2x4 in skylark

[Guest evac1133]

there's a 65 skylark g/s for sale on ebay. seller says it's a 401 with factory 2x4 carb set up. my info shows 2x4 was only avaiable on 425 in wildcats and rivs. anybody know any thing about this?

[Guest imported_65gs76limited]

It's a myth.Never offered as a factory or dealer install in 65.

[Guest imported_65gs76limited]

I just looked at the ad.He claims it to be a Superwild Cat 401 from the factory. First,the Superwild Cat option was only offered on the Electra,wildcat and Riviera models.Second,it wasn't a 401 it was a 425 only.This guy is so mis-informed or just plain lying it makes me want to puke.Tom

[Ted "Wildcat65" Nagel]

YEAH!

I like the car though. BUT buyer beware, 4700 BIN? too good to be true.

[Guest brh]

In all my records I cannot locate a 2X4 option of any kind on a 65 Skylark. Wildcat, Riv, etc yes. And only on the 425. This includes an original order sheet from Buick.

[Guest BJM]

Wasn't the 2x4 set up a dealer installed option on Skylark GS's ONLY in 1966? I have never heard of a 65 with the 2x4 set up. BUT if it was offered as a dealer installed option in 66, how about 65? Also, these were the days of the 400 cubic inch limit on engine size in all GM intermediates so if it was only offered on 425's then there is no way it would be installed on 65 GS's as a 425 2x4.

[Buicks Rule]

In 64 and 65 there were a number of demonstrator/pilot cars built to allow dealers to guage customer reaction to a Buick that was fully capable of teaching GTO's some respect. They were awesome cars according to someone who drove one. Some had 425's and may have actually been the real reason GM suddenly instituted the 400 CID rule as BMD was the only one with nothing in size between the 300 and the 401. Could have even been the reason the Gran Sport arrived mid-65 as they had to do some creative math to get a 400.

[Guest brh]

Don't know about 66 but I seriously doubt a dealer would touch the engine and G.M. stand behind the alteration. ???

[Guest BJM]

I think the 66's might have had Buick division help with a covert racing effort. I think I read something a while back regarding a 66 that was set up for racing. Yes! It was in Hemmings Muscle magazine. But the 65's? Still a new concept to Buick in terms of an A body chassis adaptation.

Also, I agree rare muscle sells better at the auction but if I were a buyer I think I would be happy with a 401 4 barrel. That would be more then enough to launch hard and spin the bejesus out the skinny 14 inchers. Adding a little more torque and power would just....spin....the tires more?

But to each their own.

[Guest John Chapman]

I think you're onto something here. In car-crazy Southern California of the mid-60's there were a lot of 'loosly' documented factory pilot cars and special zone ordered cars. These were used to campaign on the many drag strips in the area. They show up every once in a while with pretty good documentation although they'll likely never show up on official factory paperwork. Of SoCal legend are a fair sized handful of early GTOs that were fitted with SD421 motors (exteranlly identical to a 389) and there are many mentions amongst the old timers of early GS coupes with 425 Wildcat motors 'from the factory'. True? Can't prove it... However, the 'flexibility' in the build process in those days lent itself well to the quiet creation of these cars to run the tracks.

Cheers,

JMC