people trying to buy it off me for years...eventually sold it for more than twice what I paid for it, I put about 100k miles on it. I lived in Florida, so it was in beautiful shape. Nothing like that lift you got when you gave it some gas....wow...thanks for sharing.
that's awesome glad you have great memories like that with your former wildcat.
I had a 66 2 door, gold color. This was in 1975. The reason it was called the “ nail head” was actually because Buick used small valves, people said they looked like nails. Though the vertical covers was a way to ID them, it wasn’t the reason for the name. They were 1.87 ish inches. Whereas Chevy and others had 1.92” and 2.02” etc valves.
The small valves didn’t lend themselves to big HP numbers, but did make big TQ, which is what gets those big cars moving and is what Buick always touted, big TQ numbers, as seen on the air cleaner.
I really appreciate stock vehicles, untouched, no modern gizmo add on's (and don't get me started on resto-mods!) Also always like it when people drive their cars and not trailer queens.
Thank you very much, she is very much cared for and driven!
so excited for me today I went to check out my 66 wildcat it's coming out pretty good and soon I'll make a video of it I thank God for the bless of having another old-school I'm not going to let it go !this time.... Buick Wildcat Live for ever..
That’s great man are you having it restored? Glad it’s being saved wildcats are a special car!
@@FanelliRestorations yes I did all suspension transmission an engine all original, later I'll work on the interior and paint!
I had a 66 Wildcat blue in color, My sister called it the blueberry boat. at the time it was over 40 years old and still rode like new....Comfortable and all but man that 425 cu in (7.0 L) Drank that gas although at 10.5 MPG wasn't too bad for a big block v8. The Automatic Choke heat riser was busted so converted it to manual Choke....only thing changed on it....ran fine!
Great video, thanks for sharing!
Thank you for watching!
You have some great taste in your vehicles.
I really appreciate that!
An utter joy to behold, Mr Fanelli, but am alittle surprised to see you with a non mopar product. Well done young fella, well done indeed!
haha thank you this is the first car I ever bought and I've always been an open-minded car person I am not solely loyal to Mopar though I have grown close to them over the years, as long as its fast sounds good and looks cool im with it! I've got a ford and had chevys too!
Thank you for your reply,sir! I would be most pleased if you would accept my heartfelt admiration for your obvious passion for American wheels of various generations not your own. Most unusual today. It has been my experience in talking to younger dudes that they have not knowledge ot Buicks, Packards, Nash or the venerable Studebaker, The latter 3 are not my generation tho they were well known to all the guys of my generation . Beloved and missed. You get the American car joy of yesteryear today. Once again, young man, well done.Well done indeed!
I got a 66' wildcat. But 4 door version kind of a sky blue. Gets allot of attention from people for sure. Mine is a bit more rough condition but even still people compliment it all the time. Love getting to see videos like this with other people enjoying their wildcats. Junkyard Digs TH-cam channel took his 66' wildcat on power tour in 2017 I believe. Good watch if you haven't seen that one. 😁
thats awesome man not many of them out there I've owned mine for 13 years and seen maybe enough to count on one hand. I agree! And yes I know Kevin from JYDigs, yea his is badass!
I had a '66 four door. 66,000 original mikes back in the early 90s. Sold it for what I bought it for $350. Still had the AC tag hanging from vent knob inside. T h e Air Coditioning motor was Frigidaire. It had a Wildcat in it. The engine escapes me at the moment. I was pretty proud of that car. Still miss it.
What a great informational video! Very cool narration and stylish subject, The Buick Wildcat! You marketed this car from head to toe better than Buick. Gave me some good ideas on what to do with my 68. I will feel even more cooler 😎 than I already do when I drive it after watching this video!✊🏾
thank you very much for the kind words I am glad you enjoyed the video and how I covered it! Take care and enjoy your 68!
What a Cream Puff Cruiser. Aint she Sweet. Thats one Sweet Ass Old Buick. Im a Mopar guy and definitely no Buick Expert but think if memory serves correctly 1966 was the last year for the old Nailhead motors. You got one of the last ones made. I got a buddy with a 67 Special that came with the 300 or 301 small V 8... We stuffed a 70 Buick 455 in there. What a Monster. We call it The Elephant Gun.
thanks man yea she is, and you are correct the 401 was produced 1959-1966, and haha that is badass! those 455s were beasts !
I subbed on the last video. Mine had power windows and that antenna. (Idiots would go up the street and snap them off.)
The radio sounded so nice even in AM. Were there tubes in that old Radio? And I can't remember if it had seat belts. Duh. But it had a great, drop down arm rest. What is the lock to lock steering ratio? I loved the way I could spin it around and show off in right hand turns driving with style..
Thanks for the support! Sad to hear sounds like you don’t have yours anymore, those are fun options. Not sure about your radio and steering question but mine does have lap belts.
Ciao Fanelli da quanto tempo le tue auto sempre bellissime e straordinarie ciao
Nice score! :-)
thank you!!
Keep it original and get that fender straightened, keep the spare fender in case of a deer impact.
Hell yea man, I’m certainly going to keep her original
My thirsty 66 Wildcat got about 12mpg, but it would move. I suspect when my foot was in it was about 4mpg, but it would beat my mom's 69 Catalina. The Catalina would beat the 70s Z cars.
I agree about the mileage with the Wildcat. Gas was cheaper.
As a seldom driven car, it does not matter much. Cross country? Hmm .. So comfortable!
Buick :)
You know it!
Now That Was When A Car Was A Car.. "1966"...
damn right man!
You need to find a 1950 or 51 Packard Clipper. Would love to see you apply your talent to a defunked but beautiful piece of American iron. Have you ever see or heard of Packard?
that would be cool, sure I have, just not my style at this point im still on my muscle car crush part of life haha
@@FanelliRestorations Soldier on young man! Enjoy every freaking minute of your talent and passion where ever they may lead you!!!
@@darrenfarr4890 thank you very much! I will keep doing just that!
@@FanelliRestorations P.S. Studebaker Daytona 1965. HA HA
i all most bought one of those back in the 80s for 50 bucks , didnt have the money off to the junk yard it went
damn that's sad! =( they are such cool cars people rarely know about
if your ready for another project I'll sell ya one 😁
you've got a '66 wildcat too?!
@@FanelliRestorations nah just ment a project in general lol iv got a early 74 datsun 260z
@@boostedlife7436 oh ok haha yea I thought you meant you had a cat you wanted to sell, but either way I've got enough projects on my hands for the time being thanks tho!