1966 pro touring skylark -turbo Buick nailhead build

[66larkgs]

Got all the vacuum lines done and rad is back in the car. I am currently fabricating metal heater core lines instead of the rubber. Hopefully get them finished up tomorrow so I can get them powder coated. Progress has been slow but have a carbon fiber wrap and looking into doing the bumpers.

[compos mentis]

Sounds good Paul...

BTW-have you thought about have the bumper mods photoshopped first?

[66larkgs]

Sounds good Paul...

BTW-have you thought about have the bumper mods photoshopped first?

no never thought of that.. the rear is already cut and tucked in. should i take a few side and rear pictures and post it in the media section?

[compos mentis]

Paul,

Yes.

I've had good success posting there requesting minor 'chop work help.

[66larkgs]

worked on the heater hoses today. had to find a molded hose that comes out of the t-stat housing, makes a hard 90 and than u around the valve cover. took some stainless coolant lines from a saab and cut them up for the ends. Just zip tied them while we are fabricating some brackets from the steel coolant hoses to the top of the valve cover. tomorrow should have the brackets made so we can powdercoat

[Amatouring]

That engine is so cool that it makes me wish I had a Buick!!

[compos mentis]

Gonna be a beast!

[66larkgs]

That engine is so cool that it makes me wish I had a Buick!!

i wish thier was a little more aftermarket support for these engines but i guess that is what makes them rare to build up. These are actually Buicks version of the HEMI and it was produce in 1958-1966. These motors build a tons of tq from the factory with ratings from 445-465 ftlb tq. hp was low from 325-340. They have extremely small exhaust valves and poor flowing heads. with the turbo and a mild 7 psi this motor should be over 500hp and around 700tq. The engine builder said it will handle 15 psi no problem with the parts that are in it.. i guess time will tell with some dyno tuning and real life driving. Full tq should be in @ under 4k with peak hp between 5500-6k.
Skip, i am thinking it is going to be a fun monster to drive with so much tq at such a low rpm. Like riding a hopped up Vtwin. i was going over everything with my buddy who is helping with body work and laied down some carbon fiber over some panels today for that sinester look... who knows what it will look like but it is comming around. On another note i did finish welding the tubes and making the brackets but have a little grinding to do and needed a little more time today to get it done but tomorrow is the wife bday so i will sneak some powdercoating before dinner plans..

Santa showed up and dropped off my
SEMA tickets came in today!! street car challenge tickets are on my fridge and can't wait for the PT dinner..

[compos mentis]

...but tomorrow is the wife bday so i will sneak some powdercoating before dinner plans..

You just gave us gearheads here another idea of what can be accomplished on a wife's birthday.

lol

[66larkgs]

Didn't get to take any pictures this weekend but got the nose back off it again and hoping to get this thing jammed soon. Finishing the drivers side door and decklid with a long board and than we will be reprimeing and blocking again. once that's done we will break it down again and squirt it. I am very lucky and have some great help lately with the body work and we are having a lot of progress. I have a busy weekend coming up and heading out to SEMA next week, I am sure it will not be jammed before I leave but I will be doing my best

[70lslark]

Hey Paul, just read through your post,didn't realize there was much more updates to your build..haha! Still trying to figure out how to navigate around the sight being its the first time I've been on any forum! Very nice and extremely unique build! Love the front suspension mods and especially the engine. Do you intend to do any bracket racing to see what it will do 1/4 mile wise? As far as color on mine I'm going with a metallic green exterior,grey interior, bone or white top. Removing all the badging, the only one will be the buick emblem on the rear bumper. Was thinking bout air brushing LSx or LS Lark possibly some where on the body. Car is at the body shop now.

[66larkgs]

QUOTE=70lslark;945653]Hey Paul, just read through your post,didn't realize there was much more updates to your build..haha! Still trying to figure out how to navigate around the sight being its the first time I've been on any forum! Very nice and extremely unique build! Love the front suspension mods and especially the engine. Do you intend to do any bracket racing to see what it will do 1/4 mile wise? As far as color on mine I'm going with a metallic green exterior,grey inter'ior, bone or white top. Removing all the badging, the only one will be the buick emblem on the rear bumper. Was thinking bout air brushing LSx or LS Lark possibly some where on the body. Car is at the body shop now.[/QUOTE]

Its funny sometimes i look back and read some of the orginal post and laugh.. i wish i would have done alot of things different so i didnt have to redo them but i did and do what funds and talent allows and as they both grow so does this Build.

I will take it to the drags when all said and done but it isnt a racecar. I just wanted to build a nice street car with TONS or Torque. I will def autocross it but i want to drive it hard and be reliable so this is why i have spent so much time to plan and perfect everthing we do so we wont have issues later.. we all know it doesnt always work that way and i have battled a few things but i do my best.
The motor has been a alot of fun fabricating all the parts to get this together but i think it is what will set it off different from alot of others. I love the ls engines and will run one in my next build and am throwing it around about putting one in my wrangler instead of the 360 i put in it but i just wanted to take orginal and make it better.
i really like your 70 and the metalic green with the white will look sharp. I like the ls lark and lsx would be nice.
with the badging i was throwing out the same thing with maybe a turbo8 like the turbo 6 for the gn. I was in the middle last year of having the rear emblem cnc and instead of saying "Gran Sport" i was Looking at -Turbo GS- -- Turbo Nailhead-- "By Buick" -Nailhead Powered- -- By Buick----- But it got put on the back burner so it is just another thing to get done on the list.
As far as getting things done it is all the little things that take a while. i spent two hours on a alternator bracket the other day just metal finishing it. Hasnt even been powdered coated yet but i have a big bunch of things to powder coat so i think i will take tomorrow in the garage to get all the parts coated.
I had a little to much play in the pinion on the rear so i decided to pull it apart and i found the gears are wiped. They Have maybe 15 holeshots on them. I paid a very well known ford racer to set up the third member because i have only did gm rears so i spent $200 to have him do it but something went bad. Looks like it was low oil but i had two quarts in it but the ring and pinion are wiped out. i still need to pull apart the locker to make sure their is no damage. I guess four steps forward, two steps back should be the name of this build but it could be worse. This time i will be setting them up, looks like the ring gear was over to much.
I will be posting some pictures up soon but with just getting back from sema it is taking we this week just to get caught up on sleep.

[66larkgs]

Got three hours In on the car tonight and made some nice progress. I Have some great help lately and while my buddy nick was finishing blocking out the decklid i was blocking the roof. got a nice skim coat of puddy on the roof and it is looking pretty nice!! looking forward to getting some pictures. I brought the camera today too but left it in the truck.. After seeing all the cars on this website in person this last week it def gave me some needed motivation.

[Zoomin]

Just joined today and did a search on "1966" and found your thread. I purchased a 66 'lark a few months ago and was looking for some ideas and hit the jackpot here!

Awesome job!

[66larkgs]

Just joined today and did a search on "1966" and found your thread. I purchased a 66 'lark a few months ago and was looking for some ideas and hit the jackpot here!

Awesome job!

Thanks alot!! it is nice to see another 66 lark here. Feel free to ask all the questions because i have been thier.
here is a few updated pictures of the Buick.
i had to notch the radiator support to recess the radiator so i could get it further away of the turbo.i started to make the cover for over the grill. kinda like a air dam but to keep the air down and make it go through the radiator. i got the heater core lines powdercoated and installed, serpintine belt setup is done. powder coated the third member for my 9" rear. made and powdercoated the brackets for the intercooler.i have been tring to fine tune the rear bumper. i tucked it and reshaped it to match the quarter a little better. been just plucking away alittle at a time. with coaching hockey i only get a few nights a week to work on it now. Attachment 68514Attachment 68516Attachment 68518Attachment 68519

[ryeguy2006a]

Sounds like it will be a beast on the road.

[gearheads78]

Very cool build. I love everything about it!!!

[vette427-sbc]

Is that going to be the ride height up front? If so... Very cool!

[66larkgs]

Chris, that is the where it sits and the rear is just as low. its sits on a ridetech setup and when aired down it is low. i have the back on stand because i had to replace the last set of gears so i firgured i might as well powdercoat the third member. Hopefully tomorrow i will have the center section back together and finish up on the power steering resivoir.
Got to say your vette is comming alot very nicely and would be nice to see it in person at some of the upcomming events. I am hoping to have mine all buttoned up for some of the upcomming events in the new year.

[66larkgs]

Sounds like it will be a beast on the road.

i think it will be a beast a hopefully turn some heads while at it. It is def different and not the normal for a pro-touring build and i am tring to do the Nailhead justice with the turbo. Buick did it in the sixties with a exsperimental engine with a draw thru turbo so i am just tring to build it like they should have.