GM has long been the master of badge engineering. Take this 1969 Buick GS 350 for example. It’s a performance version of the Buick Skylark which is really just a rebadged Chevelle. While the body and chassis are essentially identical, there is one major difference that sets the Buick apart from it’s GM brother and that’s its 350 V8. Yes, it has the exact same displacement as the iconic Chevy small block, but it’s actually a different engine with it’s own unique set of characteristics. The example seen here was found parked in a barn in North Carolina, yet it looks to be quite solid. It’s now being offered here on eBay in Claremont, North Carolina with a current bid of $3,455.
As previously stated, the Buick 350 is quite different from the massively popular 350 that’s been crammed into so many other GM products. Buick’s block is quite a bit larger, so much so you could almost mistake it for a big block at first glance. This 350 features a bore of 3.8 inches with a stroke of 3.85 inches, compared to the SBCs bore of 4 inches and a stoke of 3.48 inches. The longer stroke means this Buick produces plenty of low end torque, 365 foot pounds to be exact! Horsepower was rated at just 280, but with that much torque on tap there’s plenty of fun to be had here.
The seller seems confident that this car is all original and I don’t see any reason to doubt them. The paint is looking thin in spots and there aren’t any of the usual signs of a respray. It’s hard to say whether the paint is salvageable, but it might polish up. The interior is definitely going to need work to look great again. As you can see, the upholstery and plastic bits are all showing their age.
It’s surprising how solid this car looks to be. It has some surface rust here and there, but I don’t see any major areas of decay. It’s just too bad about the scrapes and dents. You might be able to pop some of them out without having to do any paint work. Part of me likes it with all the bumps and bruises, it looks mean, but this car really does deserve to be restored. So which version of GM’s A-Body cars do you like best?
Looks sound -wonder what’ll go for
neat car to bad it does not have a 4 speed. wonder what the reserve is? I kinda like the plain jane steering wheel.
Ya, I haven’t seen that steering wheel for decades, since I owned a rusted out ’70 GS…really brings back memories.
Buick was all about the torque. I think they had the only 45x cid GM V8 with over 500 lb-ft. When I was at Penn State a guy in my building had one of these, GS400, gray with black vinyl top. I used to drool over it as I walked to my ’76 Skyhawk 3.8, but at least I had a five-speed. Nice find – are you buying it? :-)
One saying amongst the drag racing crowd is “Horsepower is for bragging rights but it’s torque that wins the race”
I once heard that Horsepower is how fast you hit the wall and, Torque is how hard you hit the wall.
Horsepower is how fast you hit the wall. Torque is how far you moved that wall
These cars, although there are shared platforms, are not badge engineered chevelles. As you pointed out, different engines and sheetmetal. As well as different interiors, options, wheels, and transmissions. The Omni/Horizon twins are badge engineered cars.
I knew that statement would get people worked up! So question then, did Buick engineer this Skylark? It’s an A-body GM, which if my thinking is correct, was engineered by GM to be used for a number of different models. Yes, they installed a different engine, added a crease to the fenders, doors and lower rear quarters, but was this car actually engineered by Buick? Obviously, the Omin/Horizon cars are badge engineered, they share every nut and bolt minus their trim and badges, but at what point do we say the car is different enough to no longer be badge engineered? I’m genuinely curious, plus I like to stir the pot a bit!
Try stirring the pot when you know what you’re talking about.
“Rebadged Chevelle”?
For shame…
They didn’t share the same sheet metal until the following year.
And Skylark had an 11 year jump on Chevelle.
Gran Sport was an option as early as `65.
well in 64 you could buy a ss chevelle so I am not sure I understand your point?
Exactly. If we’re going to call this badge engineering, we might as well call a Pontiac GTO and Olds 442 rebadged Chevelles too.
I call badge engineering turning a car into something it isn’t. The most infamous example is probably the Cadillac Cimarron. I would also say that the early Cadillac Seville and Lincoln Versailles, Chrysler Cordoba, and the K-car LeBarons and New Yorkers were badge engineered in that sense.
Well how wrong you are. The chevelle made it’s debut in 1964.
I always love the rear of these cars, especially how the bumper is integrated into the body, and how the tail lights are set into the bumper… A clean look
My first ever car was a 67 GS400 and it was a lot of fun. My second car was a 72 GS350. These are fun cars, even if the 350’s weren’t the strongest (except for 1970 when they had 315 horsepower).
I remember passing by a Black 69 GS400 Stage 1 that was parked in a driveway near a major highway near Grenada, MS in the early 80’s. Always wanted that car!
Well I was always under the impression that the stage 1 was a 455 inch buick engine that produced 370 horsepower along with 510 ft.lbs. of torque.
One of the oldest tricks in the book to photograph the car when it is wet. Paint will always appear much shinier than it actually is.
I think Josh is sadly out of touch in his comment on rebadging. A Chevelle is really just a rebadged Buick.
Cold air induction, a/c, power steering, bucket seats, I think it has alot going for it. Tune, clean, maybe some facfactory styled steel wheels and cruise.
Entirely different vehicle from a Chevelle in construction, visceral feel and intent. The Pontiac T-1000 was badge engineering, this is platform sharing. That said, there was a stock Special Deluxe with the same drivetrain that routinely runs 13.0 flat on stock tires (in last year’s PSMCDR) so you know these things can pack a punch if tuned.
Nova and apollo and Phoenix and Ventura all the same?
Chevy Nova, Olds Omega, Pontiac Ventura, Buick Apollo
Nova, Omega, Ventura, Apollo
N—O—V—A
Nova! They were so clever.
Couldn’t give ’em away in Mexico: No va (won’t go).
platform sharing is a lot different from badge engineering. I think other than the rolling frame not many parts were interchangeable. Platform sharing has and will continue to go on for economic reasons. A current example is the VW A platform. (Goggle it).
This car is very familiar to me. I have owned the following Buicks: 66 Skylark GS, 67 GS400, 69 GS California, 69 GS 400. All were stock except the 67. It had a 71 455 in it. There is nothing similar in build with Chevrolet. You can’t kill these thick block stump pullers. You should have bought that 69 Stage 1 Tenspeed. Only 697 were built. I personally could have bought one in 84 for the pricey sum of $300. At the time, I did not know how rare it was, only that I had never seen one before. The Steering Wheel on this car is unusual. I have not seen it before (and I have seen a lot). 69 was the first year for the 3-Speed Hydramatic Transmission, which was a big improvement from the puny 2-Speed of 68 and prior. People either love or hate these 68-69 body styles. I love them personally. My first car was the GS California. I absolutely and completely was brutal to it, and all I ever had to do to it was maintenance (mostly tires). The Buicks of this era stood on their own as the sleeper musclecars. Even though I have a Mopar in my Garage now, there will always be a place in my heart for these Buicks. That may be why I had so many of them.
My first car was a 67 GS340 California, been looking for a replacement for 20+ years! Just found a 67 Skylark with the 340 in a round about through this site
Wouldn’t you really rather have a Buick?
1969 was the first year for the turbo 350 in A body cars but the turbo 400 became available in 67. Both of these are 3 speed transmissions.
I never cared for the rear 1/4 panel treatment on these. 70 and up is much cleaner and not as old looking.
Back in the 80’s I had a neighbor with a 69 GS. Gray with a black top, that was some machine! Looked fantastic, drove like a bat out of Hades. Shelled out the rear end at least once I know of.
Platform sharing, yes. But as far as I know, even the rolling frame does not interchange with Chevelle, Cutlass, LeMans, etc.
Although made late in the game, this one is still a real Buick.
Agree. Put a Chevelle and a Skylark up on side-by-side lifts and take a look. One “ate its Wheaties” and the other one didn’t.
I had a Cameo Cream with black vinyl top ’69 GS350 back in the early 80’s. It had the same color bucket seat and column shift auto as this car.
The steering wheel on my car was different from this one and I think the one on the car for sale may not be original to the car. Looks more like a wheel from a lower trim level.
My car had 3.23 rear gears in it and it ran pretty good to be all stock except for a 2 1/2″ exhaust system with Dynomax mufflers.
Here is the only picture I have of my old car.
Josh, I think the interior is the easiest part to restore…a parchment white SEM rattle can on those hard plastic pieces, and some simple green will bring it back easily. I’d be much more concerned about those panel gaps and dents, It does appear solid though. I compare a digital pic to a 20 ft view at best. I agree, the 70-72 are the best looking…I love my ’72, which doesn’t drive anything like a Chevelle!
My Dad pulled a small Airstream with his. The torque was amazing. It got 6 mpg pulling the trailer. It got 9-10 without it. It pulled the Airstream from Central Colorado to Fairbanks at least five times. Gas was 55 cents a gallon.
My first Buick was a 72 GS 350, I was hooked. I have had a 68 gs 350, 68 special convert, 68 gs 400, 71 gs stage 1 4 spd convert (1 of 9), 71 stage 1 4 spd (1 of 114). 72 gsx 350 clone. Great cars, NOT chevelles by a long shot. Put a stock 70 gsx 455 up against a stock 70 ss Chevelle and the x will win!!
1970 GS455 or GSX with the stage 1 engine comes to mind first when I think of preformance Buicks from that era. Plus the ’70-72’s gran sports just look more aggressive, which was key in competing with the likes of ss chevelles, gto’s, 442’s, etc… This is a nice car, but I can still see some “old folks car” styling here despite the dressed up engine, and that may have turned some potential buyers away back then who were looking for youngmobiles.
While on a double date in high school. I drove up behind a GS455. It had an older couple in the front seat(s). (you could tell by the man’s hat!) I was driving my ’55 Chevy convert with a warmed over small block. I joked and said “that car is probably so carboned (sp?) up. It probably can’t get out of it’s own way! (The guy was ambling down the road at about 15 under the 45mph limit.) About 30 seconds later. (He was getting annoyed by the punk in the Chevy convert crowding his bumper.) The Buick started frying the tires. I was right about one thing. The car was spewing chunks of carbon out the tail pipes. But getting out it own way was no problem! HE was gone in about 10 seconds. I literally had to clean the melted rubber off of my hood.
If I wasn’t in 2chevelles, I would definitely be interested in this car. Looks like a really nice car to restore and would be a blast to ride around in. I knew a guy when I was a teenager that had one that was a convertible. He didn’t know back then but he beat the heck out of it, even doing a couple Dukes of Hazzard tricks. He sure regrets it now.
The steering wheel is from a Special interior trim level package. I have seen them on 70-72 cars, so it may be correct for a 69. Upgrading to a Skylark or Skylark Custom interior trim level got you the upgraded steering wheel…
I have a 1969 Buick GS 350 4 speed Hurst Equipped SILVER with black interior, people dont even know what it is,people say nice gto, nice chevelle, buicks are unique. I love it .