Well I've owned this 71 Skylark for just over 2 years. When I got it it had been setting for 8 or 9 years. I bought it non running and when I started it up it ran quite bad. A compression check showed some low numbers on several cylinders. So I figured I'd do a rebuild or find another motor. So last fall I bought a 350 out of a 76 Century. It ran well but needed gaskets timing set, carb rebuilt ect. So this spring I was pulling out the motor and took a break for lunch. While I was eating I looked on craigs list and found a rebuilt 1970 350 V8 with a rebuilt TH350 and rebuilt Q-Jet. So I ran down and test drove the motor and put a deposit on it. So I went home and finished pulling out the motor. Then I saw the worn out a-arm bushings. So new bushings, then springs, shocks, fuel lines,gas tank, brake lines, front power disk brake conversion, headers, 2 1/4 h-pipe exhaust with flowmaster 40s, new BF Goodrich TAs, and lots of other bits and pieces. I've taken it around the block twice in last few weeks. But today I took it out for it's first drive. It was in the 40s and sunny. I drove it to the nearest gas station and filled it up. While I was there a guy came up and said seeing it made him want to have his convertible out. He has a MGTD with a big block V8. So I was off down the main street of our town feeling great with the top down. I stopped at a stop light. When I stepped on the gas, pop and the motor died. I had a little panic attack. I slammed it into park hit the key and it started back up but I felt I better get it back home. While on the home stretch I decided to step on it. When the 4bbl kicks in the exhaust comes apart. So I pullover and find that new exhaust hangers have broke and the exhaust has come loose on a joint after the header collector. I limp it home. All in all a good first spin. Just need to re hang the exhaust, get a stall converter, posi rear end, new interior, fix the dent in the rear quarter ..... will this ever end?? I love it even if my wife doesn't like all the time I've spent on it.
Congrats on getting your car on the road - dont be discouraged by the stuff that went wrong, just tackle one thing at a time. All of my cars have taken more than a year to sort out to where I could drive them for a significant distance, and none are ever truly done. Your car looks great, one of my favorite bodystyles. Keep us posted.
Wolfman,.. Congrats on getting it out...sometimes you just have to go for it and see what happens.. Fix the safty issues first ..stalling issue could need a new accelerator plunger for the carb, the rubber ring might be cracked causing a hesitation,... Me and my wife took our last drive in our beat up GS convertible last weekend and put it away for the winter..It has tons of bad bondo work and wrong color but I still bought it 4 yrs ago knowing I could still drive it while I tinker with it... Knowing its a triple black no option car I still dragged the purple car home and fixed the odds and ends for those evening rides, she love's it still.. Keep at it and good luck... Jerrold,..:3gears:
