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b-man Samba Member
Joined: May 20, 2008 Posts: 498 Location: So Cal
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Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2017 4:53 pm Post subject: Blast From The Past - 1969 Squareback With Buick V6 Power |
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1969 Squareback powered by a 1964 225 c.i. 155 HP Buick V6. I built it in 1979 when I was 19 years old from a $300 wreck that I was able to drive home. The V6 engine was purchased from a wrecked 1964 Buick Special for $350 and was left stock.
Every panel that could be unbolted was replaced except the rear hatch. A new front clip was welded on and a new rear apron was needed as well.
A KEP adapter kit was used to mate the engine to the IRS trans (3.88 R&P, 0.82 4th, super-diff), radiator sat where the spare tire used to reside, 1-1/2" copper tubing running under the floorpan and rubber radiator hose plumbed the cooling system.
Wheels were 14X5-1/2" Fuchs alloys purchased for $400 which was big money back then. Tires were 165 & 185R-14 Michelin XZX radials, costing $48 and $52 each.
Ran the 1/4 mile in 15.18 @ 88.75 MPH at Big Willie's Brotherhood Raceway at Terminal Island CA, launching easy to keep the trans in one piece.
I was raising some cash to purchase a home so I sold this car back in 1985 to a friend who sold it after about a year to someone in the So Cal area, perhaps Orange County.
Has anyone here ever seen it or heard of it?
Thanks, Bart
_________________ 1956 Dove Blue Panel
1966 Velvet Green Single Cab
1957 L41 Black Oval Window Beetle |
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Erik G Samba Member
Joined: October 16, 2002 Posts: 13247 Location: Tejas!
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b-man Samba Member
Joined: May 20, 2008 Posts: 498 Location: So Cal
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Posted: Wed Dec 06, 2017 7:26 pm Post subject: Re: Blast From The Past - 1969 Squareback With Buick V6 Power |
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I never took any engine compartment pics, back then before digital cameras taking pictures was kind of expensive so I didn't take as many as I now wish I did. However my friend did take a lot of pics of the car including some of the engine bay, he's deceased now but I can try to see if one of his kids can loan me some of his photos of the Squareback to scan. _________________ 1956 Dove Blue Panel
1966 Velvet Green Single Cab
1957 L41 Black Oval Window Beetle |
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Randall Samba Member
Joined: October 03, 2004 Posts: 1402 Location: Orange County, Alta California, El Norte
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Posted: Sun Dec 17, 2017 4:18 pm Post subject: Re: Blast From The Past - 1969 Squareback With Buick V6 Power |
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Unfortunately, the louvered hood craze didn't end soon enough.
You can try having your insurance company or AAA identify the current owner by doing a search on the vehicle ID / VIN. Hopefully, you saved one of your annual registration certificates. Or they might search by license plate.
The DMV has a form you can give to the insurance company. Individuals can't send one in but an insurance company might do it for 'a legitimate purpose'.
https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/forms/inf/inf70
When you click on the link: "The Request for Record Information (INF 70) (PDF) form" at the above web page you get the following PDF form that you print and fill out --
https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/wcm/connect/3d039f6c-a66c-4810-ae80-ab42d6052da1/inf70.pdf?MOD=AJPERES
My insurance company, Allstate, wouldn't do it for me. They said they don't deal with the DMV.
I've lived in northern Orange County since before you bought your car but I can't remember the last time I've seen a Type 3 with a louvered hood. |
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Clatter Samba Member
Joined: September 24, 2003 Posts: 7527 Location: Santa Cruz
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Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2017 9:20 pm Post subject: Re: Blast From The Past - 1969 Squareback With Buick V6 Power |
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Those louvers are killer!
I'm sure they helped with radiator airflow a great deal.
Love this car.
A lot more involved projects were done back in the days... _________________ Bus Motor Build
What’s That Noise?!? |
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b-man Samba Member
Joined: May 20, 2008 Posts: 498 Location: So Cal
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Posted: Thu Dec 21, 2017 7:40 pm Post subject: Re: Blast From The Past - 1969 Squareback With Buick V6 Power |
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The hood louvers were not just for looks, they did serve a purpose which of course was to allow some of the hot air from the front mounted radiator to escape. I had cut an opening in the front luggage compartment wall as you can see in one of the construction photos as a path for hot air exiting from the upper half of the radiator.
The spare tire rested on top of the fuel tank since the radiator was located where the spare would normally reside. The stamped sheet metal spare tire well which was held in place with only one fastener at the very bottom was removed to provide a path for hot air to exit the bottom half of the radiator.
It was a fun project, it was nice having all that low-end torque generated by the V6 with a one-barrel carb. I would regularly start off in second gear and then shift directly to fourth while driving in city traffic.
Fuel economy was decent, returning about 17 mpg on the average. Top speed was around 115 mph, it was a joy to drive on the freeway. You could pass without the need to downshift at all, just stab the throttle and she moved out instantly. _________________ 1956 Dove Blue Panel
1966 Velvet Green Single Cab
1957 L41 Black Oval Window Beetle |
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b-man Samba Member
Joined: May 20, 2008 Posts: 498 Location: So Cal
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Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2018 12:12 pm Post subject: Re: Blast From The Past - 1969 Squareback With Buick V6 Power |
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Bump for Spring 2018, maybe someone here knows the whereabouts of my old V6 Squareback. _________________ 1956 Dove Blue Panel
1966 Velvet Green Single Cab
1957 L41 Black Oval Window Beetle |
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Randall Samba Member
Joined: October 03, 2004 Posts: 1402 Location: Orange County, Alta California, El Norte
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Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2018 1:29 pm Post subject: Re: Blast From The Past - 1969 Squareback With Buick V6 Power |
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Did you try that DMV form I linked in my Dec. 17 post? |
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b-man Samba Member
Joined: May 20, 2008 Posts: 498 Location: So Cal
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Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2018 1:53 pm Post subject: Re: Blast From The Past - 1969 Squareback With Buick V6 Power |
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With no license plate or VIN number I didn't try the DMV, unfortunately I kept no records or papers on that car that I sold 33 years ago.
Just curious if someone has seen it or perhaps it didn't survive. _________________ 1956 Dove Blue Panel
1966 Velvet Green Single Cab
1957 L41 Black Oval Window Beetle |
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mercmad Samba Member
Joined: April 13, 2019 Posts: 22 Location: QLD
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Posted: Wed Jun 26, 2019 6:22 pm Post subject: Re: Blast From The Past - 1969 Squareback With Buick V6 Power |
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I see that KEP still sell an adapter to put a V6 or 8 in the back of a type three or Beetle. My own type three has a leyland V8 ,similar to the buick 215 and Rover V8. In fact i spotted one for sale on our local sales site Gum Tree,the other day with a GM V6 in it. Talking with the seller,he said he did several V8 conversions before changing over to the smaller V6. I think mine is one of his and i often wonder what happened to the others.https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/hassall-grove/cars...t=vip_test |
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b-man Samba Member
Joined: May 20, 2008 Posts: 498 Location: So Cal
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Posted: Thu Feb 20, 2020 5:23 pm Post subject: Re: Blast From The Past - 1969 Squareback With Buick V6 Power |
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Back to the top.
Anyone ever see this car around So Cal or for that matter anywhere else? _________________ 1956 Dove Blue Panel
1966 Velvet Green Single Cab
1957 L41 Black Oval Window Beetle |
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b-man Samba Member
Joined: May 20, 2008 Posts: 498 Location: So Cal
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Posted: Thu Dec 02, 2021 8:03 pm Post subject: Re: Blast From The Past - 1969 Squareback With Buick V6 Power |
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Bump to the top.
Anyone here happen to see my old friend anywhere? _________________ 1956 Dove Blue Panel
1966 Velvet Green Single Cab
1957 L41 Black Oval Window Beetle |
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b-man Samba Member
Joined: May 20, 2008 Posts: 498 Location: So Cal
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Posted: Sat May 14, 2022 3:01 pm Post subject: Re: Blast From The Past - 1969 Squareback With Buick V6 Power |
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Back to the top again for anyone who might have any idea where my old Squareback ended up. _________________ 1956 Dove Blue Panel
1966 Velvet Green Single Cab
1957 L41 Black Oval Window Beetle |
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vwfye Samba Member
Joined: April 15, 2000 Posts: 7660
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Posted: Fri May 20, 2022 11:51 am Post subject: Re: Blast From The Past - 1969 Squareback With Buick V6 Power |
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I love the louvres! I am going to add them to my car.
_________________ 64 No'back Speedster "Pearl"
1980s Sand Dragster "The Plunger"
LME "Little Giant Killer 3" |
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