65GS.com - Buick Gran Sport Enthusiasts!
Announcements => New Members / Bio's => Topic started by: 65Verde3spd on May 22, 2009, 01:51:49 PM
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Hi Guys!
I'm new to the group, but I've owned my 65 Hardtop GS 3 speed for about 5 years. It's currently in for paint and body, so I'll post some pics of it as soon as it returns.
A little about me:
1) Certifiable Oldsmobile nut
2) Becoming a certifiable 65 GS nut
3) Want to learn a lot more about 65 GS's
4) Hope to help some of you with the knowledge I have collected over the years
5) 36 y/o married with 2 daughters
A little about my GS:
Bought it in 2004 from the third owner. The second owner had the car from 1975 - 2000. The car is factory Verde Green with Saddle interior. Factory 3 speed stick, no console. Factory Posi, PS, Clock, Rear Speaker, wide beltline trim on doors, reverse lights, wheel-opening stainless trim.
The car is all numbers matching down to the correct carb tag. Luckily, it was never mechanically molested. However, the second owner's son decided it would be cool to shave the doorhandles and all exterior badges from the car. I have retuned the badges and handles to their rightful places (with the help of two super-cherry GS doors I got from a friend) and am now in the process of having the finish bodywork and paint done. It will be repainted the original Verde Green.
The options I have added to the car are a consolette, power brakes (that thing was a beast to drive without PB!!) and a remote drivers mirror. Over the past 5 years, I've just cruised around in it. Now, I'm jumping in to the restoration. The car runs strong (very fast!) and the factory 3-speed tranny really draws some attention from the Buick guys. I'm coming to realize that these are pretty unique with that gearbox.
My first car was a '51 Olds 88 2 door, which I bought when I was 14, drove to High School, and still own. It's done as a 50's era custom, and currently sits in black epoxy primer with white tuck n' roll interior. All 50's stuff, with original 50's era speed equipment on the original OHV V8.
I'm also restoring a '37 Studebaker Coupe Express pick-up, which was purchased new in '37 by my Grandfather. If anyone's interested, I can go on for days about that one.
My last car is a '65 Olds 4-4-2 Hardtop. All original, numbers match. Bought it from the nephew of the original owner. Not a 4-speed car, but still a kick to roll around in. Factory yellow (Buick called it "Bamboo Creme", can't remember Old's name for it) with a black top and black buckets.
My brother and Dad are also gearheads, with other cars in the stable. In the end, we've "got the illness".
I would love to get my hands on an original 3 speed shifter and linkage (a previous ower swapped in a hurst unit), if anyone knows where one is lying around.
Looking forward to getting to know you guys, and thanks for building a great site dedictated to this great car!
Darin
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Glad to have you aboard! Most people have never even seen one of the 3-speed '65 GS cars--I have only seen pictures myself. That factory shifter will be hard to find, but this is definitely the place to ask. I will tell you that once you find a factory shifter, you will wish you had kept the Hurst in it once you drive the car for the first time with it!
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Welcome Darin,
Like Brian said, you've got one of the rarer ones there and it's great to have you join the club.
Please do me a favor and hold off on putting it in the registry as I have rewrote the entire registry section and will be relaunching it this weekend.
Can't wait to see some pictures and learn more about your car.
Chris
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Hello, Darin are you from Washington state or Washington DC? This site is verey helpfull and A lot of good people.
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Thanks for the warm welcome, guys. Chris - I'll wait to put my car in the registry so you can upload the new form. I'm from Washington State (sorry, us "left coast" guys forget about the other Washington sometimes). I'll post a pic of the build sheet I found in the upper springs of the rear seat when I did the interior restoration. I'd like to know what some of the codes mean. I was really excited to find this sheet. Do any of you have examples of others? I've heard that you can sometimes find them on top of the gas tank, but I also talked to a guy who worked at a GM plant in the 60's, and he said a lot of times they just trashed them at the end of the line. The sheet was kinda hammered, but hopefully you can see it in the pic. I actually like the Hurst shifter that's in it, but it just doesn't look right with the flat shifter bar. I'm just going to fab an adapter to mount and original style (round) shift handle to it until I can figure something else out. Later.
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Welcome Darin,
You do have one of the more rare options there.
Sounds like a nice stable of cars. Think the Stude is a cool ride and with family history,well, that just makes it special. I too like that truck.
I think some of the rest of us would sometimes also like to forget that there is a Washington on the east side. Plan on visiting Washington state sometime.
Loren
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Welcome Darin!
Sounds like a great combo. The 3 speeds are underrated, they work well with the torque of the Nailhead.
I can't wait to see pics of it, as I have a vert project with the same Verde green/ Saddle colors....reminds me of old Jaguars in British racing green and tan leather interior....a classic color choice for sure.
As an 442 enthusiast, you may be familiar with this site:
http://www.442bro.com/
Lots of great info there. Much of which can be applied to our GS's.
The build sheet you posted is a body build sheet, put there by Fisher Body.
We're working on a decoder, still have some blanks. Some info is from other years, and may not be correct for 1965.
I'll take a shot at it:
Group 1:
W- tinted windshield
O- usually 2-tone paint. doesn't seem to be correct in your case.
Group 2:
B- 3 speed manual
C- rear defroster? (or maybe rear speaker?)
Group 3:
C-
H- a molding of some sort. I'll bet it's the wide belt molding.
Group 4:
S- tilt steering wheel?
Group 5:
W- Wheel opening moldings.
Another source says it's Deluxe seat belts with retractors.
.....you get the idea. We have some missing info. Maybe Chris has come up with more info.
Any questions, just ask!
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Welcome Darin! I was really hoping you still had the orig. shift boot as I was reading you post. There are not many non-console manual cars out there. The Hurst shifter was a common change.
Mark
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BTW Darin.. I don't know if you've read the announcement yet but the Registry relaunch is now ready. www.65gs.com/registry.html
We are all dieing to see pictures of that 3 Speed! ;D
I would also encourage any other members out there to please take a couple of minutes and please register your cars.
Since everything is now database driven, even if you registered recently in the old system or registered on paper years ago, it would help us out greatly to enter your information in just one more time so that it's up to date and it's one last registration that will need manually moved over from the old system.
In preparing for the registry, please have some pictures of your firewall tag, door jamb tag (you'll need the VIN number from here also) engine, interior and exterior. These will all get uploaded into the on-line registration form.
Remember that we are wanting all 65GS's in the registry and it does not matter if the car has been parted out, under restoration or a trailer queen.... we want to know about them. ;D
Thanks guys!
Chris
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Mark,
I'm not sure I have the shifter boot you are looking for. My car has a consolette, but there is no boot on it and there is a boot through the floor. You can see part of it in the attached picture. If this is what you are looking for, I'll take a better picture and check out it's condition more thoroughly.
Welcome Darin! Sorry to highjack your intro thread..........
Cheers!
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Welcome and show us your car please. >:(
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Chuck,
If you get the consolette off at some point, post a pic of the boot. I'd like to see how close it is to mine. Thanks!
Mark
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Mark,
Here are a couple of pictures of the boot. Let me know if you need a different angle or anything else......
Cheers!
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Hi Darrin, welcome! I was just asking about driving a 3-speed, so your comments are very welcome.
I was hoping one would find its way into my garage, but ended up with a 4-speed; had to get a 69 to satisfy my 3-speed "need". Cheers,
http://65gs.com/board/index.php/topic,190.0.html
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Where abouts in Washington are you?? I'm out in Raymond myself. Haven't seen you (I would remember the car) at any of the shows.