Secret experimental 1964 GX 455

[elagache]

Dear Bill and mid-60s Buick caregivers,

We made up for it today... About a 50 mile garage sale-ing odyssey. Home for camerones  a la Guillermo, then a spin in the BADLASS around town with a nice sunset photo op overlooking Lake Michigan...   Bill

Thanks for the video and photo!  That was a beautiful sunset on Lake Michigan!  How long does it take for your DMV to process personalized license plates?  It took over 6 months for Biquette's plates to finally show up.

Thanks for the update!

Cheers, Edouard 

P.S.  . . . Ya' know though, . . . . one of these days you really should look into getting a hood for BADLASS! . . . 

[yachtsmanbill]

A pleasure Ed! You know, This aint yer grandpas BROWNIE! LOL. Ive been out da hood for a while, but still waters run deep. I would gladly put the hood back on when I come across a decent 800 CFM quadrajet do replace that edelsnoozer and spacer/adapter. Otherwise, its a hole and a hood scoop in the near perfect original thats in storage for now. (Boooo). just starting to have some fun peeling around town with the gal!!

So today I was starting to install and piece some wiring together for the new tachometer.  The BADLASS is now backed into the shop, and consequently the passenger side rear corner is right by my tool box. Everytime I make the corner, I get snagged on some loose trim. So I changed gears and decided to grab a PAL nut from the other side to draw the trim back down. It was missing a few. So now Im into pulling the slightly dinged up cross trim off so as not to damage it further. I guess Im getting ready for next winter mentally. By the time I finished up, I had a can full of trim clips which I think I can source, and also straighten the dinged up trim, however...

The rear valance and 1/4 panel "horn" took a hit when gramma was still driving it. I tried using some stout angle iron on the bolt holes to true it back up but Im afraid its stretched too far to come back, and I dont want a ton of bondo on it either. So I am faced with a few choices. Fab a new rear valance, cut the old out and weld the new in, OR, find a donor section. The very back edge of the 1/4 panel is creased pretty well also.

Now, do 64 and 65 interchange on these pcs?. It seems the 65 skylarks have a trim pc. and or lights all the way across. Are the 65 specials more plane with a valance pan? Anyone cutting one up that would entertain slicing some stuff off for me? especially if its over and the hulk is headed for the crematorium. Ive repaired worse, but donor parts seem like the way to go on this one.. Ideas? Thoughts??   Bill

[elagache]

Dear Bill and mid-60s Buick caregivers,

A pleasure Ed! You know, This aint yer grandpas BROWNIE! LOL. Ive been out da hood for a while, but still waters run deep.

In the voice of that eminent loudmouth Foghorn Leghorn:

. . . . That's a joke son!  Gag that is! . . . 

I would gladly put the hood back on when I come across a decent 800 CFM quadrajet do replace that edelsnoozer and spacer/adapter.

Okay somehow I had forgotten the issue even if Biquette has exactly the same problem.  I dearly would like to gain another inch of clearance between the EFI throttle-body and the hood.  One of those "to be solved eventually" sort of problems.  I suppose the intake manifold is one for the Q-Jet - correct?

Otherwise, its a hole and a hood scoop in the near perfect original thats in storage for now. (Boooo).

Oooh! . . . what kind of hood scoop is that?

. . . . .
Now, do 64 and 65 interchange on these pcs?.

Sorry I don't know.  Hopefully someone else on the board can chime in with an answer for you.

Thanks for the update!

Cheers, Edouard 

[yachtsmanbill]

Meant to be a bit clearer on that... I have the near perfect original hood that I hate to cut a hole in and mount a hood scoop on. if I do, I think a cowl induction knock off will ad to the stance of the BADLASS. That edelsnoozer carb runs lousy and Id love a decent 800 CFM Q-jet to replace it with.  Between the height of the carbs and the adapter to the spread bore manifold (extra one inch right there),  Ill bet I can gain at least 2 inches.  The manifold is that factory experimental pseudo aluminum  FE-B-4-WILLY unit.

Will gladly trade. The "snoozer" carb is new (now with 200 miles on it) with a bunch of extra parts. Electric choke model. Its really an AFB knockoff and would brighten up any nail head. I never wouldve bought it but the deal couldnt be passed up!!  Keep yer GM car all GM. 

Waiting for a member to get back to me on some sheet metal. He's cut up an old ragtop and save a bunch of panels and hope he can help me out. The job is one of those "while I'm in there" things with a trunk floor and a bumper chrome job. The bumper is perfect, but the chrome by where the tailpipe exited is blistered. May even go with the monochrome look next year; we'll see.  Bill

[TrunkMonkey]

Bill.

To answer the question on the 64/65 rear valance.

The 1964 A-body had the same valance. The Special (typically) only had the center round emblem and tri-shield. The Special Deluxe (typically) had outer trim surround that wrapped the valance.

The Skylark had that trim level and the added had the large chrome trim panel between the tail lights and the outer trim surround that wrapped the valance.

In 1965, the Special had a different valance that had a stamped breaks to give it some detail, and only the round/trishield and chrome ring around the taillights. not center break in the tail lights.

The Skylark/GS had the tail lights all the way across and the full trim level.

Yes, you could cut out the valence and install anything from 64/65.
(there may be some other info I may have missed)

Hope that helps.

[yachtsmanbill]

Thanks Mike! Im gonna peruse that idea for a while. Either I patch in a 64 piece, or replace the panel with a 65 unit from light to light. I just found this pic off one of the cars getting stripped for parts. This is a 1965 valance with the breaks in the panel... Mine is just flat with a curve in it. Never simple is it???      Bill

[197064buickspec]

I had 2 1964 tail panels laying around here for years. One Skylark complete with 6 inches of both quarters attached.  ... And one from my special. Nobody wanted them so I cut them up.......... Sold some patches to a V8 member and cut the rest up.

[yachtsmanbill]

Yer killin' me! I was gonna shout at ya, but ya saved me a dime LOL... bill

[Brian]

Bill, if it were my car, I would add the 64 Skylark rear panel to it that fits between the taillights.  It would cover all but a thin strip of the painted metal section (like is between the taillights and perimeter trim).   A good body shop can pull that pushed in section out and get the strip that shows nice and straight for you, then the rear panel will cover the rest. 

[TrunkMonkey]

Yep.

I got one off a Skylark, polished it and stuck it on my Special way back when.

[yachtsmanbill]

So Ill ad the trim panel to the wish list! That looks pretty sweet Mike. I already have the rocker panel covers from another skylark. Just dont wanna dress it up too much. Gotta go sleep this one off for now. Backs pretty sore, but fellas, hold the page open!!! Ill be back! thanks, Bill Zzzzzzzzzzz

[yachtsmanbill]

Hey Brian... is the weatherstripping channel intact or was that the cut line? How much $$$ plus the box.   Bill

[yachtsmanbill]

Hey Brian... this is a test. Achmed stopped by with a new computer for me with 4x of all the good stuff I had before. I am interested in that panel. Can you grab a pic(s) for me?  Thanks! Bill

[yachtsmanbill]

Always being one to upgrade, especially where un-obtanium parts are concerned, I did just that with that dang horn relay. I swapped INTO the system a conventional USA made unit that was about 21.00. The install was pretty simple and the darn horns are about 100 DbA. Loud and crystal clear! Thanks again Mike!

3 lousy wires and we were off to the races...  Bill

[yachtsmanbill]

Just took a spin up to the store for potato salad fixins'. Got a nice pic of the BAD LAD and the BADGRAM LOL... Bill