Hello guys and gals. I figured Id start a build thread on my 1968 GS400 Convertible. This will be a long post, so be prepared. This car has a lot of history to it, and Im going to try to prevent an ugly ending for it. Im hoping to have this car drivable my spring 2012. I want to get all the chassis done and the body in primer. Paint may be a possibility, but well see how far the money works out in this economy. I know I have a lot of work ahead of me, but Ive built other cars with starting with less. How ever, this car for sure is going to be a challenge because the parts this car needs are more expensive than even my Vette was. Ok here goes. This car was my Dads car. He got it in the mid to late 70s. He purchased it from a guy he knew whom his son bought this car for his son as a high school graduation gift. Dad knew the history of the car because he grew up in the same town the son who owned the car lived. The kids Dad had a dealer Stage 1 kit put in the car from the dealer ship when it was new and he also ordered it with the Buick racing stripes. (I have no real proof of this and have tried finding it, but the original dealer is long gone and all the records with it are gone as well.) Needless to say the car didn't have an easy life. My Dad installed a hitch on the car and used it to pull his jet boat around. He also raced back then and had a super bad 66 GTO. He sold it before he got the GS and replaced it with a 76 El Camino he fully customized which had a hydraulic tilt front end, built 400 SBC, and custom paint and interior. Any how, when dad got the GS the original engine was blown up and the block was cracked. He got one out of a junk yard and swapped the cam from the original engine, amazingly it was still OK, into the new to it engine. The stories I get from family members are that the old ugly Buick would beat anything else in the family. My Uncle, til this day, cusses the GS because his 63 Vette with a mildly built 327 wouldn't beat the GS. My Mom would always drive Dads El Camino and Dad would drive the GS. My Mom has always cussed the GS because the El Camino, with all the money that was dumped into it, would still not beat the old Buick. Story goes that the El Camino would beat it out of the hole, but before the end of the 1/8th, it was over for the El Camino. One of dads buddies has a 911 Porsche, and he still talks about how the GS could keep with him and that wasn't right. Well anyhow, some time before I was born, my Dad let my Mom and Aunt (Moms sister), take his jet boat to the river while he was at work. They were not paying attention and over heated the engine to the point of it locking up. This time the OE cam was toast as well as the rest of the engine. Dad towed the GS home, it was easy for him since he worked at a service station and was the main tow truck driver. He found another 400 in a salvage yard from a 69. He rebuilt it and installed a stock cam for a 69 400. While he had the engine out, he found some other issues so he rebuilt the front suspension, rebuilt the rear end and installed all new suspension bushings and bearings, and rebuilt the transmission too. He then decided to go ahead and keep going with it because around the same time the Buick was down, some one vandalized his El Camino and it was back at the body shop getting repainted. He went and started buying parts from GM to get the car ready for the body shop when they got his El Camino done. He said at the time, 1979 or 80, the only parts left in Iowa for it were a GS grill, RR quarter, and a LF fender. He got all 3 of them. Mean while he took the Buick to the upholstery shop while the El Camino was in the body shop because the El Camino would be going there when the paint work was done. He had the interior redone in the GS with white naugahyde, all new carpet, door panels, the works. He then had a new top put on it. He said he drove it for about 3 months before the body shop was ready for it. Finally he dropped off the GS at the body shop and took the body parts he had with it. A few weeks goes by and a tornado went through town. He said when he left town to go on a tow before the tornado came through his car was inside, not in the parking lot. The body shop it was at was by a river, keep this in mind. While on the tow the tornado came through and he said it was a pretty big one and went pretty much along the river in which the body shop was located. Him not really worried about his car at the moment continued helping pull rubble off of cars and trapped people, had a late night. When he got home, his sister was at his house talking with my Mom. She had some very bad news that wouldn't sit well with him at all. The body shop put his car out side to put a stock model A inside to keep from being damaged by the tornado. She happened to drive by the body shop and see the GS out side and knew that it wasn't supposed to be. She drove in the lot through the standing water, looked at the car and left right away because she didn't want to be near it if dad saw it like that. So she told him, he better go see it for him self. He goes down there and theres water half way up the car where its sitting. His brand new top had a 3 hole in it. His new interior was under water and now smelt like sewage because the tornado hit the sewage lagoon, broke the dike and, you guessed it, the body shop was right down the lot from it. Then he notices his NOS LF fender was hacked with like sheet metal snips for the fender louver. He walked around the other side of the car and his NOS RR quarter was cut and riveted over the existing sheet metal. Needless to say he was sick, went to the body shop owners house and proceeded to have words with him, almost killed him and almost went to jail. LOL Any way, after that the car sat in the back yard. I remember we used to live in a trailer park and dads GS sat behind the shed at the back of the lot. Every once in a while hed move it and drive it around so the trailer parks owner couldnt gripe about abandoned vehicles in his park. My parents purchased an acreage in 1984 and we moved there 85. There was a big barn there and the Buick got put in it. At least now it was out of the weather. Dad would use the car to take garbage to the dump and every so often haul rock for the drive way. And anytime my Uncle John came to town hed pull it out and race his 63 vette for old times I guess. Uncle Johns Vette lived at our house back then while he was in the Navy. Dad would work on it from time to time and wed drive it a lot in the summer. (This was bad for me because I want a mid year corvette so bad because of his car. I learned how to drive on my Uncles lap at age 4 in that car.) We used to take the vette to Boy Scout meetings, but we rarely took the GS. Dad worked full time as a mechanic, and then worked the rest of his free time in an old chicken coupe shop at home trying to make ends meet. So there was no time for the GS. How ever, in like 1992 Dad did purchase a 68 Skylark Custom convertible as a parts car for the GS because he knew he needed a different frame for his GS because his was rusted out right before the rear axle. Some where along the line us kids started to grow and my Mom wanted horses of her own as she grew up with them. Dad converted the barn where the corvette sat into a horse barn, and my Uncle came and got the vette and took it back home to Texas where he still lives. This had to be 1995. It wasnt long and that barn was too small and we had no room to store hay. Out came the Buicks and in came horse stalls. The Buicks got moved next to the old shop until 2 years ago when I moved them to put up a new shop. Now you ask how I ended up with the cars. I was getting curious and trying to get him to work on the GS at least to get it running again. Once I found out the engine was locked up, he lost interest again and decided he was going to sell them. (More like give them away.) My Mom was not happy at all. Luckily for me, his truck blew up another 7.3 but Dad had very little money to put back in it due to raising 3 kids. I had a 5.9 cummins and a 47Rh I purchased for another one of my projects and I told him Id put them in his truck for him. He kept asking me what I wanted for them and I told him dont worry about it. We got his truck done and one day he told me if it was OK with me, hed give me the buicks in trade for the engine and trans. I told him that wasnt going to happen. That was his car, not mine. I told him I wasnt worried about the engine and trans. He said BS, Ill sell the cars and what ever I get out of them, Ill give to you. I told him. BS, I own 2 Buicks now. LOL OK, now that that saga is over with and you are tired of reading my lengthy story we can get down to the nitty gritty. I have owned these for about 5 years. I joined this site in 07 to try to find out more about the GS I had. I have been buying odds and ends for it off and on because I know they dont reproduce a lot of the parts for these cars. I never had time for the GS because I was in the middle of building many trucks, and other cars. I got my Vette done and raced it for 3 years. I got my Uncles 40 Ford back and got it paid off. I have 2 trucks half built, and my wife and I just had our first daughter last January. We are expecting another child in April now. I was out in my parents yard 2 weekends ago getting ready to scrap some other cars and I made a decision. I was getting that Buick done enough to drive this winter. I cant stand it sitting out side going to crap any longer. I have probably put $1000 worth of tarps on it over the last 15 years and I really dont think it helped one bit. Besides, once the second child is here Ill be saving even more to get a house. I cant do that for another 12-24 months, so its time to get all my projects semi close to being done so I can save for a house. I just sold my 68 and 69 Charger projects, and I sold my 56 New Yorker and Im using that to help the Buick funding. My entire intentions of getting these Buicks from my Dad is so I can fix the GS up and give it back to him so he can enjoy it again. My plans for the car are this: 400 bored to 430 unless I come up with a complete 430 or 455 I have a 68 GS 400 block with 69 stage 1 big valve heads from a member on the board New interior, new top, maybe install 69 buckets for the head rests At least Stage 1 can and an aluminum intake Since my frame is rusted out, take the frame from the skylark and put it under my GS Repair rusted out floors and trunk Repair rusty door bottoms Maybe just smooth hack jobd right hand quarter but well see how things go. Repair my deck lid or use another I have. Id like to put a wider tire under the rear and maybe some torque thrusts or a wider Buick rally wheel. Drop the front 2 to get a nice stance. I currently have these parts which either came with it or I've purchased within the last few years: GS Rally steering wheel and horn cap Floor shift tilt column 3 consoles and one extra shifter (One console is really nice) An extra pair of 69 buckets but they've been stored out side so IDK their condition NOS 68 GS grill 2 pairs of 68 GS door panel emblems 3 sets of various condition GS side louvers GS400 fender emblems 2 or 3 68 GS400 trunk emblems 1 extra 68 GS hood 3 extra 68 GS hood scoops 1 extra 68 GS400 trunk lid A 95% complete 68 skylark custom convertible, but shes pretty rusty 1 extra convertible top 6-8 15 rally wheels 4 Buick rally centers I have driver quality stuff to put the car together. Im searching for some key parts and have found most of which thanks to this board. So thanks for that guys. I hope you enjoy the build of this poor old GS!
"Since my frame is rusted out, take the frame from the skylark and put it under my GS" Make sure that your donor car also has a boxed frame. Many hardtops will not.
Here they are as they sat before I moved them 2 years ago. Here's the 68 Skylark Custom Convertible Parts Car
Unless you have that personal attachment, it will be much cheaper to buy another convert. already done. This car is going to need everything. It will be a huge undertaking to resurrect this one.
Jim, yep, have that personal attachment. Yes it needs everything. It's not that big of deal. I have the car and some parts. Granted it will need the usual parts any car will need during a resto. For one I do not have the $10-$20k laying around to go buy one of these done. But I do have the capability to fix what ever and can justify buying part here and there. This car is a limited production and it does have sentimental value. It won't be sold ever as long as I can help it.
Wow! Thank you for posting the story and the pics. It gives me hope. I don't have money but I have more to start with than you. The sad part for me is that you will probably finish yours before I finish mine! Good luck, it sounds like you were raised turning wrenches so you should do well, when it is done, you may not win trophies, but you will have something in your heart and soul that no one can take away. Doing this all for your dad means so much too. Do you have any idea how many people don't even know their dad, or how many hate their dad?? I loved my dad too, cancer took him away. I try to make sure my son knows how much I care because I will be gone one day too. Luckily there are some good restoration parts available now. Several companies make replacement floors. I assume a 68 Malibu floor will be very close, I think there are some slight differences in the trunk floor but close enough for me. Also Sherman makes reproduction 1/4 panels for the 69 'lark, all you need to do is cut the rear side marker out and graft it into the brand new '69 sheet metal. I always dreamed of getting a 70-72 Skylark and cloning a GSX when I was young, (mind you, I graduated in 1982) in 1995 I bought a 68 Skylark as a daily driver. Didn't like the body style, but over the years it has grown on me. Now I want to keep it and I am finally restoring it to 68 GS clone status. Take care and congratulations on the growing family!
Thanks Otter. It's funny how many people on this board wouldn't save this car because it's this bad. If it was a camaro or a chevelle, guys would be fighting over why you're not fixing it. This isn't as bad as what my corvette was either. When you're a poor boy, you have to start with nothing and build from there. At least I have more than nothing to start with.
Thanks, I need money for it more than luck. :Brow: Yes it needs work, but it's just another project. From the things I've been building lately, this won't be that much work. :eek2: I'm not planning on getting it all done in one year either. I know the money tree is going to be the limiting issue cause I don't have one. We'll see how it goes. I know if I don't start on it now, it'll only be that much more deteriorated each year it sets there going to crap.
I'm happy you're bringing this back to life, especially since I have a '68 GS convertible as well. :TU: Where did you find the correct '68 grill? Mine needs to be replaced as well, but when I check the standard locations (e.g. TA Performance) they seem to skip over the 1968 build year. Thanks. Eric.
If you're determined you can rebuild that GS regardless of what anyone tells you. This parallels my GS convertible that I dragged from behind a NJ body shop in 1986. I was one year out of High School and totally inexperienced. Using more elbow grease than money (although it does take some cash), the car was on the road in 1988. :3gears: You can do it! Matter of fact, I need to get it in gear and put my GS back together again as I've had it disassembled for years. Some of us can never leave well enough alone...ou:
Been there, done that. The 68 needed a frame for starters. I had somebody else do the majority of the work, only because I lacked the proper tools to to the job right. Now that I have her back home, it's been a treat going back through her, 1 issue at a time. As the old saying goes," if you want it done right, do it yourself, unless you have deep pockets and technical expertise" or a kick butt mechanic for a good friend. A bit of advise- If anybody but you, work on her, be sure to get receipts for everything that is claimed to be replaced. Just a bit of advise. Pics of The Blue Goose- a name that was given to her - should be uploaded soon. Enjoy, 68GSFanatic:beer
I can see why you want to save this one for it's family history. It's a labor of love to rebuild one like this. If you have the skills to do it yourself you can save it. My 64 has over 1000 hours to date. I have had to trade, barter and resale parts and a truck to get through the 6 years on my build. People think I'm nuts but it's what I want. So... get to work. Takes lots of pictures, keep track of your time and keep all the documents. Most of all, have fun.
I haven't made any progress on the car. I have my 72 Chevy truck 80% done so I'm going to do the GS this winter. It's going to need it all so I'm on the parts hunt again. :TU:
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