All General Motors divisions offered a mid-size muscle car in the 1960s and 1970s. That is except for Cadillac. At Buick, it was the Gran Sport (aka GS), based on the Skylark platform. Because the GS was a Buick, it was a more luxurious hot car than the Chevelle SS, Pontiac GTO, or Olds 4-4-2. The seller’s auto is a 1970 GS Stage 1 which came with a 455 cubic inch V8. Just 2,465 copies were produced in ’70, making for a rarer car than its GM contemporaries. Located in Columbus, Ohio, this Buick is a documented and numbers-matching project, available here on Facebook Marketplace for $22,000. Thanks for the tip, Barn Finder “Ted”.
The Skylark-based Gran Sport first appeared in 1965. Performance would continue to graduate until the 455 V8 debuted in 1970. The base version of the engine produced 350 hp. You picked up 10 additional horses when you opted for the Stage 1 package, though some industry insiders thought the output was closer to 420. When a ’70 GS 455 Stage 1 would go head-to-head with a 426 Hemi Mopar, we understand that the Buick would more than hold its own.
Buick peddled just over 20,000 mid-size GS products in 1970, with a 350 V8 appearing in about half of them. If you drill down to a Stage 1 with the TH-400 automatic transmission, 1,785 copies would emerge (another 680 units had a manual transmission). The seller provides little to no background on this GS other than to say it’s a certified vehicle (by the Buick Gallery & Research Center). It comes with its build sheet and all the important equipment (motor, transmission, tachometer, etc.).
We’re told that the mechanics of the vehicle have never been gone into at 55,000 miles. It appears to have been sitting for a long period given the amount of dirt and dust. The green paint may be original with the front clip wearing grey primer that was not recently applied. The black interior may be okay but we’re not sure as the driver’s bucket seat is covered with a sheet. If this car is everything that’s been advertised, what a great find and ride it might be – one day.
Denny Manner,the Buick man who created the stage 1 package stated it made about 385HP if you shifted later,they gave an economy shift point to look “responsible” :P
Made nothing close to that in production line stock form with all engine accessories, air cleaner assembly and full factory exhaust system in place. 320 at the crank was more like it for the production cars. Suggest you read this: https://www.hagerty.com/media/archived/horsepower/
Lovely looking car. Assuming everything on the car is there and the body is solid, no rust holes, and the frame is straight, not bent in any way from an accident, I’d be willing to pay close to $10k for it. Perhaps after some resto work is done, the cost may go up.
You want all that and only willing to pay $10000. Bahahaha. Good luck.
Pretty much set up perfectly from the Buick factory 🏭 👌 great pkg. 👍
Too much money for a Northern car. An Ohio car will eat you out of house and home doing a resto.
Did you bother to read the ad? The Buick was titled out of California and sounds like it spent its life there until 2004 when it went to Ohio. Safe to assume it probably has not seen much inclement weather and salted roads since. Still, even if the car was always in Ohio, assumptions do not always fit the narrative. Need to physically inspect the car to determine its condition. I live in northern California and have seen cars that have been here their entire life with plenty of rust. The “its a northern car, must be rusted to death” way of thinking seems narrow minded when many variables determine the cars actual condition, such as when and how it was driven and stored. Location may play a part in the car having more or less rust but it does not guarantee it.
Mike 76,I agree with you totally.I live in Ohio and people assume the worst when a car is in the northern states.It all depends on where the car was stored and taken care of.I owned a 70 Z/28 for 29 years kept it in the garage when not driving it.Common sense!
Then you need to learn what Ohio does to cars.
Good Gosh! My brother ORDERED a 1070 Stage car with a 4 speed, console delete with AC etc. that he sold to me in 1971 as a junior in high school. At that time I paid TWO LOUSY THOUSAND DOLLARS for it LOL. Had a dozen 455 cars since then and am now on my last one, a 1972 455 Stage GSX. YEP; one of 75. Had a 1973 stage Century with a console delete 4 sp, one of 17 as per the books.
44 GSXs built in 1972. Almost 100 Stage 1s built with 4-speed in 1973.
http://www.stage1registry.com/registry/1973_GS_Stage1_Breakdown.pdf
Mike 76,I totally agree with you.If you leave a car outside in bad weather for years it’s gonna rust.I owned a 70 Z/28 for 29 years and I live in Ohio.I kept it in a garage when not driving it.Very minimal rust.
I am curious why the front clip is in primer. Could of been wrecked. Still nice to see an original stage 1 GS.
These things properly tuned can beat a 426 Hemi on the drag strip. For those of you old enough to remember the Richard Lasseter car vs. Roy Badie in the now defunct Muscle Car Review. The Buicks have a very strong following. This one should be restored correctly. Buick today a total joke and should be put out to pasture.
Richard Lasseters Buick was a ringer. He knew what he was doing. No ‘stock’ GS turned a mid-12 second ever. There were other Stage1 GS Skylark’s at the same time in magazine articles running low 14 teens. By the way, Chrysler has a warehouse full of trophies from Nascar and NHRA victories. Buick?
Plenty of NASCAR trophy’s in Buick’s collection. If you don’t know what you’re talking about, keep your moth shut.
too much money
In other words, you just can’t afford it.
No. It’s a piece of crap with a high price tag.
What an amazing car to find, although the truly amazing Buick Skylark was the GSX!