Fiddling with the timing and fuel, netted me 19.5mpg's driving 250 miles to Las Vegas, and 18.3mpgs (driving much faster and passing vehicles several times) driving home. I still think there is room for improvement.
UNFORTUNATELY- all I do is push it...... so close but so far-2 good weekends and 2k and it would be a driver-unfortunately, for now I have neither
Just to update. Just been driving the car plenty. Probably got another 2,000-3,000 miles since the last update. Still getting a regular 19-19.5mpgs. Also started on getting my A/C working, among a few updates. When I got the car in 1996 it was Grandma complete, A/C blew cold, etc. Over the years I've removed and lost a few things, so now I'm getting back to more of an OEM look to it as well as getting some of the things that worked when I got the car working again. Starting with installing the A/C stuff, an OEM fan shroud, and a windshield washer bottle. Starting to look like factory under the hood. :TU: I wanted a fan shroud on the car, and the hookey sheet metal one I had wasn't optimal. I wanted to use a stock fan shroud, but since I put the thicker BeCool radiator in it the stock fan stroud was too close to the engine, and as it turns out, the BeCool radiator is also a bit narrower than the stock radiator. The shroud wouldn't need any mods with a stock 3-core brass-copper radiator or single core aluminum. But as it was, the shroud was interfering with the A/C compressor and the power steering pump. So.... I shaved about 1" off. Narrowed up the shroud and put on a piece of sheet metal to keep it sealed against the radiator. Not the prettiest, but it'll work. Riveted on. The fan shroud, the A/C stuff and the washer fluid bottle installed. Looking a lot like it did when I got the car in 1996. No more having the fan chew on the upper radiator hose May have to do some heater hose re-routing. I've just mocked up the A/C stuff for now. I shortened one hose on it due to the extra length of the engine. When I go to actually put a vacuum on the system I'll put the new accumulator on it and clean up and paint the A/C components. Nicely installed. Ought to keep the car cool in the summer with the A/C going. Starting to look like a submarine plumbing job in the corner there with the surge tank lines, A/C lines and the washer fluid bottle.
Greeting: Before every thing i should say that The silver buick is great.(both owner and car) Im Ardeshir from Iran,my brother own a 1977 buick skylark ,i found this Forum interesting, i write a little about my self and our car: Im 23 years old,student,im Zorostrian(not muslim),love US industry. Our skylark was assembled here in 1977 by GM iran ,equipped with(350 chevy small block),Th350,AC... Before rebels revolution in Iran,more than 80 percent of industry related to US companies(i wish i lived in that era lol),the first americans car that was assembled here was 1968-69 AMC american which was replaced by chevy Nova (75-79)-buick skylark(75-79)& Cadillac seville (76-79),jeep Wagoneer. Our car was owned by imperial army and we are third owner, Hope it wasnt boring for you,and its a good time to say: Me and many of people here have no problem with US and we are suffered from this regime,Iran is old persia so we shouldnt follow arab but our gov are not who we want.its not politics Forum,so i promise it was the last time i wrote about it. Sorry my english is poor.
Ardeshir, thats a great story, and your english is very good. nothing to be ashamed about. please tell us more about your car maybe in another thread. I'm sorry that you have to live under that regime that is in Iran, but your country has a proud history before the current government.
Hi, I check many skylarks in Iran and none of them have right side mirror,is it similar to all skylarks or only 75-79 models? i only saw a 78 skylark with right mirror and it was installed by the owner.
I recently found a right hand side mirror off a 1978 Skylark in the junkyard. It is very very rough, and something I didn't notice until last week when I was cleaning it up, is that the base is slightly different from the driver's side mirror. The driver's side mirror's base goes to an aerodynamic point, the passenger mirror I picked up has a squared off base, though roughly the same shape as the drivers side. The top part and mirror looks the same. I had never seen one either, and now I'm questioning if the one I got was OEM or not. Still debating on installing it or not.
So,you find one too, some times we see some parts that are never seen before,and it makes american cars especially on that era very complicated,although this model is in good shape with out right mirror too but as you said,if its original one it will do great role on right side, Best wishes.
I don't think I posted a picture of when it was painted. I took this picture in late 1996 or early 1997 shortly after I started driving it. Silver Paint! Hubcaps! White walls! Blacked Out Grill! and AWESOME 231 Odd-Fire POWER! Looks like I had already pulled the side molding off by then. It wasn't in very good shape.
Here are some pictures of mine, bad pictures, cars dirty and got attacked by crow poop today, but here they are. both mirrors, different angles, i can take some better ones in the sun tomorrow.
They are good enough, They attacked me last month when i walked to home,lol.my shirt was..... thank you alot,its the first skylark with original right mirror i see.:TU:
I have a question about rear suspension system in x-bodies: Is it possible to change the rear leaf-spring to coil spring?
Ok, yeah I've seen the sport mirrors before. As you can see by my picture the style I got is a more base model style. Anything is possible with enough fabricating and engineering skills. From an aftermarket stand point, look for kits that are meant for '67-'69 F-bodies. It would likely have to be a 4-link conversion. I'm thinking about putting an Air-Ride airbag(s) on the rear. Particularly for when towing my camp trailer or loading up the trunk heavily.
