**Skylark Guy's 1965 Buick Skylark Coupe Progression Thread**

[skylark guy]

Hello everyone!

I'm Drake and I recently purchased my first classic. Unless you count my 1990 Honda Civic Wagon RT4WD beater from college as a classic. Here is the rundown on me, the car's current status, and my plans for the car in the future.



Me:

• 25 years old
• Engineer
• Washington State University Alum (Go Cougs!)
• Car fanatic

1965 Buick Skylark Coupe

• Engine
  
  • SBC (355)
  • Mild cam
  • Mild compression
  • Not sure on specifics because it was built by another owner
  
  
• Transmission
  
  • TH350
  • B&M Quick Silver Shifter
  • 3.55 Rear End
  
  
• Suspension
  
  • Stock as far as I have seen
  
  
• Brakes
  
  • Stock (Powered drums, front and rear)
  
  
• Exterior
  
  • Shaved moldings and emblems
  • Pin stripe tape
  
  
• Interior
  
  • New synthetic leather upholstery
  • Grant steering wheel
  • New carpet
  • Sony head unit
  • Equus gauges
  • Custom stainless steel dash panel
  • Aftermarket heater core
  • Two 10" subwoofers (Installed in trunk)
  • Polk Audio woofers (Installed in kick panels)
  • Polk Audio Tweeters (Installed in vent locations)
  
  
• Wheels/Tires
  
  • Unknown 15" wheels
  • Starfire Tires, 205/70/R15

There is more that I have not listed but will post up later when looking at the car. Overall condition is very little surface rust, perfect interior, decent paint, and some small mechanical issues.

I will be updating this post with pictures and current status later today.

One teaser pic.



Buick Future Plans (Near Term)
Engine
EFI Conversion (Most likely a self-tuning throttle injected setup)
Transmission
Limited Slip Differential
Kilduff Lightning Rod Shifter
Suspension
ridetech CoilOver System
Front and Rear HQ Series CoilOvers
Front Upper StrongArms
Front Lower StrongArms
Rear Upper StrongArms
Rear Lower StrongArms
Drop Spindles
Rear CoilOver Conversion
Front Swaybar
Rear Swaybar
Brakes
Kore3 Bracket Kit (Front)
Kore3 Brake line Kit (Front)
Kore3 Billet Hub Kit (Front)
C6 Front Calipers
325mm Corvette Front Rotors
10lb Residual Pressure Valve (Rear)
Exterior
Replace Skylark Fender Emblems (Aluminum Reproduction, Anodized Black)
Minor Body Work
Respray Black
Painted Red Pin Stripes
New window felts and exterior seals
Interior
New Black Leather Steering Wheel
Aftermarket Air Conditioning
Wheels/Tires
18x9.5 CCW SP500 Wheels (Black)
255/40/R18 Tires (Red Striped)

[77thor]

Ooooooo.... I love the sinister look!

Good luck & have fun!!

[1989GTA]

Onboard for the thread.

[skylark guy]

Ooooooo.... I love the sinister look!

Good luck & have fun!!

Thank you!

Onboard for the thread.

Welcome aboard!

I will find some time for some decent pictures of everything this weekend most likely and jot down the plan for the build. Basics include full suspension overhaul, seals/weatherstrip replacement, fuel injection, steering upgrades, and general cosmetic/style things.

Edit: Here is the near term plan for the car. More updates coming soon.

Buick Future Plans (Near Term)
Engine
EFI Conversion (Most likely a self-tuning throttle injected setup)
Transmission
Limited Slip Differential
Kilduff Lightning Rod Shifter
Suspension
ridetech CoilOver System
Front and Rear HQ Series CoilOvers
Front Upper StrongArms
Front Lower StrongArms
Rear Upper StrongArms
Rear Lower StrongArms
Drop Spindles
Rear CoilOver Conversion
Front Swaybar
Rear Swaybar
Brakes
Kore3 Bracket Kit (Front)
Kore3 Brake line Kit (Front)
Kore3 Billet Hub Kit (Front)
C6 Front Calipers
325mm Corvette Front Rotors
10lb Residual Pressure Valve (Rear)
Exterior
Replace Skylark Fender Emblems (Aluminum Reproduction, Anodized Black)
Minor Body Work
Respray Black
Painted Red Pin Stripes
New window felts and exterior seals
Interior
New Black Leather Steering Wheel
Aftermarket Air Conditioning
Wheels/Tires
18x9.5 CCW SP500 Wheels (Black)
255/40/R18 Tires (Red Striped)

[skylark guy]

Here are some more pictures of the car. Actual build updates to come.

Enjoy!

[1989GTA]

Interior looks good. You can spend your money elsewhere.

[skylark guy]

Interior looks good. You can spend your money elsewhere.

That was one of the top things I was looking for in a starter for the project. I want to sink my money into functional upgrades and mild exterior restoration. Very happy with the interior apart from the gauges, seat belts and finish on the glove box door. I will be replacing the seat belts, gauges, and refinishing the door.

Here is the missing interior shot.

[813Demon340]

Looks like a great car to start with! Looking forward to this one. A guy down the street has mean looking pro touring 65 also, if I ever see it stopped I get some pictures for you for some inspiration.

[RMMiller]

Great looking car! Power windows are not a common option, pretty cool find. There was a 65 GS not far from me, it needed a bunch of work but was not rusted out thanks to our east side dry climate. I showed my wife but she was absolutely against it, said I had a big enough mess with my Maverick.

[skylark guy]

Looks like a great car to start with! Looking forward to this one. A guy down the street has mean looking pro touring 65 also, if I ever see it stopped I get some pictures for you for some inspiration.

Thank you!

Great looking car! Power windows are not a common option, pretty cool find. There was a 65 GS not far from me, it needed a bunch of work but was not rusted out thanks to our east side dry climate. I showed my wife but she was absolutely against it, said I had a big enough mess with my Maverick.

Thank you! The power windows need a little help at the moment but they are there and they work for the most part. One of my first projects will be sorting out window felts, seals, and tracks/motors.

Crazy coincidence but my girlfriend lives in Kennewick! I've spent a lot of time out there but currently live in North Carolina.

[1989GTA]

Someone made a custom dash for your car. Interesting. I did that with mine. Let me see if I can find a picture of it.

[skylark guy]

Someone made a custom dash for your car. Interesting. I did that with mine. Let me see if I can find a picture of it.

That looks great! Where are your wiper controls? The guy who made mine reused 2 of the pull/twist knobs that were originally on the car. One is for the headlights and I think the other is for wipers. However, the wipers aren’t working and I’m making sure the knob in there is supposed to be a wiper control.

[Artisan Motoworks Club]

https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/...turbo+nailhead
here is a link to my 66skylark build. Did The whole ridetech setup and love it!! Have alot of pictures on the Kore3 swap . Have coilovers on the Nova and shockwaves on my skylark. Look into Fi-Tech for your efi needs. real nice setup.good luck with your build and love your car.

Paul

[skylark guy]

https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/...turbo+nailhead
here is a link to my 66skylark build. Did The whole ridetech setup and love it!! Have alot of pictures on the Kore3 swap . Have coilovers on the Nova and shockwaves on my skylark. Look into Fi-Tech for your efi needs. real nice setup.good luck with your build and love your car.

Paul

Thank you and beautiful build man! I’ll be reading your thread word for word tonight!

[RMMiller]

Crazy coincidence but my girlfriend lives in Kennewick! I've spent a lot of time out there but currently live in North Carolina.

Small world and getting smaller by the gigabyte!

Sad story to add, when I was in 4th or 5th grade a guy on my dads crew had a 66 two door Skylark and the mighty V6 died. He was kind enough to allow my brother and I to go at it with sledge hammers. I remember the car well, nice body, bucket seat with console....I earned a special place in hell for those actions.

[skylark guy]

I have since installed a Detroit Speed wiper kit. It has like 8 different speeds. Much, much better than the original that came with the car. I think the main wiper box is out of a Cadillac.

Edit: Right now I am installing a sequential LED tail light set up. The 1157 light bulb sockets that were on the car when I bought were causing me problems. So I decided to go all out. hahaha

Very interesting on the wiper system. I will need to look into that.

Do you have any information available on how you did the sequential tails? I think the Skylark tails or meant to have sequential LEDs haha.

Small world and getting smaller by the gigabyte!

Sad story to add, when I was in 4th or 5th grade a guy on my dads crew had a 66 two door Skylark and the mighty V6 died. He was kind enough to allow my brother and I to go at it with sledge hammers. I remember the car well, nice body, bucket seat with console....I earned a special place in hell for those actions.

haha I'm sure restoring a few old cars will help atone for those sins.

[1989GTA]

Very interesting on the wiper system. I will need to look into that.

Do you have any information available on how you did the sequential tails? I think the Skylark tails or meant to have sequential LEDs haha.


haha I'm sure restoring a few old cars will help atone for those sins.

I agree. I think the 65 Skylark was made for sequential tail lights. The modules I have are not working out. It maybe that the Sylvania Zevo 1157 LED bulbs are drawing too much current and shorted out the module. It just so happens I am going over to the manufacturer tomorrow at 10:00am and go over the problem. We shall see.

[1989GTA]

The wiper switch is the one 2nd from the left. I have since installed a Detroit Speed wiper kit. It has like 8 different speeds. Much, much better than the original that came with the car. I think the main wiper box is out of a Cadillac. The gauge on the far right is an outside air temperature gauge. The sensor is actually installed in my custom made air filter box which is located in the left front fender area. Remember I have a LS3 based 427 motor.

Edit: Right now I am installing a sequential LED tail light set up. The 1157 light bulb sockets that were on the car when I bought were causing me problems. So I decided to go all out. hahaha

[skylark guy]

The wiper switch is the one 2nd from the left. I have since installed a Detroit Speed wiper kit. It has like 8 different speeds. Much, much better than the original that came with the car. I think the main wiper box is out of a Cadillac.

Which motor style did you pick for your detroit speed wiper kit? I want to order one but am not sure if I should get the box style or can style motor. Or if it matters.

[1989GTA]

Which motor style did you pick for your detroit speed wiper kit? I want to order one but am not sure if I should get the box style or can style motor. Or if it matters.

I don't think Detroit Speed sells the exact kit that I installed in my car. I believe it is out of like a 1979 Cadillac. I will see if I can find a picture of it.