Not everyone fell in love with the raw body modernise for the 1968 - 1969 Buick Skylark and Gran Sport ( GS ) , its in full laden upscale cousin . Front destruction had a clean and pleasing visual aspect , true , focused on a radiator grille reminiscent of the Riviera . A longer hood and shorter deck were n’t the problem . Neither were the concealedwindshield wiper .
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No , what looked out of place to some – then and now – was the new cryptic - sculptured eubstance sweepline , take up its " sweepspear " curvature from the distant yesteryear , arcing across the bodyside before it come to a stop forward of the rear wheel opening .
No less jarring was the concave rear end , with new tail lamp contained in a with child rearward bumper below pointy back pilot . In this personification , two - doors devolve on a short wheelbase : 112 inches versus 116 for the four - threshold ( 121 for Sportwagons ) .
obviously , quite a few people did indeed take a liking to the new feeling , because Skylark sales set a record in 1968 . By this time , the Special name was close to fading out , outsell by Skylarks by a almost five - to - one ratio .
For base Skylarks , Chevrolet ’s familiar inline six - cylinderenginereplaced the former V-6 . far up the scale , a fresh GS350 model take the office of the premature GS340 , powered by a bored - out 350 - three-dimensional - column inch V-8 develop 280horsepoweralong with a resonating 375 Syrian pound / feet of torque . A less - potent edition of that mill ( 230 horsepower ) was received in Skylark Customs , and optional elsewhere .
Topping the functioning chart once again was the GS400 , with its 400 - cubic - column inch V-8 ready to unleash 340 horse . That was enough to shoot a " 400 " to 60 miles per hour in a trifling six seconds . The most mesomorphic GS still did n’t face all that tough ; but as in its prior guise , this form of zest was treading nearly on Corvette soil .
Automakers were n’t shy about pushing their sinewy products unashamedly in the male counseling in those days . Buick was no exception , proclaiming its GS pick to be : " fresh . unused . Masculine . "
Not every GS rank as the " real affair " this time . In addition to the true GS340 and GS400 , Buick announced a California GS . Sure enough , it wore " grand " badges and post the GS ’s styled steel wheels . Underneath , however , this was a sheep in wolf ’s attire : really a vinyl - roof Special Deluxe pillared coupe tote the modest V-8 engine .
The performance - plus thousand coupes andconvertibleswere identical except for their badge to denote railway locomotive displacement . Each had a special hood with melodic line ingestion near the hood .
Learn about change for the 1969 example year on the next page .
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1969 Buick Skylark and Gran Sport
The 1969 Buick Skylark and Gran Sport combination view a new toughie blister for the uplevel GS version , contained an integrated strain intake hold displacement badges . Functional GS400 scoops yanked incoming gentle wind into a three-fold - schnorkel air dry cleaner .
No more brilliant strips were installed on front fender . In fact , trivial brightwork at all decorate the 1969s , except for wheelwell moldings and five - speak chrome wheels . Up front was a raw eggcrate grille with large " yap . " Dual blusher stripes followed the sculpted sweepline down each bodyside . More noticeable yet was the lack of front vent windows .
The California GS made another appearing , have on telltale front vent just like the Special Deluxe Coupe it actually was . Authentic or not , a California GS ramp to 60 mph in 9.5 seconds at the mitt of Tom McCahill , inveterate tester forMechanix Illustrated .
add to the pick choice for 1969 was Turbo Hydra - Matic , replacing the customary Super Turbinetransmission . Acceleration freak occupy great preeminence of the new stagecoach I engine package , which raised a GS400 ’s output from 340 to 345horsepower(at higher rev ) . Does n’t sound like much , but it give the car quite a saccade when the clock time occur to stump the pedal .
The degree I box include a high - ski tow cam , specialcarburetor , dual exhaust system , and 3.64:1 Positraction axle . To assist keep all those horses flying , a short - throw Hurst gearshift was usable for the four - upper manual of arms .
corroding continue a problem for Skylark / GS , and this was n’t Buick ’s mellow compass point for convulsion and finish either , but customer wish them anyway . A total of 21,514 GS Buicks were build in 1968 ( admit 2,454 GS400 convertible ) , though the total slipped to 13,065 the next year . Even so , Buick ended the ten by regaining its long - lost fourth spot in the industry sales ranking .
Yet another " Stage " of carrying into action would soon enter the GS card for the early 1970s , as the mighty V-8 grow to 455 cubic inches ; after that , Buicksettled back into its cushy image and the muscle - car era faded into account .
Check out 1968 - 1969 Buick Skylark and GS specification on the next pageboy .
1968-1969 Buick Skylark and Gran Sport Specifications
The 1968 - 1969 Buick Skylark and Gran Sport did not score Buick ’s best work from its styling department – or set and ending , for that matter . But in its highest form , it had heftiness come near that of the Corvette .
Specifications
Skylark Engine : ohv I-6 , 250 Criminal Investigation Command ( 3.88 × 3.53 ) , 155 bhp ; ohv V-8 , 350 cid ( 3.80 × 3.85 ) , 230 bhp
GS350 Engine : ohv V-8 , 350 cid , 280 bhp
GS400 Engine : ohv V-8 , 400 Criminal Investigation Command ( 4.04 × 3.90 ) , 340 bhp
Transmission:3 - speed manual ; 4 - speeding manual of arms ( GS ) , Super Turbine reflexive or ( 1969 ) Turbo Hydra - Matic 350 optional
interruption front : upper and lower A - arms , spiral fountain
abatement rear:4 - link springy axle , coil springs
Brakes : front / rear drumfish ( front discs optional )
Wheelbase ( in.):112.0 ( 4 - door saloon / wagon 116.0 )
Weight ( lbs.):3,240 - 3,594
Top amphetamine ( mph):105 - 120 ( constant of gravitation )
0 - 60 mph ( sec):8.0 - 10.0 ( GS4350 ) ; 6.0 - 7.7 ( GS400 )
