1969 Buick Skylark Custom 4dr Ht, Runs Drives Inspected, Has Patina, No Reserve! on 2040-cars

I purchased this car 3 years ago or so, as a cool old cruiser that I could tinker on a little bit and enjoy from time to time.  My grandfather had one exactly the same as this when I was a child, although I don't know if this is the same car... he gave up his license in 1992 or 3, and I found this in 2011.  Time has come for me to sell it, partially because I hardly ever drive it (22 miles this year so far!), and partially because I am trying to get my job to transfer me to another area, and it wouldn't be cost effective to bring this with me if I manage to get a new position.

A short version of my description is this: the car is in working order, but I wouldn't use it as a daily driver, because you never know what will go wrong with a car this old.  That, and it doesn't get the greatest fuel economy.  It would be a great restoration candidate, if you can do the work yourself.  As I'm short of spare money or talent, I have preferred to use it as an inexpensive cruiser to enjoy driving around in, and have not worried much about the cosmetics.  It has some patina, so if you can preserve it in its present state it would make a cool rat rod type vehicle.  Here comes the long version:

The car starts, runs and drives, passed PA state safety inspection in January (did not require any work this year), and has a good sticker for the remainder of the year.  Expensive emissions testing is not required, since the 1969 models didn't come with any pollution equipment that I'm aware of.  The car is not currently leaving puddles of anything, although there could be a drip or two... it's 45 years old!  The tires are all fine, the rears are nearly new, the fronts are worn probably 40-50%.  This is a manual drum brakes car, as most were back then. They work fine, but younger drivers may find it a handful at first.  When I bought this, my dad commented that he had no idea how my grandmother ever managed to stop theirs; I think people were built just a little stronger then.

The engine is a Buick 350 with a Holley 750 double pumper (manual choke), and a cam. It runs well and has loads of power.  Quiet exhaust so it doesn't annoy neighbors that don't like cars.  Transmission is a rebuilt turbo 350 which shifts pretty firmly. More specifics on drivetrain below.  No leaks or strange noises that I've noticed. The exhaust is clean as can be for a pre-emissions carbureted engine.

The interior is not too shabby, serviceable but not close to show quality.  The carpet is fine, and the original Buick floor mats are present and in ok shape.  The dash is in good shape and uncracked.  The AM radio (mono, but with 1 each front and rear speaker) works, but the tuning knob doesn't seem to do much lately (the presets do work, though, for changing station).  There is a tear in the headliner over the left rear seat passenger's head, with what looks like some water damage around it.  I never noticed a leak there, but I don't use this car much when the weather is poor, so that could just be old damage.  I know the tear was there when I bought it.  Some of the interior is getting discolored (off-white turning to nearly tan from age in some spots, like the door pulls).  Also there is splitting in the seams on the drivers seat bottom, which I have been keeping covered by a small blanket so it won't get worse.

The body is presentable from a distance, and in better condition than many 10-15 year old cars, but again, it's not a show car.  The blue paint, is a respray, but I don't know when it was done.  The original paint had a bit more green than this, based on the underside of the trunklid, the door jams, and under the hood.  There are a few scratches here and there from kids running into it with their bikes, etc.  The biggest issue cosmetically is the rust.  The right front fender has a hole about the size of a ping pong ball near the bottom.  There is rust over both rear wheels, but it's worse on the right side.  There is rust in both quarter panels, again, worse on the right side.  The right quarter actually had some bondo fall out, and I had to have some metal screwed on over the hole to pass inspection.  Not pretty, but it works, and it's what I can afford.  The floors however are good, no repairs needed there that I'm aware of.  The car came to me with no hubcaps, the ones that are on it are not correct, but they look better than black steel wheels.

There are many repairs that I have made, and which I still have notes from the previous owner about what he did, so here's the combined list: previous owner rebuilt 1972 Buick 350 (not original engine), installed Holley 750 double pumper, installed TA perf. C118 cam (slight lope at idle), transmission is rebuilt 1969 TH350 with a shift kit and reworked valve body(it still shifts automatically though), 700r4 sprag race and all borg warner clutches and plates. It will handle a mild big block, according to previous owner. I had some seals redone on the transmission as it was leaking. Also previous owner repaired the original trans crossmember (welded new ends onto it) and installed repop frame brackets and isolators (from TA performance). Factory 12 bolt rear (non posi), as this car was built in Canada and the Canada ones got 12 bolts, US got 10. New motor mounts and belts, about 4000 miles since rebuild of engine and trans. Stock exhaust manifolds, new studs, nuts and bolts. Rest of exhaust is new. New wheel cylinders and shoes out back. Battery is newer, voltage regulator is newer (I have the original one, in case you want to use the original metal Delco housing, since they're all made in China now).

Aside from the original voltage regulator, a few other parts that I have can come with the sale.  I have the whip antenna, but I do not have the set screw to hold it on, which is why it's not on the car in the pictures.  I also have a set of halogen headlamps and sockets from a BMW which I have removed from their housing.  All you would need to do is make the wiring work with the 9005/9006 type headlight , and they will fit in place of the headlights, and give you a better look and brighter headlights.  I also have a transmission pan gasket that was not needed when I had the transmission resealed a year or two ago.

So, that's the long and short of it.  I figure I've probably put a couple thousand into the upkeep and improvement of this car, as did the previous owner, but I've also enjoyed having it, and now I need to get it out of my backyard.  I'd love to get back what I put in, but if I don't, fine.  Winning bidder pays cash, we transfer the title at a notary, then it leaves my yard as is.  I will not be driving it while the auction is posted, so the mileage will not be going up, nor should there be any news to report.  No bs "document fees" or anything, whatever the auction ends at, is what you owe me.  CASH.  No credit cards, no checks, no Paypal.  CASH.  It's probably not going to be that expensive anyway!  Any shipping etc. must be arranged and paid by the winning bidder... I'll work with you and your shipper but I won't arrange it.