When you put together a jigsaw puzzle, you want to make sure that you have all the pieces before you start. This 1972 Buick GS 455 Stage 1 car gets pretty close to that standard. It’s just like a half done jigsaw puzzle and you need to install the parts. This Gran Sport is located in Kingsport, Tennessee and can be acquired for $18,500. The ad is listed here on Facebook Marketplace.
With the purchase, the owner will include the numbers matching, original 455 block and turbo 400 automatic transmission. The ad states that all the pieces to the puzzle are included except the original carburetor and one of the front bucket seats. Rated at 270 net horsepower and 510 ft lbs of torque, Motor Trend managed a 13.38 second quarter mile with a Stage 1 coupe in 1972 which indicates that the horsepower rating was significantly under reported.
Now, the parts may not be in perfect condition but they are there. Here is a picture of the trunk with the original air cleaner and other parts. This is one of 728 produced in 1972. Like most Buicks, the car had some nice options like power windows, 3:42 posi traction rear gears and the N25 bumper exhaust outlets.
The car is painted in its original flame orange and is said to be rust free. A closer inspection of the car with some underhood and interior pics would help. Who out there has ridden in one of these torque monsters?
Seems like the heavy lifting has been done!! Paint and body!! Might be a good buy if you can get it cheaper than the buy it now price!!!
The fine print on the sales agreement will include “Batteries not included. Some assembly required.”
Also, the 270 hp rating is SAE Net, so it’s still very stout. The 510 lb-ft torque figure is for 1970. The SAE Net torque rating for 1972 was 390 lb-ft, also very stout.
Seems like these are coming out of the woodwork, This one might be worth looking at. Bring cash and a trailer!!! good luck, I like it, I imagine that mint air cleaner is worth a few sheckles! Stay safe
Cheers
GPC
Pretty sure the ’72 never cracked a 13.38 unless Motor Trend a) did some work to the motor and had at least cheater slicks or b) were full of it and trying to make an interesting article. The ’70 was the killer Buick.
Seriously, this would make for a nice for sure…never seen one in that color either which ain’t bad.
I had a 70 & a72 both with 350 4bbl’
The 70 GS 350’s were fast ,a lot more power than it seems on paper.
I had headers , a Holley spread bore 650(?), rebuilt TH350 w/ open 3.08’s smoked a lot of tires and won some good races against Big Blocks
Unfortunately that at only 12 yrs old it was rotted to hell and one day just started quickly falling apart.
The 72 had a noticable step down in performance, but it was a nice ,comfortable car with every option. But on a rainy night with bad tires it slid into and over a small wall and into a front porch. Bummer for all parties involved
Could you just bump the compression ratio back up to 1970’s level and regain that performance?
The ad says the car is Orange but looks like resale red to me. Would rather have one of these though than a Chevelle of the same time period and I LIKE Chevelles!
The 13.38 1/4 mile Motor Trend ran was in the 1970 model – big compression, leaded fuel, 360 hp. Not the ’72 – so, fake news. To whoever wrote this, don’t be lazy.
It seems similar to that Red on first gen firebirds that is sometimes referred to as Pontiac Orange
It’s orange. The intake is red for comparison. I didn’t know they painted GS’s orange at the factory. N25 thru bumper exhaust is fairly rare.
Seems like a nice Buick for the right person to finish.
Back in the very early ’90s I test-drove a ’72 GS455 Stage 1 with my dad and his buddy. It was a little rough cosmetically with some Bondo in the body but the engine was in rude health. We gave it a good thrashing on the test drive, it was a big fast car and we put it through its paces.
When we arrived back at the seller’s place, the three of us swarmed over the car again checking stuff. The steering wheel fell off in my dad’s buddy’s hand (!)
We left the car there, but in a way I still kinda wish I’d bought it…
It’s Flame orange, the same paint as Olds used by the same name. Chevy called it orange flame, Pontiac, Sundance orange metallic. Seen this color on GS’s and regular Skylarks.
I bought someone else’s project once….will never do that again. The seller’s always state (and think) they have all the parts to put it back together. They don’t.
I have a 1972 GS 455 that I bought back in ’84. Cool thing about the 72’s; the VIN tells you a lot. Too bad the VIN isn’t listed, I could break it down.