SKYLARK GS KIT #6566
BUILD ARTICLE 5
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SPRAY. THERE IS NATURAL LIGHT, 4 48" COOL WHITE TUBES
OVERHEAD, AND 8 24" COOL WHITE TUBES, 4 ON EACH SIDE. THE
SHOP HAS A OPENING SKY WINDOW. THE 2 SPEED FAN IN THE
BOOTH DRAWS THE FRESH AIR DOWN, AND DRAWS THE PAINT
RESIDUE OUT THROUGH A VENT IN THE WALL. THE INTAKE IS
ABOUT A FOOT FROM THE PROJECT.
I STARTED BY PREPPING THE BODY, WASHING ETC. I THEN
PRIMED ON 2 GOOD WET COATS. WHEN DRY, I CLEANED UP THE
BODY WITH 2400 AND RE CLEANED THE BODY. I PAINTED THE
HEADLINER BLUE MIST, AS THAT IS THE OVERALL INTERIOR
COLOR. THE WINDOWS WERE THEN MASKED TO AVOID ANY
MIDNIGHT BLUE OVER SPRAY. MIDNIGHT BLUE IS A COLOR THAT
HAS TO BE APPLIED IN SEVERAL COATS TO COVER, AND LOOK
EVEN. TO LITTLE AND IT CASTS ROYAL BLUE SHADOWS. " SEE
PICTURE FIRST TWO COATS". TO MUCH AND THE SILVER WILL
BUILD UP UNEVENLY. I LOST TRACK, BUT I THINK THERE SIX SEMI
WET COATS APPLIED.
NEXT THE INTERIOR WAS SPRAYED WITH BLUE MIST. WHEN DRY IT
WAS MASKED OFF FOR THE MIDNIGHT ACCENTS. THIS WAS ONE
OF MANY FACTORY COMBINATIONS. THIS ONE WAS DONE TO
RESEMBLE THE TWO TONE VINYL. A LITTLE TOUCH UP ON THE
FINISHED INTERIOR, AND IT WILL BE READY TO FOIL AND DETAIL.
THE CARPET AREA WILL BE DARK BLUE. BEFORE DETAILING, THE
INTERIOR WILL BE DUSTED WITH DULL COAT TO BRING IT DOWN
TO A VINYL SHEEN.
DOING THE INTERIOR ALLOWED ENOUGH TIME FOR THE LACQUER
TO GAS OUT. I LIGHTLY RUBBED THE BODY WITH 4000 TO KNOCK
ANY DEBRIS OFF, TACKED IT, AND SPRAYED 3 COATS OF CLEAR
ON. THE CLEAR WILL BE WET SANDED WITH 6000 AND 8000, AND
RUBBED TO A GLASS LIKE FINISH. I USUALLY WAIT 4 - 5 DAYS FOR
THIS. THERE IS PLENTY OF OTHER THINGS TO DO IN THAT TIME.
I HAVE THE BODY ALMOST RUBBED OUT. THE FACTORY MIDNIGHT
BLUE IS STUNNING. ONCE THE CAR IS DONE, I WILL BE TAKING
PICTURES OUTSIDE TO CAPTURE THE BEAUTY IN NATURAL LIGHT.
I ASSEMBLED, AND DRILLED THE ENGINE FOR PLUG WIRES. THE
VALVE COVERS THAT COME WITH THE SKYLARK KIT, ARE SOME
CHEESY CUSTOM ONES. I TOOK THE CORRECT STOCK NAILHEAD
BUICK ONES FROM A VINTAGE AMT INVICTA, PERFECT. THE
ENGINE IS PAINTED THE BUICK BLUE GREEN COLOR. THE
CORRECT NAME OF THAT PAINT IS " HAMPTON BLUE". THE
SKYLARK KIT CAME WITH WHITEWALL TIRES, BUT I THINK SOME
VINTAGE REDLINES ARE IN ORDER HERE. THEY WILL REALLY
STAND OUT WITH THE PAINT.
THE RADIATOR, AND ENGINE ARE 60'S PLAIN, BUT THAT IS THE
WAY AMT MADE THEM THEN. THERE IS NO ACTUAL RADIATOR OR
SHROUD. "SEE PICTURE, AMT RADIATOR" TO GIVE THE CAR A
MORE REAL APPEARANCE, I CUT THE RADIATOR SUPPORT FROM
AN AMT 66 RIVIERA, AND USED THE RADIATOR. I MODIFIED IT TO
FIT THE SKYLARK. IT WILL BE ATTACHED WITH A SMALL AMOUNT
OF 2 PART EPOXY, SO NOT TO DAMAGE ORIGINAL ISSUE SKYLARK
PLASTIC. THIS UNIT, AND THE ORGINAL SUPPORT WILL BE PAINTED
BLACK TO BLEND TOGETHER. SEE " RADIATOR MODIFIED"
PICTURE.
I HAVE FINISHED DETAILING THE INTERIOR. IT IS DONE FACTORY
CORRECT, IN CORRECT FACTORY COLORS. CHECK OUT THE
COMPLETED INTERIOR PICTURES. THE DIGITAL CAMERA MAKES
THE SHIFTER LOOK BIG, BUT IT LOOKS RIGHT IN PERSON.
THE CHASSIS IS FOILED WITH MATTE ALUMINUM, DETAILED, THEN
DULLCOATED. THIS KIT ACTUALLY COMES WITH PLASTIC PINS TO
HOLD THE CHASSIS TO THE BODY, BUT I REPLACED THEM WITH
SCREWS TO MAKE IT EASIER TO TAKE APART FOR SERVICING
DOWN THE ROAD, IN CASE OF DUSTING INTERIOR ETC. THE
INTERIOR TUB AND GLASS ARE NOT GLUED. THIS KIT DID NOT
HAVE AN INSIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR, OR OUTSIDE MIRROR. NOT
THAT THEY WERE MISSING, AMT JUST NEVER INCLUDED THEM
WITH THIS KIT. IN FACT THEY NEVER INCLUDED A RADIO ANTENNA.
I USED THE INSIDE MIRROR FROM A 66 RIV. OUTSIDE MIRROR
FROM A 66 CHEVELLE, THE ANTENNA IS REPRO PLUS ALUMINUM.
I FOLLOW A LOT OF REFERENCE PICTURES OF REAL CARS WHEN I
BUILD. I FOILED AND DETAILED THE BODY. A LOT OF TIMES WHEN
I SEE OTHER BUILDS OF THIS CAR, I NOTICE THAT MANY TIMES
THEY FOIL THE BODY BREAK DOWN THE SIDE OF THE CAR IN THE
MIDDLE. THE BUICK SPECIAL, THAT SHARED THE SAME BODY IS
CHROMED THERE, NOT THE GS. IT IS CHROMED ALONG THE
BOTTOM OF THE DOOR. YOU COULD GET IT WITH OR WITHOUT AN
ACCENTING PINSTRIPE DOWN THE MIDDLE. I PREFER IT WITHOUT,
WITH THIS COLOR, A CLEANER, MORE OF A MUSCLE CAR LOOK.
LET THE REDLINES PICK UP THE CONTRAST, WITH THE BUICK
FACTORY MAGS.
IN THE ENGINE BAY, THE FIREWALL WAS DETAILED, AND DRILLED
FOR HEATER HOSES. MODIFIED RIV. SHROUD AND RADIATOR
INSTALLED. ENGINE WIRED WITH ARROWHEAD ALUMINUM DIST.
AND WIRES. BEING THAT THERE WAS NO RADIATOR HOSE ISSUED
WITH THE SKYLARK KIT, I USED THE 66 RIV. HOSE, A PERFECT
MATCH. THE CAR COULD BE ORDERED WITH A V6, A 300CI. 210 HP,
A 340CI. 260HP, A 401CI. 325HP, AND A 401CI. 340HP ( A HIGHER
LIFT CAM) THIS CAR HAS THE 40I CI. 445 FT LBS OF TORQUE. I
USED A FREE FLOW AIR CLEANER, AS THE STOCK AMT ONE WAS
PRETTY ANEMIC LOOKING.
THE BUMPERS WERE DETAILED AND 1966 MINNESOTA PLATES
WERE ADDED. ANY DETAIL THAT WAS PAINTED, INSTEAD OF
FOILED, WAS CLEAR COATED, SO IT WON'T RUB OFF.
THE 66 GS WAS THE SLEEPER OF THE MUSCLE CARS IN THIS
CATEGORY BUT JUST AS POTENT AS THE REST, AND SOMETIMES
MORE SO. EXCEPT IT HAD BUICK STYLE THAT PUT IT A CUT ABOVE
THE REST.
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