Buick has used the name Gran Sport (GS) on several performance cars built since 1965. Buick GS series automobiles were the most lavishly equipped GM sport models in their day. This 1972 edition purports to be a Skylark GS and has seen better days. We’re told it’s been parked since 1988, yet the engine may have been refreshed sometime since. Along with plenty of rust, it runs and drives in Andale, Kansas, and is available here on craigslist for $4,950. Our thanks to Jonny C for the tip!
The Skylark wasn’t the only Buick to wear the Gran Sport label, as the Riviera, Wildcat, Century, Apollo, and Regal also had that honor. And the Skylark had some rather iconic versions of the GS as well, such as the GS 455, GSX, and GSX Stage 1. As the seller doesn’t tell us otherwise, we believe this car would be the “base” GS, which would have a 350 cubic inch V8 with a 4-barrel carburetor good for about 190 hp net. However, the only visible signs this is a GS is the louvered hood. None of the GS badging appears in the places they should be.
While the seller says the car was parked in a barn in 1988, the engine “runs great and has to be a fairly new rebuild so something.” That doesn’t quite jive. The seller is likely a flipper, but if the car was pulled out for a rebuild and then put back in, why would that happen? What leads the seller to believe this? There are no photos provided under the hood, which adds another question mark as to whether this is a real GS.
We’re told there is plenty of rust, but the photos only show a bit of corrosion at the bottom of one of the front fenders on the conflicted Sunburst Yellow paint. The interior may be okay, but what’s with that gaggle of wires hanging out from under the dashboard? 8-track tape deck” Adding further to the uncertainty of this car is that there is no title, so the buyer will need to be happy with a Bill of Sale. If it’s what the seller says it is, this car would be one of 5,526 out of 8,575 GS’s built for 1972, making it sort of a rare car. If this machine was in topflight condition, it could be worth in the mid-$20s. But right now, it looks like a project with a fair number of unknowns.
This car has appeared on Barn Finds before. Front clip has been replaced with a GS hood, looks like the front bench has been replaced with buckets, but the column shift remains. No title and No emails answered equals NO GS
My grandmother had a base 72 Skylark. This is a base 72 Skylark with a GS hood. I guess a fool is born every minute….but they are less prevalent in this car world.
I’m sure he will find a sucker…and within a year we might see this on BarnFinds again.
I used to have a 72 350 4 speed car,had a earlier(68-69)Buick 350 in it when I bought it.Posi rear(forget the ratio)Car ran real strong!
Wouldn’t touch it with a ten foot pole .
I love all of the experts chiming in…it is a real GS. You can clearly see where the GS emblems were on the fenders. The Skylark didn’t even have emblems there, they were on the quarters.