Hello all, I got this 1969 Skylark about 3 years ago. My old cars have mostly been '60s European stuff like Mercedes, but I fell in love with this car after only seeing a few pictures. The car originally was herb green metallic with a vinyl top but I think is was repainted about 10 years ago. The car had lots of vinyl top rust which was all filled with bondo. No welding or metal replacement at all. If the holes were too big, tin was glued to back of the metal to hold the bondo in place. Of course this hack job started to rust out again. This picture is after I have replaced tulip panel, most of the window frame, and sections of C pillar with new metal. Also the trunk rear channel was rusted out, so new metal there. I still need do some final filler, rattle can a better paint match, and install the window trim. I am also in the middle of a power window conversion. The engine is original with worn out bearings. It wiped the #1 cam lobs which I have since replaced. It has very little + 10 oil pressure. The +10 is from the built TA performance front cover, so I think there is more cruising that can be done before a rebuild. I am looking forward to being part of V8 Buick community.
Welcome aboard from Detroit! Where are you located? Lovely car and color. I think you'll like it here. Devon
I'm in the Los Angeles area. The car was built in the Fremont plant, so I think it been in CA since new.
I am partial to the look of the '68/'69 cars... You didn't say of the car is a 350, but I assume so. If you're saying it has 10PSI oil pressure at hot idle, that's ok. As long as it comes up when you rev... What weight oil are you running? I have a lot of metal work to do on my car, but don't have a place to do it, so I am kind of stuck. Someday, before my wife kills me...
It's a 350, 4bbl Edelbrock performer 600 cfm and an aluminum single plane, spread bore intake manifold. Stock exhaust manifolds. I am running 15w-40. I did all the metal work where it is in the picture. I used a small flux core welder. I did have access to a fab lab with sheet metal tools, but it was not close to the car. I had to plan out pieces and cut them down once I was back at the car. I really hadn't done much welding before this.
Now that I think about it my 68' Skylark's lower rear window channel was rusted out so bad the guy who repainted it had to put all new metal in. And just to think my car was a garage kept car with only 64,000 miles on it when I bought it in 1994. Must be a common problem around the rear windows. Poor drainage I guess. I understand with your car originally having a vinyl top as they would hold moisture underneath. Keep up the good work. You're doing something I'm unable to do. I'm pretty good with engines and chassis work but a bodyman I'm NOT! I like the color of your car too!
