65 Gran Sport

[sodak65]

hello everyone, been working on this car for a few months and new to the board. What i've got is a 1965 Buick Gran Sport "Gran Tourning" project. So far the car is in pieces and with the frame at the powder coat shop i've already mocked up everything on it so its read to reasemble when I get it back next week. I've gone with small gm disk brakes up front with a 9" power booster and stock rear drums but I may go ahead and upgrade to big 4wheel disks as soon as I deside on what fits my small budget. For the front I have speedway G Sport upper and lower arms (chinese junk I know) and G Sport tall dropped spindles, UMI Sway bar and Viking double adjustable Coilovers, and a grand cherokee power steering box. For the Rear I have UMI Pro-Tourning adjusable upper and lowers with roto-Joints, UMI Sway bar and Viking Double Adjustable Coilovers with Speedtech brackets. The is getting a near stock 455 mated to a strange I know but cheap chevy spec A833 overdrive 4speed tranny and stock 8.2" 10 bolt posi rear with I think 3.23 or so gears. Paint and body work are going to be a winter long project if I do them at all. Any words of advise, tips, or warning with be greatly apreciated guys so thanks in advance!!

[BMR Sales]

Welcome!

[77thor]

Nice. I love those old Gran Sports's... does it also have a Skylark name plate on it??
You just don't see very many of them anymore.

[sodak65]

Yup I'd never seen one before finding this while looking for a chevelle, this was cheaper. There is a skyklark emblem on the glove box as this is a skylark gran sport.

[therobski]

Nice, very nice! I have been on my complete "nut and bolt" pro touring build 64 F-85 "post car" for over 4 years like yours. Check it out same subject -project updates. I love the early GM A-body's especially the base model post cars.

[therobski]

There's really neat rear drum brake upgrades on a good cost basis. Check out:http://porterfield-brakes.com/categories/Brake+Shoe/Full+Race.html I also used 1 inch Olds Vista Cruiser wagon rear drum brake cylinders. New drums are cheap too.

[1989GTA]

Signing up to follow along with the project. I have a 1965 Buick Skylark 2 door post car that I consider to be somewhat of a pro-touring car. The motor is a LS3 based 427 with a 6L80 transmission and 4 wheel disc brakes among with some suspension upgrades.

[sodak65]

Thanks for the input guys. That's a great looking olds I'm a big fan of these early post a - bodies as well. And gta I'd like to go with an LS also sometime which is why my 455 will remain a budget build for now.

[1989GTA]

Looks like a good solid car to build on.

[therobski]

The frame looks really good. Mine was pitted pretty bad in spots and I needed to repair a few crusty areas before it was blasted and powder coated. Your core support looks decent too. I needed to source another one.

[andrewb70]

Is that the original frame? It is fully boxed like a convertible frame would be. I have never seen a coupe A-body frame that was fully boxed like that!

Andrew

[therobski]

X@2 I was really wondering about that, that looks like a 65 or so Elcamino frame. Notice the transmission cross member perches welded the the frame? That's factory. The problem is with that is if you run a 200R4-700R4 you have to move the cross memberback

[sodak65]

Yup that's original. All Gran Sports came with boxed frames a nice perc. The frames in great shape but the car needs front foot wells and a complete trunk floor. Car was drag raced until the motor was blown in 72 and parked in a barn since, funny going straight from coil spacers front and rear to slammed on coilovers this car missed four decades entirely.

[sodak65]

Got my frame and some other parts back from the blaster/powder coated this weekend. I've reassembled the suspension but I'm still waiting on steering parts.