• The Buick GS started life back in 1965 as many GM intermediate muscle cars did, as an option on an existing model. Through fine tning, it would become one of the most formidable muscle cars of all time -- from a company not normally associated with performance. • The success of the 1964 Pontiac GTO encouraged Buick to produce a muscle car of their own. General Motors placed a coroprate maximum of 400 cubic inches in their intermediates, but Buick just simply renamed the 401 the "400" and slipped it into the Skylark to create the Buick Skylark Gran Sport. Called the Wildcat 445 (due to its torque rating), this Buick engine dated back to the 1950's and was known as the "Nailhead" due to the size of its valves. All Skylark Gran Sports (hardtop, pillared coupe, and convertible) recieved the convertible's beefed up frame and a special suspension. The model was an instant success and almost 70,000 were sold in 1965.
• In 1999 I traded my Dirt Bike, a 1985 XR200R,for a Red 1965 Buick GS with a black top, that looks like the one below,except mine is a piece. Right now I have the body off the frame in my garage and am waiting for my body mounts to come in so I can start putting it back together. I restored the frame which was rotted all over, and after I get the body back on I am going to rebuild the 401c.i engine. It has 32,000 Origional miles on it. It was sitting for eight years before I got it. It had brand new tires on it, but from sitting on a dirt floor they are dry rotted on the sides. I am hoping I can get this car done by the time im 16, which isnt too far away. Its got a 2 speed in it with the shifter on the floor. Right now im welding the floor on the drivers side because it has a about a 1 foot square hole in it. I need to find a new gas tank because I got about 4 holes in mine, and I need a new radiator because mine got chopped up by the fan when I was lighting up the tires in my drive way. It wasnt bolted down tight and it came back and hit the fan. I tried welding it but there is just to many holes. I need two bumpers because mine are nice and bent. I might be able to fix em but I would rather get two new ones.
As soon as I get some pictures scanned I will post them on this page.
I finished welding the floor in and my body mounts finally came in. I need to do some work to the trunk because the origional body mount bolts snapped off in there and i have to cut them out and put new plates in to bolt onto. When I get that on I can drop the body back down, I have it all lined up and ready to go. After that i have to cut out the rear quarter pannels because they are rotted.I still didnt get the pictures scanned but I will.
I got the bolts out of the trunk and fixed that. I cut out the quarter panels, made new ones and welded them in. Soon the body will be back on.
I finished patching up all the small stuff and making the quarter panels solid, then I dropped the body down so it is about 5 inches of the frame, then I put all the body mounts in place. Now I just have to do is reposition all the jacks and drop it down the rest of the way.
1965 Buick Gran Sport
Engine: 401 V8 "Wildcat 445"
Horsepower: 325 @ 4400 rpm
Torque: 445 lb-ft @ 2800 rpm
Performance: 0-60 in 6.8 sec
1/4 mile in 14.9 @ 95 mph
The reason the engine was referred to as the 400, instead of the 401 was General Motors had a mandate against equiping intermediate cars with engines greater than 400 cubic engines.
Painted Hampton Blue, which is a blueish-green color
Bore and Stroke - 4.1875" x 3.640"
Compression Ratio - 10.25:1
Horsepower - 325 hp @ 4400 RPM
Torque - 445 ft. lbs. @ 2800 RPM
The Carburerator was a Carter AFB 4V.
Distributor Number - 1111055
Firing Order is 1-2-7-8-4-5-6-3 with the left bank from front to back being 2-4-6-8 and the right being 1-3-5-7.
Intake Casting Number - 1363782
Head Casting Number - 1196914
Block Casting Number - 1364705
1965 Buick GS Convertable
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