Structurally Solid: 1970 Buick GS 455 Convertible

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While there is a bit of work ahead to return this 1970 Buick GS 455 Convertible to its best, it is a car that could potentially be worth the effort. If it is completed properly, the end result should be a pretty potent package that would be guaranteed to put a smile on anyone’s face. It is located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and is listed for sale here on eBay. Bidding has made its way to $5,700, but the reserve hasn’t been met.

What you can see in this photo appears to be the worst of the rust that is present in the Buick. There is also some of the usual rust that we have come to expect in the lower panels, and while the underside of the car has a pretty heavy coating of surface corrosion, it still appears to be structurally sound. The Seamist Green paint has definitely seen better days, but the white soft-top looks like it might respond well to a good clean. One interesting feature of that top is that the rear window is glass, and is fitted with a factory defroster. The external trim and chrome pieces are all present, and the majority of it appears to be in good condition.

The original Pearl White seats have been removed from the vehicle, but they generally appear to be in good condition. The trim that remains in the car also looks pretty decent, and I suspect that they would present well with a good clean. The dash also seems to be free of cracks or problems, and the car does come loaded with some nice features. These include air conditioning, power windows, a rim-blow tilt wheel, floor console, speed alert, and gauge pack.

The engine bay of the Buick still houses a 455ci V8, but unfortunately, it isn’t original. The owner says that it is of 1975-vintage. This will probably mean that it runs a lower compression ratio than the original unit, and probably comes up shy of the 350hp that the car used to produce. It is also fitted with a Turbo 400 transmission, power steering, and power brakes. The Buick doesn’t currently run, and we have no information as to whether the engine even turns freely. This is one that will need to go to its new home on a trailer, but if the car can be returned to something close to its old self, then it should be capable of accelerating from 0-60mph in 6.8 seconds, and galloping through the ¼ mile in around 14.7 seconds. It sounds like a lot of fun with the wind in your hair. I wish that there was a better shot of the engine, but at least this one shows you the amount of corrosion that is present on the underside of the hood. That is pretty indicative of the sort of corrosion that you will find on the car’s underside.

If this Buick GS 455 Convertible was a full numbers-matching car, then once restored, it would be worth a figure in excess of $40,000, and could even potentially command a price of twice that. The fact that the original engine has vanished is certainly going to impact the value, but it could still be expected to be worth somewhere around the $30,000 mark, or possibly more if the restoration work is completed to a high standard. It is structurally sound enough to be able to be restored to that sort of level, but is that a project that you would be willing to take on?

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Comments

  1. Ben T Spanner

    Start with better; spend less. “Restoration to a high level” = mega bucks, time and space. Worth it? Most likely not. Buy better enjoy now.

    Like 9
  2. Miguel

    I don’t like cars that have already been taken apart.

    Like 9
  3. Car Nut Tacoma

    Lovely looking car. I’ve always found the 1970 Skylark GS 455 more attractive than the standard Skylark. I love the grille on the front of the car. Assuming all the parts are there, the car can be restored, if nothing else, to driveable condition. :)

    Like 4
  4. Johnmloghry Johnmloghry

    It doesn’t matter if that engine will run or not, it’s a boat anchor, pull it out source a good 69-71 455 to replace it, this car will never be a purists version anyway, but it can be a very nice drop top project with minimal rust to deal with.
    God bless America

    Like 2
  5. Del

    These are rare. Only 1184 built.

    But this shell needs everything.

    Unless you have the Count working on it,
    forget it.

    Over 5 grand and reserve not met. Its not worth 5 grand

    Like 6
  6. Rustytech RustytechMember

    Take the rust you see and multiply by 10. Way more work here than meets the eye. No thanks!

    Like 6
  7. cmarvMember

    Somebody got a BB trans and cleaned it up and E-Bayed it ,and here it is before the transformation https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/982141028806115/?ref=messenger_banner

    Like 1
  8. Ted

    Excellent job cmarv, I love seeing BC (before curber) adverts.

    You know this is a bad one just from the underhood rust……..ick………….

    Like 2

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