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Thinking of buying a 1962 Skylark


Ohjai

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I am thinking of buying a 1962 Skylark and these two are available on the web.  Does anyone have any knowledge of the cars or these two dealers?

 

Is anyone aware of other 62s available for sale?

 

Thank you

 

https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/buick/skylark/2439967.html

 

https://www.myhotcars.com/1962-buick-skylark-c-1894.htm#details-2

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Jack Brabham used a derivative of the Buick 215 Aluminum V8 to win a F1 championship. Is a neat engine particularly with a four speed. White & red interior is a nice combo. Not seeing any pictures from underneath, needs to be inspected for rust

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Jim, my impression is that the first dealer

(C. C. Cars) sells cars that aren't as nice

in quality:  That's their market niche. 

Internet reviews of their business have been

very mixed:

 

https://www.yelp.com/biz/country-classic-cars-staunton

 

I don't know them, but it would pay you to

see the car yourself--maybe more so than with

other sellers.

 

You should be able to save yourself some money

if you are patient and buy from a private party.

Consider also placing a want-ad posting in the

"Buick Buy/Sell" category on this forum.  Plenty

of Buick fans stay within the Buick categories and

will see your request there.

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Both cars look nice, though the second looks a little nicer. $15K-$20K is pretty optimistic for a Y-body car, though prices have been inching up as people see these as lower cost alternatives to the 64-72 A-body cars. Be aware that these cars are not well supported in the aftermarket and there are nearly no reproduction parts available. Even normal maintenance items like brakes, suspension, and steering parts are difficult and expensive to get. In some cases Rare Parts is the only vendor making new replacement items, though old-stock brand name parts like Moog and TRW can be found with some searching.

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I have had a 1962 Skylark convertible for 30 years. Pretty much the exact same one in the second link. The 215 V8 is a great engine. It has a long history right up through the early '90s. I haven't had any issues getting mechanical parts for this car. Most are readily available from places like Kanter, Cars, OPGI, etc. Body and trim can be a little more challenging, but for such a rare car, they seems to be out there if you look. The Dual Path tranny has a tendency to leak, so look out for that. Definitely check for rust. It's a unibody car so rust, especially on a convertible, can be a problem if it attacks any structural areas. I'd be happy to answer any specific questions and there is an active group on Facebook with lots of knowledge.

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3 hours ago, SteveMaz said:

The Dual Path tranny has a tendency to leak, so look out for that. 

 

I have heard that all Dynaflow transmissions

leak a bit--my Dynaflow is a 1957--but Steve

clearly has more Skylark-specific knowledge.

 

Thanks, Steve, for the information (for all of us

Buick fans) that only a knowledgeable owner 

can give.

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6 hours ago, Ohjai said:

I am thinking of buying a 1962 Skylark and these two are available on the web.

...Is anyone aware of other 62s available for sale?

 

Jim, are you looking only for a convertible, or is

a 2-door hardtop okay?  How about a 4-door--

which, since people preserve the glamorous models,

is now probably much scarcer than the more "desirable"

body styles?  How far are you willing to

travel to find the right one?  Are there any colors

that you definitely prefer, or do not want?

 

As you probably know, the best example for you

might be half a country away.

 

Here is a 4-door in apparently outstanding condition,

said to have all paperwork from new.  A car like this

probably survived only due to the exceptional care

of an owner:

 

https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/cars-for-sale/buick/skylark/2439253.html

 

75259216-770-0@2X.jpg?rev=1

75259205-770-0@2X.jpg?rev=1

Edited by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)
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As previously mentioned, you should post a "car wanted" ad in the Buick Forums on this site.  Of the two cars you posted, the "Hot Cars" ad has the much nicer car.  It appears to be in better all-around condition and has the correct interior.  Also the engine compartment has the correct color on the air cleaner and valve covers.

 

I've owned a 1962 Skylark convertible for two years.  It's a fun car and a pleasure to drive.  The weak link on these cars is the dual-path automatic transmission.  I had mine rebuilt last fall, it was expensive, but now the car drives great.  The car had 111,000 miles at the time of the rebuild.  I also had the brakes redone.  I've had no trouble finding mechanical parts for the car.  The power top mechanism on mine is acting up, it can be fixed, but I advise checking the condition of those parts when inspecting one for sale.

 

Search the Buick forums for a topic I posted in 2018 when I was looking for one of these cars.  I believe the title was "What to Look for When Buying a 1961-62 Skylark".  Pete Phillips, the Buick Bugle editor and former Skylark owner gave a great answer that helped my search.  I posted a day or two before travelling to see a 1961 Skylark coupe.  That car had rust on the A-pillars and behind the rear windows.  It looked good in the on-line ad photos, but not when I saw it in person. 

 

 

If I was computer savvy enough to link ads to this forum, I'd link you to a 1962 Coupe for sale in New Jersey advertised with 47,000 miles.  I saw it on facebook marketplace.  Good luck in your search.

IMG_86131.jpg

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Thinking back a few years a good friend briefly owned an exceptional 62 4d sedan. Car was nice when he got it and nicer yet when he got bored with it in 2 years and sold it. It went to Dubai and he made a lot of money on that little beige Buick.

 

He's the kind who likes good original cars, detail and upgrade what needs it, then when he can't find anything more to improve without crossing the fine line between originality and restoration, gets bored and sells it. Then within a year he's found another one.

 

He had a 95 Caprice wagon that I really wish I had bought.

 

 

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27 minutes ago, padgett said:

Are lots of parts for the Buick 215 V8 in the UK. Cutlass even had a 215hp turbo version. Key is to make sure the antifreeze is good and is not water, aluminum can corrode.

 

I'll second the corrosion problem. My 62 F85 wagon sat in the NV desert for 30 years before I got it. They has left plain water in the cooling jacket. It had corroded through. The Rover parts in the UK are either aftermarket performance parts (and expensive) or Rover replacement parts that unfortunately don't directly apply for the most part. Rover changed to a crank-driven gearrotor oil pump, which changed the front cover, crank snout, and other parts. They also went from the Buick "five bolt" head bolt pattern to a square "four bolt" pattern. The good news is that Rover changed to a sand casting process and cured the block porosity problem that GM had. They also went to cross-bolted mains on the later 4.0 and 4.6 liter versions. Mechanical parts for the GM 215 are easy to get. It's the rest of the car that's the problem.

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Thank you all.  I agree with the comments about Country Classic Car.  I have driven past there many times and never stopped. Don't think it is worth the d hour drive to look.

 

I checked with the Boss, she says WHITE 2DOOR, soft or hard top does not matter.  Our first new car was white and that is what she wants 59 years later.

 

Steve I tried to find the post you referenced, I found the topic, but not the advice from the  Bugle editor.

 

John, I saw that one in SD, requested info but have not heard back from him.  Since then the Boss said no, she WANTS white.  I really am not complaining about white, that is the color I want and my Bride has never complained about any of the cars brought home.

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A lot of those aluminum engines were done in by corrosion leading to blown head gaskets. The antifreeze they had back then was corrosive, if you did not change it every 2 years the corrosion inhibitors wore out and if you ran plain water it was also bad for them. I don't think the alloys they had back then were as corrosion resistant as today's.

If you get a good one and keep good antifreeze or coolant in it, there should be no problem. Antifreeze since the 80s has been more compatible with aluminum.

The model was made for a short time, 2 years I think and there are not a lot left making parts and repairs a problem compared to more common cars.

If you find a real nice one for the right price you might consider painting it white. White goes with most any interior color.

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The first one, the 2-door hardtop in Indiana,

looks very nice to me.  The second one does too,

but there are no interior pictures of that second car.

 

Here are 2 pictures copied from the Indiana ad

for reference once the ad is no longer posted.

Note that the garage in the background is surely of

a dedicated hobbyist, who has a bit of money to

spare and room to keep his cars well cared for.

To me, that's a very good sign:

 

Image may contain: car and outdoor

Image may contain: people sitting

 

 

Edited by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)
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2 hours ago, John_S_in_Penna said:

The first one, the 2-door hardtop in Indiana,

looks very nice to me.  The second one does too,

but there are no interior pictures of that second car.

 

Here are 2 pictures copied from the Indiana ad

for reference once the ad is no longer posted.

Note that the garage in the background is surely of

a dedicated hobbyist, who has a bit of money to

spare and room to keep his cars well cared for.

To me, that's a very good sign:

 

 

 

 

 

Definitely a very nice Skylark. Only possible negative would be the interior is not original. The seat upholstery is not right and the white painted metal should be painted the interior color, if that's important to you. Still a nice looking car and probably well taken care of.

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23 hours ago, 58L-Y8 said:


It is that same advert that got me hooked! Something about the simple but elegant styling of this coupe appeals. So much so that I have my ‘38 Buick up for sale so I can fund a ‘63 coupe when I find a goodun’. I also tried the contact details in the advert without success.
 

and for Ohjai Jim. Good luck with your search and I agree, a white two door convertible or coupe is nice. However there is a nice ‘63 convertible in Diplomat Blue with white interior for sale that she might like!

Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀

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17 hours ago, padgett said:

GF in early 70s had a Cutlass that was a very nice car but terrible in an Autocross.

 

Just a "tad" off topic? Would you agree? We went from a 62 BUICK Skylark to a 70's OLDSMOBILE and autocross?  Let's help the original poster in his quest 

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13 minutes ago, John348 said:

 

Just a "tad" off topic? Would you agree? We went from a 62 BUICK Skylark to a 70's OLDSMOBILE and autocross?  Let's help the original poster in his quest 

 

I've never understood the need for people to do this. You see this most frequently on Facebook, where, in an ad trying to sell a car, someone will post a photo of their completely unrelated car. WTF? In what universe is something like that even remotely relevant?

 

(and please let's not now devolve this thread into a rant about Facebook... 🙄)

Edited by joe_padavano (see edit history)
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Sorry guess I need to learn English. GF in 70s had a '62 Cutlass with the Aluminum V8 (same chassis as Skylark)

 

OH nooo was in early 1970s that a GF in 20s had a 1962 Cutlass (badge engineered Y-body same as Skylark). Read my mime.

Edited by padgett (see edit history)
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2 hours ago, John348 said:

 

Just a "tad" off topic? Would you agree? We went from a 62 BUICK Skylark to a 70's OLDSMOBILE and autocross?  Let's help the original poster in his quest 

John I have been reading your posts in regards to what Padgett comments on and I wish you would lay off. If you weren't always looking at his comments so criticly you would see that he was on topic and his correction verified it. 

The man has thousands of posts is very well read and knowledgable and is probably not going to stop. I think a polite correction or no comment is a better way to handle this.

Edited by DAVES89 (see edit history)
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1 hour ago, DAVES89 said:

John I have been reading your posts in regards to what Padgett comments on and I wish you would lay off. If you weren't always looking at his comments so critically you would see that he was on topic and his correction verified it. 

The man has thousands of posts is very well read and knowledgeable and is probably not going to stop. I think a polite correction or no comment is a better way to handle this.

 

What do you expect when a person tries to bait people for enjoyment, derailing a topic for their own pleasure/prestige? 

In a recent post today: BTW I often use creative spelling as a canary trap.

Open your eyes Dave.

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My wife had a '63 Skylark and it was a blast to drive in the city.  It had a lot of neat options (p/w, a/c, remote mirrors, etc) but the paint & body were fair at best.  The 215 gave us no trouble and IIRC the only hang-up in finding parts was for the windshield washer pump.  There look to be some nice '62 examples above!

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Five decades ago I had a 1963 Cutlass convertible, and a friend had a 1962 Skylark convertible. I suspect that his car came from eastern Washington, where salt on the roads was more prevalent, the reason being rust out of the lower rear quarter. I made my choice on the basis of styling of the Olds, but I could afford to be choosey in those days. From time to time I get the yen to have another one. Today a choice between the Olds and the Buick would be strictly on condition. I found the interiors to be less durable then I would have hoped for. So I assume that most cars today have had the interiors replaced by now. The other problem spot might be their automatic transmissions. Would someone knowledgeable be willing to compare and contrast the Buick's trans with the Slim Jim used in the Cutlass? I'm not tying to hijack to thread, I think the information might be valuable. 

 

 

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Looks like a missing splash shield. That would make me suspect collision work.

 

On the transmissions, six of one half dozen of the other. They were light-duty transmissions and the big car versions they were derived from weren't anything to write home about. Parts are not an issue, finding someone who'll tackle a repair on one is the problem. Never understood the General's thinking on pushing those lightweight boxes in early 60s.

 

If the black one has a 401 that would be one evermore beast of a BOPette!

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On 1/31/2021 at 11:16 PM, John_S_in_Penna said:

 

Jim, are you looking only for a convertible, or is

a 2-door hardtop okay?  How about a 4-door--

which, since people preserve the glamorous models,

is now probably much scarcer than the more "desirable"

body styles?  How far are you willing to

travel to find the right one?  Are there any colors

that you definitely prefer, or do not want?

 

As you probably know, the best example for you

might be half a country away.

 

Here is a 4-door in apparently outstanding condition,

said to have all paperwork from new.  A car like this

probably survived only due to the exceptional care

of an owner:

 

https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/cars-for-sale/buick/skylark/2439253.html

 

75259216-770-0@2X.jpg?rev=1

75259205-770-0@2X.jpg?rev=1

This car really attracts me, I was tempted to call but I have too many cars. All of the "Y" body four doors have a roof architecture very similar to the "C" body Buick-Olds- Cadillac.

 See the source image

75259219-770-0@2X.jpg?rev=1

I would be all in for this VERY original example.

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Dont waste your time with CCC in Staunton. Any car in stock priced reasonably relative to photos is junk in person. Any car priced 3-4× any price guide is a decent driver at best that will need servicing. They dont bother carrying good stuff. 

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