1965 Buick Skylark

Gran Sport Coupe

8 - Cyl.

Automatic

5Z111642

Gasoline

1965 Buick Skylark Gran Sport with Rare Buick Dual Quad Option This high performance car will be a rare find for one of you Buick muscle car enthusiasts. With only 76,200 original miles this '65 Gran Sport is equipped with Buick's dual quad option which was offered as a dealer installed package in 1965 and 1966 only (primarily for the Riviera GS) but was also available to other models, ie. the Buick Wildcat and Skylark GS. This high performance option included finned aluminum valve covers with raised Buick script, a specially cast dual quad intake manifold, dual Carter 4 bbl. carburetors and a massive dual intake chrome air cleaner. Today this rare Buick dual quad package commands a hefty price all by itself, that is if you are lucky enough to even locate one for sale! This 340 HP Skylark Gran Sport has been in the San Diego area since it was delivered new to a "Little old lady from Imperial Beach" named Madeline Brinker who must have been a fan of Beach Boys music when she ordered the muscle car back in April 1965. The car has had three owners since then and it still sports it's original paint scheme, a white body and black top. Its original 401 cu. in. "Nailhead" V8 (445 ft. lbs. torque with matching VIN to Block numbers) has recently undergone an extensive top overhaul in addition to many new components that were installed ..including new alternator/electrical/ignition parts, starter, new battery, water and fuel pump replaced along with a fuel tank overhaul, newer four row radiator tanked and flushed, new hoses/thermostat, hood insulation, plus the dual carburetors were professionally overhauled. And in addition to the fresh valve job with hardened valve seats, a new power brake master cylinder and new tires were added making this GS Skylark ready to fly after awaiting many years of just occasional drives. The interior still has its original black vinyl bucket seats and black carpet but a new light gray headliner, black rear seat shelf cover and custom trunk carpet has been added. The center sport console with automatic shift lever contains another rare GS option... a Buick tachometer. A low percentage of '65 Skylark Gran Sports were delivered with the factory tach option due to its high price back in the day... $70 for the Buick tach versus the $281 additional charge for the entire GS option-package... go figure! This rare GS is also equipped with AC, power steering, power brakes, factory tinted windows, sport wheels, chrome wheel well mouldings and a remote controlled side mirror. In addition to the car itself there are a number of spare parts included with the sale in addition to various 1965 Gran Sport test drive publications and memorabilia that I have collected over the years. Other items included are two 1965 factory Chassis and Body Service Manuals, original Buick owner's manuals (containing the Protect-O-Plate ID/service tag), the owner's original DMV registration and original California black license plates, maintenance records and new (needing to be installed) front and rear shocks and front and rear coil springs to bring back that famous Buick ride. The Gran Sport's original factory four barrel manifold, Carter carburetor, air cleaner and steel valve covers are also in the trunk in case you would like to own a '65 Gran Sport as it was originally equipped from Buick. This high performance Buick is a very early production model GS which had a smaller Gran Sport emblem on the front grill along with a slimmer/thinner style wheel center cap. The original wheel center caps are included but have been replaced with new, aftermarket replicas. This is not, I repeat NOT a restored vehicle. However, it is in good overall condition and drives nice but has some minor, yet to be resolved nuisance problems that you would expect to see in an unrestored car that is 45 years old....at least that's what I have been telling my wife who likes to drive the GS past the local high school once in awhile. Cougar on the prowl? Anyway, so here are her current gripes... The horn is intermittent, the courtesy lites stay on when the door is closed, the right turn signal won't return to off, the air conditioning is not blowing cold air anymore, the transmission drips a little when the car is parked after a month or so and makes a bit of a clunk when it downshifts to low gear (adjustment to external vacuum modulator needed here I think), the radio (with only the rear speaker working) doesn't have FM or an MP3 jack and last but not least... "Your GS will pass anything on the road except a gas station!" From my point of view... I see the Buick as having an older paint job that is fair to good on a body that is in overall good condition but has some small dings and dents from parking lot rash etc. over the years The car, despite being in California all its life, is not completely rust free having some minor rust scale/stains in areas below the doors, under the hood, deep inside the side panels of the trunk and elsewhere where GM assemblers missed with the primer. The bumpers were re-chromed about 10 years ago and there is some pitting on some of the exterior chrome trim like the side mirror and sport wheel rims. Some of the bright moulding has some scratches and a small dent or two. One of the mufflers has had a rust repair and the rear axle bearings are starting to show signs of wear as well during the car's last maintenance check. The interior is in overall good condition with some front seat and carpet wear and tear but the rear bench seat is in excellent condition. The headliner is fairly new and in good condition as well. The padded black vinyl dash is original and needs recovering or Gorilla Tape due to cracks from sun exposure all these years. Most of the original rubber seals around the door frames and trunk lid are dried out and need replacement. The windshield on the passengers side has a crack on the lower right side which has been the same since I bought the car in 1991. The 401 however is running smooth and strong, especially when the second four barrel carb is pulled into the power loop and its two speed, Switch Pitch Dynaflow transmission kicks down making the tires spin. Or I should say "tire" spin as Buick didn't offer a posi-trac option for the GS until 1966. The engine and chassis has had regular service for as long as I have owned the car. I have spent hundreds of hours and thousand of dollars maintaining and upgrading this car over the years... having had a love for the '65 GS ever since I was was in high school. Wife still doesn't get this... with her '65 Mustang convert parked nearby. However, despite all of the work that has been performed on this car to date.... getting a true read of the car's current condition is difficult by just reading a description by the owner so I will leave this up to you or your mechanic. I have owned the car for over 19 years and have decided to sell it due to having too many any other unfinished car projects around the place, aka.."Wife Forces Sale." You older married dudes know what I am talking about here. Bummer of a situation, but this sale will make things less complicated than the alternative, ha! But I know that you too will enjoy owning this high performance Buick as I have. It will continue to be a good investment as the '65 (and a half) GS is Buick's first muscle car, has low production numbers (due the model being introduced late in the year) and is recognized as a muscle car classic. I think this car with its low mileage, originality and rare power option is fairly priced in this down market. The pricing data was taken from Hemmingings Motor News Value Guide published earlier this year. You won't regret owning this car and bid on it if you want to own and drive a classic 60's Buick Muscle Car. E-mail me at InvaderLane19@aol.com with your questions, concerns or request for any additional photos or a Hear It Run wmv. I'll be available to help as best I can with your decision as to whether or not this particular car is right for you. Regards, David Lane Poway, CA On Sep-13-10 at 20:34:55 PDT, seller added the following information: Hello GS bidders, this is David Lane the owner of the car...here to relay an important FYI to you. Since yesterday, Sept12, I have received several questions? from interested parties telling me that this car is not a true GS (clone) as according to their information, the VIN number does not indicate that it was built as a GS car. First of all let me assure you 100% that this car is a '65 Buick Skylark Gran Sport. 1. This car's 401 engine is original with a manfacturing stamp code of LR. L for 1965 and R for Gran Sport application. I have a photo to prove this if you want one. 2. The engine serial number stamped on the 401 block to the right of LR of this cart is the same number as the Vehicle Identification Number/plate on the driver's inside door panel. 3. Buick did not offer the 401 engine option on its regular Skylark model... this engine was only available by ordering the GS option package. Having an LR 401 with matching engine code to VIN numbers is all the documentation one needs to know without doubt that this car was built as a Gran Sport model. 4.It is my recent understanding that Buick did not idenify a GS built car thru its VIN until 1966. Hope this clears up any confusion.