Buick has used the Gran Sport moniker on several cars since 1965, combining muscle and luxury in one package. The Skylark GS was Buick’s answer to the GTO and it was intended to be the most lavishly equipped General Motors sport model of its era. This 1971 Buick GS 455 is a rare car because it’s a convertible, but it’s not the Stage 1 or Stage 2 versions that true enthusiasts go gaga over. A frame-off restoration has been started but someone else will have to finish it. The buyer will need to bring a trailer or two to Elk Mound, Wisconsin to bring everything home. And win the no reserve auction here on eBay where just one bid sits at $10,000
The seller has owned this car for five years and we assume the restoration began under his watch. The photos provided seem to be a mix of what the car looked like at the beginning of dis-assembly and what it looks like today. The 1971 Skylark GS was the second year with the 455 cubic inch powerplant, having replaced the 400 that was last used in 1969. That 455 should have been good for 345 horsepower, but output downgrades were looming on the horizon. The chassis has already been rebuilt as well as the engine. While the motor, transmission and rear end are numbers-matching, the automatic transmission has been replaced by a 4-speed manual. We see an air conditioning compressor attached to the motor, so we assume this was a factory A/C car to begin with.
The sheet metal, in its various states, is finished in Stratomist Blue, which we assume was the original color. The car doesn’t appear to have been repainted yet, but what’s there doesn’t look bad. The GS is said to have come with a white bench seat interior, but we don’t see any of those pieces in the photos, so we don’t know if the buyer will be receiving those components or not. The seller doesn’t say whether the car is complete, instead mentioning he “has most parts with a lot of new parts to go with it.”
Most Skylark GS models command big dollars, especially the 455 and even more if a Stage 1 or 2. That doesn’t even include talking about a GSX. This car is none of those things, but it still has the big motor and is a low production convertible. So, when it’s all put back together in the right way, you could have a car worth in the high-five figures. So far, only one bidder has the vision needed to take this one across the finish line.
This is the same owner of the 70 GS 455 4spd car featured on this site yesterday. He also has an AMX listed.
The Stage 2 was never a factory option. The parts were sold over the counter.
Steve R
As a fan of Skylarks and Gran Sports in particular, I advise anyone on this site looking at the photos alone not drop $10k without an up close inspection. This assembly kit requires the potential buyer do a parts count before leaving the location with two trailers full of GS445. Good price if you get a complete car. Shame about the bench seat interior but that’s the 1971 Buick audience for ya.
Bench seats more fun at the drive in.
Not if you are as old as I am it ain’t. And where is there a drive-in anymore?
Drive-in theaters are so 70s & 80s, but NOT 90s, or 2000s, or 2020s unless there is a COVID-19 revival I am unaware of going on.
Again, I’d buy weed instead.
Bob
@Robert White — put the doobie down. Actually, there IS a revival of drive-in theaters and drive-in everything because of COVID-19. Not a day goes by when I don’t hear of another musical artist or restaurant that is peddling themselves to you from the comfort of your automobile. There are entire concert series occurring at outdoor theaters and my local drive in’s been offering classic films and family favorites on the big screen since March. All of my Skylarks/Specials had bench seats, and yes I made the most of being able to pull someone up close to me. Also had a necking knob on the steering wheel on the one I had in high school. Power steering was the BEST!
I’m a big fan of Buicks 70 and older. Skylarks are such cool cars, my favorite being the 67. To many years have passed by in my life now to take on a project like this, but in my minds eye this car is beautiful when finished. Keep em coming, perhaps one day I’ll see the 67 factory 4 speed Skylark convertible I’ve been waiting for.
God bless America
I got vertigo just looking at that first picture!!
I got something like that too from shot #1.
My vision got messed up.
Always complete the body restoration before completing the drivetrain and frame. Never sell a restoration in pieces unless you died and left it to your non-car enthusiast significant other.
If the seller is not dead, or being autopsied by the local Coroner, it’s best to lowball the lazy bastard for attempting to sell a pile of car parts for real money that could purchase a complete car.
Additionally, one could purchase a very nice old classic motorcycle for $10k U$D.
Frankly, if I had a choice on how to waste $10k U$D I, for one, would buy the weed this guy is smoking instead.
One bid so far makes sense if it is a lowball bid.
The seller needs to be punished for this IMHO.
Bob
Wow! Somebody get Bob some weed. Stat! This seems like a cry for help. I don’t blame him, he is too old to enjoy bench seats. Or maybe too grumpy to get a lady to sit next with him?
I just picked approximately one pound of great weed off of the one 10′ plant I grew in my tiny backyard this summer. I’ll have enough marijuana to last until next season where I plan to grow three 10′ plants primarily due to the legal limit in CANADA where we are only allowed to grow three plants per season.
CANUCKISTAN is great for weed now that it is legal to grow. The USA will be legalizing weed soon so don’t fret guys because you too will be able to grow your own after all the states in the union legalize it for the tax advantage for bureaucrats.
Write to your state senator to speed up the legislative process.
P.S. I passed on getting married due to poverty.
Bob
A “Signifigant Other” is a legal term. It means another intimate party while you are still married, or, estranged and have not yet been decreed “Divorced.”
It ain’t your main “squeeze”
or your wife or gal pal.
Ask me how I know. (I learned it in divorce court from da judge.)
Looks like a good deal to me.