When I was 10 my folks were having a tough time financially. I told my Mom, "why don't you sell the Buick?" thinking it would help. She told me that car was the only thing she got when her brother died to remember him by. She said someday when I was old enough it would be mine. Well, 7 years later on my birthday the prophecy was fulfilled, but with fresh paint, new seats, tires, tuneup etc.. Many years of Christmas gifts were car parts. High school jobs bought carbs, mufflers, bigger rims and tires. Then came marriage, full time work, bills, kids, all of which through the car remains. Now it is the monster I dreamed of back when I first put on a chrome air filter and marveled at how bad ass the stock engine bay looked with it perched atop. If my uncle could take a ride in it now, I think he'd pee himself, and smile as he wringed out his drawers!
About 12 years ago I was looking for a 60's vintage GM car. My Buick was one of the first I came across that was both in my price range and in good condition. I was more of a Pontiac fan than a Buick fan at the time. I still love Pontiacs, but Buicks are right up there with them now.
My father has a Buick dealer ship. I built my 1st Nailhead at 14 years old, and my 1st 430 at 16. I support, have owned, and worked on all GM vehicals , but am most partial to the Buicks. That is where I started!
I am like the rest of th e buick fans....Herd a story of a GS that some old lady asked a service guy in a salvage yard.. "Would you like to buy a sport car" "because the guy inside will only give me a 150.00 for it".. he said OK I will come over on my lunch hour...He said to me.." Here sat a 1970 GS 350 original saddle brown on saddle brown interior car in rough condition... Well wirthe the 200..00 this guy paid for it... He played with it for a while... Then..:beer
First and foremost . . . It's different. It's not that common, so chances of running into another one are slim. Second . . . You can't beat 510 ft. lbs. of torque from the factory. Third . . . I own a Buick because restoring a piece of junk, *ahem*, a car that has seen it's better days, gives me a sense of accomplishment that nothing else in the world, that I've found, can match. It's easy to go out and buy a finished car if you have the coin, but it is so much more satisfying to do it yourself!
Well...:Smarty: Yes,it's different,and I had some fond memories back in the day when the BLUE Buick "down at the bottom of the hill"(GS Stage 1) used to beat up on all the so-called "hot rods" in the neighborhood. Also having had three(3) 1972 Chevy Monte Carlos,and one Nissan Sentra('89) I really needed something different. When I got my '74 Riviera GS Stage 1,I loved the TORQUE...And finally,with the friends that have Chevys,I wanted to be different.yep,I wanted to be different.Jay B.Britt,Jr.:3gears:
The sound. The first time I heard an open header BBB I fell in love with that sound . The iron heads have a cackle like no other . I love to fire it up in the pits with open headers and watch people jump. Its also been a great family project my dad and brother . Plus i barrowed all the money 4 it from my dad just finished paying it off last month he comes to all my races its good times 4 us.
One option I did not see in the list was I grew up in one. And that is most likely the real reason I own one. My Dad owns a 1970 Buick GSX Apollo White Stage 1, which he bought new and it was used as the family car from the time I was about 1 till I was 10 or so. If that does not have an affect on what you like I don't know what would. I will have to say that I do enjoy having a car that not everyone else has. Mark
hi guys,:laugh: i always searched a car which is rare on the meetings, as i see my `65 lark convertible there behind this old garage old, rusty and sad, i felt in love. everytime i enter a meeting i own the only buick skylark convertible with the 355 engine and 4 speed - never heard about another one. this is why i love buicks realy ! next in a few years should be a GS `70 !:dollar: !!!! with the 455 !!!! ...my dream !:shock: michael:beer
Born and raised in Flint is probably the biggest reason. My entire family has always had Buick. My Dad and Mom met when my dad was cruising in his 61 Invicta. In high school, the first person in our group of friends to get a car bought a 70 Skylark. Between my parents, sister and myself there has never been a time when there wasnt atleast 2-3 Buicks in the family as daily drivers let alone hot rods or muscle cars.
Grandfather was a Buick man. Dad always had (has) 'em. Once you get use to that level of comfort, it's hard to drive a Chevy . Or Pontiac , or Olds for that matter. Quiet , smooth riding , powerful . They have it all. Rarity is a big thing for me . I don't like going to a show to look at 14 different Chevelles.My 1972 GS 455 convert is 1 of 114 auto's , and unless I find something rarer , I plan on keeping it for a good long while.
The first car I rode in was Dad's 1955 Buick Super. When I was 9 months old, he bought a 1964 Wildcat and kept it until 1980. I learned to drive in it, repair and maintain it, and appreciate what a well built car is. It was a sad day when he sold it and I vowed to get one of my own. It only took 27 years...
My dad was a Buick guy for boucoo years, he bought a 65 GS thin piller coupe in early 1965. And three years later i bought it off of him.Gary Paine ( GreatScat )and I were the original Buick guys from are neighborhood !! My 65 and his 66 GS 4-spd. GEEEEEEEEEES that was 40 years ago !!! Moz
I have mine b/c my old '66 was my dads car, and I have loved the car ever since he gave it to me back in '76 when I was a teenager. I always wanted the dual quads, and couldn't anything decent so I just built one. :Brow: Then I noticed how few Buicks come to the local car shows, and how bad the rampant bias is toward the other brands is around here. So I decided to make a statement, then I got caught up in the "while I'm at it" syndrome, and ended up with a "incorrect" showpiece that people like to drool over. But then when I see the other cars out there that are cloned or otherwise not perfect and are also winning trophies I just say so what......and I love it when people compliment my car and I get to explain the story behind it. The only time I feel truly bad is the very rare occassion when another nice Riv is there that is correct and I get the better trophy because the participants judging the show don't know any better. The same thing happens when there's a Hemi under the hood.....it could be in anything, but when people see that motor that's all it takes. And I just LOVE it when my Nailhead wins a trophy over a Hemi! :laugh:
I had one last year I got for $250 and sold it(shouldnt have) Another 72 350 2 bbl. Ran like a demon. Was very ugly a complete rust bucket, but was a sleeper and would smoke kids in mustangs laughing at me at the red light! Now I got this one on ebay for $1150. it looks better on the outside but does not run as good and needs some small mechanical repairs, but I am so glad I have hooked up with the BUICK SKYLARKS. I was always a biased CHEVY GUY COMPLETELY! I Own 2 other chevy's now(2001 silverado,95 Caprice- wifes) and I AM A BUICK LOVER NOW! MAybe its the Torque! Its not all about Camaros and Chevelles anymore! I just mostly like the BUICKS! I had a Camaro last year and it wasnt fast enough! SKYLARKS MAN!
I stumbled upon a #'s matching stage 1 that I could get for cheap. At the time I was looking for something to fix up a little and drive but that didn't happen. That was 10 years ago and the frame off resto that I started has just been sitting idle for the past 7 or so years. Someday it will be back on the road
I was 16, and I wanted a nice muscle car. I was looking for a chevelle or nova, but I had a big thing for the BOP muscle, especially buick. I was talking cars with my friends and a teacher said "My husband's selling a '69 Buick"... I asked her to bring in pictures of it the next day, so she brought in 3 polaroids of the car that I still have . I called her husband, and went to see my car for the first time. As soon as he pulled the car cover off I wanted it. I didn't know how much it needed but I didn't care, I just wanted that car, one reason was that it's different from anything around here. On the drive home a few days later I floored it and my dad said "this car's gonna get you in trouble". He was wrong. Any time I got pulled over in it the cops loved it and let me off with a warning, and I got thumbs up's, turned heads, and good looks wherever I drove it, not to mention the girls' attention. :Brow: :grin: And now in in the middle of a frame-off resto/mod complete with a 455, TH400, and 8.5 posi. :grin: :3gears:
Christine was my first car. I looked around and test drove several. Finally asked a family friend if he had 1 for sale... He had an old chevette and a 77 Regal... I fell in love the minute I saw her...Bud told me he didnt think the 455 in her made her the car for me..I needed compact. NOT!! I told him I'd feel safer in the big boat than a tin can...I had to take my Dad down b4 he'd sell her to me... Turned out my Daddy's 1st car was a Buick too So I was following in his footsteps and had made an informed logical decision at 19 LOL... By the way I still have her and am in the process of restoring her.:dollar::dollar::dollar:
