@Richard Morris Yes ! I serviced in that time not in Nam ! But the guys that came home did not get the Thank you from U S A ! Please forgive me but I was told by a Combat vet we who served are one, so if these vehicles were marketed to them do think they should get something ! ?
Thank you Steve, For doing a Video, On this car, At 17 This was my second car, 65 Buick skylark 300 4 bbl bucket seats, 2 speed Powerglide, 7 years I owned and loved this car. In 78 I spent 3000,dollars rims rear quarters,paint, That car ,was awe-some, ,Could not Burn out, Didn't matter still love that car,Had Intermittent tail lights, Have never seen another one with That option.,I raked , mowed and shoveled a lot of snow to fix that car.
My grandfather cut the body off one of these just behind the front doors and made a flatbed for it to use around his farm….. it was how I learned to drive @12 years old, ripping all through the woods!
I don't know how many times I've seen this video. But until you're able to make new videos. I'll keep re-watching the great videos you've already given us
FINALLY! My all time favorite car. My dad bought one new in 65. My first car was one, with the little 300 engine. Then, in the early 80s, I bought a Gran Sport from the original owner and did a restoration on it. I had it painted black on black, it was gorgeous! The single biggest regret in my life was having sold that car. A couple of trivia facts: The Gran Sport used the heavier convertible frame instead of the standard frame. The bird logo on the fender was only used for 64 and 65 model years. In 66, it was redesigned and more "streamline". If you had the optional road wheels, the center caps featured that bird logo, but again that particular shape was used in 64 and 65 only, very rare. 65 was also the only year the tail lights went all the way across the back, a feature I thought was quite attractive.
I had a 4 door 1965 Buick Skylark with the 300 Wildcat V8 and the less than wild 2 barrel carburator lol. I got it cheap for basic transportation in college and it was an amazing car. Tires, plugs, wires, oil and new battery was all it needed to get going reliably. Actually decent on gas with the smaller carburator. Later changed the relay and exhaust. That was it for fixing. This was in the early 90's and friends thought I was crazy to drive such an "old car" as a daily driver. This car went everywhere and the engine always started. Soon we were doing coffee shop runs with everyone packed in the Buick. They nicknamed it Betty Buick. Good times.
Mr. B. ! Good morning to Steve’s class ! I have a 1964 Oldsmobile Cutlass convertible and Steve got mid size, this is a fun vehicle to drive. It is a good size .
Think with tech that is out there some of these vehicles would or could be today’s vehicles not for everyone , also SUV, Pick-Up Trucks cost factor to maintain is so much more !
THE LICENCE PLATE GAME ! Yeah , I like that . I started my licence plate collection in 1965 at our family friends home in Rochester , Mass. down the street from WITCH ROCK . I still have these plates , Mass . 1915 . Like new condition . The collection consists of over 3,000 plates from around the world . I want to donate them to a FLA . museum .
I just finished a restoration on a 1967 Jeep with a 225 Buick V-6, and even that has the heart warming, soul satisfying rumble of a nail head!! I love it. Kaiser/Willys bought the rights to the V6 from Buick to install as an optional engine in the 66-71 Jeep vehicles, and what a great engine that "Dauntless V6", as Jeep called it, turned out to be in Jeep vehicles. They used a very heavy flywheel to mask the odd fire shake and that allowed the engine to lug and have torque that defied it's small size. By 1972, AMC owned Jeep and wanted to use their straight 6, so the rights were sold back to Buick and became the engine base for the turbo grand national and the 3800.it had a long life and legacy. People always think the little dauntless in my Jeep was a transplant and are surprised to find it's actually the original engine to the CJ. When I was building the Jeep, I decided I did not want to keep the non-syncro 3-speed, so I adapted an aluminum case Muncie passenger car 4- speed to the Jeep. The V6, 4-speed and 3.73:1 gears make it a blast to drive.
Jeep used both the Buick V6 and the 350 V8 for a couple of years. What's even more fun is they were also buying TH400 transmissions - but not a BOP pattern trans. GM sold the nailhead case TH400 as sort of a universal mount for a few years, even Rolls Royce used them. This because the Nailhead 401/425 had a part of the bell cast as part of the block, so the trans case had to be shorter. That let others make their own short bellhousing to mount to their engine, similar to how the Hydramatics were mounted to other GM engines. So here in the Jeep they had an adapter bellhousing to mount a Buick engine to what was a Buick transmission, kind of ironic.
@@CR7659 the CJ's and Jeepster only got the V6...but what a dramatic improvement over the F-head 4 cylinder! Don't get me wrong, the F-head was a tuff engine but not too exciting. The V6 really transformed the CJ into a great little machine. I briefly entertained putting a 231 or 252 modern Buick in the Jeep, but there is something about the vertical valve covers and the odd-fire rumble I just couldn't live without! And the 225 does a fine job, for me at least.
@@BuzzLOLOL well if you say so. The small block was a different engine, but the early 225 V-6 ...if it wasn't a "nailhead", it did a great impression. the valvetrain components are shared with the nailhead, valve layout, many engine components and even the cam bearings...they just used 4 of the cam bearings instead of all 5. When I rebuilt mine, I couldn't find 225 V-6 cam bearings locally, so I bought nailhead V-8 bearings and just used the ones I needed. I agree the later 231 was different with totally different heads, oiling and coolant flow through the heads, but the 225....I'd have to argue that they cut 2 cylinders off a nailhead V-8 and called it a day.
@@xfactorautomotive1496 - Having same size cam bearings means nothing... difference was in the heads layout... looking from front of engines, the nailhead pushrods and valve stems cross to form an X, in the small V8 and V6 they are about parallel... nailhead engines max out about 3/4 HP per cubic inch, the more efficient smaller engines pushed 1 HP per cubic inch... 200 HP 215" Buick V8 in 1963... (215 HP 215" Olds turbocharged V8, 300+ HP if remove the restrictions): ruclips.net/video/Jzw5W1rRMog/видео.html
That's Lennie Kennedy's B/S '65 Gran Sport at the top of the page lined up against the big '65 Riviera GS which ran the Super Wildcat 425 nailhead with 2 four barrel carbs. Buick Gran Sport - Fast With Class. I own a 1969 Skylark Custom convertible, Buick 350 with 2 barrel carb which I've owned since 1978. Not particularly fast, but plenty of good usable torque. Buicks hide in plain sight, a big name in American automotive circles but if you go to your local car show, you will only see maybe 1 or 2 amongst a sea of Chevelles, Mustangs, and Camaros. But Buicks get in the blood. This car which is the subject of Steve's show today was once a very beautiful machine with many unique styling cues and I'm proud to still have my old Buick sitting in my garage, waiting for me to get in and turn the key. Thanks Steve!
This takes me back. My first car was a 64 Skylark with the 300, Black vinyl interior and bucket seats. I found through my exuberant teenage driving that the small block Buick engines had inadequate oiling for hard driving and subsequently blew up a couple of them. I also discovered that the back window of the A body tended to leak which led to the floor in the back seat as well as the body mount both rusting out. Even though mine was a 64 I liked the styling of the 65 better. I would not mind having another even today.
A very informative crawl, great job! The license plate 'fix' was an era proper repair too. Back when you got new plates every year, the old ones were a free source of metal. Some pop rivets or sheet metal screws and you had a much better repair than screen wire or wadded up newspaper to support the Bondo! LOL. These repairs, shoddy as they were, allowed many cars to survive until they could be properly restored. Or maybe just re-repaired and flipped to an unsuspecting buyer!
I had a 65 with the 300 4bbl. I read differing specs on the compression anywhere from 10.25 to 10.50. But even with the power glide and highway gears it moved out fairly well. Also the halo trim also allowed for 2 tone paint.( mine was maroon with a white top) thanks for the memory Steve… I loved that car
Nice, I had a 65 special drop top 300, 2 speed red with black interior .. loved that car , had it storage and it was towed & sold before I knew what happened
Luv 2 have breakfeast with this guy. I used to work I had a car wash after school and the guy used to rent convertibles skylarks.... Gorgeous. VEHICLES. CAR WASH OWNER PAPAS
I remember seeing one of those Buicks as a teen with my dad at a Buick dealership at 135 Street and Broadway in NYC. I think it was green with black interior. Thanks for the memories 😢
Hi Steve, great show and I really like you're model show. When I was in my late teens I worked for a Buick dealer and had the opportunity to drive GS 400 4spd ,black with red interior a really good looking car and I couldn't believe how quick it was. I had and still have a 65 Malibu SS L-79 4 spd and this Buick would give me all I could handle. Real nice ride. I'm glad I had just bought my Chevelle and could not trade it. I am a Chevy Guy .Plus I watched them unload my Chevelle when it was new and I always wanted to buy it and when the time come I sold everything and bought it.
Hi Steve another great video. I always liked the 60s mid size Buick. Had a neighbor that had 65 or 66 it was maroon with black interior and it road like being on a cloud. Since you mentioned it i do remember an engine lope from that car. So one night my friend (their son) 'stole' the car and we went cruising the county rds. The rain, after 2-3 days had just stopped. It was early spring. He went down this long hill with an even longer gentle curve at the bottom. We went into that curve flying and dude lost it. When we hit that curve he sort of just drove straight into the curve and off the rd we went. So when the car came to a stop we couldn't open the doors. It turns out we 'landed' in the middle of a freshly plowed field and the car had suck in the mud. I remember hitting the power window switch and getting out only to land up to my shin in mud. Neither one of us had a license and had no idea how to explain how a Buick ended up in a plowed field. When I got home no one wondered why my feet were muddy but my friend on the other hand I can only imagine what was said. I would have loved to have been at that field the next day watching them pull that Skylark out. It had to have been about 200ft into that field. Thanks Steve. Namaste 🙏🏼
I don’t recall ever having seen that vinyl top style before, and never cared for them anyway, it’s the rare car that looks better with a vinyl top than one without it.
Steve brings up an important point, that the American full size cars were having their sales dominance eaten away by the compact and mid-sized offerings. Some buyers felt that cars were getting too big. A '64 Chevelle was the same size as a '55 Chevy. (the '55 was taller though). The full size cars would continue to lose market share throughout the '60's. And it wasn't just boomers, it was the slightly older generation that led the way. Boomers were born in 1946-1964. Not a lot of these people were buying new cars in 1965 Most didn't even have a drivers license !! 🤔
Many boomers were 16 - 20 years old by 1965 and most any high school kid back then with an after school job could buy a new Tempest/GTO, Malibu/SS, or Cutlass/442 if his parents would sign for the payments... car prices and incomes were much closer together back then... during Carter's 4 years car prices (and many other things) tripled... incomes didn't... we're seeing that again under Jokementia Bribery...
thanks. I had a '65 Special...with the 3 speed column shift. 225 cid. Clutch 'equalizer' linkage failed; got one out of corvette... that's what Sal told me.
Good morning from Montreal Canada 🇨🇦 Great video once again 👌 I do delivery of tires for a NAPA franchise and one of my customers has a ‘65 Buick Wildcat GS sitting in his car bay getting worked on and it has the 401 BB.
Love the Skylark. I’ve owned a 63 convertible, a 68 convertible and a 69 Skylark Deluxe (4dr hardtop). All were V-8s, all automatics and the 69 had a locking diff and A/C.
They had a tight quality feel to them, my brother had an emerald green colored 65 that I drove a lot & rode in. That was the original steering wheel with the cracked plastic housing, my brothers had a crack too in the same spot this was back in '78 pretty low mileage car when he got it like 40k.
H Steve, I like the fact that you mentioned the "body on frame" construction on the car that you profiled. The GM "B" body (GM Mid-size) came out in 1964 and it featured a full perimeter body on frame Vs. an "X" frame or unit built. This was a new innovation, that over time, replaced the all the "X" frames on GMs Full-size car line(s). Ford also did the same thing on the Full-size Ford-Mercury line replacing there "X" frame starting in 1965. The unit built Ford Thunderbird and Lincoln Continental would not receive a full perimeter frame until later on. Chrysler on the other hand replaced there "X" frame Full-size cars with a front sub-frame under the unit build body. The full perimeter is a lighter frame with a stiffer body shell and softer rubber body mounts, that provides more support, better handling, smoother ride, quieter ride and less harmonic vibration into the passenger compartment. Ford also used cross-flow radiators in the early 60s on there Full-size cars with a low hood. You are correct in regards to the transmission in the car you profiled. It is not a 2 speed Chevrolet Powerglide. It is a 2 speed GM Turbo 300. The Powerglide was normally fluid cooled, but was air cooled on some 4 cylinder cars, I.e. Chevrolet Nova and Chevrolet Vega. The Turbo 300 was normally fluid cooled, but was air cooled on some 6 cylinder cars, I.e. Pontiac OHC 6 and Buick V6. Please reply. Dave...
I'd say the majority of small block Chevys didn't come with 2.02 intake valves. They were only on the high performance engines. Most had 1.94 or 1.72 inch valves.
I have owned a '64 Skylark 4-door sedan with the 300, a '65 Skylark 4-door sedan with the 300, and a '66 Skylark 4-door hardtop with the 340. I also had a '67 Skylark 2-door hardtop with the 300, but the nailhead design was gone by '67. Interesting to note that the '64 through '66 models called out the TORQUE rating on the air cleaner, NOT cubic inches. The 300 with 2-barrel was the "Wildcat 310". The 300 with the 4-barrel was the "Wildcat 355" and the 340 with the 2-barrel was the "Wildcat 350". These cars all had a tremendous amount of torque for the weight. My 340 had brutal acceleration! Even more amazing with only a 2-barrel and a 2-speed Super Turbine transmission with a 1.765:1 first gear!
Do enjoy your expertise and enthusiasm. What is a revelation to me is just how hard New England winters are on steel. I refer to oxidation. Rust. Depressing in a way, but much like our own bodies which give it up over time and cannot be prevented despite everything.
One of my Dad's coworkers had one, it was Red with a White roof and White interior bucket seats A/C and power windows . I remember riding in it when we visited his Jersey Shore summer home . It was a gorgeous car and I got yelled at for playing with the power windows .
The skylark is my favorite A-body. Thanks for the great vid! Motortrend might have only made one mistake, but it was a huge one. I even loved your vids during the lockdowns showing your models.
After experience growing up with one (I was 9 y.o. when my dad bought a '65 Special NEW), I TURNED DOWN a '65 Skylark 4-door (in '76) for $125! ONE "experience" was MORE THAN ENOUGH!
These were called in the V-6 wee called Buick's Fireball V-6 3.8L and then in late 1987 they kicked off the Buick 231 FWD 3800 Pre Series I started on 1987 went to 1991 then they went to Series I 3800 from 1991-1995 Series 1 supercharged 1991-1994 and then in 1995 went to series II and Series II Supercharged they lasted until 2004 and went to the Series III Supercharged in 2004 and N/A 3800 Series III introduced in 2005 and both lasted until April 28 2008. This engine lasted 47 years.
Interesting story on the 401 c.i. valve sizes & what gives them their sound. The G.S. Buick & the 442 Cutlass W30 pkg were my favorites from the era. Very torque cars & you didn't see them everywhere plus they were a souch more luxurious. Thanks for the review big Steve!
First car I bought as a 17 year old was a gold 1966 Skylark with the 340ci 4 bbl 275 Wildcat V8. A large landowning farmers hire hand kept removing the stop sign on the road that crossed the old highway I was driving on as we lived off that highway. Well one morning on my way to work I’m entering the intersection and was hit broadside by that hired man and nearly killed. My poor Skylark was completely totaled. Totally mangled. Being friends with the insurance company people and the no show of the police to the scene I was blamed as the cause of their broadsiding me during my right of way being on the highway and his running a known stop as it crossed the highway meant he or his boss wouldn’t have to replace my automobile. Still kinda torqued over the wrongness of it all.
The 300 morphed from the 215 aluminium engine. People would use 300 iron heads on 215's for the bigger valves if I recall. Minus two cylinders got you the 3.8 V6 which still shared some stuff, front cover, oil pump? with the 215 at least on some models till Rover changed things. The Australians did their own unique 4.4 aluminium V8 version, the cars weren't very successful but the jet boat crowd ran them for years.
The first year 300, 1964 had aluminum heads with bigger valves and ports. The problem with 300 heads was both aluminum and iron was the combustion chamber was a lot larger. You would have very low compression unless you had custom made pistons. The timing cover and water pump were different. Some would bolt up but you would have to get creative with the timing marks as they were cast in and not in the same location. I liked the exhaust manifolds from the 300/340 on the 215. A nice iron header, bigger ports and a 2" outlet compared to the 215s 1.5" outlet.
Had the 64 Special wagon as my first car. (Family hand me down). Very similar to the 65 Skylark I always admired. The wagon Special seems to be rare. Not many around.l
Steve, not to be picky, but the radiator was indeed two rows.I owned, operated and repaired thousands of GM radiators over 20 plus years. I did a lot of custom work and on the header plate, you could get 4 rows of tubes on that 2 3/4 inch header for a "Max Cool" effect.
I always liked those cars, looked like the seats were outside next to the car, i like how the sheet metal is all rusting away, but all the glass and chrome strips are doing just fine, thumbs up
That chrome on this car could be used to restore another like example. Sourcing out replacement trim for these Buicks has gone the way of the wooly mammoth; you're in luck, and I ain't just talking to hear myself, if you find those Skyhawk fender badges!
Too bad the Tail Lights and Panel are missing... They were the best looking tail light assembly available in 1965! They even won styling awards for the look.
Yessir, the 300 & 340 V8s and V6s were outgrowths of the aluminum 215" V8s... None of the small block Buick V6s or V8s were "nailheads", although styled to look like one externally...
Great video Steve! My coworker brother had a Buick gsx stage2. Man that car was a beast! It was yellow with the black stripes, also had the munsie 4speed manual! That was back in the early 80s, I wonder if he still has it!
These were some of the best looking Buicks ever made. Just the right amount of chrome, swooping lines, luxury tied in with muscle. 😎
Couldn't agree more!
GREAT looking cars. Right up through the '67s.
Mr. B. Here ! Yes and no , after 67 the vehicles were marketed to young buys ! Some of them today are the most wanted.
Most were marketed towards the veterans returning from Nam. All young ,a little crazy w/ money & credit.
@Richard Morris Yes ! I serviced in that time not in Nam ! But the guys that came home did not get the Thank you from U S A ! Please forgive me but I was told by a Combat vet we who served are one, so if these vehicles were marketed to them do think they should get something ! ?
My very 1st car was a 1967 Buick Skylark, 2 door, a 300 v8, and a 2 speed power glide transmission, I bought it for $ 700, Had a lot of fun.
Thank you Steve, For doing a Video, On this car, At 17 This was my second car, 65 Buick skylark 300 4 bbl bucket seats, 2 speed Powerglide, 7 years I owned and loved this car. In 78 I spent 3000,dollars rims rear quarters,paint, That car ,was awe-some, ,Could not Burn out, Didn't matter still love that car,Had Intermittent tail lights, Have never seen another one with That option.,I raked , mowed and shoveled a lot of snow to fix that car.
Thanks for sharing
My grandfather cut the body off one of these just behind the front doors and made a flatbed for it to use around his farm….. it was how I learned to drive @12 years old, ripping all through the woods!
A "farm hauler"! GREAT use for a car that WASN'T much as a "road vehicle"!
I don't know how many times I've seen this video. But until you're able to make new videos. I'll keep re-watching the great videos you've already given us
FINALLY! My all time favorite car. My dad bought one new in 65. My first car was one, with the little 300 engine. Then, in the early 80s, I bought a Gran Sport from the original owner and did a restoration on it. I had it painted black on black, it was gorgeous! The single biggest regret in my life was having sold that car. A couple of trivia facts: The Gran Sport used the heavier convertible frame instead of the standard frame. The bird logo on the fender was only used for 64 and 65 model years. In 66, it was redesigned and more "streamline". If you had the optional road wheels, the center caps featured that bird logo, but again that particular shape was used in 64 and 65 only, very rare. 65 was also the only year the tail lights went all the way across the back, a feature I thought was quite attractive.
I can picture in my mind that beautiful car of yours! Yep, to bad it is go e, but how would we have known to keep them?
I had a 4 door 1965 Buick Skylark with the 300 Wildcat V8 and the less than wild 2 barrel carburator lol. I got it cheap for basic transportation in college and it was an amazing car. Tires, plugs, wires, oil and new battery was all it needed to get going reliably. Actually decent on gas with the smaller carburator. Later changed the relay and exhaust. That was it for fixing. This was in the early 90's and friends thought I was crazy to drive such an "old car" as a daily driver. This car went everywhere and the engine always started. Soon we were doing coffee shop runs with everyone packed in the Buick. They nicknamed it Betty Buick. Good times.
I use to cry when I broke my thermos , I loved my lunch boxes when I was a lil boy. Munsters was my favorite
Mr. B. ! Good morning to Steve’s class ! I have a 1964 Oldsmobile Cutlass convertible and Steve got mid size, this is a fun vehicle to drive. It is a good size .
Thank you !
Think with tech that is out there some of these vehicles would or could be today’s vehicles not for everyone , also SUV, Pick-Up Trucks cost factor to maintain is so much more !
Love it. Buick and Olds always had the best looking versions
Agreed - although I’ll give the final styling “nod” to Buick!
You could throw Pontiac in there too. All slightly upscale from Chevy.
I guess they LOOKED good!
where else can you learn about cars and lunchbox/thermos' and hubcaps too! very interesting!
THE LICENCE PLATE GAME ! Yeah , I like that . I started my licence plate collection in 1965 at our family friends home in Rochester , Mass. down the street from WITCH ROCK . I still have these plates , Mass . 1915 . Like new condition . The collection consists of over 3,000 plates from around the world . I want to donate them to a FLA . museum .
Though all GM divisions shared the same platform, each was distinguishable from the other. I SOO LONG FOR THOSE DAYS!!!
I just finished a restoration on a 1967 Jeep with a 225 Buick V-6, and even that has the heart warming, soul satisfying rumble of a nail head!! I love it.
Kaiser/Willys bought the rights to the V6 from Buick to install as an optional engine in the 66-71 Jeep vehicles, and what a great engine that "Dauntless V6", as Jeep called it, turned out to be in Jeep vehicles. They used a very heavy flywheel to mask the odd fire shake and that allowed the engine to lug and have torque that defied it's small size. By 1972, AMC owned Jeep and wanted to use their straight 6, so the rights were sold back to Buick and became the engine base for the turbo grand national and the 3800.it had a long life and legacy. People always think the little dauntless in my Jeep was a transplant and are surprised to find it's actually the original engine to the CJ. When I was building the Jeep, I decided I did not want to keep the non-syncro 3-speed, so I adapted an aluminum case Muncie passenger car 4- speed to the Jeep. The V6, 4-speed and 3.73:1 gears make it a blast to drive.
Jeep used both the Buick V6 and the 350 V8 for a couple of years. What's even more fun is they were also buying TH400 transmissions - but not a BOP pattern trans. GM sold the nailhead case TH400 as sort of a universal mount for a few years, even Rolls Royce used them. This because the Nailhead 401/425 had a part of the bell cast as part of the block, so the trans case had to be shorter. That let others make their own short bellhousing to mount to their engine, similar to how the Hydramatics were mounted to other GM engines.
So here in the Jeep they had an adapter bellhousing to mount a Buick engine to what was a Buick transmission, kind of ironic.
@@CR7659 the CJ's and Jeepster only got the V6...but what a dramatic improvement over the F-head 4 cylinder! Don't get me wrong, the F-head was a tuff engine but not too exciting. The V6 really transformed the CJ into a great little machine. I briefly entertained putting a 231 or 252 modern Buick in the Jeep, but there is something about the vertical valve covers and the odd-fire rumble I just couldn't live without! And the 225 does a fine job, for me at least.
None of the small block Buick V6s or V8s were "nailheads", although styled to look like one externally...
@@BuzzLOLOL well if you say so. The small block was a different engine, but the early 225 V-6 ...if it wasn't a "nailhead", it did a great impression. the valvetrain components are shared with the nailhead, valve layout, many engine components and even the cam bearings...they just used 4 of the cam bearings instead of all 5. When I rebuilt mine, I couldn't find 225 V-6 cam bearings locally, so I bought nailhead V-8 bearings and just used the ones I needed. I agree the later 231 was different with totally different heads, oiling and coolant flow through the heads, but the 225....I'd have to argue that they cut 2 cylinders off a nailhead V-8 and called it a day.
@@xfactorautomotive1496 - Having same size cam bearings means nothing... difference was in the heads layout... looking from front of engines, the nailhead pushrods and valve stems cross to form an X, in the small V8 and V6 they are about parallel... nailhead engines max out about 3/4 HP per cubic inch, the more efficient smaller engines pushed 1 HP per cubic inch... 200 HP 215" Buick V8 in 1963... (215 HP 215" Olds turbocharged V8, 300+ HP if remove the restrictions):
ruclips.net/video/Jzw5W1rRMog/видео.html
We're all pulling for you Steve. Hope to see you soon
That's Lennie Kennedy's B/S '65 Gran Sport at the top of the page lined up against the big '65 Riviera GS which ran the Super Wildcat 425 nailhead with 2 four barrel carbs. Buick Gran Sport - Fast With Class.
I own a 1969 Skylark Custom convertible, Buick 350 with 2 barrel carb which I've owned since 1978. Not particularly fast, but plenty of good usable torque. Buicks hide in plain sight, a big name in American automotive circles but if you go to your local car show, you will only see maybe 1 or 2 amongst a sea of Chevelles, Mustangs, and Camaros. But Buicks get in the blood. This car which is the subject of Steve's show today was once a very beautiful machine with many unique styling cues and I'm proud to still have my old Buick sitting in my garage, waiting for me to get in and turn the key. Thanks Steve!
Great Buick! Love your knowledge of bot cars and Thermoses and luncboxes! Truly an American Renaissance man!
My favorite year for the A body Lark, clean and tidy looking, excellent proportions. Thanks Steve
This takes me back. My first car was a 64 Skylark with the 300, Black vinyl interior and bucket seats. I found through my exuberant teenage driving that the small block Buick engines had inadequate oiling for hard driving and subsequently blew up a couple of them. I also discovered that the back window of the A body tended to leak which led to the floor in the back seat as well as the body mount both rusting out. Even though mine was a 64 I liked the styling of the 65 better. I would not mind having another even today.
These engines had aluminum oil pumps that wore out by about 60K miles...
The blocks on these cars had a tendency to crack. Many I knew of did.
We had a '65 red Skylark with a white painted top
Thank you Steve,
Thanks Steve.
Good morning Steve. That was a nice car at one time. A good vehicle to make time flying down the Pike.
Thank you
In 81 I bought a 65 A body Buick with a 310 v8/2 speed auto. I was in Hawaii at the time. This car had NO heater! Truly a tropical car.
A very informative crawl, great job! The license plate 'fix' was an era proper repair too.
Back when you got new plates every year, the old ones were a free source of metal. Some pop rivets or sheet metal screws and you had a much better repair than screen wire or wadded up newspaper to support the Bondo! LOL.
These repairs, shoddy as they were, allowed many cars to survive until they could be properly restored. Or maybe just re-repaired and flipped to an unsuspecting buyer!
I had a 65 with the 300 4bbl. I read differing specs on the compression anywhere from 10.25 to 10.50. But even with the power glide and highway gears it moved out fairly well. Also the halo trim also allowed for 2 tone paint.( mine was maroon with a white top) thanks for the memory Steve… I loved that car
My uncle had a gold one with white top, and spinner hub caps! Pretty car!
Nice, I had a 65 special drop top 300, 2 speed red with black interior .. loved that car , had it storage and it was towed & sold before I knew what happened
"Whats in the Box?" Now why can't that be a game as well? Much more interesting than the Hubcap game.
Another youtuber already does that and it doesn't catch my attention
when new that was a beautiful ride
Luv 2 have breakfeast with this guy.
I used to work I had a car wash after school and the guy used to rent convertibles skylarks....
Gorgeous. VEHICLES.
CAR WASH OWNER PAPAS
This is funny this guy instead of chasing girls red Automotive magazines only. Lol
Wow - that thing is now closer to being “earth” than it is to being a “car”………😂
Hope it enjoyed it’s few days of pampered glory in the mid-60’s……..👍
I remember seeing one of those Buicks as a teen with my dad at a Buick dealership at 135 Street and Broadway in NYC. I think it was green with black interior. Thanks for the memories 😢
Buick was always the Unsung HERO at the Racetracks back in the 1960’s & 1970’s. The Original Hemi Hunters!!! 😮 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Hi Steve, great show and I really like you're model show. When I was in my late teens I worked for a Buick dealer and had the opportunity to drive GS 400 4spd ,black with red interior a really good looking car and I couldn't believe how quick it was. I had and still have a 65 Malibu SS L-79 4 spd and this Buick would give me all I could handle. Real nice ride. I'm glad I had just bought my Chevelle and could not trade it. I am a Chevy Guy .Plus I watched them unload my Chevelle when it was new and I always wanted to buy it and when the time come I sold everything and bought it.
Random Doggie comes cruising through just to say hi & get on camera , nice ! Thanks for all the great videos guys........
That was my first car, same engine. Bought it in 1975 for 400.00. Was good transportation
Same here. My first car as well, also bought in 75, but I think I paid $500, LOL!
Hi Steve another great video. I always liked the 60s mid size Buick. Had a neighbor that had 65 or 66 it was maroon with black interior and it road like being on a cloud. Since you mentioned it i do remember an engine lope from that car. So one night my friend (their son) 'stole' the car and we went cruising the county rds. The rain, after 2-3 days had just stopped. It was early spring. He went down this long hill with an even longer gentle curve at the bottom. We went into that curve flying and dude lost it. When we hit that curve he sort of just drove straight into the curve and off the rd we went. So when the car came to a stop we couldn't open the doors. It turns out we 'landed' in the middle of a freshly plowed field and the car had suck in the mud. I remember hitting the power window switch and getting out only to land up to my shin in mud. Neither one of us had a license and had no idea how to explain how a Buick ended up in a plowed field. When I got home no one wondered why my feet were muddy but my friend on the other hand I can only imagine what was said. I would have loved to have been at that field the next day watching them pull that Skylark out. It had to have been about 200ft into that field. Thanks Steve. Namaste 🙏🏼
Probably like the scene in “AChristmas Story” where Ralphie’s mom calls his buddy’s mom to inform her where Ralphie had learned his “new” word…….😂
I don’t recall ever having seen that vinyl top style before, and never cared for them anyway, it’s the rare car that looks better with a vinyl top than one without it.
Had a 65 buick special, 300 and two speed. A nothing fancy 4 door. Nice car. Really miss it.
Always loved skylarks
Steve brings up an important point, that the American full size cars were having their sales dominance eaten away by the compact and mid-sized offerings. Some buyers felt that cars were getting too big. A '64 Chevelle was the same size as a '55 Chevy. (the '55 was taller though). The full size cars would continue to lose market share throughout the '60's.
And it wasn't just boomers, it was the slightly older generation that led the way. Boomers were born in 1946-1964. Not a lot of these people were buying new cars in 1965 Most didn't even have a drivers license !! 🤔
Yes, in 1965 most boomers were riding around on bicycles, tricycles or in strollers. I had a knock-off Schwinn Stingray.
@@throckmorton8477 Me too. A huffy......
Many boomers were 16 - 20 years old by 1965 and most any high school kid back then with an after school job could buy a new Tempest/GTO, Malibu/SS, or Cutlass/442 if his parents would sign for the payments... car prices and incomes were much closer together back then... during Carter's 4 years car prices (and many other things) tripled... incomes didn't... we're seeing that again under Jokementia Bribery...
thanks. I had a '65 Special...with the 3 speed column shift. 225 cid. Clutch 'equalizer' linkage failed; got one out of corvette...
that's what Sal told me.
Nice work!
Wow what a duration! Thanks for the info.
Love this era of buicks!
Had the thermos with the glass liner. Had it all the way to adulthood..then it broke. A whole batch of coffee ruined!
Good morning from Montreal Canada 🇨🇦 Great video once again 👌 I do delivery of tires for a NAPA franchise and one of my customers has a ‘65 Buick Wildcat GS sitting in his car bay getting worked on and it has the 401 BB.
I remember my thermos doing just that.. lol. You were out of luck with your beverage when that happened!
That dog says: "I don't always stroll casually through someone else's video, but when I do, it's Steve Mags!"
Body by Fisher was always my favorite logo on my father's Oldmobile 88 - it seemed so FANCY, even if it was just the name of the factory
I remember the thump thump thump. Driving around with my Uncle in His Skylark. Thanks for the memories.
You're the man Steve get well soon we miss you out here
Love the Skylark. I’ve owned a 63 convertible, a 68 convertible and a 69 Skylark Deluxe (4dr hardtop). All were V-8s, all automatics and the 69 had a locking diff and A/C.
Love the '68 and '69 Skylarks! As elegant as the '68-'72 A bodies got - especially with the fender skirts...
Totally agree.
I owned a 67 sport coupe with the 300/2 and an early production model 67 convertible with the 340/4 with factory air ❤️ I miss those cars
@@stevebengel1346 That's really cool. They are wonderful and often overlooked cars.
They had a tight quality feel to them, my brother had an emerald green colored 65 that I drove a lot & rode in. That was the original steering wheel with the cracked plastic housing, my brothers had a crack too in the same spot this was back in '78 pretty low mileage car when he got it like 40k.
My Brother had a 70 Skylark GS. It was a neat car with decent power.
H Steve, I like the fact that you mentioned the "body on frame" construction on the car that you profiled. The GM "B" body (GM Mid-size) came out in 1964 and it featured a full perimeter body on frame Vs. an "X" frame or unit built. This was a new innovation, that over time, replaced the all the "X" frames on GMs Full-size car line(s). Ford also did the same thing on the Full-size Ford-Mercury line replacing there "X" frame starting in 1965. The unit built Ford Thunderbird and Lincoln Continental would not receive a full perimeter frame until later on. Chrysler on the other hand replaced there "X" frame Full-size cars with a front sub-frame under the unit build body. The full perimeter is a lighter frame with a stiffer body shell and softer rubber body mounts, that provides more support, better handling, smoother ride, quieter ride and less harmonic vibration into the passenger compartment. Ford also used cross-flow radiators in the early 60s on there Full-size cars with a low hood. You are correct in regards to the transmission in the car you profiled. It is not a 2 speed Chevrolet Powerglide. It is a 2 speed GM Turbo 300. The Powerglide was normally fluid cooled, but was air cooled on some 4 cylinder cars, I.e. Chevrolet Nova and Chevrolet Vega. The Turbo 300 was normally fluid cooled, but was air cooled on some 6 cylinder cars, I.e. Pontiac OHC 6 and Buick V6. Please reply. Dave...
I'd say the majority of small block Chevys didn't come with 2.02 intake valves. They were only on the high performance engines.
Most had 1.94 or 1.72 inch valves.
Plus, none of the small block Buick V6s or V8s were "nailheads", although styled to look like one externally...
'67-'70 big block GSs had standard finned aluminum front drums. Had them on my '69 GS400. Worked great.
I had an uncle that owned a Buick dealer in Torrington Ct. back then, I remember my aunt driving a convertible one of these. Nice car it was.
It's pretty amazing that the materials that basically came from the earth disintegrates when exposed to the elements.
That's how they became ores to start with...
I have owned a '64 Skylark 4-door sedan with the 300, a '65 Skylark 4-door sedan with the 300, and a '66 Skylark 4-door hardtop with the 340. I also had a '67 Skylark 2-door hardtop with the 300, but the nailhead design was gone by '67.
Interesting to note that the '64 through '66 models called out the TORQUE rating on the air cleaner, NOT cubic inches. The 300 with 2-barrel was the "Wildcat 310". The 300 with the 4-barrel was the "Wildcat 355" and the 340 with the 2-barrel was the "Wildcat 350". These cars all had a tremendous amount of torque for the weight. My 340 had brutal acceleration! Even more amazing with only a 2-barrel and a 2-speed Super Turbine transmission with a 1.765:1 first gear!
"design" is correct word... None of the small block Buick V6s or V8s were "nailheads", although styled to look like one externally...
I’m pretty sure the GS400 designation didn’t appear until 1967.
GS 400 1967 Whole new engine design. Had one, fast car.
Thanks Steve. 🙏🏻😎
Do enjoy your expertise and enthusiasm. What is a revelation to me is just how hard New England winters are on steel. I refer to oxidation. Rust. Depressing in a way, but much like our own bodies which give it up over time and cannot be prevented despite everything.
One of my Dad's coworkers had one, it was Red with a White roof and White interior bucket seats A/C and power windows . I remember riding in it when we visited his Jersey Shore summer home . It was a gorgeous car and I got yelled at for playing with the power windows .
Just a note Steve, the "Gran Sport" emblem was actually up on the c pillar of the car. I recently bought a '65 GS that's been parked since 1977.
All told there were about a million A bodies sold across the GM brands in 1965. That’s a lot of cars!
The skylark is my favorite A-body. Thanks for the great vid! Motortrend might have only made one mistake, but it was a huge one. I even loved your vids during the lockdowns showing your models.
After experience growing up with one (I was 9 y.o. when my dad bought a '65 Special NEW), I TURNED DOWN a '65 Skylark 4-door (in '76) for $125! ONE "experience" was MORE THAN ENOUGH!
These were called in the V-6 wee called Buick's Fireball V-6 3.8L and then in late 1987 they kicked off the Buick 231 FWD 3800 Pre Series I started on 1987 went to 1991 then they went to Series I 3800 from 1991-1995 Series 1 supercharged 1991-1994 and then in 1995 went to series II and Series II Supercharged they lasted until 2004 and went to the Series III Supercharged in 2004 and N/A 3800 Series III introduced in 2005 and both lasted until April 28 2008. This engine lasted 47 years.
Get well soon Steve.
Hey, it's Uncle Rico's van!
Interesting story on the 401 c.i. valve sizes & what gives them their sound. The G.S. Buick & the 442 Cutlass W30 pkg were my favorites from the era. Very torque cars & you didn't see them everywhere plus they were a souch more luxurious. Thanks for the review big Steve!
First car I bought as a 17 year old was a gold 1966 Skylark with the 340ci 4 bbl 275 Wildcat V8. A large landowning farmers hire hand kept removing the stop sign on the road that crossed the old highway I was driving on as we lived off that highway. Well one morning on my way to work I’m entering the intersection and was hit broadside by that hired man and nearly killed. My poor Skylark was completely totaled. Totally mangled. Being friends with the insurance company people and the no show of the police to the scene I was blamed as the cause of their broadsiding me during my right of way being on the highway and his running a known stop as it crossed the highway meant he or his boss wouldn’t have to replace my automobile. Still kinda torqued over the wrongness of it all.
If memory serves med correct the 1965 & 1966 model year was referred to as "Gran Sport" the "GS" came in 1967 with the new 400 cui engine...
Correct!
Oh no attack of the junkyard puppy 😢
They came with the Buick Pontiac style 8.2 rear with bolt in axles. Buick housing had the single rib while Pontiac had 2.
The 300 morphed from the 215 aluminium engine. People would use 300 iron heads on 215's for the bigger valves if I recall. Minus two cylinders got you the 3.8 V6 which still shared some stuff, front cover, oil pump? with the 215 at least on some models till Rover changed things. The Australians did their own unique 4.4 aluminium V8 version, the cars weren't very successful but the jet boat crowd ran them for years.
The first year 300, 1964 had aluminum heads with bigger valves and ports. The problem with 300 heads was both aluminum and iron was the combustion chamber was a lot larger. You would have very low compression unless you had custom made pistons.
The timing cover and water pump were different. Some would bolt up but you would have to get creative with the timing marks as they were cast in and not in the same location.
I liked the exhaust manifolds from the 300/340 on the 215. A nice iron header, bigger ports and a 2" outlet compared to the 215s 1.5" outlet.
Also, none of the small block Buick V6s or V8s were "nailheads", although styled to look like one externally...
Thanks Steve! I’d have thought that was a ‘regular’ nailhead. (Cool engine, by the way). The bird logo is definitely a slick and subtle touch.
Body by fisher , carpet by cha cha chia pet. Floor pans were Bluetooth
Had the 64 Special wagon as my first car. (Family hand me down). Very similar to the 65 Skylark I always admired. The wagon Special seems to be rare. Not many around.l
Steve, not to be picky, but the radiator was indeed two rows.I owned, operated and repaired thousands of GM radiators over 20 plus years. I did a lot of custom work and on the header plate, you could get 4 rows of tubes on that 2 3/4 inch header for a "Max Cool" effect.
I always loved this body style. (I never owned one though.) Never seen that vinyl roof treatment.
My favorite cars. I bought a 1973 gran sport stage I. I got in lots of trouble with that car. My dad always had Buicks.
You really know your stuff pal!!
I hope you're doing well God bless you Steve
Drop a 396 in that beauty!
I always liked those cars, looked like the seats were outside next to the car, i like how the sheet metal is all rusting away, but all the glass and chrome strips are doing just fine, thumbs up
That chrome on this car could be used to restore another like example. Sourcing out replacement trim for these Buicks has gone the way of the wooly mammoth; you're in luck, and I ain't just talking to hear myself, if you find those Skyhawk fender badges!
I mean Skylark badges. 1,000 apologies!
Skyhawks were twenty years from being hatched out of the automotive egg by GM.
What a birdbrain I am; no?
Shame to see it rotting away 😢
Too bad the Tail Lights and Panel are missing... They were the best looking tail light assembly available in 1965! They even won styling awards for the look.
That car originally came with a top tank radiator.
Drawn to the molten center of the earth...priceless 🤣
I had a 65 2 door hard top with a 300 4 barrel with super turbine 300 2speed trans.
The 300 v8 was a new design not a nailhead. It was the begining of what wiuld become the 340. Then a redesign to the more modeen 350.
Yessir, the 300 & 340 V8s and V6s were outgrowths of the aluminum 215" V8s... None of the small block Buick V6s or V8s were "nailheads", although styled to look like one externally...
Great video Steve! My coworker brother had a Buick gsx stage2. Man that car was a beast! It was yellow with the black stripes, also had the munsie 4speed manual! That was back in the early 80s, I wonder if he still has it!
Random Dog: Scuse me, just passin through.
Lol hard tops had the grand spot on the c pillar , the convert had it on the quarter panel. Just a note .
Love your content Steve, so informative my brotha!
I got a 66! With a 350 chevy in it haha
I had a maroon one with bucket seats. 300 and 2 speed automatic
Beast of a Video