Another Buick-69 Skylark GS

[DoctorLarry]

Lately I have been straying outside of my normal G3 (1973-77) Pontiac builds. I moved over to a 73 Buick Century GS and 75 and 76 Buick Indy Pace Cars (still G3's, though). I am in the middle of doing a 74 GTO hatchback and a NASCAR 77 Buick Century side project but decided to add another ground up scratchbuilt, a 69 Buick Skylark.  I always had a strange affinity for the side swoop and Buicks and Pontiacs have some of the most unusual (and very hard to re-create) body lines. So this will be based on a 68 Chevelle body but the rest will have to be built from scratch.  There were a couple of resin kits of this (Perry's and J&J, I think) in a 68 version but they are long gone. I also love the lime green and olive green cars of the era and this one was particularly attractive in both hues. Keep in mind this is a rough-in shot so the body lines are not fully in place or the final shapes. It should be a challenge to get them all right.

 

[Curt]

Larry, I'm betting you can pull this off!

[DoctorLarry]

Thanks! LOTS of very unique body lines on this one and bumpers are always my biggest fight for some reason-lots of compound curves.

[Reuhkapelti2]

I hear you, Larry. I've been modifying '64 GTO to '65 Skylark. Those bumpers really give a challenge. Good luck with your interesting project. 

[bisc63]

Off to a good start. Make it good enough to cast copies!

[DoctorLarry]

Thanks! LOTS of very unique body lines on this one and bumpers are always my biggest fight for some reason-lots of compound curves.

[DoctorLarry]

Last post duplicated for some reason. This will be a master for a resin kit. Body, hood, bumpers, tub, seats, dash and console. It takes awhile.

[yellowsportwagon]

On 4/15/2021 at 10:26 AM, DoctorLarry said:

Lately I have been straying outside of my normal G3 (1973-77) Pontiac builds. I moved over to a 73 Buick Century GS and 75 and 76 Buick Indy Pace Cars (still G3's, though). I am in the middle of doing a 74 GTO hatchback and a NASCAR 77 Buick Century side project but decided to add another ground up scratchbuilt, a 69 Buick Skylark.  I always had a strange affinity for the side swoop and Buicks and Pontiacs have some of the most unusual (and very hard to re-create) body lines. So this will be based on a 68 Chevelle body but the rest will have to be built from scratch.  There were a couple of resin kits of this (Perry's and J&J, I think) in a 68 version but they are long gone. I also love the lime green and olive green cars of the era and this one was particularly attractive in both hues. Keep in mind this is a rough-in shot so the body lines are not fully in place or the final shapes. It should be a challenge to get them all right.

 

Hey Larry !! You need to reshape the quarter window if you don’t already know that. It’s longer and more rounded than a Chevelle window. Here’s a couple of pictures of my 69 I’ve been pushing aside for way to long. It started as a Perry’s 68 . I corrected the nose shape made a 69 front bumper and grille and fixed the rear windshield shape. It’s way different from a Chevelle also. I corrected the front and rear wheel openings as well.

[DoctorLarry]

I knew about the rear window and had not gotten to the quarter window opening. I also saw the front wheel well issue and have that pretty much fixed. Lots of compound curves and body lines on Pontiacs and Buicks. Very hard to model accurately!

[lordairgtar]

My grandfather had a 69 Skylark Custom two door hard top he bought new. Light metallic green with a black vinyl top, beige interior. His connections with Flint got him a GS but without any of the GS script or hood bulge. Air induction was under the bumpers. He liked unassuming cars with big power. I had always thought it was the best looking midsize GM made for 68-69 model years. I later bought a 69 Buick Special DeLuxe two door coupe with a 350 2bbl later changed to a 4bbl carb. Good luck on the attempt to recreate it. I know the Perry and the JJ versions had issues in the design with Perry's being the better of the two. The rear trunk and bumper swallow tail shape will be difficult. The only way I am getting one would be to recreate one myself but I do not know if my skills are up to it.

[DoctorLarry]

I agree that this was an attractive car. My usual routine is to collect as many pictures as I can and measure and scale things out as well as get the shapes right. The bumpers are always a challenge to me. I am starting with the Monogram GS bumpers and cutting and pasting using them as starters. It will certainly take awhile.

[AmericanMuscleFan]

Great project Larry!  I love these Buicks, they are one of my favorite GM body styles along with the 71/72 442 Oldsmobile.  One of my uncles had a '70 GS (red with white interior) and I was very attracted to that car, I remember the beautiful center console.  I would love to build a 1/25 scale GSX '70 one of these days... Another long term project...  Good start by the way, I will follow your progress with interest! ?

[DoctorLarry]

Thanks- for some reason I have ventured off the trail into Buicks so we will see how this one turns out. The other three I did came out pretty good.

[DrKerry]

Looking good!!! I had both a 73 and 74 Century growing up! Always wanted to model them but the kit never existed... 74 had a 455 in it, that was a fun car!!! 73 had a 350 in it, fun too but not near as fun as the 74..

[DoctorLarry]

My last efforts

[Devilleish]

I'm going to follow this with some interest. Growing up my best friend's mother drove a '68 Skylark GS California in pale yellow with a black vinyl top and interior. He inherited it when he got his driver's license in 1990 and kept it until 1997. I always liked the leaner look of the '68-69 over the later A-bodies. 

[Sport Suburban]

Love this! If this really does turn into a resin kit I'm very interested. I really like the 69 GS 400!

[DoctorLarry]

That's the plan ultimately.