So I found this car on a classified and he says that it is an all aluminum engine. Would this be correct? What size would it be? Thanks, looks like a cool car.
How is the parts availability for that engine, I only found one other person on the HAMB with the same car/engine.
Really neat cars, try to join a Buick forum for some parts vendors. The BCA and AACA have buick forums and links. Good luck
Intersting, my pops has one he rebuilt for a sand car project. He put a whoppin 3 grand into it. I wanna find a good project car for it. Any more info on differant parts for this engine would be helpfull. His engine has a gm 3 speed attached to I believe.
Here is his description: This car is in good shape. It has 5 dents in it and a little rust around the fenders.the odometer reads 61,972 of actual miles. It has an all aluminum motor, but does not run. The retractable and all its parts are with the car. Where else do convertibles usually rust, in the rear floor and trunk? He is asking $2,500 firm. I am not very familiar with Buicks, is this a good price? Thanks.
You can always try a lower cash offer but I'd say $2500 is a fair price for that car, especially a convertible with a 215. From 1961 to 1963, Buick and the contempary cars at Olds and Pontiac, the Starfire, Tempest, ect., were really leading the technology parade of the times. Compact cars with mileage in mind in a time of increasing displacement and big car performance. These cars offered new technology such as aluminum engines, performance four cylinder motors, turbocharging, alcohol injection, transaxles with flexible drive shafts and IRS for better weight distribution and handling. Maybe not the hottest cars of the day, but ones that significant contributions technology wise used by later generations. These cars have a dedicated following but are still relatively unknown and don't get the level of respect they probably deserve.
I just sold a '62 Skylark last summer. Drove it all over for over 5 years. I still have many parts for these baby Buicks. You can get build the 215 to over 300hp. (stock 195). My youngest has one built with a 4 speed and a posi. They are neat little car fun cars. I gave mine up for a Reatta.
Is it a V8? Your post Doesn't say for sure. My 1962 Buick Special has the aluminum V6. I know the Skylark had the V8 and everyone posting on this thread is talking about the 215, but have you seen under the hood of the car in question?
Wasn't the V-6 a "shortened" cast iron version of the aluminum 215 ? I had one in a '64 Olds F-85 and left part of the bottom end of that motor laying on the pavement one night. Not exactly the most durable powerplant I've ever driven.
I had the 215 in an F-85 Old's. Great little car with good performance. Quite a few speed parts were available and I imagine still are. The only weak part on this car was the trannie and I'm sure that had nothing to do with how I drove the thing as a teenager
I guess it doesn't say if it is a V8 or not. When people say it is a smaller car are we talking Falcon size?
The 61-63 Special/Skylark were some of GM's first unit body cars (no frame). In our area (Mi) they were very prone to rust - everywhere ! The body structure is made up of numerous sheet metal reinforcements in the rocker area - not rustproofed. Once the rust worms get through the rocker panels, it very quickly eats through all of these reinforcements - very difficult ro fix. Also rusts through around the front shock tower and structure up there. This is over and beyond the usual floor/trunk rust! So, I guess I'm saying - look it over CAREFULLY for rust. And probably pass on a badly rusted car, unless you have a LOT of bodywork experience - and a lot of time. Otherwise, these are neat cars - the 215 V8 is a great little engine - parts are readily available at www.aluminumV8.com - great people to deal with. $2500 is a good price for a convertible with minimal rust. Good luck.
Any Buick V6 from the factory in the early 60's would have been cast iron. If the motor is aluminum- it's the 215. I would check to see that unique parts like the glass / convertible top aren't prohibitively expensive. If you want to use it as a cruiser, I'd research that 215 a little more. Parts availability just isn't there. for instance- what is the compression ratio of that motor, and how would you arraive a streetable one? Also- those motors did develop detrimental problems if they were mistreated at all.
What the folks have told you is pretty much correct. The Deluxe model, which is what your picture is of, had the aluminum V8, a really good running little engine. Buick had some problems with aluminum, mainly because owners were not real careful to keep the right level of special coolant to water mix in the cooling system. If you took precautions, no problems. The Deluxe model had the fancier hubcaps, chrome strip down the side line (both shown in your picture,) and usually a power top. Most had the bucket seat option, as it was about a $65 addon option. I bought a brand new Cameo Cream Deluxe right out of college and it was the car love of my life. I would likely still have it had an uninsured illegal not t-boned me and totaled it. I recently had the itch to bring one back into my life, so found one for a little higher price than what you are talking about. It has more rust than I really would like to deal with, is not the Deluxe - has the cast iron V6, although that will be OK for me - parts easy to find, and it will be a good cruiser. The interior is extremely rough as well. I notice that yours has both windshield wipers - that is good, as mine doesn't and that presents more work for passing Texas inspections. I have had a devil of a time trying to locate a front turn signal lens - more issues with Texas inspection rules. Can't be patched and I haven't found any source of a replacement yet. These are really nice little vehicles. The lines are some of the nicest Buick had, in my opinion. I have owned the convertible, wife had a coupe of same year (and blue), my folks bought a white Skylark - all because they liked mine so much. I also later owned a '62 Electra 225. All great cars. After my mother passed, I inherited her Wildcat - big car, big engine! Would hate to be trying to feed it at today's pump prices! If this little car you are considering is relatively rust free, you ought to grab it. You will enjoy it, and you're getting a better deal than I did. I am just hoping mine is not too far gone to save with a reasonable amount of investment in $$ and elbow grease. If you ever run into problems with the aluminum engine, Buick cast iron V6's are available all day long, and parts are readily available. You likely could swap engines and drive the convertible for many fun years. Try real hard to get a Chilton manul for it if the current owner has one. They appear hard to find. Good luck, J. Holmes/Texas
Incidentally, considering the date of your posting, it is likely that you have already made some decision about the car you were looking at. Did you buy it? Hope so. Jim H.
that was a great deal Im looking for a way to drop my 62 Buick Special Wagon, do they make drop spindles or lowering springs for the early buicks? I cant find any.
I had the opportunity to buy one of these once, though - don't recall the exact year. Real cool little car. I thought it was great til it got pulled outside and saw the paint was all bubbled along the rockers after being parked for years over a dirt floor, so my dad and I decided it was a good idea to just pass on it. Hope yours turns out to be in better shape, if the body really is that cancer free then I would consider it a deal.
7900 were made. The 225 odd fire V6 (early ones were 198CID) was a shorted V8 with cast iron with cast iron heads. The all aluminum 215 came as a 2bbl and a 4bbl version. Some of the 4bbl engines were the Oldsmobile castings (stronger) with 6 head bolts. Jeep and Rover used it. Rover has a neat looking lower intake manifold.
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