1966 · Buick · United States
1966 Buick Skylark Gran Sport: its own series
The Gran Sport became its own Skylark series (44600) on the restyled body, still with the 401 at 325 hp; 13,816 are tabulated.
United States · researched through 2026-09-22
For 1966 the Skylark Gran Sport became its own numbered V-8 series, 44600, offered in coupe, sport coupe hardtop, and convertible bodies. The 401-cu-in V-8 remained standard at 325 hp at 4,400 rpm and 445 lb-ft at 2,800 rpm, joined late in the year by a 340-hp version fitted with a Rochester Quadrajet carburetor and a Wildcat camshaft, documented as automatic-only according to this record's own engine note.1
Production is given as 13,816 Gran Sports in total: 1,835 coupes, 9,934 sport coupes, and 2,047 convertibles, the sport coupe alone accounting for roughly seven in ten of the year's total. This record's own production notes are careful to flag that the figures come from a single secondary lineage that does not name its own underlying factory source, and that no split by engine, between the standard 325-hp version and the late-year 340-hp option, or by transmission was found anywhere in the available sources. Across the full Buick intermediate line, Special, Special Deluxe, Skylark, and Gran Sport together, all-body production is given as 208,580, a figure this record treats as context for how the Gran Sport's 13,816 sits within Buick's broader 1966 intermediate output rather than as a total the Gran Sport figures should be checked against.1
Prices are given for all three Gran Sport body styles: $2,956 for the coupe, $3,019 for the sport coupe, and $3,167 for the convertible, a roughly $200 spread across the range. The standard 401 ran 10.25:1 compression with a Carter four-barrel; the late-year 340-hp L76 version carried the same 445 lb-ft peak torque as the standard engine but at a higher 3,200 rpm rather than 2,800, alongside its higher 4,600-rpm power peak. Three transmissions are documented: a three-speed manual standard, a four-speed manual optional with a 2.20 first gear, and a two-speed automatic optional.1
A long regular-production options list is documented down to the dollar, running from a $245 automatic transmission and a $199 four-speed manual through smaller items like a $430 air conditioning option, $141 bucket seats, and numerous single-digit-to-double-digit convenience items; this record's own options note cautions that Over-Drive's 1966 list repeats most of its 1965 prices exactly, so those figures should be treated as unverified rather than independently confirmed for 1966 specifically. A $236 "Gran Sport package option" also appears in that same list, which this record's own note flags as an apparent holdover in the source's own wording even though the Gran Sport was by then its own separate 44600 series rather than an add-on package. Fifteen exterior paint codes are charted, from Regal Black and Arctic White through Silver Mist and Cream, and five Skylark GS-specific interior trim codes are documented, covering aqua, black, blue, light fawn, and red vinyl.1,2
Identification detail includes the 44600 series breakdown itself, coupe as 44607, sport coupe as 44617, and convertible as 44667; an example VIN decoding into Buick, series, body, year, and assembly-plant digits followed by a six-digit production number; body-number-plate style codes matching the same three body styles, each plate also carrying a trim code and a two-letter paint code; and an engine code, MR, identifying the 401-cu-in, 325-hp, 10.25:1, four-barrel Gran Sport engine specifically. The Buick intermediate line's wheelbase is given as 115 in, scoped to all intermediates rather than the Gran Sport alone; no other specifications, and no performance-test data, were found in an accessible documented source for the year.1,2
Fact sheet · 1966 · United States
The numbers
1966 Buick Skylark Gran Sport — The Gran Sport became its own Skylark series (44600) on the restyled body, still with the 401 at 325 hp; 13,816 are tabulated.
Coverage: Partial — researched sections are shown; missing ones are not yet sourced. Researched through 2026-09-22.
Every figure is labeled with how sure we are. Reported means a manufacturer, registry, or reference figure we cite but have not reconciled against factory records ourselves. Disputed means credible sources disagree and both are shown. Rows are separately scoped; don't add them together unless the note says they make up a total.
Key facts
- Gran Sport production 13,816: 1,835 coupes, 9,934 sport coupes, 2,047 convertibles.1
Production
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skylark Gran Sport V-8 series1 Skylark Gran Sport · 401 · not stated by source | 13,816 | built, model-year | Reported |
| All Buick Special, Special Deluxe, Skylark and Gran Sport1 all intermediate series · not stated by source | 208,580 | built, model-year | Reported |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gran Sport 2-door coupe (44607)1 Skylark Gran Sport · 2-door coupe · 401 · not stated by source | 1,835 | built, model-year | Reported |
| Gran Sport sport coupe (44617)1 Skylark Gran Sport · 2-door hardtop sport coupe · 401 · not stated by source | 9,934 | built, model-year | Reported |
| Gran Sport convertible (44667)1 Skylark Gran Sport · 2-door convertible · 401 · not stated by source | 2,047 | built, model-year | Reported |
One secondary lineage (Over-Drive), which does not name its factory source.
No split by engine (325 vs late 340 hp) or transmission was found.
Prices when new
| Model | Price | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Gran Sport coupe (44607)1 | $2,956 | factory price as given by secondary compilation (basis not stated), 1966 |
| Gran Sport sport coupe (44617)1 | $3,019 | factory price as given by secondary compilation (basis not stated), 1966 |
| Gran Sport convertible (44667)1 | $3,167 | factory price as given by secondary compilation (basis not stated), 1966 |
Prices are the nominal dollars of the day, not adjusted for inflation.
Engines
| Engine | Factory rating | Availability | Built |
|---|---|---|---|
| 401 V-8, Gran Sport1 401 cu in · Carter 4-barrel | 325 hp @ 4,400, 445 lb-ft @ 2,800 (SAE gross (as listed by secondary source)) | standard, Gran Sport | Not yet sourced |
| L76 · 401 V-8, late-year Quadrajet version1 401 cu in · Rochester Quadrajet 4-barrel | 340 hp @ 4,600, 445 lb-ft @ 3,200 (SAE gross (as listed by secondary source)) | late-year option, automatic only per source | Not yet sourced |
Ratings are the manufacturer's advertised figures under the standard shown (SAE gross before 1972, SAE net after). They are not dyno results, and gross and net ratings can't be compared directly.
Transmissions
| Transmission | Availability | Built |
|---|---|---|
| 3-speed manual1 | standard | Not yet sourced |
| 4-speed manual (401: 2.20 first)1 | optional | Not yet sourced |
| 2-speed automatic1 | optional | Not yet sourced |
Options and packages
| Code | Option | Price | Installed |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Automatic transmission1 | $245 | Not yet sourced |
|
Three-speed manual transmission with floor shift1 | $48 | Not yet sourced |
|
Four-speed manual transmission with floor shift1 | $199 | Not yet sourced |
|
340 cu in 260 hp V-8 (Skylark, not GS)1 | $64 | Not yet sourced |
|
Gran Sport package option1 | $236 | Not yet sourced |
|
Positive traction rear axle1 | $49 | Not yet sourced |
|
Air conditioning1 | $430 | Not yet sourced |
|
Bucket seats1 | $141 | Not yet sourced |
|
Clock1 | $16 | Not yet sourced |
|
Convenience lamps1 | $8 | Not yet sourced |
|
Outside mirror1 | $4 | Not yet sourced |
|
Padded dash1 | $16 | Not yet sourced |
|
Power antenna1 | $26 | Not yet sourced |
|
Power brakes1 | $43 | Not yet sourced |
|
Power convertible top1 | $64 | Not yet sourced |
|
Power seats1 | $71 | Not yet sourced |
|
Power steering1 | $87 | Not yet sourced |
|
Radio, AM/FM1 | $150 | Not yet sourced |
|
Radio, deluxe push-button1 | $88 | Not yet sourced |
|
Radio, super deluxe signal-seeking1 | $124 | Not yet sourced |
|
Rear speaker1 | $16 | Not yet sourced |
|
Tinted glass1 | $43 | Not yet sourced |
|
Trunk release1 | $10 | Not yet sourced |
|
Two-speed wipers and washer1 | $19 | Not yet sourced |
|
Two-tone paint1 | $17 | Not yet sourced |
Paint
| Code | Color | Built |
|---|---|---|
A |
Regal Black1 | Not yet sourced |
C |
Arctic White1 | Not yet sourced |
D |
Astro Blue1 | Not yet sourced |
E |
Midnight Blue1 | Not yet sourced |
F |
Blue Mist1 | Not yet sourced |
H |
Seafoam Green1 | Not yet sourced |
J |
Verde Green1 | Not yet sourced |
K |
Turquoise Mist1 | Not yet sourced |
L |
Shadow Turquoise1 | Not yet sourced |
N |
Burgundy Mist1 | Not yet sourced |
R |
Flame Red1 | Not yet sourced |
T |
Saddle Mist1 | Not yet sourced |
V |
Shell Beige1 | Not yet sourced |
W |
Silver Mist1 | Not yet sourced |
Y |
Cream1 | Not yet sourced |
Color names are the factory's. We don't show color swatches, because a screen color is no guide for a restoration.
Interiors
| Code | Trim | Built |
|---|---|---|
166 |
Skylark GS: Aqua, vinyl2 | Not yet sourced |
168, 198 |
Skylark GS: Black, vinyl2 | Not yet sourced |
161, 191 |
Skylark GS: Blue, vinyl2 | Not yet sourced |
163, 193 |
Skylark GS: Light Fawn, vinyl2 | Not yet sourced |
167, 197 |
Skylark GS: Red, vinyl2 | Not yet sourced |
Specifications
| Measure | Value | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Wheelbase1 | 115 in | all intermediates |
Identification
- Series number
- Gran Sport V-8 series 44600: 44607 coupe, 44617 sport coupe, 44667 convertible.1
- VIN
- E.g. 444076H101555 as printed (a Skylark example): 4 = Buick; 2-3 = series (46 = Skylark Gran Sport); 4-5 = body (07 coupe, 17 sport coupe hardtop, 67 convertible); 6 = year (6); 7 = plant (H, C, Z, X, Y, D, B, K, V, I); last six = production number.2
- Body number plate
- Style 66-4607 coupe, 66-4617 sport coupe, 66-4667 convertible (Skylark Gran Sport); plate also carries trim code and two-letter paint code.2
- Engine code (Skylark Gran Sport)
- MR: 401 cu in (listed as "400"), 325 hp, 10.25:1, 4-barrel.2
Identification
Read a 1966 Buick VIN
The VIN decoder runs in your browser and never sends the VIN anywhere. How the factory numbered this year's cars:
Same model year
Also in 1966
- Buick Riviera A longer, heavier new body on the same X-frame; 5,718 of 45,348 carried the GS option, and the dual-quad Super Wildcat went from dealer add-on to factory MZ engine in March 1966.
- Buick Wildcat The one-year Wildcat Gran Sport: 1,244 built, 242 convertibles, 22 Super Wildcats.
- Chevrolet Chevelle and Malibu SS The first full year of the SS 396 as its own series, with a 396 V8 in every car: 66,843 sport coupes and 5,429 convertibles.
- Chevrolet Chevy II and Nova The source engine table lists the 327 L79 at 350 gross hp. Enthusiast-compiled production: 172,485 cars; Super Sport 20,986.
- Chevrolet El Camino SS No factory Super Sport El Camino is documented for this year; the record carries the host El Camino production as context.
- Chevrolet Impala SS Impala SS falls to 119,314 as the 427 arrives; 3,247 full-size Chevrolets got the 390-hp L36.
- Dodge Charger Dodge's first Charger, a fastback on the Coronet platform introduced on 1 January 1966, built 37,344 times, 468 of them with the new Street Hemi.
- Dodge Coronet R/T and Super Bee The first year the 426 Hemi was sold as a street engine; in the Coronet it was an option on ordinary sedans, hardtops and convertibles, before any R/T package existed.
- Ford Fairlane A new, wider Fairlane could take the 390 big-block for the first time, bringing the Fairlane 500 GT and GTA, and a small run of R-code 427 hardtops was built for Super Stock racing.
- Ford Galaxie The 428 became the big-car performance engine and gave its name to the Galaxie 500 7-Litre hardtop and convertible, with the 427 still available.
- Ford Thunderbird A 345-hp 428 became a $64.77 option, and the Town Landau outsold every other body combined.
- Mercury Comet and Cyclone The Comet moved to the larger Fairlane-based body, and the Cyclone GT brought the 335-hp 390 with twin hood scoops, bucket seats and a heavy-duty suspension.
- Mercury Marauder and S-55 The S-55 returned as its own line, a hardtop and convertible with the 345 hp 428 'Super Marauder' V8.
- Oldsmobile Cutlass, 4-4-2 and Hurst/Olds The 4-4-2 package gained the L69 three-two-barrel 'Tri-Carb' option at 360 hp, and a handful of factory W-30 forced-air cars were built for drag racing.
- Oldsmobile Starfire The last Starfire of the 1960s: coupe only, moved downmarket, 13,019 sold.
- Plymouth Barracuda and 'Cuda The last glassback-era year: one fastback body, the 273 Commando as the top engine, and production that fell to 38,029.
- Plymouth GTX, Belvedere and Satellite The 426 Street Hemi reached showrooms in the Belvedere and Satellite, and 1,546 were built into Plymouth intermediates.
- Pontiac Catalina 2+2 and Super Duty The 2+2 was listed as its own model for the only time, and production fell to 6,383.
- Pontiac GTO The GTO becomes its own Pontiac series and has its biggest year: 96,946 built.
- Pontiac Grand Prix Production fell to 36,757 as the GTO and 2+2 drew performance buyers.
- Pontiac Tempest and LeMans Pontiac's overhead-cam six and the Sprint package arrive beside the 326 HO.
- Rambler and AMC Marlin The Marlin's second year: production fell to 4,547, less than half the 1965 figure.