Dusted grandmas Skylark off. Trying to build a cruiser out of it

i'm really interested in that cowl induction air cleaner, i think its really neat, was it handmade?

 

It is handmade by the previous owner of my car. A couple of pieces of cut in half exhaust tubing and some bead rolled flat pieces. That and a welder/cut-off wheel, you've got yourself a Z28 style air cleaner. When I saw it in the online ad, I was trying to remember there being a "Stage 2" type air cleaner that did that? It's not quite that cleanly done, but pretty close. It's a keeper for me. (I still like the 70-72 GS air cleaner better but this one is pretty cool and I already own it. I'll keep it )

 

Just found my wheels the other day (probably?). Saving link for later.

https://www.summitracing.com/search...merican-muscle-531-sport-lite-polished-wheels

4.5" backspacing on a 15x8 should be good to go for the front, correct?

 

Yes that should be perfect

 

question, as this seems to be a project? of yours, could you add some pricing of what you've done, i'm young (15) and permit/licence is coming up soon, and the idea of a fun "beater" project 455 71/72 would be lovely, and having an idea of pricing could help! thanks

 

Ah, the almighty dollar speaks. I HATE to keep track of expenses but I can throw a few things down. Hope my accountant doesn’t see this. You can add up in a spreadsheet. I honestly don’t want to know

$8,000 -car
$230-Filler/catalyst/misc body filler tools
$180–Hood/passenger hood hinge/hood hinge springs/door sill plates (local junkyard)
$375–paint guns/Summit primer/misc paint supplies (Summit)
$400–core front/rear bumpers
$175–sanding blocks/Velcro strip sandpaper (60/150/240 grits—cheaper paper, not 3M)—-(Amazon)
$900 4 door 72 parts car
$200 towing



Free —80 grit stick on DA paper (I think that stuff is $1 a sheet now?)
Free—-misc masking tape


In your shoes, I’d just find something that is close to running/drivable condition. Whatever engine comes in the car, drive and enjoy. There’s a pretty cool 67 Skylark in Northern UT on Facebook I saw. $7k and it looks like it’d be a GREAT start for a budget buyer (which I always am)

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/300053691922819/

my first car was a ‘71 Riviera. LOVED the torque. I think I paid $400 for it in 1985.

‘68 Skylark in my first pic I paid $150 for but it was “used”. 350 2 barrel and was just transportation. Swapped in a 430. Spun a bearing. Swapped in a ‘75 455. Spun a bearing. Swapped in a 430 and it developed a rod knock also.


for a budget car, this seems like another great rig. Kind of a big old beast but pretty cool and should run pretty well.


https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/315132103338033/



the hard part about the budget build is the total overall cost. You can buy a half done car for a good price. Even though it costs more than other things out there, if you get something a few components “done”, you’re usually dollars ahead paying more for complete. Cars are big projects. I break them down to the following when buying. The risk is who “done” the work.

powertrain
Start/stop/drive
Interior
Exterior
“Cool” factor

in the case of buying this car, I don’t have a bunch of spare time so I wanted something more done. That costs more money but does it?

In this car, I got a rebuilt engine, solid trans (?-it’s an automatic—time will tell), swapped in 9”, a VERY solid and mostly VERY rust free body, and a “complete” interior (it’s disassembled so it’s not complete but a lot of it is there). That’s a solid haul for $8k in my opinion.

it’s not a GS but I can make it what I want it to be and don’t have to hear anyone at a show or gathering beat me up about it not being original. It’s a Skylark Custom. Nothing special at all. It has the fun factor of the GS without the responsibility of maintaining an original or rare model. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE to see unique models and such, I’m just not sure I’m a good owner of those types of beasts.

 

Thank you a lot! I’ll make a spreadsheet as my father does, he keeps everything organized, which helps us save every cent, as it counts to be into the cars for next to none! Wish you luck with the car!

 

I don’t know how far you are from either of those cars, but I think those would be an AWESOME starting point for someone just getting into the hobby. They both look pretty drivable and complete? Just fix things to make it start, steer and stop and fix a little thing here, then a little thing there. Ultimately you end up with a completed car that you didn’t have to spread across the garage for 18 months and $20k+

 

I would NEVER keep track of the $ invested in a car

 

@dylan!


This just popped up local in Salt Lake. Good price but it looks a bit suspect?

1972 Buick Skylark
https://cars.ksl.com/listing/7539612









I just grabbed a BUNCH of parts for $900 plus towing. This will get me a good hood, bumpers, grill, rear tail light lenses, maybe coil springs (car sits pretty much how I want mine to) and a few local guys a 350/350(?) and maybe a rear diff?




Car will be leaving my house pretty stripped down on/about Dec 15 or so (the boss sez)

 

thank you! and wish ya luck with the parts, ill keep my eye out, if you see anything let me know

 

Installed a hood from my parts car. Mucho betterer than reconstructing the green hood.





…and FUNCTIONAL!!!

 

Kind of an update on the slow prep work. LOTS of issues with the white paint in the jambs. Don’t want to paint over this as my paint won’t stay on the car.







Made an enemy of myself on the drivers side door lock.


this will be the gift that keeps on giving?

 

Oh yes, the surprises will continue. Popcorn

 

Not perfect but good, except for pulling those Phillips screws at the door latch out one at a time and sanding around those, then replacing the screw and moving to the next one.

nice pile of flaked of paint below the door.
Just have 10% of the drivers jamb to go, 100% of the trunk, 100% of the passenger jamb to do. Hope I’m done with gicky stuff by this weekend? Might be a bit ambitious as I have a LOT to pull off the parts car but we’ll give it hell and see where we end up

 

More jams…. (Do they ever end?)





I have that 2nd hood that needs repair. Another hood “shell”. Been contemplating some metal work that I’m not talented with. Something similar to the Pace Car/GN. Paint it at the same time as the stock “flat” hood so it’s the same color. We’ll see how serious I am. I bet I’m ready to paint the car and won’t want anything to do with gabbing up a scoop/bubble hood?

 

Just an update as I haven’t posted for a couple weeks. I haven’t worked on my car a whole lot other than about 4-5 hours in the passenger door jamb and 1-2 in the trunk jamb. Spent a bunch of time harvesting parts from the 4 door, selling parts to some locals and fixing my new to me single car hauler trailer. I spent an hour talking over my car with a neighbor and his wife. They heard it when I pulled it out of the garage the other day. He’s got a 2020 GT500 and is working on a Coyote powered ‘56 Ford pickup. They are DINKs (Dual Income No Kids) and enjoy their cars. Good folks.

The underside of the deck lid on the Buick is a disaster. I’m thinking I’ll take the deck lid off and pressure wash what I can off the inside. Hopefully the white paint just peels off?

I sold my two car Jeep hauler, deckover gooseneck and bought a single car trailer just to get some easy cash to keep the Buick build going. Getting the Buick on/off the deckover wouldn’t be a lot of fun with the 8’ ramps, 36” deck height and the low hanging headers (not sure trailering is really an option with those headers?). After loading up my Jeep last night, I’m not sure my 16’ trailer/4’ ramps are that awesome for the Buick. I may only be able to load the car on an incline (or fabricated incline). It’s been a while since I bought a trailer. People do the strangest things with trailer wiring. Anyway, my trailer has lights and brakes that work. We are headed to Moab tomorrow with the Jeeps so very little Buick work will happen until the first weekend in Dec.

 

When I saw your photos of the door jams, the pressure washer idea crossed my mind, too. The deck lid should be a lot easier to remove and replace and will be much easier to sand with it off the car.

I had to laugh at the DINKs. I've never heard that before!

 

Haven’t worked a lot on the car lately. Had some mom issues (she fell off a ladder—73 years old and taking chances on a ladder), Thanksgiving Jeep trip to Moab (everyone feels bad for me, I’m sure) and then a busy work week.

had to get the car out so I could weld some on my son’s Jeep bumper. Not sure what came over me. Had to blow out a little carbon but forgot about my box of sand paper on the deck.

 

This is fun. Stripped lower fender bolts.



Found this thread.

https://www.v8buick.com/index.php?threads/lower-fender-bolts-with-nut-clips.250617/#post-3255666