But the engine, tranny, and rear end have all been rebuilt, also documented. He toted the car from shop to shop for the better part of 30 years, as the long-term project stretched over decades. Of them, only 664 were also ordered with the four-speed manual transmission. Buick built 20,096 GS models total for 1970, with 1,416 of them convertibles, which works out to 7 percent of total GS production. GM really, really didn't want to spray the Buick that color. Exterior color: Cinnamon Firemist (Cadillac special order) Obviously not. Sold on the Stage 1, he started the ordering process with the help of GM engineer friend Denny Manner. Theoretical number of Stage 1 cars with each color is shown in the rightmost column. Radios with cassette players built in and hidden came along in the mid 1970s. Owned by: Joe Guzek. If considered as an original survivor, this Buicks interior appears to need nothing. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Joe had been driving a 1968 Z/28 wearing an early set of the distinctive Motor Wheel Spyder wheels, but found the car all but impossible to drive during Michigan's snowy and icy winters. This 70 Skylark-based GS 455 with the Stage 1 option seems to downplay the luxury angle with poverty hub caps and a bland (but attractive color). I thought if you wanted performance and luxury youd buy an Oldsmobile ? Parts still had to be chased, and the eye for assembly detail required for a first-class restoration couldn't be rushed no matter how many years had passed since the project commenced. Guzek helped the team back in the early 1970s, and they in turn helped him with the Buick. Its called 510ft lbs of torque. Then, somewhere during the testing process, the full weight of pending emissions standards came crashing down and Buick was forced to axe the entire program. They also wear the early, hard-to-find metal center caps rather than the later chrome-plated plastic caps. I already knew this GS was going to be mine. The parts on the list totaled more than $10,000. Jerry automatically shops for your insurance before every renewal. We'll get to that support a little later, but first the backstory on Guzek and his one-of-a-kind GS, which has a special-order exterior colora Cadillac color called Cinnamon Firemistand came with a special-order 3.91-geared rear axle. Two lucky GS Stage 1 Buicks got the honor of becoming a true Buick Stage 2 prototype. Your premiums wont automatically lower once you own your car, but youll likely have the option to reduce your coverage, which results in lower premiums. Since Stage 2 iron askedI'll ask a similar question if this detail of data exists: No breakdown by specific paint color with vinyl top. I'm trying to figure out how many black hardtop stage ones were produce versus triple black with a vinyl top is there any breakdown on file. Overall, the presentation under the hood is extremely impressive. Adding in needed labor and "incidentals," I was looking at a $20,000 investment. From Buick 1970 They're the cars you've been asking us to make. Its refreshing to see that nobody has added aftermarket components. Manner tried to convince him to go with an automatic, but Guzek was adamant about a four-speed. "But in the winter, with its 3.73 axle, it was just about useless.". 1970 GS 455 Stage 1. & swiss cheese frames. Seems like a good value for what it is if the seller can document it. Become a member to add images to your comments. Im looking to buy a newer used car, and I like the Ford Focus ST. In the winter of 1975, while the Buick was parked, his storage building flooded. Whats the cargo capacity on the Focus? For a big-block factory hot rod, this is as good as it gets. When an owner makes a rarity claim about a classic car, it is often viewed with skepticism. A couple of years ago Jude Steele (also a member of this board) put together a cool chart for the colors of 1970 big block cars. 1970 Buick GS Stage 2 - The Myth And The Truth, Two lucky GS Stage 1 Buicks got the honor of becoming a true Buick Stage 2 prototype. Could it haul the mail! So what do you do when youre on top? Mark Macoubrie runs the GSX registry (buickgsx.com) and has freely shared all his documentation knowledge and website hosting. First of all, the torque on this engine is ridiculous. Still to me the Oldsmobile is a much nicer car, just compare the inside of a 70 443 vs a 70 GS the olds is so much better looking. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. The dog dish hubcaps, like the front floor mats, are not day one items. The big question is, could that person be you? 5) Fire Red - 1707. Only 21,832 original miles show on the odometer. Are you saying this in not a true Stage 1? Interior: Brown vinyl bucket seats The factory radio still occupies its rightful place in the dash, while bucket seats, a console, a tilt wheel, and air conditioning should make this a wonderful place to spend long periods on those sunny days. Undeterred, Guzek pushed ahead with his order, but ended up with a similar color Cadillac had on offer for 1970. We have had this conversation before , I always thought that Oldsmobile was a step up from Buick. If there wasn't any or much black in the middle of them, there wasn't enough air in the tires.". Guzek is quick to point to the assistance of his wife, Mary, and longtime friend Paul Aurand for spearheading the project as he dealt with his medical issues. Exterior color: Cinnamon Firemist (Cadillac special order) Personally, Id remove anything aftermarket that is visible from this car, The size of the company, Delco Radio at the time, things moved slowly. Tires: G60-15 Goodyear Polyglas I never heard of factory wiper delete! The special-order paint was even more of a challenge for the factory. I would have first dibs on the car, but he would overnight me a videotape of the car and wait until I had a chance to view the tape before completing the deal. Those were the days. Guzek helped the team back in the early 1970s, and they helped him with the Buick. Get new comment updates via email. In the fall of 1969, Guzek ordered his Stage 1 Buick special-order witha Cadillac paint color, Cinnamon Firemist, and with a 3.91:1 rear axle. The GS 455 Stage 1 left the factory underrated at 360hp, but they created an enormous 510 ft. lbs. It is listed in the Stage 1 Registry. ), etc. Assuming everything on the car works like it should, Id pay close to $15k for the car. Being a classic car connoisseur is tough work, but there is some good news for your 1970 Buick GS Stage 1 search! Why? As no database existed, I volunteered to collect this information, and the factory Stage 1 Registry was born (stage1registry.com). Buick GS - Muscle Car Club After the A/C was converted to R-134, an aluminum Be-Cool radiator was needed to cool the car. Owned by: Joe Guzek Hardtop 400 Stage 1 9 415 832 1,256 Convertible 400-4v 48 213 1,303 1,564 Convertible 400 Stage 1 4 77 131 212 TOTAL GS PRODUCTION FOR 1969 19,257 1970 Models Engine Type Manual Auto Number 3 speed 4 speed 350 400 Produced Hardtop 350-4v 224 884 8,840 9,948 Hardtop 455-4v 66 510 5,013 5,589 Hardtop 455 Stage 1 16 664 1,785 2,465 Wow, there was actually a club dedicated to these cars! The original went to the scrapyard decades ago, and Guzek doesn't recall what axle was actually installed, only that it didn't have 3.91 gears he wanted. Built on the thin-pillar coupe chassis it came equipped with the 340 ci/260 hp engine and Super Turbine 300 transmission. Driving The Incredible McMurtry Spirling Fan Car | Henry Catchpole The Drivers Seat, More essential pointers for safe winter car storage, The crusty Spaceballs Winnebago model can be yours. All Rights Reserved. Should I give up my search? Probably 90% more or less don't exist anymore. Transmission: Muncie M21 4-speed manual Buick produced 2,465 Stage 1-equipped GS models for 1970, but this is the only one painted Cinnamon Firemist, a special-order color the factory didn't want to apply. We arent paid for reviews or other content. This gem has only been on the market for a couple of days, and I think that somebody will snap it up pretty quickly. How much can you save on your, My experience with Jerry has been absolutely incredible. From 2006 to 2015, it regularly made the 1,000-mile trip out to the Buick Performance Group (BPG) Nationals in Ohio. No photos with the top down. orignal owner was an engineer and this was his pride and joy. It appears that this is a turn-key classic looking for a new owner. | Barn Find Hunter, Faster Than An F1 Car! After a sympathetic restoration, our subject car won a Concours Gold award at the Buick Nationals in 2010. Check msrp- numbers dont lie. panel, knob, and trim piece he could find. From $25,000 Chevy Corvettes to $600,000 Aston Martin DB5s, and $2,500,000 Ferrari F40s to $20,000,000 McLaren F1s, youll find it in the pages of SCM. The replacement was the standard Stage 1 setup with 3.64 gears; it has been replaced in the restoration with a 3.91 gear in a custom setup from DTS. Modern headers aren't original, but they replicate the day-two performance enhancements Guzek made to the car shortly after purchasing it. ", As it turns out, the factory was right in abandoning the color, as Guzek admits the finish wasn't good, noting how it "was splotchy and uneven.". "It was splotchy and uneven," he says. The first modification I made was to remove the straight bench and replace it with a notchback bench seat. I did the math. Special parts: Power steering, power disc brakes, AM radio with rear speaker, Buick Rallye wheels, A/C, tinted glass, remote driver's mirror, tachometer and full-gauge instrumentation, heavy-duty suspension, tilt wheel, How To Color-Sand and Buff Your New Paintjob, Wild Twin-Turbo Ram 1500 TRX Destroys Quarter-Mile E.T./Speed Records, Vintage Drag Racing Takes Over SoCal Track, A Radical Muscle Car Transformation Trend Takes New Hot Rods Back to Their Roots. The cars were sold to their respective testing partners, and the limited run of heads, pistons, and camshafts were sold as over-the-counter performance packages for privateer racing teams. Guzek ordered it that way back in the fall of 1969, and it took some arm twisting to get it done. Customers could, as their income grew, move from brand to brand, moving up what Sloan called the ladder of success., http://www.theprisonerandthepenguin.com/?p=915, Now then, let stop with this gibberish that Oldsmobile was the more premium brand than Buick. Ford was only 3.5 makesFord, Edsel (for 3 yrs), Mercury, Lincoln, Continental (separate division for a few years as well). Boy youve been asleep for a few years! Not even on drag cars, like hemi dart! Few cars have this sort of paperwork. Soon after, on the advice of his engineer contact at GM, Guzek spoke to Buick engine performance pioneer Jim Bell (later of Kenne-Bell fame) and ordered a camshaft package and a set of Mickey Thompson headers. 1970 Buick GSX Stage 1 at Kissimmee 2015 as F190 This car always brings back fond memories of my high school days, my daughter was conceived in the front bench seat of one of these. Any place where you see GMs divisions listed, Buick is always a step above the Olds. Engine: 455ci/360hp Buick Stage 1 V-8 The muscle car era peaked in 1970 and was the pinnacle year for big block power plants from General Motors when it came to horsepower, torque, and compression ratios. Its a rare occasion when a factory test car with an experimental engine is offered for public sale, and the opportunity to take home a documented example of maybe the baddest Buick ever made.
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