Last post I drafted got some excellent feedback and I want to thank everyone that contributed. This post may interest strictly those with experience. But everyone is welcome to leave their suggestions. Probably one of the most attractive features of my Skylark to me is the shear ability to "float" down the highway at unreasonable speeds. And I bet almost all of you know what I mean. I am currently waiting for a new set of gears for my rear end, and am now wondering, should I upgrade my suspension. I love the ride my car gives me, however in high speed corners, she likes to shift her weight. I have a tenancy, (more like an addiction), to accelerate in the middle of the corner, and with the new gears, and my tranny breaking in, would could I do to remedy the roll without losing my pillow top cruise? Also, does anyone have a line on the components involved in disc brakes for my front end? I have been told that there are several options with cars in similar years and makes, which is acceptable if that is my only option. Thanks, Cam
Do you have sway bars in front and rear on the car? If you don't have the rear, that would help with the body roll. I'm setting my car up to go in a straight line, 1/4 mile, so I can't help much other than that.
I would put 1 1/4" sway bar up front and a 1" in the rear. Rebuild front and rear suspension with all ploy bushings. Good gas shocks all around. Here is a link to a ebay guy that sells brake kits. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/64-7...62QQcategoryZ34199QQihZ010QQitemZ200208701216 These are the same kits year one and everyone else sells but for alot less. He sells out of his garage for no overhead so he sells for less. Good luck
Find a 1.25" front sway bar from a '70-81 Trans Am or Camaro and buy some new mounts at NAPA. It is a direct swap. I picked up mine from Pick Your Part in Kelowna for $10. Rear sway bars are available through GM, but you will have to box your lower control arms. Disc brake kits are available for about $500 on E-bay or search "Scarebird" on here for a conversion kit using your factory drum spindles. Or you can find a donor car with discs and swap it all over. Good luck, Brian
I have the GS front and rear sway bars and a disc swap for your car complete. Sway bar powdercoated front and rear for a GS and the plates to box your lower control arms. I also have the bigger bars Brakes.............................................300.00 GS sway bars 1" and 7/8.....................125.00 1 1/4 and 1 1/2 big bars......................150.00 all plus shipping from STL
>>Hi John. If Brian passes I am interested in a rear sway bar and its bolts for my 1971 Skylark. I already bought upper and lower rear control arms that a member boxed for me to go along with a drum to drum 3:08 posi rear but have not had the chance to install anything yet. Also, what is the difference between the regular Skylark front sway bar that I have now and a GS front sway bar?
Hi Cam, I live " just down the road " in Squamish, about 6 hours drive in the wagon, 5 hours in the GN. I recently refurbished the original suspension in my 1971 Skylark GS455 a few months back. I kept all the original parts for posterity. Used Bilstein shocks, Hotchkis front and rear sway bars with urethane links up front. Stayed with rubber control arm bushings, so the ride wasn't too rough, and replaced all the springs with Moog stock replacements. If you need to know more, please contact me about pricing and part #s, through this post. Also using BFG P245 60R15s. The car handles quite well, but not too harsh. Talk to you later, Nando.
>>Hi John. What about a 350 small block? My car was originally a 350 car and I'm keeping the engine. So would a GS 350 have a 7/8" or a 1"?
I am 99% sure the 350 cars had the smaller one. just grab a 7/8 open wrench and see if it fits over the bar.
John, It seems that you sir, have almost everything that I am wanting... its a start a beautiful friendship... ha ha. I have sway bars on the back.. not positive on the front.. pretty sure no.. but I will check tomorrow. However I am runnng yokohoama 295/50r15 on the back, and 245/r15 on the front. I can check the diameter of the sway bars tomorrow morning. Sorry about taking so long to reply, I pulled an engine out of a buddies exploder after wrenching school. Nando, Squamish... right on. no kiddin 5 hours.. or less depending on how many albertans are on the road.. ha ha. I have not seen many fellow Buick riders worth lookin at locally, just a 72' in enderby, and a rusted out 68' here in town. I have heard tales of a 70-71 in Vernon.. but yet to see it. I think it may be a Chevelle. Cam
Hi Cam, That aint no tale about a '70 Buick in Vernon! It's a 1970 Skylark Stage 1 owned by Chris Nielsen. His Buick is green, with a white vinyl top, and runs in the 12s at the track. He, also, presently owns a 1969 Skylark powered by a Stage 1. He's had plenty of Buicks and knows them well. His father-in-law owns my ol' 1972 Skylark GS. Chris is a might bit lonely, not seeing too much in the way of worthy Buicks up that way. And he hasn't met very many takers on the streets of Vernon - quite disappointing indeed. Are you getting the feeling this province isn't as big as it seems? Take care, Nando.
Nando, No kiddin. How about that. I would have no chance against his car. Sounds pretty awesome. I would love to see it. I will be cruising around vernon more often on a nice day now, maybe i will get a quick look. I plan on getting my Buick worthy of a race. Small world, I can't believe that not only do you know the car... you know the driver. And as for older cars being few and far between... I agree. Not nearly enough of them around. I may be interested in getting that guys number from you by Chilliwack. I want to start building a new heart. Cam
Hi Cam, The info you requested has been sent to your message inbox. Keep in touch. If you are successful in finding what you need, let me know and I may take the drive out to Yarrow to meet you. There's a couple of ol' acquaintances of mine, I'm only, just now, trying to reconnect with. An old friend of mine lives in Kamloops. He and I, and a gent from Victoria, started the 1st Buick GSCA chapter here in B.C., in 1986. He has a few Buicks, including a 1969 Skylark GS400 4-speed, he's presently working on. There's plenty of us Buick gearheads in B.C., but only loosely affiliated. That may change in the next year, or so, if we could organize together for a few shows and drag races. Keep care, Nando.
Hi Cam, Just wanted to correct a mistake on my previous post. My friend's GS 400 4-speed is a 1968, not a 1969 model year. There were 1,632 of these built in 1968. It has the 4-piston front disc brake calipers. I'm not sure how few came with this option that year, increasing its' rarity. Take care, Nando.
