There's nothing more we like than to see muscle cars a little off the beaten path get a new lease on life. We're always sad to see original machines that left their factory assemblies with all the promise of a true street mercenary wind up a dilapidated husk of its former self. That's why we were so interested in Don McClair's restoration of this 1966 Buick Gran Sport.
Images: Year One
A professed "Buick enthusiast," Don's a full-time employee of famed muscle car restoration Mecca Year One out of Braselton, Georgia. Year One is a great place to work, especially if you're as much a car guy as the dudes working there. Not only has Year One built many of its own awesome project cars, but it encourages its employees to do the same! Taking the hint, Don's been busy the last few years building some very nice cars.
His latest, this 1966 Gran Sport 2-door post is really a nice piece of Don's craftsmanship. Spending the better part of two years working on the car, the GS is powered by the correct 401-inch nailhead. Rated at 325 horsepower with 445 lb.-ft. of torque, the Buick is a hell of a stump-puller. Behind the 401 mill is a rebuilt Super Turbine 2-speed automatic; that's right we said "two-speed." Remember, Buicks were only a slight step above a Chevrolet.
Don upgraded the Gran Sport here and there, including a quicker ratio steering box and a pair of Flowmaster mufflers for a throatier exhaust note. The Buick looks the role of a prime example of '66 Buick performance, subtle, subdued and a sleeper. Redline tires and deep blue on blue coloring, this Gran Sport is just another muscle car that people overlook, and will get their doors blown off by.
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Year One Employee Brings This '66 Buick GS Back to Life
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