1966 Buick Skylark GS Pushes Serious Performance

By Steven Symes Aug 14, 2019

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By Steven Symes Aug 14, 2019

This upscale American muscle car also looks fantastic

While people flock to certain classic American muscle cars, you’d be wise to not overlook the Buick stable. Case in point: this 1966 Buick Skylark Gran Sport. While to some it might not look like anything too quick, those who know are well aware just what kind of performance this car is pushing.

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["1966 Buick Skylark GS Pushes Serious Performance"]

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What matters most is what’s stuffed under the hood. There will be much tire shredding using the Wildcat 401ci V8, which has a 4.18 x 3.64-inch bore and stroke with a 10.25:1 compression ratio, plus hydraulic lifters. That setup is good for a peak 325-horsepower and a monstrous 445 lb.-ft. of torque. You shouldn’t let those figures scare you, because the included automatic transmission makes this Skylark GS much easier to handle. So does power steering and power brakes, both installed in the factory.

Even though there’s no massive blower sticking out of the hood, this Buick still looks good from any angle. Silky smooth red paint and dazzling brightwork combine with a solid vinyl roof. Body panel gaps look good from stem to stern. The whole thing rolls on Magnum 500 wheels

The period-correct interior comes with some nice extras, like factory air conditioning and a wood steering wheel. Black cloth seats and carpeting show zero signs of wear, plus there are nice Buick floormats. All the charming factory controls and gauges are present, while a pod of three aftermarket white-faced gauges in a chrome housing are mounted discretely below the dash.

It was in 1964 that GM decided to shift the Skylark from a compact platform to the new A-body. The next year the Gran Sport launched as a sub-model of the Skylark, entering the same market space as the Pontiac GTO. Once 1967 rolled around the Gran Sport was transformed into its own model line, which became legendary. Now is your time to grab this piece of muscle car history, which is being offered by Skyway Classics.