Is The Buick 430 V8 A Big Block, And How Much Horsepower Did It Produce?

The engines in today's American automobiles are typically from a family that is shared across different brands of their parent company. The Pentastar 3.6-liter V6 can be found in vehicles from Dodge, Jeep, and Chrysler. Variants of the General Motors 3.6-liter High Feature V6 were until recently used by vehicles from all of its brands, including the Buick LaCrosse, Chevy Traverse, GMC Acadia, and even the performance-oriented Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing. But this hasn't always been the case. For most of the 20th century, each brand from General Motors had its own distinctive engine lineup, including Buick's own 400 and 430 V8 motors that were introduced for the 1967 model year.

Until then, the Buick's bread-and-butter V8 line from the early 1950s and on was the so-called "Nailhead" V8, which was produced in 401- and 425-cubic-inch capacities. The Nailhead was a favorite for engine swaps among some early hot-rodders because of its torque production and eagerness to rev. By the early 1960s, though, it was starting to show its age when compared to competitive offerings — even from other General Motors brands. Buick saw the need for something new and invested $50 million (about $470,000,000 today) to develop a new V8 engine-family. 

With improved cylinder heads and a freer-breathing intake, the Buick 430 V8 was in-whole more responsive and fuel-efficient than its predecessors and helped to curb emissions. It also produced 360 horsepower at 5,000 RPM, and yes, it's most certainly a big block engine — a design that sacrifices lighter weight in favor of low-end grunt. 

The results of Buick's grand investment in a new V8 engine line were 400- and 430-cubic-inch engines that, with their introduction in 1967, also heralded the brand's entry into the burgeoning muscle-car vehicle segment. With its large bore, valves, and ports, as well as a hefty 600-pound weight, the Buick 430 had a redline that reached only 5,500 RPM. The V8 engine also produced 475 pound-feet of tire-melting torque at 3,200 RPM.

As the larger of the new engines, the Buick 430 V8 was used in several models, including the stylish Riviera, mid-size Wildcat, and the full-size Electra for the 1967 model year. The Buick 430 would continue in use through the 1969 model year, and in 1970 both it and the 400 were replaced by a bored-out version of the engine that displaced 455 cubic-inches and produced 350 or 360 horsepower, depending on the tune.