Hello, I recently saw the Skylark for sale and would like to know What market value would be as well as any mistakes the seller might have made (I ask this more in regards to the 1973 455 engine that he used; does this year have any issues in terms of strength or factory defects?). I never really paid too much attention to skylarks until a couple years ago as I’ve been searching for a Chevelle for quite a while. It should be mentioned that I am not a numbers matching guy and plan to use the car to tear around town and maybe take it to a car show or two. He’s currently asking 24K, I noticed a lot of skylarks without modifications that sell for much lower than the Chevelle (which I don’t understand as these Buicks typically came from the factory with tons of options). Any information would be appreciated. For sale is my 1970 Buick skylark completely rust free (Bring a magnet if you’d like). GM arctic white paint job done about four years ago. Painted bumpers and undercoated floors. New weatherstrips. GS grill and emblems as well as GSX front and rear spoiler. Rebuilt 455 Buick motor from 73 Riviera; high-rise aluminum intake manifold, 750 street Demon carb, new 10:1 pistons, mid cam, rebuilt heads, new radiator with dual electric fans, HEI distributor, plenty more. New 2800 stall converter. New driveshaft. Shorty headers with new full exhaust (glass packs). Brand new out-of-the-box strange rear end posi 3.73 gears. Rear tubular control arms. New wire harness. No AC or heat nor do I have the AC/heat parts I took out. All rebuilt drum brakes. All new black interior (factory bucket seats). New door panels with great dash and headliner. Tires are about three years old never did burnouts or anything stupid like that with them. 15x7 rims. LED headlights and taillights. Taillights and marker lights are slightly tinted.
Welcome. You're correct - Skylarks are a much better value than Chevelles. Seems like a lot to me for this car, especially w/o a nice GS hood, but that depends on a lot too. What rear Who built the engine & what parts were used What trans, what's been done to it, & by whom Orig. Rust-Free or been "fixed" & if so what's the quality of the bodywork Quality of the paint job Do you want heat &/or A/C? Lots more questions too... Personally, I'd want to build it myself. $10-15k will buy a really nice Skylark. This car recently sold and tbh, it was worth every penny & I'd have put up another $12k (ish) to buy it over the one you listed. There was a much more extensive post that apparently has been deleted but it was a well sorted out 11-sec. street/strip car w/all the good stuff & owned/built by reputable guys. plus orig. Rust-Free, buckets/console, GS clone, etc. https://www.v8buick.com/index.php?threads/truck-trailer-and-71-gs.339064/#post-2864346 Check this thread out too (esp. what it sold for prev.): https://www.v8buick.com/index.php?threads/1971-skylark-with-455-4-speed.369111/ Hang out on here and/or watch & wait in other places (deals come up on FB, CL, & auctions) & I think you'll find a better deal. On the other hand, maybe the seller will come off $10k if he sits on it for awhile and then maybe it's not a bad deal.
This car just sold and was arguably a much better deal both initially & long term: https://www.v8buick.com/index.php?threads/70-gs455-indiana-27-5k.369156/ This one seemed to be a super clean car although the paint left something to be desired. Seems to have sold and hopefully someone got it for closer to $10k. https://www.v8buick.com/index.php?t...te-chevelle-gto-442-15-000-moses-lake.368962/
Great minds think a like, I sent many of those questions to the seller before you apply. It also seems that if I wait till the fall the prices of these cars should be better. Could you provide any information on the 455 block that was used from 1970 until 1973? It almost seems too good to be true given the power that it can make at less weight than a 454. Any inherent issues?
455's are amazingly light & powerful. The main issue is oiling but there are fixes which is why it's important who builds it. Start here but there is a ton of info buried in this website: https://www.v8buick.com/index.php?threads/400-430-455-block-id-prep-and-oiling-mods.214613/
It might be a very well done car, but the heater removal (I can’t call it ‘delete’) on a street car says otherwise. Patrick
Great replies, I found a 1972 Skylark for sale where the owner swapped in a 1970 front clip as well as a 454 engine and was asking 30 K. I figured that would be sacrilegious to post on the site; how about this one? The things that stand out to me are the shifter, 10 bolt axle and obviously the passenger side of the hood which looks crooked. 1972 Buick GS, true GS car!!! Open to trades!!! Bullet proof big block Buick powertrain Engine: 525hp/600tq 1970 Buick 455, bored .038 over(464ci), forged 10:1 pistons, double roller timing chain, ported aluminum heads, Holley 850dp carb, HEI, TA310 cam, stg1 fuel pump, oil passages corrected, longtube headers, true dual 3” exhaust, Borla crate mufflers dumped at the axle Transmission: Extreme Automatics 2004r Stage 2 built to handle 750hp/650tq Billet everything, reverse manual valve body, billet 9.5” lockup converter(3k stall), B&M QuickSilver ratchet shifter Suspension/brakes: Bilstein shocks, new springs and poly bushings all around, hotchkis sway bars front and rear, disc brakes front and rear, 18x8 front/18x10 rear Foose wheels, 3.73 gears, Eaton Positrac Interior: Black/grey leather, bucket front seats, original bench rear seat, everything new from headliner to carpet, Kenwood CD player, custom 6.5/6x9 interior speakers, 12” kicker competition sub in trunk.
