Turbolark a custom 1966 Buick Skylark build

[Turbobuick]

The project started in 2008 when a friend of mine bought a 1966 Buick Skylark with a 1967 front clip and decided to swap in a built Turbo Buick V6 he had from a Grand National. The project snowballed from there to a full custom build but it was never fully finished. The shop that started it did a great job on the chassis but the guy ended up retiring leaving the car half finished. The car was passed through a few shops and according to my buddy the car never fully ran right. It has sat in storage for the last 13 years and my friend has never even driven the car. I have known about the car and the project since the beginning.




The Buick V6 is my jam, I have been building them and racing them since I got my first one in 1989. I currently have a 1600hp 87 GN I use for Drag-n-Drive events and have completed Drag Week with and I also have a 1986 T-type which is a pro-touring build with UMI/ridetech/Viking coil over suspension. I have an old thread on here somewhere about it. I have wanted another GM A-body for a very long time so this project is right up alley!





I got the car home and looked it over. It had a FAST XFI with XIM box, there were some questionable wiring issues with two battery locations. After draining the fuel and figuring out the battery situation we got the car to fire and run. It was hard to start due to the IAC and cold start being screwed but for some reason but after the car warmed up it ran fine. The motor was healthy with no issues everything seemed to work, all the gauges in the console lights etc. I took the car for a quick spin up the street and it rode well, brakes worked etc. I decided to take a short drive with it and quickly noticed how nice the car rode and handled. I got the motor up on boost a little bit but didn't go full boogie yet as we still needed to get into the FAST to fix the cold start and go over the tune and the stupid serial port adapter you need for that antique was giving us fits.









The paint and body on the car are really nice, the car was clean to start with and I really like the paint scheme. It was never final wet sanded and buffed and it was painted close to 15 years ago so a lot of stuff has pulled. The bad news is there are spots along the top of the rear quarters which looks like solvent pops from incorrect prep that will necessitate a repaint to make it right. The car also a few minor storage bumps and bruises. For now you can't really see the solvent pops unless looking for them up close. I am going to finish the car and then decide what to do about the body and paint. The trim pieces all need restored and installed and some are a mess or missing. The biggest issue I have is what to do with the rear window trim. It looks like they planned to eliminate it but left the spot weld parts on the rear. They then finished the custom interior and I can't easily re-install the rear window trim. Plus I am missing a few of the pieces. Still up in the air on what to do here.



The motor build is a pretty stout with a lot of really nice pieces. It has an ultra rare Buick Motorsport Stage 1 3.8 block for a base which is REALLY nice since it is markedly stronger than the factory GN 109 block and also has 14 head bolts vs 8 on the factory block. It has aftermarked 14 bolt alum M&A heads and has the super cool and rare M&A intake with tunable intake port runners inside the large plenum. I am told it is also stroker motor with good internals and a billet roller cam. I am not 100% sure on the turbo yet but it is a Precision BB unit and I believe it to be a 6766. It has a Precision FMIC mounted inside the engine compartment with TA perf headers. At 30psi of boost we have made 700 rwhp with this combo on another build so I expect this one will be in the same ballpark.



The trans is a built 200r4 that is not staying in the car. I actually have a complete T56 set up I planned to use in my T-type that is sitting here and is for sure going in this car. Can anyone tell me if this will fit with the A-body floor pan and trans tunnel? We did already have it in a G-body GN with no issues


When I got the car I knew a little about the chassis like it had a full rear wheel tub, a cool pro-touring roll bar, the front suspension was mostly Detroit speed and it had a custom 4-link rear suspension with a 12bolt axle. The wheels are from a C4 Corvette Grand Sport and it had classic Baer brakes 13" front and 11" rear. My GN was tying up my lift so it was a week before I was able to get the car on a lift and actually see how extensive the custom chassis work was. I was pleasantly suprised at how nice and extensive the work was. The frame from the firewall back is box tubing with inner and outer rails all tied together with the roll bar the rear 4-link looks like a version of the quadralink DSE sells. I knew when I drove the car around the block at how well it handled and rode that the underneath of the car was going to be the best part!











My immediate plans for the car are to finish it, get the trim and pot metal pieces restored figure out something with the rear window trim and just clean it up. I will need to address some wiring issues but will eventually replace the XFI with a Holley HP, dash and Racepak smartwire so the car will be a complete re-wire when I do. The wheels gotta go, the 295s look lost in that vast wheel tub and I would like a nice billet set with a deep dish and 345/35/18 on the back!

I have a smaller more responsive turbo I bought for my Ttype for auto-x and road race that will bolt on. I may do that and the 6-sd swap and possibly do the August Musclecar Challenge at Pitt Race. It is a tall order though as I have a lot going on with my GN and doing Drag Week again in September. I wont take the car with the 200r4 in it. I nearly burned my Ttype to the ground at that event in 2021 when I literally melted the 200r4 coming down the back stretch at Pitt Race at close to 120 mph on fire!

Thanks for reading this far, lmk your thoughts. I did think about putting a LSA motor in the car but I am going to see what I can do with the Buick V6 1st plus I know how to make stupid power with one!

[Steve68]

Very cool car, I've always liked the TTypes and the GN, good parts on this, and some nice work too,

Back in the 90's or so don't remember too long, Mothers boyfriend had 84/85, sent him some vacuum diagrams for it, said if you don't get it running let me know I'll come get it, he junked it, fool!! was the light blue color, IIRC,

I'll be watching, something different,

[ryeguy2006a]

Great project and nice to see a different engine in this one! Sounds like a solid engine to begin with and you'll get the tune spot on.

[Sterho]

Great reading about your project. I will certainly be following along.

[zach_hamrie]

The 'Turbolark' project exemplifies dedication and innovation. Starting in 2008 with a 1966 Buick Skylark featuring a 1967 front clip, the journey to integrate a built turbo engine is commendable. Such meticulous craftsmanship not only preserves classic aesthetics but also enhances performance. Eager to see the final outcome of this remarkable build.

[kawasakii]

Very cool, I've always liked T Types and GN

[saintd]

I’m interested in you skylark hit me up mattsaintd@charter .net