They say it’s never healthy to love something that can’t love you back, but that’s never stopped me from fostering sentimental attachments to machinery. A few weeks ago, I realized that I was approaching an important milestone with the first old car I ever bought with my own money, my ’65 Buick Skylark. I bought it on June 25, 2003, drove it two hours home, got it registered the next day, and then drove it on a six-hour round trip to the Straits of Mackinac for the St. Ignace Car Show. That pretty much set the precedent for every old car I’ve ever owned, but the Skylark has always been particularly adept at turn-key road trips.
Well, almost always. This picture was taken the next month. Driving to the Buick 100th Anniversary show in Flint, the passenger side exhaust manifold cracked in half at the point of a previous repair. I spent several days cruising in the Mustang to rural salvage yards in Northern Michigan in search of good used manifolds, and I actually found a pair from a ’67 Buick Special for something like 30 dollars. That’s not going to be the case today.
Here’s the Skylark as of June 24, 2023, still up for a road trip.
So far in our time together, we’ve covered almost 43,000 miles, which isn’t bad when you consider how many old cars I own. To celebrate last week (and because it had to be done), I worked through my maintenance items for the year, which included an oil and filter change, flushing the brakes, applying wax to the ancient paint, replacing the transmission modulator hose (which I’ve never done), and installing a new battery. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a battery die on me, but on the second start of the day, I turned the key and everything on the dash died. The old battery was still showing 12.6 volts, but as soon as I applied a load, the meter dove into the red. It was “only” eight and a half years old, so that’s not too bad.
The paint was old (but not original) when I bought the car, and it hasn’t gotten any better over the last 20 years. But as the previous owner told me when I bought it, he kept it the way it was because you can drive it without worrying about it. And that’s what I’ve been doing for 20 years.
We’re both looking a little rougher around the edges these days, but we’re not bad at 10 feet away. Here’s to another 20 years!
QOTD: Does anybody else celebrate their car anniversaries?
Seems pretty fitting! Some good ol maintenance and love. I’m only seven years in with my old car so I haven’t really been intentional about celebrating that date, but I certainly have had to pump in a steady stream of money and work year-round!
If you have an old car, chances are that you’re pumping more money into it than you’d like to admit. That’s OK, it’s the best hobby in the world.
A friend of mine still has his ’65 Skylark convertible he bought in June of 1970 for $85.00 with a bad engine.
I’m a lot older than you and over the years realized that trying to keep them showroom takes away from the enjoyment of an old vehicle. Some of mine need paint but I don’t care anymore and just drive them.
I totally agree, Bill. That’s the reason why I was so happy to find the Riviera I bought; it’s a little bit weathered. Perfect!
Beautiful Skylark and great story. I’m approaching 12 years with my LeSabre. I may be worse for the wear but it’s looking much better after complete disassembly and mechanical rebuild/reassembly. Every Thanksgiving I mark another year with my Commando – will be 26 this year.
Thanks! Happy early anniversary to you and the Commando.
Thanks Aaron. Your Skylark ticks all the boxes for an A body guy like me -Nailhead power, 65 model, hardtop coupe, and black. My 67 LeSabre with it’s B body was never really on my radar until my dear friend died in March of 08. It was his daily driver in Queens, NY as young doctor for seven years from 1990 to 1997. Founder of Squarebirds.org, it’s restoration is a tribute to him.
Excellent that you have this still driving. Almost 60 years old! The car, not yourself! Great story!
Thanks! My youngest old car will be 50 in October, and my oldest will reach 70 sometime in August.
Hi Aaron65, My Miata will be 25 years old this November.
It is covered with dings, dents, and scars of being a daily driver, and I send it to my trusty mechanic for all service and repairs, so I cannot claim to be its caretaker as you can with your CC fleet.
I do find the way some BaT bidders take note of every slight paint imperfection of pristine 25+ years old Miatas up for auction and ignore the original timing belt, water pump, and radiator, with some amusement. (All that stuff – and much more – has been replaced on mine).
Miatas are no more mechanically bullet-proof against the ravishes of time than any other car.
As I have mentioned on this site before, cars can achieve a sense of immortality (given sufficient funds and repair expertise) as long a rust is not an issue. People cannot (regardless of funds and expertise).
Many beautiful and well running old cars are available online as “Estate” sales.
No ceremony expected on the Miata’s 25th birthday other than perhaps a top down drive through colorful and falling leaves after getting the mandated biennial NJ State inspection and a 10W30 annual oil change.
Both of you look great. Well, the Buick looks a tad better, but that’s from 10 feet. Love the t-shirt!
Thank you for the compliments! I agree that the Skylark’s aging a little better than I am. 🙂
BaT is a little tough to stomach sometimes. The comments are frequently interesting, more often nauseating.
I can’t stand BaT. Too many “I once had” and self-congratulatory comments. Post a critical comment about a sale, because you noticed something off, and all hell comes down on you as in “how dare you”. That was 5 years ago and since I haven’t looked since then I can’t imagine it being better in that respect.
It seems like I just started having car anniversaries… 🙂 but nothing of even a decade yet. I did find myself the other day wondering how long we’ve had the Jeep, turns out we are coming up on six years (might break the 7yr record!) , note I had to remember which house we were in when we got it to narrow it down which tells you something else too…
The Buick’s great, 20 years ago it was a nice older car. Now it’s a really nice older car that you can be really proud of (as you obviously are!).
I wonder which three cars you’d have if you had a 2car garage without the option for off-site storage.
Oh, that’s a tough question! The Mustang would stay because it’s been in the family for 55 years, and the ’53 would stay because I love it more than an adult should love a car. Hmmm. Would I keep the Riviera because it’s my dream car, or the Skylark because of the warm vibes a long-time vehicular friend gives off? Tough choice!
Love the idea of celebrating an anniversary with an old car. Given the size of your fleet, that must mean lots of celebrating!
I truly admire the clean lines and perfect proportions of this Skylark, which really pop in this freshly waxed black. And, better yet, it’s equipped with Buick road wheels. My new 1960s favorite car!
I wrote up the Skylark years ago, but the week before I found mine for sale, I saw a ’64 Skylark hardtop turning onto US-2 in the Upper Peninsula, and the timing was perfect. It wasn’t much of a question when mine came up for sale. The best part? I paid $3400 for it.
I don’t remember the exact dates of cars I’ve bought, just the time of year. But I found out my Miata was built in the same month I was born — 40 years apart. It’s a ’90, and I’m a ’50.
I’m pretty good at remembering numbers for some reason, but I don’t usually celebrate things like this unless it’s a big milestone. If I know the exact assembly date of one of the cars, we’ll do something like go out to dinner. For example, February 8th is the “feast of Dart’s birthday,” but that’s mainly because it’s February and there’s little else to do in gloomy Michigan during that part of the year.
An “ultra rare: ride. The “Pontiac version” of that body style, usually always a “GTO”, is abut the only one you ever see.
That’s normally true, but there are quite a few in mid-Michigan, or at least more than an average number, because they were mostly built in Flint. They still love Buicks in the Flint area.
Both of you are looking great-I’ve always had a thing about the ’65 Skylarks. I’ve always thought they were by far the most attractive of the 1965 GM intermediates. May you enjoy many more years together!
Thank you!
46 years with the ’66 F100 this month!
But unlike Aaron’s cars, my F100 does not get pampered by any stretch. It’s been sitting outside its whole life, although I’m finally thinking about putting a roof over its head. The brakes have not been flushed or bled in about 20 years, and other than an annual (most years) oil change and chassis lube, I only fix what breaks. Which has been very little, given all those years, except for the transmission a couple of years ago. And it’s still hauling loads of gravel, compost, mulch and other bulk materials.
I really like you Skylark; I had a thing for these back in 1964, as it was the best looking of the new GM A-Bodies. You’re both looking good!
20 years? Yikes. After I lost the brakes in my F-100 and couldn’t find any obvious reason I started to pay attention to brakes a lot closer than before. I now change my fluid every 24-36 months. In fact reading this reminds me to go out and change the 10 year old front rubber lines on the 68 Mustang since I have three sets in stock.
Thanks Paul! I didn’t start flushing out my brake fluid regularly until five or six years ago. I finally noticed that I was replacing wheel cylinders way more often than I would like, and they always were leaking sludgy brake fluid. So now I use a Motive pressure bleeder to run some new fluid through the lines every three years. I should probably do it more often than that because ours in a changeable climate, but it’s a messy job that isn’t much fun.
No leaks yet. But I’m thinking of taking a look at them this summer, and doing a flush and bleed. 20 years is a bit long…
And my xB is going on 20, and I’ve never changed the fluid or bled them. Still rock-hard.
I don’t specifically celebrate each car as three of them are daily drivers (of sorts). The LeSabre is 22 YO, the LeBaron is 40 YO, the Voyager is 28 YO, the CMax is 8 YO, and the cargo trailer is 50 YO. If I were to celebrate, then it would just make me feel older.
Battery life is an interesting topic. I have learned that you never brag about how good your 10 year old battery is, because it will die within days.
Congrats on the Skylark. Still looks great.
Ten years on batteries is my limit (same on tires). Last week, I noticed that the battery on the T-Bird was nine and a half years old. Since I planned to drive the car 200 miles last Wednesday, I just sucked it up and bought another battery. Two in one week…batteries have gotten expensive!
Great looking car, and congrats on 20 years!
It would seem like car anniversaries would be something that I’d keep track of, but I don’t. I seem to have limited bandwidth for marking the passage of time. Sometimes this can be a good thing as I pretty much consider everyone and every thing to be much younger than is in fact the case. I can barely keep track of human birthdays and am always over-looking other important milestones like pets’ birthdays (yes, I do consider those important…but I’m always finding that I’ve forgotten them). I think I’d just be setting myself up for additional failure by adding car anniversaries to my list.
Still, I think it’s great that you have the ability to keep up with yours!
Thanks! My wife and I adopted two cats from a family friend when we got married, so we knew the day they were born. From that point on, all of our cats have shared that birthday, even though we lost the last of the “originals” last year. Easy to remember!
I remember the month and year I bought each of the cars in our current fleet, but don’t recall the specific day of either. I have never really celebrated those anniversaries, but given that we will hit 12 years on one of them and 17 years on the other this year, perhaps we should. It would be a good excuse to go out for ice cream, anyway. 🙂
There was only one car that ever got a proper birthday celebration, and it was my 59 Plymouth Fury. It was delivered to its original owner on the day I was born (per the tag in the glovebox) so it got in on celebrating my own birthday.
Both you and the Buick look great. But then I have a hard time thinking of cars or people from the 1960’s being as old as they are.
Thanks, JP (but I’m a ’77 model). 🙂
I have four cars I own for over 20 years, oldest 29 years. Part of the family 🙂
You have had an impressive list of cars!
65 Gran Sports have always been one of my faves. Yours is not a GS, but still a beauty. Thanks for sharing it with us!
You’re welcome! I’d love it if mine were a GS with a four speed, but it’s not too bad.
Well while I didn’t take it out for a drive I did sit inside my 68 Cougar on April 28th to celebrate it’s 56th birthday. Wasn’t in the mood to move two cars to get it out but did run the engine while sitting and reading back over my 1969 car logs. You wouldn’t believe how cheap a set of Goodyear Polyglass white letter tires were back then but there it was in the log. An alignment was less than $10.
Next oldest is the 68 Mustang coming up on 39 years in August with the Park Lane at 20 years this August also. The F-100 hit 17 this past June.
I could believe how cheap a set of tires was back then. What I can’t believe is how expensive they are now!
I’ll vote for the Goodyear Polyglas as one of the best looking tires ever made.
This is timely, 18 years with the 94 Cougar this week, I took it home right after the 4th of July 2005, in between summer school semesters.
Good week – I got married on the 9th.
Very nice driveable Buick, looks GR8…….(from x feet)! Rather like my ’88 IROC-Z Camaro 350, but I’ve only had her @ 11 years. A baby!!
Keep enjoying those “OLD” cars; they sure are hard to beat given there is really nothing comparable today, and the value$ just keep going up. Also, the “styling” of these vintage cars is so sweet compared to the generally over worked but under done SUVs of today with their tortured surfacing…AACCK! These cars are easy on the eyes, very appealing…well maybe not a ’58 Buick or Olds, but…. 🙂 DFO
I love IROCs of the ’80s…great color, too.
It is ironic that you post this question on this date. I’m the only one in my family who remembers this, but on July 3, 1962 my Dad brought home the new 1962 Oldsmobile station wagon that turned out to be his and Mom’s all time favorite car. He traded it in on a new ’66 Ford Galaxie but in 1970 bought it back and owned it for several years. When it was 10 years old he had us all come over to their house where we sang happy birthday to it. He put a cake on the air cleaner and blew out the candles by revving the engine. When he rebuilt the engine we toasted it with champagne. You can imagine how embarrassed my younger siblings were. I need to write a COAL on this special car some day.
I don’t remember the exact date without getting out the title, but I bought my ’79 Malibu the first week of March in 1979. Forty four years with the same car is something I never thought I would do, but here we are.
I bought the ’66 Mustang February 3, 2008 and my 2009 Mustang August 12, 2008.
By the way, I have the same picture of our former 1935 Plymouth street rod with the Straits bridge in the background. We were on our way from southern Indiana to the St. Ignace car show. That was in 1997. Quite an interesting trip and show. My in-laws had a cabin on the UP so we got to visit them also.
I think I’m at 35 years with my own ’65 Mustang. I don’t really remember the day when my mom said I could have it, but I was 11. I don’t think my dad actually transferred the title to my name until after I got the Skylark though, but I had been driving it for years before that.
This June was also 20 years for me. June 7, 2003 I bought a Chevy Celebrity with 100k. Also drove it about 2 hours home. It now has 308k and I still drive it just about every day in the summer. It definitely shows it’s age, like sun damaged paint. But it’s been extremely reliable, I haven’t had to put much money into it, and when I do it’s cheap and easy to work on.
I’ve been thinking a lot about the 20 year milestone, but I have a Jeep that has to be finished this summer. I took some pictures of my daughter next to it in 2003 when she was 2. She is now 22 and lives downstate. If I get time I want to get some pictures with her next to it this year.
I live not too far from that Bridge View park, and have been there many times. It was pretty new in 2003. I remember watching fireworks from there in 2001 and it was basically a field.
In March 2001, my girlfriend (now wife) and I decided to drive up to the bridge in my ’65 Mustang for something to do on a weekend. I parked where the Bridge View Park is now, and I got the thing stuck in some slushy snow (the roads were dry but the snow was still melting up in the UP). An older couple came along, said absolutely nothing, pushed us out, and walked away. It was very nice of them, but it was also a bit surreal.
I don’t commemorate my car’s anniversaries in my ownership. But I do note when it achieves a certain mileage. I bought two new vehicles in 2007, a Mustang coupe and a F150. I still have the F150, it passed the 170K (and 16 years ) mark a couple of months ago. I have no plans to sell this truck, I loved the looks of this model when it came out in ’05, and still do. The Mustang is still in the family, we gave it to our Daughter four years ago, it also has more than 170K. I’ve made a standing offer to give her more than the trade in value, if she decides to get rid of it.
My longest owned hobby car is my ’96 Mustang, which just turned 218K this morning. I’ve wanted to sell the car since I bought my ’06 last year, but there just wasn’t any interest in it. I’ve owned it for around 13 years. I still really like the car and don’t mind holding onto it. I bought it because it was available and didn’t really care for it at first. It just kind of grew on me over time. I even sold my ’70 Mustang instead of the ’96.
I’m terrible when it comes to holding onto cars, maybe it’s because I don’t buy the cars that I really want, but what I could afford, and were available at the time.
I held onto one of my motorcycles for over twenty years, a ’77 HD XLCR, bought new and extensively modified. I grew tired of it and told myself I wouldn’t keep anything that I didn’t care about anymore. I envy the people that can maintain a long term relationship with a vehicle. I tell my Wife of over 40 happy years, “Many cars, one Wife!”
Wow, 218,000 miles is a great score! I think ’80s and ’90s Mustangs are some of the most rugged cars out there (at least their drivelines and suspension systems).
I love this Skylark .
Timeless beauty .
Remember folks : _DRIVE_ ’em, don’t just look at ’em .
-Nate
Thanks Nate. It IS a good-looking car for something that is inherently rather boxy. 🙂
I’ve never done anything specific to celebrate, but I do know that next week on the 15th will be 21 years with my ’65 Chrysler.
Last year was the first time I did the whole Old-27 tour all the way to Cheboygan, so I continued up to St Ignace and did the bridge shot as well.
Great picture, Dan, and I’ve always loved the styling of ’65 Chryslers.
I don’t celebrate anninversaries, but the Commodore is now in it’s 17 the year with us, the Skylark 11 1/2 years.
Hey Chris, I know Aussies and Kiwis don’t always like each other, but did you see the NASCAR race this weekend? That was an awesome performance by Shane Van Gisbergen…Those V8 Supercar guys can get it done.
I don’t really celebrate the anniversary of owning any particular car, as I usually can’t remember those dates, with a few exceptions…
For some reason, I recall the Civic’s purchase date… maybe because it was a new insurance policy, so its anniversary is August 28th. I bought the 2016 in 2016, and it was the first car (and only car so far) I’d ever bought with almost all zeros on the odometer. The original test drive was @ 000007; I took delivery @ 000013.
My wife’s new-to-us 2019 Mazda CX-5 will also be easy to remember for the afore-stated new policy reason, but more because February 13th was my childhood dog’s birthday. Our Scottish Terrier Duffy was born on 2/13/1973 (we picked him up in what would one day become my LTD) in April of that year. The CX-5 was delivered to us on what would have been Duffy’s 50th birthday if dogs could live that long.
All I can recall of when I got the 2007 Mustang was that is was either late January or early February of 2008. In this case, I can’t go by my insurance policy date, as I have had the Mustang’s same policy since September 4, 1979… the day I took delivery of the 1979 Fairmont Futura. In Maryland, you can transfer policies from one car to the next at trade-in, which is what I’ve done every time I bought a car until my 2016 Civic Coupe.
You know how it goes as a teen… at least it was for me and many of my friends… you stay on your parents’ policy for your first hand me down car, but as soon as you buy your first car, you’re off on your own. I’ve had that same policy now for almost 44 years and 6 different cars.
My brother-in-law just bought a new CX-5, because his Tiguan was totaled as he and my sister were returning from a vacation in Maine. 🙁 He seems to like it so far. but he’s only had it a week.
The Skylark is looking great Aaron. I got my Torino around the same time you got your Buick, so I too am celebrating 20 years with it, at least under my ownership. It has been a part of my life since day one for me. I can’t say I have ever celebrated a car ownership anniversary, but like JPC mentions I do remember the month and year each were bought. My kids did mark my car’s 50th birthday on the calendar and did a bit of a celebration.
Thanks Vince, that’s cool that the kids are celebrating the Torino. Did it get a cake? 🙂 A ’72 Torino Sport cake would be pretty hard to beat.
Beautiful !
The Skylark, a ’65 or ’66, I cannot recall which year was my first solo1/24th scale model.
Painted it Jade green. Still an all-time favorite body style.
Thanks Mike!
I’ll echo everybody else — that’s a beautiful car, Aaron! Thanks for a fun post
You’re welcome! If your screen name is a hint, I took a few pictures of a really cool ’64 F-85 sedan last month that I may write about soon.
Does that “65” following your name mean you’re a 1965 baby? I am also. If so for you, you’ve got a car from your birth year. I’d like to have a Pontiac from that year also but for now will stick to collecting model cars (they’re a lot cheaper than 1:1).
No, I’m a ’77…I just have four ’65 model cars and it’s my favorite model year.
My Cherokee turned 22 last month. I don’t know the specific day, but I do know when I bought it in Aug 2014. My Jeep will be 79 on July 11th. I bought it in Oct 1985. Weather permitting I’ll take it out for a birthday drive.
I occasionally note mileage or years. My 1978 BMW R100S is 45 this year and I have owned it for 33 years give or take a week. I remember buying it in July 1990 but forget the date. I really owe it a ride, a brake service and a new front tire. Its garage companion the 1983 Honda CM250C also hit 40 years and also needs plates since a failed carb rebuild in the early 2000s left it stuck in the garage until 2022. My pickup is marking the third anniversary of the epic wrenching session of replacing the heads on a 5.4 Triton is also old enough to drink being a 2002 model built in late 2001.
Joe ;
Do you need a carby or just a kit or CV diaphragm ? .
That’s a cut little bike and being a HONDA should be well worth the effort & $ .
The three different OEM carbys are N.O.S. but prolly sitting on a shelf in sandville, or maybe try a Chinseium copy…..
Gotta fix it, it’s RIDING TIME again .
-Nate
BTW : tomorrow is the annual “LUCAS Prince Of Darkness Ride” across the Mulholland Drive in So. Cal. KSU @ 8PM, gather at “EAT” on Los Feliz just East of the i5 freeway .
I plan to ride my 1975 BMW R60/6……
This is a fun ride followed by dinner @ Bob’s Big Boy in Toluca Lake .
Some ride quickly, I no longer ride quickly after sunset if case you want to go slowly, I’ll bring up the rear .
-Nate