In the continuing story of sellers that fail to take good pictures of interesting cars, we have this listing on eBay of a 1972 Buick GS 455. The seller calls it a Skylark GS 455, but I believe although based on the Skylark, the Gran Sport became its own series by this point. Regardless what you call it, I hope this project is finished and back on the road at some point soon. It’s located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and is being sold at no reserve, with bidding under $600 as I write!
Here’s the car on a trailer. We don’t know if this is a dated picture of when it was purchased, which I suspect it is, or a current one. either way, apart from the worst looking mud flaps I’ve ever seen on a vehicle (go ahead, prove me wrong with pictures in the comments), it looks pretty complete.
The seller tells us that they have replaced one front fender but the badge holes need to be drilled. I’m concerned that I’m seeing a lot of body filler here, although the seller tells us that it’s primered now, so I guess I have to respect the honesty of showing it like this. We don’t get any pictures of it in primer, though. I think I’d want to go through the body again and possibly look at some patch panels. The seller describes minimal rust, but does not explain how or if it was taken care of. I hope it wasn’t with filler!
Inside, we don’t see much apart from a couple of radiators, which combined with the front fender replacement has me wondering if there was an accident in this car’s past. Again, clearer pictures would help. It’s said to have excellent floor boards and trunk, so it sounds like the tarp it’s been under since 1988 did it’s job.
It’s encouraging to see the air conditioning compressor and what looks like a straight core support, so if there was an accident, it couldn’t have been too bad. On the other hand, if that is rust rather than dirt on the surface the wrench is on, there’s going to have to be a lot of treatment or replacement. As usual, closer inspections make sense, unless you expect the worst off the bat (which for less than $1,000 as it is now, I would!) Is there a future for this GS 455?
I think seller is honest about the car. Its a good project if the $$ stays low.LOL those running boards are a trip. My 98 gmc truck has those exact aftermarket ones. At least they look ok on my truck. OK I said only, but on a car?
Looks like a good project! I’d take it to bare metal and start over.
I see this is one of those rare FWD Buick GS’s, ( snow tire on front) Maybe it’s my age ( most assuredly) but I look at this and shudder. Man, lot of work here, and these ( or a Cutlass) aren’t exactly rare. Nice ones come thru here all the time. Didn’t the frames on these rust terribly? I’d pass on this one.
Hey now Howard A, My Dad would run studded snow tires on the front and rear of one of his cars during the bad icy days back during the 70’s in Missouri, we would get ice so bad that running them helped with the steering with good old bias ply tires, have to admit wish you could still get studded snow tires as easy as back them days, I think a good old studded snow tire under the front on a 4WD would help some of these moron’s who think just because it is 4WD they can drive on anything and usually wind up in a ditch or medium along the Highway some days, I know you can get them, they run them on the Mail trucks in town you can hear the stud hitting the street. their just isn’t many places that will do the stud work anymore!!!
Hi Big Mike, we, in Wisconsin, had a brief stint with studded snow tires in the 60’s. They did more damage to the roads that we’re still repairing to this day. One nice thing about studded snow tires, just about any car could spin the tires.
hey, Howard! also, if the front end was severely out of alignment snow tires were put on cuz it took longer to wear out!
….a lot of bondo showing…though, if it sells for high bid right now, it could be a bargain….
Currently @ $1,875. I bought a car once in primer COAT, NEVER AGAIN! Their “idea” of a “minor’ dent and mine were light years apart. Primer hides mistakes too well! :-)
NEVER AGAIN IS RIGHT. My opinion, this is one of the best ways to buy a car like this because you can, by in large, see what you are getting. OR if the car is fairly original or a much older resto. Buying cars with Primer OR Fresh Paint Jobs is a VERY RISKY proposition especially if I am going to do a full resto on it, I want to see the realities of the body.
I’m just glad the Rochester is still present, excellent carbs.
Was the passenger side running board a rare factory option?
run away fast screaming
Front seat looks cool
This car is in Alberta, but my guess is that it is from Saskatchewan. Just about every car in (rural) Saskatchewan used to have running boards because it was the only way to keep some paint on the rockers with all the gravel roads. Oh, the cars I have seen running boards on. Mustangs, Camaros and every kind of sedan made. Very common in the 80s.
I’ve always liked the GS, mostly because you saw so few compared to other gm models. If this is a real GS it should be resurrected. When I was a kid street racing these were hard to beat and I remember a triple black GS with a blown 455 that cleaned up regularly on big money nights. There’s nothing like open headers at 2am on a quiet highway LOL, thank God I’m alive.
I also like the Buick GS model, starting in 1965 these were full of torque and style all their own. These were excellent drivers and were usually not given a second glance by the younger generation who were more interested in the Chevy, Pontiac or even Ford products. On this ’72 GS 2 dr hardtop the VIN should show a model 43437 and there were only 7,723 produced. I would say that would make this a somewhat rare model in todays muscle car market place. I would be happy to park one in my garage.
I would use this as a parts car. My second car was a 72 Skylark Convertible. 350 4BBL, Speed Shift kit , dual exhaust. It would do 160 MPH. Only thing that ever beat me in a drag race was a 65 Skylark the guy told me it had a 300 in it. He was lying it had a 455 Stage one engine in it. The guys dad ran the service department for the local buick dealer. That was a waste of gas to find that out. LMAO. I knew some thing was really wrong when I heard that deep thumping when the second stage of that 4BBL kicked it. I was like awe man I’m done. I lived in Calgary for a few years and let me tell ya snow goes to the roof regularly there. Standard add ons were block heaters, and studded snow tires or chains or both. Yeah ya need the studs on the front as well like the previous posters said so you can actually steer. This car is to rough as it is. I would find a more solid frame and body and pull off all the GS specific stuff from this bucket, along with the body tags and go that route. Sacrificing a 6 cylinder car to make a GS correctly might be the road to go. I would document all of it with lots of pics. I also am not a fan of primer cars, unless I saw what it looked like before and I watched the guy do the body work to get it there. So I would know what lurked underneath all that primer. I am pretty handy with bondo, but I am no body man by any means.
Thanks for the comments guys. This is my car. I can no longer work on it and am trying to make some room. It’s all original and If you are interested in this please let me know. I haven’t done much to it other than what you see. There is little Bondo under the primer. I haven’t touched the engine other than take off the water pump. It does need a lot of work. I am open to offers. Contact me through ebay. I have it listed again. The original buyer wanted to pay me in Canadian dollars after winning the auction. The bid was $4300.00, and because the car was in Canada he assumed it was ok to short change me like this.
By the way, the trailer pictures are from when it was loaded off my in my driveway three years ago. and yes. Those crazy running boards are from Saskatchewan. I put on the fender from a regular Skylark and does need the holes drilled for the badge. The fender was too rusted and damaged.
The Car was shipped to Crama coach works in Sundre for restoration. It’s no longer for sale at this time.
Frank at Crama Coachworks did a fantastic job. Here is the car a day out of the booth. Diplomat Blue