Due to health reasons I likely won't be able to finish this project. It started out as a two-into-one project with a 1964 2dr Skylark with a good top half and a freshly rebuilt 300v8 (never run) with rebuilt heads (purchased separately) and a 1965 4dr Special with a good bottom half. Originally I was going to just cut the floorpan out of the '65 and graft it into the '64, but there ended up being a lot more rot on the bott0m of the '64 than I wanted to deal with. Quarters, etc. So I got this brilliant idea of converting the 4dr to a 2dr after remembering seeing some magazine with a '57 Chevy that had the same thing done to it. Stay with me here, it actually turned out very well. I measured the rocker panel, door height, etc. and found that aside from the obvious number of doors and the shape of the back window and fenders, they were virtually identical. Thus began the conversion. I grew up around my dad's body shop and worked there for a while, even doing some of the front wheel drive car cut & graft repairs using two halves. He had developed a solid method of doing that safely. But I digress... So I went about cutting out the B pillar from one side of the '65 and hung the '64 door on it. Perfect fit. It lined up like it was meant to be there. So I cut from the windshield pillars back to about halfway back on the fenders down to just above the body line on the side, then down to the rocker in front of the wheel opening and included the door jamb. Once I got that set down on the remainder of the '65 body I couldn't believe how well it lined up aside from the top of the rear fenders. So I pie-cut those and blended them in like I'd seen done on TV and my dad was even impressed at how well it turned out. I welded one side and we finished the filler application but then my health started declining and I had to stop. He's gone now so he can't help finish it. The other side is tacked but not finished and the interior sheet metal is all welded in. I took the engine apart to see what was done (I've rebuilt them in the past) and it was bored .030 over and looks like everything was new inside (bearings, rings & pistons, cam, etc.). All clearances were what they should be so I torqued it all back together except for the timing cover, intake and carb. This was in 2016. If I had a hoist I could finish it but now I can't lift more than 50lbs and can't stay squatted down for any length of time due to several aneurysm repairs and more coming. I have the original exhaust manifolds that are not cracked. I have two timing covers but I'm sure both would need refurbished, plus all the parts I took off the two cars. Pulleys, starters, alternator, AC pumps, AC parts, dash parts, everything except the '65 front clip. I put the '64 clip on it because I like the grille and bumper better. Obviously everything rubber needs replacing, along with the brake system front to rear, suspensions and so on and as it sits right now the front and rear glass is in the basement along with extra '64 fenders, hoods, etc. I have an aluminum 4bbl intake and the correct carb but the heads are steel so it would need those gasket mods to use the intake. I have both 2spd transmissions and a 2bbl intake, flywheel, etc. This was my dream of replicating my first car, a '64 Skylark, but I'm considering letting it go to someone that knows how to finish the bodywork and mechanicals. I have tons of pictures of the progress if anyone thinks they might be at all interested in seeing them. I'll post a few so you get an idea. I'm really looking for thoughts right now.
Seems like a waste of time to me undesirable car which can be brought cheap ready to roll...not to many people will share your vision. I would start parting it out.Stop the insanity now.
I hope that you can find someone to finish it as you planned. It isn't always about the value of the car, but the pride in being able to do something like that. I like repairing something that most people say can't be done or say it's a waste of time. Most of the time the people that say that are the ones that don't have or don't want to learn a new skill. The worst thing that can happen if it doesn't work out is that you can still part it out, but at least you tried.
Yeah, I have the skills, but not the stamina due to the past surgeries. If I can stand up or sit and work I'm fine for a while. There is just so much left to do on this I don't know if I have it in me now. My dad passed in June so he can't help now (obviously) and my son lives in Ohio so he's out. I have another aneurysm repair coming up in December and they found another one that's going to potentially cause issues with circulation in my right hip and leg, depending on the repair type. So I drew the short straw genetically there, but I'm still here so there is that.
Everyone likes different things, the dollar value of a car is irreverent to me. Nothing is a waste of time if you like it.
Good lord, if every old car owner was forced to adhere to logical return-on-investment standards, about 90% of old cars would be crushed by now. Lighten up. Seems irrelevant to me.
That is why it is called "custom" one of a kind. Sorry about your health, but you never know how things can work out. Keep looking up, repairs to the body takes a while.
Hi, See your in Michigan, what part? Ambitious project, looks like it's starting to take shape. Hopefully you can find the right caretaker for the project. Sorry to hear about your health, hopefully the procedure goes better than expected so maybe you can get it finished. Regards, Jim
Very true! When I decided on Buicks instead of mainstream Chevy, I REALLY felt like the odd man out, but I just can’t get into the “mainstream” it’s BORING! I think that’s why I never felt a bond with my GN, yes it is all Buick, but every GN is black, mine was black, his was black, hers was black, same same same, BORING!!
It looks like you would need a team of a few guys there to crack that thing out. It looks like your real close in the body from what your pictures show. But yes a ton of work until completion. Depending on the price I may be interested.
That's exactly why my first car (my avatar) was a Buick and not a Chevelle or Mustang or Challenger/Charger like so many other of the guys had at the time. I was the only one with a '64 Skylark in my area. And to be honest, I prefer the look of it compared to the others.
