1969 Buick GS350 4-speed

1969 Buick Skylark Gran Sport Additional Info:

I have had this car since 1995 and completed restoring it in 1998. It has not really been touched in 20 years other than normal maintenance items. Approximately 8,000 miles have been put on it since 1998. This is a Canadian car, built in the 3rd week of May 1969. It features a Polar White (code 50) exterior with black vinyl top and pearl white interior. The car currently has approximately 103,250 original miles and has manual brakes and no A/C. I have several of the original options sheets that were found throughout the car – see picture.

Options:

- Soft-Ray tinted windshield

- Front bucket seats

- Full vinyl roof

- Consolette

- 4-speed manual (M-20 wide ratio)

- Power steering

- Deluxe wheel covers

- AM Sonomatic radio

- Convenience group – trunk light, glove box light, ash tray light, courtesy light, map light & dual horns

Body:

The bodywork and paint was completed in 1998 using BASF/Diamont products (base/clear). The fenders and doors were replaced with good originals from a 1969 Skylark. Patch panels were used behind both rear wheelwells. The trunk floor along with the trunk braces were replaced. The body was removed from the frame and the entire underside and trunk were coated with POR-15. The paint is showing its age after 20 years with some minor cracking of filler on the hood and one quarter. There is also minor paint bubbling on one edge of the trunk lid and a couple of spots on the lower portions of the doors. The paint presents as a nice driver. The bumpers were rechromed but the remainder of the trim on the car is original, with minor pitting on all of the pot metal parts. The windshield was replaced but all of the other glass is original.

Chassis:

With the body removed from the frame, the frame and all suspension components were wire brushed and coated with POR-15. The body bushings along with all suspension bushings were replaced with stock rubber bushings. The rear is a 12-bolt Chevy unit (Canadian built car) and features a non-posi, 3.31 gear set, as built from the factory. The rearend has not been rebuilt. The original springs are still in the car along with the front/rear control arms. The car has later model 15 x 7 rally wheels (driver quality) with 215/75R-15 front tires and 275/60R-15 rear tires.

Engine:

This is the original, numbers matching 350 cid. engine. This was rebuilt during the restoration (1995-1998). It was bored 0.020” using EP pistons, the stock rods were re-used with new ARP bolts and the crank was just polished, leaving the crank/rod journals at standard size (Clevite bearings installed). The heads are 1970-style from PAE Enterprises and have been cleaned up but not flowed/worked. Compression ratio is stock at 10.25:1. The oiling has been changed to oil through the pushrods and 1970-up style, stamped steel rocker arms/shaft were installed. There is an oil booster plate installed and idle oil pressure is ~15-20 psi. Oil pressure at highway speeds is ~50-55 psi. using 10W-40 oil. The intake is a TA Performance aluminum piece with a remanufactured quadrajet of unknown history (this was on the car when I bought it). The original distributor has been updated with a Pertronix unit. There is a flex fan installed and the original radiator was re-cored. The stock exhaust manifolds empty into a 2 ½” mandrel bent exhaust system using Dynomax turbo mufflers. The transmission is the original M-20 wide ratio unit and has not been rebuilt. A new clutch was installed and the flywheel was re-surfaced.

Interior:

The interior is largely original except the front bucket seats were re-covered and the carpet, headliner and package tray were replaced. The door panels, rear seat cover, dash pad, consolette and shifter are original. All new, reproduction weatherstripping was installed. Aftermarket tachometer, oil pressure and water temperature gauges installed. Aftermarket radio.

Known issues:

- Tires are ~15 years old and although they do not appear cracked, they should be replaced.

- Minor bubbling of the paint mentioned above – see pictures.

- Driver’s side lower door bumper (in jamb) has been pushed through and now shows a hole in the jamb.

- Side door/quarter window glass needs adjustment as there are a couple of gaps when all the windows are closed.

- Map light does not work.

- Package tray has warped.

- Minor holes in the low spots of both tailpipes after they come over the axle.

- Parking brake release handle under the dash is missing.

- Steering wheel hub is cracked on the top.