The 1967 Buick Skylark is a solid GM A-body with generally reliable drivetrains, but age-related issues dominate. Expect transmission cooling problems, engine wear from decades of use, and the typical deterioration of 50+ year-old fuel and oil systems.
Automatic Transmission Overheating and Cooler Failure
Common · high severitySymptoms: Burnt transmission fluid smell, Slipping between gears, especially 1st-2nd, Pink or milky fluid indicating cooler leak into radiator, Delayed engagement when cold
Fix: The factory transmission oil cooler (often integrated into radiator) fails or gets clogged after decades. Coolant mixes with ATF and destroys clutch packs. Fix requires cooler replacement, often full transmission rebuild if contamination occurred, plus radiator service. Expect 8-12 hours for trans rebuild, 2-3 hours for cooler/lines only if caught early.
Estimated cost: $400-800 for cooler/lines only; $1,800-3,200 for rebuild if contaminated
Worn Piston Rings and Cylinder Wall Glazing
Common · medium severityTypical onset: 80,000-150,000 mi
Symptoms: Blue smoke on startup or deceleration, High oil consumption (1 quart per 500-800 miles), Loss of compression and power, Excessive blowby visible at oil filler cap
Fix: Original rings wear out and cylinder walls glaze over, especially on the 350ci and 400ci V8s that saw highway use. Requires engine disassembly, honing or boring, new pistons/rings. Short block replacement is 16-20 hours; full rebuild with machine work runs 24-30 hours.
Estimated cost: $2,800-5,500 depending on machine work and parts availability
Crankshaft Main Bearing Wear
Occasional · high severityTypical onset: 100,000+ mi
Symptoms: Deep knocking sound from bottom end, worsens with RPM, Low oil pressure at idle (under 10 psi hot), Metal shavings in oil filter, Sudden catastrophic failure if ignored
Fix: Main bearings fail from age, poor oil maintenance history, or running low on oil. Requires complete engine disassembly, crankshaft removal, possible machining if journals are scored. Engine R&R plus bearing replacement runs 20-26 hours; add cost for crank grinding if needed.
Estimated cost: $3,200-6,000 including machine work
Transmission Mount Deterioration
Common · low severitySymptoms: Clunk when shifting from Park to Drive or Reverse, Excessive driveline vibration at idle, Visible sagging or cracking of rubber mount, Harsh engagement
Fix: Original rubber mounts are 50+ years old and turn to hard plastic or crumble. Simple replacement job but often ignored until it causes other driveline wear. 1-1.5 hours labor, straightforward access.
Estimated cost: $120-250
Fuel System Varnish and Filter Clogging
Common · medium severitySymptoms: Hard starting after sitting, Engine stumbles or dies under acceleration, Inconsistent idle quality, Fuel starvation at higher speeds
Fix: Old fuel systems develop varnish buildup in tank, lines, and carb. Inline fuel filters clog quickly on cars that sat. Requires fuel system cleaning, new filter, often carburetor rebuild. Filter replacement is 0.5 hours; full system service with carb rebuild runs 4-6 hours.
Estimated cost: $80-150 for filter/basic cleaning; $450-850 with carburetor service
Rear Main Seal and Oil Pan Gasket Leaks
Occasional · low severitySymptoms: Oil puddles under rear of engine, Oil coating on bellhousing and starter, Drips after car sits overnight, Gradual oil loss without visible smoke
Fix: Rope-style rear main seals harden and leak over time; oil pan gaskets do the same. Rear main requires transmission removal (8-10 hours with trans out/in). Oil pan gasket is easier at 3-4 hours but still requires significant disassembly on V8s.
Estimated cost: $600-1,200 for rear main; $300-550 for oil pan
Buy one if you're handy or have a trusted mechanic — the bones are good, but plan $3,000-5,000 for deferred mechanical work on any example that hasn't been fully sorted.
AI-assisted summary drawn from NHTSA recall data, our labor-times database, and platform knowledge. Not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on a specific vehicle.