Cheap Stage 1? 1969 Buick GS 400

Whoa, ho, ho, what do we have here? A clean 1969 Buick GS 400, with Stage 1 upgrades for only $23,500? Sound too good to be true? Actually, yes, but I’m still intrigued enough to take a closer look. Found in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, this banker’s hot rod is available here on craigslist.

GM’s intermediate A-body cars got an overall redo for ’68, and it was more than skin deep. The wheelbase for two-door versions was shrunk by three inches (115 vs. 112), and the sheet metal for all four divisions was extensively redesigned. Buick, in particular, went its own way with heavily sculpted sides and a sorta batmobile-esque rear end. That stand-alone styling persisted through 1969, and what you see here is the result. GS sales were middling that year, with only 13K finding homes, and just half of those were GS 400 hardtops. The seller of this specimen claims, ” second owner car since 40 years, garage kept,” and it’s pretty spectacular-looking. The entire car presents beautifully, with what appears to be a code G Trumpet Gold finish, still looking like new. Ditto the black vinyl top, trim, wheels, and chrome bits -nothing appears to be out of place. All that said, the listing is rather laconic for such a special car so outfitted.

Under the hood resides a 340 gross HP 400 CI V8 engine married up to a Turbo-Hydramatic 400, three-speed automatic transmission. The seller states, unenthusiastically, “runs and drives.” He also claims this GS is equipped with Stage 1 engine enhancements, which, according to Hemmings, include “new heads…featuring 2.12/1.75-inch valves… a high-lift camshaft, stiffer valve springs, tubular pushrods to improve oiling, high-capacity fuel pump, larger diameter exhaust system, a specific distributor and a Quadrajet carburetor with a larger set of jets.” The revised power output for a Stage 1 variant is 350 gross HP, which seems miserly considering the extent of the modifications. Rare? You bet! According to Hemmings, just 1,256 hardtops were so equipped, though that does work out to a total percentage of 19.7% of all GS 400 hardtops, and that seems high for a package that wasn’t overly promoted.

Inside, we find a black vinyl bucket seat environment that looks to be in excellent condition – at least what can be seen from the few images in the listing. It’s a typical, understated, muted Buick interior, designed for basic functionality. It is a treat, however, to find the optional “curved” center console.

So, there you have it, but what’s really the deal here? This GS 400, with its pristine condition and claimed Stage 1 option, seems to be too good to be true at a price of only $23,500; at least that’s my thought. But what’s yours, a great opportunity or something a bit fishy?