So my car is a GS and not a regular Skylark?!?!

[Dr. Evil]

I drove up to Bowling Green today and saw a lot of eye candy. In the process I met a couple owners of some really nice 65 GS cars. I got to talking to them about mine and now we think its possible mine is a real GS and not a clone. I don't know for sure so I'm looking for some help.
The car has had a lot done to it. It came out of Ca and spent a lot of its life in Az. The previous owner was a 92 year old retired shop teacher but he had a family friend that owns a car lot help him sell it, which is where I bought it.
I never met the owner and I got the feeling from the dealership owner that he was on his last legs. The dealership owner said he didn't know if it was real or not and he was not advertising it as one. It has had a repaint and some body work several years ago. Not bad, but a 10 footer.

Here is the breakdown on the car:
Things that make me think its not a GS.
Has non posi 8.2 3.08 rear.
Has a 1973 model 350 2bbl and battery is on the passenger side.
Is missing glovebox emblem.
Is missing trunklid and grill emblem.
In place of the fender vents it has a spear from a Skylark but no signs of the rest of the trim down the side. Its like someone replaced the GS fender vents with the front part of skylark trim.

Things that are GS related(I think):
First and foremost, it has a fully boxed frame.
It has a deluxe interior with bucket seats (tilt column too but I know that's not related)
Console with Tachometer.
1 1/8 front swaybar
The steering shaft is splined at the rag joint.
Halo on the roof. Painted, not vinyl if that matters.
Cowl tag reads:
65-44437   BODY BF 3194
TR 157       PAINT RA  A
ACC B70  B80  Then to the far right of this line it has  12392

I always assumed it is a Skylark cloned to look like a GS but the frame has always made me wonder. I always thought it had a 7/8 or 1" sway but I measured it and it is a 1 1/8th. Its obviously had a lot of things changed over the years and the previous owner did a decent job. It had 4 wheel drums and I swapped over to disc. I'll go down and measure the wheel cylinders as soon as I get back from the rod run in Pigeon Forge Sunday.

Thoughts?

[35chevcoupe]

I can,t imagine someone swapping out the frames , but who knows .

[Dr. Evil]

I've always known it had a boxed frame but never gave it a lot of thought. Some, but not a lot.
I just don't want to misrepresent it as something it isn't. I don't mean to clone a GS. I have no issue with tribute or clone cars.
I suppose in the long run it doesn't matter as its so far "un-original" at this point. I'm also going to take it further away from its original state too. Heck, its already got 02 Camaro Disc brakes, a 455 at the machine shop and a Jeep grand Cherokee steering box on its way into it.

[WkillGS]

I believe all the tilt wheel columns had the splined rag joint coupler.
Body sounds like a plain Skylark (halo roof trim and no emblems). Any sign the side trim holes were filled?

The GS rear had larger wheel bearings (RW507A)., The end of the axle flares out to a larger diameter to accommodate them...so take a look there.

The Fremont cowl plates won't show the 4S GS option code. Tough to positively ID unless you have the warranty booklet protecto-plate.

Yes, sway bar is not original. You could check coil springs (wire diameter) but they may have been changed too.
Frame swap is possible, or even a body swap onto a GS frame.....

[jmos4]

Hi,

Does sound like a regular Skylark, did Buick offer a heavy duty frame as a option, I believe Pontiac and Oldsmobile did for the hard tops and sedans which was a convertible/fully boxed frame.

What are the codes on the firewall tag as that may help you figure it out.

Regards,

[GS66]

My brother had one with a boxed frame too, checked out to be a Skylark with GS emblems.

[dsags]

I've always known it had a boxed frame but never gave it a lot of thought. Some, but not a lot.
I just don't want to misrepresent it as something it isn't. I don't mean to clone a GS. I have no issue with tribute or clone cars.
I suppose in the long run it doesn't matter as its so far "un-original" at this point. I'm also going to take it further away from its original state too. Heck, its already got 02 Camaro Disc brakes, a 455 at the machine shop and a Jeep grand Cherokee steering box on its way into it.

Like the mod's. Wouldn't worry about whether its a GS or not. Be happy it has the boxed frame. Only way to tell if the frame came with your car, being a Fremont build, is to compare the VIN stamped in the frame rail to the VIN tag in the drivers door opening.

Dan

[Dr. Evil]

Thanks Dan. I'm not too worried about it. I'll just assume its a regular lark for now but continue to investigate.
Where is the VIN on the frame?

[jmos4]

Hi again,

The vin number is in the middle of the frame on the drivers side on the top side of the frame (almost impossible to see with the body on the car), it is also on the drivers side under the rear bumper brackets, some of it maybe visible with the bracket in place.

Regards,

[Buick_65]

Isn't there a vin stamped on the door pillar as well.  Near the hinge locations??

[jmos4]

Hi again,

Yes the vin is in the door frame, the question was where on the frame is the vin, which is what I was referring to.

Regards,

[Buick_65]

Hi again,

Yes the vin is in the door frame, the question was where on the frame is the vin, which is what I was referring to.

Regards,

Wasn't questioning your response.  Was more of a group question to allow him to determine if the cowl tag was switched or something.

[GS66]

Best plan -  enjoy your great Buick!

[elagache]

Dear Good Dr. and mid-60s Buick fans,

Thanks Dan. I'm not too worried about it. I'll just assume its a regular lark for now but continue to investigate.

Sorry sir but I beg to differ!  Even the 1965 GS didn't have any hood scoops - your car does! 

So in a way, . . . .  your car is even better than a 1965 GS! 

Cheers, Edouard 

[elagache]

Dear Good Dr. and mid-60s Buick fans,

Just in case I have a longer memory than other guys on this forum.  A previous owner grafted on 1967 GS hood scoops on to the hood of Dr. Evil's car.  You can see them on the photos that Dr. Evil posted when he first joined the forum:

http://65gs.com/board/index.php?topic=2638.msg16662#msg16662

Here is a direct link to the pictures themselves:

https://goo.gl/photos/8FwM6z4KENUWEPVA9

I personally like the look very much even if it isn't original 1965 Buick.

Cheers, Edouard