Secret experimental 1964 GX 455

[yachtsmanbill]

Got that old gnarly G78-14 spare and jack stuff all cleaned up and the new aluminum cover all installed... just like somebody came and did it. A quick wash and we went for a spin...

Got over to Neshota Beach for some sunny photo ops' and then around town for a while. Everthing was good till we got to dead mans curve...

Pedals to the floor hear his dual quads ring, that 413 is really startin' to scream. I got  a plan of action but its understood, Ive got a Big Block Buick sittin' under my hood. Declinin' numbers at an even rate, at the count of one we both accelerate. POWER SHIFT HERE WE GO....

So it was bound to happen. I think a linkage arm dropped off; something simple. Only three blocks home and by the time I got there the heater meter was pegged and only had third gear and no power steering. That ol' motor with the forged pistons and rods held together. Been in the "window" business before LOL... Went back and got the busted fan belt. Pat said Ill never find it, hahaha. It was right at the end of the burnout LOL. Tomorrow is another day...   Bill

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBtr956mmiE&feature=youtu.be


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qtKzKMDcjY

[yachtsmanbill]

After a little investigation this morning, I had an AH HA!!! Moment. Never expected to find this. It looks like it was cut and rewelded for what ever reason. Hell, it was a BW Super T10 with a FORD front snout on it. Why would anyone cut the rod and reweld it?

Now Im on another quest. Any HURST brand parts places recommended??  Bill

[elagache]

Dear Bill and mid-60s Buick caregivers,

Thanks for taking the time to take the photos and videos.  You certainly have some nice backdrops in your neck of the woods!

Sorry about the linkage failure.  One of the manual transmission specialists on the board will have to help you with that one.

Cheers, Edouard 

[yachtsmanbill]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Ftenor.com%2Fview%2Fwaiting-bored-cute-baby-well-gif-14618861&psig=AOvVaw2BIXiOYaxbEWrHdiEQiypp&ust=1588984894880000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCKDikZiEo-kCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAI

Nuthin' yet...  ws

[yachtsmanbill]

Picked up a NOS Hurst rod yesterday off ebay for 20.00 YIPPEE! Gonna try to go junking tomorrow before the weeds start growing! If anyone needs any smalls, sing out TODAY!  Bill

[elagache]

Dear Bill and mid-60s Buick parts hounds,

Picked up a NOS Hurst rod yesterday off ebay for 20.00 YIPPEE!

Congratulations!  It pays to keep an eye on eBay!

Gonna try to go junking tomorrow before the weeds start growing! If anyone needs any smalls, sing out TODAY!  Bill

Not a big surprise, but our weeds have already gone to seed!  Good luck with your junk yard expeditions!  Please take pictures!

Cheers, Edouard 

[option B9]

   Hi Bill, Enjoying those photos, and the videos too. I'm going to take you up on the offer on the Junk Yard run tomorrow, I sent you a PM with a few items that I need. So please look at the PM and good luck tomorrow !! Good to hear that you found that shifter linkage on ebay, so you should be back out on the road soon..

                                                                        Tony 

[yachtsmanbill]

Ol' yard is getting pretty well picked over. Did find one car for Edouard tho. Not too much left except that one weird piece of trim maybe! The glove box latch and door is intact but "kinda" promised to a guy up here on V8Buick...   Bill

[elagache]

Dear Bill and mid-60s Buick parts hounds,

Ol' yard is getting pretty well picked over. Did find one car for Edouard tho. Not too much left except that one weird piece of trim maybe!
. . . .

Thanks for taking the time to take a few photos!  Salvage yards are indeed getting rare and their contents consumed.  At least it still looks like spring where you are at! 

Cheers, Edouard 

[65GSConv]

Edouard;

I'm not offering, but there is a salvage yard not too distant from me that has a 65 Sport Wagon in it. Engine and transmission are gone, but most of the rest of it is there. Doors have rusted themselves tight (I couldn't open any doors). But just so you know this one has some parts available yet. Front bumper in the front view is pretty nice (probably fits all 65 Specials/Skylarks/Sport Wagons/Gran Sport, for all I know). See attached pics.  Note this one also had AC, so the side vents and most likely air distribution/control inside still exists, as well as some (but not all) components from the engine bay.

[yachtsmanbill]

I think I'm losing it! I hope it was HERE, but a guy showed a pic of his 65(??) with a mid 80's steering column installed. Tilt with all the switches on the stalk etc and said it just about bolted in. I have the opportunity to pick up a 67 tilt for my 64. Anyone see any real difficulty swapping it over? (Not too worried about 4 way flashers).  Can it be any worse than doing a trunk floor, rear window channel rebuild AND a paint job? Please find some kinda humor in there!   Bill

[WkillGS]

67 had a collapsible steering shaft and I believe a larger diameter housing. Maybe someone else here knows more about them...

[seanrobison65]

http://ctcautoranch.com/Parts%20Cars/Buick/Special%20-%20Skylark/Special%20-%20Skylark/1965%20Buick%20Skylark%20Station%20Wagon%20Parts%20Car%201/1965%20Buick%20Skylark%20Station%20Wagon%20Parts%20Car.html

There?s a yard here that claims they have a ?65 Sport Wagon, although I believe it?s actually a?64. If you look at the pics you can see pieces of ?65 front clip stuck in the cargo bay. The yard is spendy & they?re not the nicest guys to deal with, but they do pull & ship parts.

[yachtsmanbill]

Its a 65. The give-away that Ive found so far is the glove box door/lock. The 64's have the lock above the door in the dash and the 65's have the lock in the door; thats at a glance mind you!

Ill hafta do a bit more research on the column deal. A '67 guy on V8 swears they interchange (within reason); Im still curious about that 85ish conversion. Nobody else saw that?   Bill

[WkillGS]

I don't have direct experience with a 67 column, just heard there are differences. Maybe your other source knows what he's talking about, maybe he doesn't!
I found this thread on a Chevelle forum, shows a comparison of a 66 vs 67 column. The 66 is 2" tube, 67 is 2.25". There are also differences in the lower support plate and how the upper column attaches to the dash. It doesn't appear to be a simple swap!
https://www.chevelles.com/forums/45-chevelle-tech/267932-differnces-between-1966-1967-steering-columns.html

And some pics on eBay.... the 67/68 are supposedly the same:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1967-67-1968-68-BUICK-SKYLARK-GRAN-SPORT-GS-340-350-400-STEERING-COLUMN-CUSTOM/283874146022?hash=item421837b6e6:g:YY0AAOSwkhxephGA

And a 64-66 column pic on the bottom (again from eBay):