1969 Buick Skylark GS
David Atkinson, Spring, TX
Best E.T.: 6.76/101 (eighth-mile)
The bold look of a tubbed Buick has always caught David Atkinson's eye, so when the opportunity appeared to pick up a roller already fitted with a narrowed 9-inch and deep tubs for a cheap price, he jumped at the chance. The only contingency? He had to promise it would have Buick power. No problem there, as David is a Buick believer with another '69 GS in the garage.
To make this dream car a reality on his budget, however, David had to reallocate the engine planned for his first GS project into the tubbed beast. Of course he had to make sure it could earn those massive meats and send the Brand X'ers packing, so the wick was turned up on the engine build with much higher compression, more lift, and tighter lobe centers, and the highest head flow numbers he could get from the Buick boys at TA Performance.
Forget what you've heard,...
Forget what you've heard, tunnel rams can run happily on the street with little to no compromise-all it takes is the right tune. The 14-inch runner lengths of the Weiand give David ram tune peaks at 4,000, 5,000, and 6,400 rpm.
After having swung a deal during a slow week at a local paint shop to dip the body in black, the GS came together with a mix of new and old parts-some even pirated from his now sideburnered GS project. Since the quintessential Pro Street look was the goal David wanted, he opted for carbs through the hood rather than a big cowl. After the big bad 455 was dropped in, the next part bolted on was a Weiand tunnel ram for Mopars, with Buick adapters from Evans.
Since David's a specialist in electronic design, he hardwired an Innovative LC-1 wideband sensor and mounted it in the radio delete plate so he can make sure the tune is mint at all times. We like that kind of dedication.
Thanks to his tuning persistence, the radical build was tamed, and David says the GS has surprising torque throughout the rpm range and idles at 1,000 rpm even when cold. Plus, he carries a 14:1 air/fuel ratio at easy cruising speeds, which has managed to net him a wallet-bruising 6 mpg.
The interior is a mix of new...
The interior is a mix of new and old parts to keep the budget within reach-plus some Buick stuff just isn't reproduced. The door panels are original, the carpet and headliner are new, the seats are from Summit Racing, and the dash and pad are re-sprayed pieces pulled from a junked four-door.
| WHERE THE MONEY WENT |
| '69 Buick Skylark GS: |
$5,000 |
| Paint and body: |
$2,000 |
| Interior: |
$385 |
| Glass and Lexan rear: |
$300 |
| Tires: |
$520 |
| Engine: |
$13,000 |
| Shifter: |
$180 |
| Rearend: |
$750 |
| Total: |
$22,135 |
| BY THE NUMBERS |
| '69 BUICK SKYLARK GS |
| David Atkinson, 44 • Spring, TX |
| Total cost to build: $22,135 |
| ENGINE |
| Type: |
Buick 455 ci |
| Block: |
'72 Buick, 4.32 bore |
| Oiling: |
SRE deep pan |
| Rotating assembly: |
stock nodular crank, stock rods, Venolia 12.2:1 pistons |
| Cylinder heads: |
TA Performance Stage 2 Street Eliminators with 2.16/1.71 |
|
Mike Phillips Stage 1 Plus valves |
| Camshaft: |
TA Performance 308S solid flat tappet |
| Valvetrain: |
TA Performance roller rockers, |
|
dual valve springs by Mike Phillips, |
|
Crower lifters, TA 5/16-inch pushrods |
| Induction: |
Low-deck B Mopar Weiand T-Ram, |
|
Evans adapters, Quick Fuel 750 carb |
| Ignition: |
MSD 6A box and distributor |
| Exhaust: |
TA Performance 2 1/8-inch headers, dual 3-inch |
| Cooling: |
Mezier electric water pump |
| Output: |
719 hp at 6,300 rpm and 660 lb-ft at 4,400 rpm |
| Built by: |
G&G Racing Engines |
| DRIVETRAIN |
| Transmission: |
GM Turbo 400 with Buick short tail housing, |
|
Trans King 10-inch 4,000-stall converter; |
|
Hurst shifter, 4-inch steel driveshaft |
| Rear axle: |
Ford 9-inch rearend narrowed 5-inches per side, |
|
4.30:1 gears, spool |
| CHASSIS |
| Front suspension: |
chrome upper and lower control arms |
|
with Moog Chevelle 6-cylinder springs |
|
and Summit 90/10 shocks |
| Rear suspension: |
Competition Engineering coilovers |
| Brakes: |
JFZ dual-piston discs, front; JFZ dual-piston disk discs, rear |
| ROLLING STOCK |
| Wheels: |
Weld Pro Star 15x4, front; 15x15, rear |
| Tires: |
Arizona VW tires, front; |
|
31x18.5-15 Hoosier Quick Time Pro, rear |