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Thread: Hello from Denmark.

  1. #1

    Hello from Denmark.

    Hello guys.

    Just wanted to say hello.

    My car is a 1962 Buick Skylark 2 door Hardtop 215 V8 with automatic.

    The car has been in our family since 1976. We got the car, when i was one year old.

    My parentes used the car every day until 1984. Summer or winter. It allways drove.

    Then the car was finished. Very rusty and sadly tired. My father started the big task of renovating the car and for allmost 20 years the car was in the garage.

    Parts was very had to find.

    I never thought that the car would ever drive again.

    Last year sadly my father passed away due to braincancer and then i set my mind to, that the car would survive.

    I will post some pictures soon.

    Best Regards

    K. Larsen / Denmark
    Attached Images Attached Images

  2. #2
    if there's anything we can to do help, let us know.

    keep an eye on the classified ads-
    http://www.teambuick.com/classifieds/showcat.php?cat=54


    hopefully you are aware that the 215ci engine is the same thing as the 3.5L Land Rover v8 which was in production up until ~2000.
    The way to crush the bourgeoisie is to grind them between the millstones of taxation and inflation.
    Vladimir Lenin

    Government schooling is about "the perfect organization of the hive."
    H.H. Goddard, Human Efficiency (1920)

  3. #3

    Great Story and Great Restoration. Another "Baby Buick" saved from the crusher.

    I bought my 62 convertible almost 5 years ago shortly after my wife of 45 years passed away. She got a brand new Skylark when she graduated from high school in 1962. We married in 1964 and drove that car on our honeymoon. We kept it until 1967. I have always loved that car body style and when my wife passed away I wanted to find one to remember her by. After long search, I found one on EBay in Chicago. I bought it sight unseen and flew from Atlanta, GA to Chicago in middle of winter to pick it up.

    I was not disappointed in physical appearance of car and it drove relatively well on 800 mile trip from Chicago to Atlanta. Car is all original, except for respray and new convertible top about 12 years ago. Was in Chicago only 1 year, before that in Southern California (where it was built) for about 45 years.

    Since buying car I have done quite a bit of work to improve performance. Very little cosmetic work needed. I have rebuilt 4BBL carb, new water pump, re-manufactured power steering pump and power steering gear (both were leaking fluid fairly heavily), had clock repaired so keeps time, had windshield wiper motor rebuilt, new brakes, replaced original wheels which were damaged at lug holes, all new weather strip, replaced 2 power window switches, replaced headlight switch (old rheostat not working), replaced all shocks and springs, heater control valve, installed "hidden audio" system (original radio works, but AM only), replaced a cracked front vent window, replaced points with electronic ignition, Magnaflow muffler, repaired and painted cracked steering wheel. Biggest fix was complete remanufacture of dual path auto trans. Could not find anyone locally who was familiar with that weird tranny and had to have mine removed and shipped to Indiana to be totally rebuilt at cost of $3,000+.

    I see from your picture gallery that you have power brakes option. How well do they work (compared to modern day brakes?) When I first got my car I thought there was something wrong with power brakes since they did not feel like power. I had a mechanic to look at problem and he found that check valve was missing at booster and vacuum was being lost. Installing check valve helped a little but I still don't think brakes working properly. I just can't remember how good power brakes worked in my wife's Buick 45 years ago. Seems like the power brakes work pretty good when first depress, but then fades. Think still may be leaking vacuum somewhere. Checked holding tank located in fender well but could not find any leaks.

    Saw that you replaced your carpet and you said you got from a US supplier. When I replaced mine about a year ago I tried to find pre-molded OE type replacement from the most popular manufacturers. Although one company listed pre-molded being available for 1962, when I tried to order I found was not available. Only thing that was available was what they call cut and sewn. I bought that and found that it would not fit my application at all. Wound up having to have a local custom upholsterer do job from scratch. Did a great job but cost about twice price of the pre-fabs (which wouldn't fit.)

    My only current concerns are about oil pressure and need for a replacement pig tail harness for ignition switch. I installed an oil pressure gauge sometime ago to replace oil pressure light. I never get a pressure reading above about 22 PSI at cruise speed or at hot idle. My Buick repair manual calls for 33 psi at 2,400 rpm. I don't know whether or not I should be concerned about low pressure reading. I have not noticed any unusual noises coming from engine. I suppose my gauge or sending unit could be faulty.

    Regarding the ignition switch problem, I recently had a short at ignition switch that caused engine to stop dead while cruising one day. My mechanic was able to do a temporary fix but suggested I try to find a replacement for the female pig tail connector. I have thoroughly search internet but have not yet been able to locate either NOS or used part. Could find switch but no pig tail.

    Hope you are enjoying your Skylark as much as I am enjoying mine. Looks like we both have a similar sentimental attachment to the car. Attached are a few pix of my Skylark.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  4. #4
    the 215 should be able to use most of the oil passage upgrade tricks that get used on the Buick v6s and big blocks.

    for the short term, you can run a heavier oil like Rotella 15w-40 ( or thicker ) or try shimming the pressure relief on the oil pump if you feel like getting your hands greasy.

    also, do NOT use Fram filters. use something like an AC-Delco, Wix or Napa Gold.
    The way to crush the bourgeoisie is to grind them between the millstones of taxation and inflation.
    Vladimir Lenin

    Government schooling is about "the perfect organization of the hive."
    H.H. Goddard, Human Efficiency (1920)

  5. #5

    Low Oil Pressure in 215

    Thanks for the tips on addressing low oil pressure, Bob. I just changed my oil using mfg. recommended 10W30 (which I have been using since buying car 4 years ago) and yes, I have been using Fram filter. Next time I change oil I will try thicker oil and different filter as you suggest. I have been meaning to adjust the pressure relief valve but was not certain exactly how to do it. When you say try "shimming" do you mean using something like steel washer(s) in front of or behind the internal spring....Or just adjusting it externally?

  6. #6
    i don't think it has any external adjustment, pg 60-31 details the relief spring:
    http://www.teambuick.com/reference/l...files/60-a.php

    TA sells shim spring kits and adjustable shims:
    http://taperformance.com/products.asp?cat=181
    http://taperformance.com/products.asp?cat=179

    and,of course, shimming the end of the spring is something you can do at home.
    The way to crush the bourgeoisie is to grind them between the millstones of taxation and inflation.
    Vladimir Lenin

    Government schooling is about "the perfect organization of the hive."
    H.H. Goddard, Human Efficiency (1920)

  7. #7

    Oil Pressure in Buick Skylark 215

    Thanks for clarification and additional reference information, Bob. I checked my service manual (for 215 engine) and found identical language regarding oil pressure relief valve as that which you provided in the manual for 225 V6. I had seen an adjustable oil pressure regulator in CARS Inc Skylark catalog and just assumed that it was a stock part in my Skylark. The part in that catalog looks identical to the one in the TA link that you sent me, only the TA part #1502 is half the price of the CARS part. Would trying the #1502 adjustable regulator without going with the complete pump replacement kit (at least initially) be a reasonable option to try increasing oil pressure (if in fact I need to increase the pressure?) I checked my oil pressure gauge again. With engine hot, at idle, pressure reads approx 20 psi. At cruising speed of 50 mph (have no tach so don't know exact RPM) gauge reads approx 26 psi but will not go above approx 27, regardless of higher MPH. My service manual says normal pressure should be 33# at 2,400 rpm. Would you consider 26-27# vs. recommended #33 to be abnormally low? If so, do you think using the adjustable relief valve (with or without heavier weight oil?) would raise pressure sufficiently? Appreciate your technical knowledge.

  8. #8
    your pressure reading don't sound right. otoh, both your pump AND your gauge / sending unit are likely quite old. there could be problems at either end.

    common issue for the pump is that the steel pump gears wear into the aluminum timing cover, creating too much clearance on the sides of the gears and making it difficult to build pressure. this can be fixed with a TA shim kit OR a new pump housing.

    you can also source a larger diameter oil pickup from a late 70s Buick 350 or v6.

    http://www.buickperformanceclub.com/oilpumpwear.htm

    of course, the stock oil pressure sending unit is poorly placed anyways. if you get to feeling frisky it's better to relocate the sender to the rear of the block. there's two ways to show good pressure on a front mounted sender while not getting oil to the rear Main bearing:
    1 - get too many miles on the engine, bearing clearances open up and most of the oil bleeds out in the front bearings, starving the rear
    2 - oil sits too long and starts caking up, blocking passages off

    http://www.buickperformanceclub.com/Oilmods.htm




    and found identical language regarding oil pressure relief valve as that which you provided in the manual for 225 V6.


    that is the one nice thing about Buick small block v8s. there may not be much made specifically for them, but due to their bizarre production history you can source parts from all kinds of weird places. Buick v6s, 215, 300, 340 and 350 v8s and Land Rover v8s up until the 1990s ( ?, not sure, any NON gerotor Rover oil pump cover should be fine ) timing covers can all be used.
    The way to crush the bourgeoisie is to grind them between the millstones of taxation and inflation.
    Vladimir Lenin

    Government schooling is about "the perfect organization of the hive."
    H.H. Goddard, Human Efficiency (1920)

  9. #9
    I have just got a engine rebulit completely (the total cost ended at 10.000 $) and have also got a new oil pump kit.

    This delivers a higher presure than the stock pump.

    The car is now in very good shape.








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  10. #10
    Just a few pictures of my project






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