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1965 Buick Skylark Gran Sport 401
Buick launched the Skylark Gran Sport during the 1965 model year with a 401-cubic-inch V8 that factory literature called a 400. The single-four-barrel engine was rated at 325 gross horsepower and 445 lb-ft of torque, giving Buick's midsize car its first dedicated high-performance package.
The Gran Sport was offered as a pillared coupe, hardtop, or convertible. A three-speed manual was standard, while a four-speed manual and Super Turbine 300 automatic were available. Buick also added a heavy-duty cooling system, dual exhaust, firmer springs and shocks, a larger front stabilizer bar, and rear suspension changes intended to control axle windup.
Reference production tables record 15,780 cars: 2,282 post coupes, 11,351 hardtops, and 2,147 convertibles. Those totals are useful model-level context; they do not establish the identity of an individual car.
Authentication starts with a 1965 Skylark V8 VIN and the correct two-door body code, then moves to package paperwork, the trim tag, and the LR engine production code. Gran Sport badges, wheels, a 401 swap, or the words "Wildcat 445" on an air cleaner are not enough by themselves.