"AMC/Renauledge" (n2skylark)
09/23/2016 at 20:07 • Filed to: None
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"AMC/Renauledge" (n2skylark)
09/23/2016 at 20:07 • Filed to: None | 0
| 7 |
The 1980-85 Buick Skylark was an advanced design with a flawed translation to production. Like the other FWD X-cars, it had trouble with loose front subframes, torque steer, and bad rear brake balance and wheel lockup. The standard Iron Duke four was doggedly slow and rough, while the 2.8 V6 had major cooling problems due to inadequately sized water jackets. Along with indifferent built quality in keeping with the time and place.
So why am I obsessed with them right now? For one, I am one of the few Millennial-age Buick fans on this site. For two, I’ve always been intrigued by smaller cars that are well trimmed and equipped (I have a Verano now). For three, I just think the Skylark’s styling was extremely clean, tidy, and elegant. And the T-Types look genuinely cool. They sold like crazy, too. More than 500,000 found homes in the first 2 years. Sales for its last 4 seasons fell (due in part to the launch of the similarly sized J Skyhawk and A Century in 1982), but GM still moved more than 500,000 more from 1982-85. More than a million of these things were made in 6 model years?
Am I crazy?
Sovereign, Purveyor of Coupes
> AMC/Renauledge
09/23/2016 at 20:27 |
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I’ve been asking myself the same thing a lot lately. I’ve actually been searching for an early 90s cutlass coupe. If only they weren’t fwd.
fhrblig
> AMC/Renauledge
09/23/2016 at 21:05 |
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As a former owner of an X-car (Pontiac Phoenix) let me tell you... RUN. These things are all but gone for a good reason.
Tristan
> AMC/Renauledge
09/23/2016 at 21:12 |
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I had an ‘85 Celebrity Classic (Landau roof!) With a carbureted 2.8 V6. It was the cleanest example I had ever seen. Flawless- not a spec of rust and very low miles. There are not enough horrible curse words in the English language to describe that thing. Mercifully, the wheezy, thirsty waste of cast iron released a connecting rod at 63,000 miles and I was freed from that horrible automobile.
mazda616
> AMC/Renauledge
09/23/2016 at 21:13 |
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There’s a GM X-Body fan group on Facebook. I may or may not be a member.
G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3
> AMC/Renauledge
09/23/2016 at 21:26 |
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An LX9 or LZ9 would fix all of the engine issues. Same mounts and everything. Subframe connectors would help to a certain extent, as would an adjustable brake proportioning valve. I’m sure you could find some retro combination gauges to add a tach, and it’s 5x100 so there are a ton of wheel options. No idea about suspension, though.
Rock Bottom
> AMC/Renauledge
09/24/2016 at 17:34 |
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When I was a kid my mom had a new-ish 1980 Skylark and by her account it was awful. She replaced it with a brand-spanking-new 1984 Buick Somerset, which ended up being my first car in 1996. In fact, the Somerset was such a good car (other than the rust) that it later inspired me to buy two Grand Ams (a 1990 and a 1991 Duke/5 speed).
X Body: Bad
N Body: Good
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AMC/Renauledge
> Rock Bottom
09/24/2016 at 18:24 |
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Yeah the N-body Skylark and Somerset were much better. Especially with their more solid and smooth 3.0 and 3.3 Buick V6s.