Santa brought me my a nice driver-quality '65 Skylark!! My first Buick, but I've had several '60s GMs including a '65 Pontiac Catalina convertible, '67 Caddy deVille convertible, and '67 Camaro. Last ride was a '54 Ford pickup powered by a big block Chrysler ("Fo-Par"). Happy to have a car that my family of 5 will fit in and something my soon-to-be driving teens can appreciate and drive (if they earn the privilege!) The Skylark is a nice little ride. Pretty much everything works as it should with a few minor exceptions - reverse lights, washer fluid pump, original radio, horn - nothing really to complain about. Re-paint is a 20-footer and may buff out a little nicer. Roof is the worst and I may repaint (or vinyl wrap) the 'halo' white. Interior is intact and bit 'dingy' but presentable. PO added a hidden iPod stereo with speakers under the seat and one in the stock dash location. (Likely why the AM radio is disconnected/won't power on.) Came with 2 stock front seat belts and have added 4 more (middle front and 3 in back.) Original V8/auto car. Prev owner had the engine rebuilt and dressed the engine. Including adapters to install small block Chevy Edelbrock valve covers. Added a holley 4 bbl. (Not sure if it was originally a 4bbl car, but I understand the intake is a one-year-only item and appears right for the car.) Custom aluminum radiator (why I don't know). Dual exhaust (with real ugly tips that I have already cut off.) Also swapped the trans for a Turbo 350, which I understand many consider to be an upgrade. Power steering and PO added power front discs which really work great. Not excited about the wheels (14" mid-70s Chevy rally wheels) but they'll due for now. Eventually get either some 15" Buick rally wheels or maybe a set of 17" Buick-like aftermarket wheels (http://www.americanracing.com/wheel/29370/vn501) Rides and drives great! Need to get some miles on it to gain my confidence for longer trips and ork through the punch list of small things to fix. Otherwise, just drive and enjoy! LOVE LOVE LOVE the full-width tail light!
Very nice! This is also the first time I've heard of the valve cover adapters, neat idea. Yeah, love those full width taillights. A couple of guys here installed a sequential flashers in them. Fast ratio steering boxes and fat sway bars are other recommended mods. You have disc brakes already?
If you're in need of lenses, I reproduce the reverse lenses (& gaskets) and the front turn signal lenses (and gaskets). Link is in my signature. Thanks, and welcome!
Thanks for the warm welcome! To answer some of your questions... 1. LED sequential, seen those, maybe someday. Those would make the super cool taillights even cooler! 2. Yup, power front disc brakes already done. Would have been one of my first mods but glad the PO did it and saved me the tie and money. 3. I plan to enhance the ride with a bigger sway bar. 4. Valve covers - Bought from son of guy who built it. He told me his dad had the adapters made for the Chevy valve covers, which in theory wouldn't be that hard. Was told no aftermarket cool valve covers available for this engine. Not sure they are perfect as they may be leaking some oil. (There is a drip coming from somewhere, but I haven't yet tracked it down.) I'll try to post some photos of them when I pull the covers off. 5. Need to figure out if the PO lowered it and/or if any of the springs are shot. Right now the rear is about 1" lower then the front when measured at the rocker panel behind front wheel/in front of rear. Feels a bit soft in the back too. I need to figure out stance with desired wheels and tires. Not sure if 17" wheels (with decent sidewall - not 35's) will be ok with lowering or if stock springs will be needed for the clearance. I've seen a bunch of 64-65s with 17s, but not clear if they are lowered or the width. (Thinking 7" front, 8" rear.) I will be leaning on this group for certain! Happy New Year!
I did some research and found these http://whengparts.com/?product=chevy-to-rv8-valve-cover-adapters There is another place in the UK making them too, but charge more for them and shipping is more..I contacted both places and the place I posted were the cheapest and charge $40 to ship..I was hoping someone was doing them in the states
For starters, welcome from IL. Nice car, and I agree you need to do something about those wheels. I did a 180 degree opposite of those valve covers. I built some 300 covers to fit the small block Chevy. The 300 covers are the same width as the Chevy but shorter. I adapted some adaptors that were originally designed to use the early perimeter bolt Chevy valve covers on the late model center bolt heads and I sacrificed 2 pairs of 300 covers for the project. My project this winter is to build a dual snorkel air cleaner like the original so I can put a Wildcat 310 decal on it Go ahead and harass me about it, it runs great and made over a little over 506lb.ft. of torque on a dyno that broke a few weeks later and when the dyno company guy came to repair it and calibrate it they found out it had been reading low, so it's going back when I get a chance to get it out of the car. I've got some Buick 350s sitting around waiting for TA to come out with those aluminum heads, provided I'm still alive and able at that point (I'm 63 and counting). If and when that happens I'll do my best to duplicate the power of my SBC out of a SBB. Until then I'll continue to keep BF Goodrich in business
Nice job on those valve covers Bill! Bet it fools a lot of the car show folks! There are some nice finned alum valve covers that fit the 300.... Offy makes them for the Buick 215 but they are pricey these days. Rover V8 vc's fit too. BTW, there's another site dedicated to the 65 GS, you are welcome to sign up there too! www.65gs.com
