72 gsx black/gold

Discussion in 'Color is everything!' started by SkylarkGeorgia, Mar 29, 2019.

  1. SkylarkGeorgia

    SkylarkGeorgia Well-Known Member

    Hi all,
    After a long wait my 72 skylark is primered and ready to be painted. After also a long thinking I decided to have it painted 72 gsx black/gold style.
    Could you tell me which paint codes should I use, where to find the hood and side stripes exact specifications, and what other details should i consider (like headlight bazells etc)
    Photos will also be very helpful and greatly appreciated.
     
  2. tt455

    tt455 T Bone

    2dtrak likes this.
  3. SkylarkGeorgia

    SkylarkGeorgia Well-Known Member

    I want to paint the car black with gold stripes (71 option) I want to know the codes for black, gold, white (for pin stripes) and also don't know what was the color of stripes on chrome rocker trim with black and gold, I know with other colors it was black.
     
  4. Brad Conley

    Brad Conley RIP Staff Member

    BLACKGSX.jpg It really wasn't an option in 1971. Special order and the only one built.
     
    71GSX455-4SPD and gsconv like this.
  5. SkylarkGeorgia

    SkylarkGeorgia Well-Known Member

    Doesn't really matter, I just wanted to make clear that it was black and gold (that could be specially orderd in 71) I was talking about and not vice versa:)
    And yes you're right gsx itself was an option in 71-72 and the colors were special orders.
    So this combo was ordered only once?
     
  6. Brad Conley

    Brad Conley RIP Staff Member

    Yes. It sits about 50' from me as I type. BTW, black rocker stripes.
     
    Regal1 and 1972Mach1 like this.
  7. Brad Conley

    Brad Conley RIP Staff Member

    It was not one of the 6 available colors for 1971.
     
  8. SkylarkGeorgia

    SkylarkGeorgia Well-Known Member

    "More specific to the GSX, the available body colors were expanded from two to a total of nine for 1971, including special-order colors; they were Arctic White, Bittersweet Mist, Black, Cortez Gold, Fire Red, Limemist Green, Platinum Mist, Stratomist Blue and Verdemist Green. For ’72, only Arctic White, Cortez Gold, Fire Red and Stratomist Blue carried over; all others were replaced with Seamist Green, Heritage Green, Hunter Green, Sandalwood, Burnished Copper, Silver Mist, Sunburst Yellow and Flame Orange. Vinyl roofs and the dual-exhaust pass-through bumper (sales code N25) were also available. Other exterior options included the hood tach and front spoiler.

    The GSX graphics package, including ultra-wide hood stripes, was identical to that of 1970; the lone exception was that when black was selected as a primary body color in ’71, the matte black stripes were replaced by gold, trimmed with a white pinstripe instead of red. Also carried over from 1970 were the painted headlamp bezels and black-striped chrome rocker trim."
    Source: hammings
    Is it not correct?
     
  9. flynbuick

    flynbuick Guest

    Brad is the owner of the only black GSX.
     
  10. Brad Conley

    Brad Conley RIP Staff Member

    No, that is not correct. Hemmings is wrong if they are the ones that printed that. There was only 1 black GSX produced. It was ordered from Len Immke Buick in Columbus, Ohio, the same dealership that was able to obtain the GSX "Prototype". Since the factory was unable to apply any color except black for the GSX stripes (the stripes were applied after-hours in a special area of the plant, not in the general paint department), they painted the RED pinstripes at the factory and the dealer applied the Cortez Gold stripes at the dealership by arrangement. No factory produced GSX ever received white pinstripes.

    I have owned the black GSX since 1981 and the prototype since 1978. I'm pretty well versed on what is right, and what is wrong when it comes to these cars.
     
  11. Brad Conley

    Brad Conley RIP Staff Member

    I see you are in Georgia, but not the Georgia we know here in the US. Welcome.

    Don't believe everything you read, as evidenced above in your quote from Hemmings. I'm surprised they would have printed such inaccuracies. They usually are much better than that.
     
  12. SkylarkGeorgia

    SkylarkGeorgia Well-Known Member

    Wow!!! I learned so much more in couple of your replays than in hours of browsing and researching on the internet)))
    I also searched for the first "prototype" gsx and just finished reading the article about you and your car together with the other white gs stage 1 turned fireglow. I hope everything in this article was correct since it was also hammings))))
    It's so sad that there's such little information and resources, and some of them even false, about buicks.
    And since I'm in Georgia (thanks for the welcome) for me it's even more complicated. So this forum is my go to place whenever I need to ask or check something.
    And I'm so lucky I met you here) so all this black/gold skylarks are replicas and tributes of your car! So this combo wasn't even on the special order list right?
    Can you please tell me what colors could be orderd for gsx in 71 and 72 from those listed in the article? (here's the link btw: https://www.hemmings.com/blog/article/1971-72-buick-gsx/ )
    As for my car, guess it will be another skylark honoring your Beauty! So it has to be black with Cortez gold stripes with red pinstripes and black stripes on rocker trim right?
    And can you please post or send me more pictures of your car (the more detailed the better:)) so I can show it to the guy at the paint shop.
    Thank you for your time and attention!
     
    Last edited: Mar 30, 2019
  13. Brad Conley

    Brad Conley RIP Staff Member

    That's the only photo I have on this computer of the Black car. Maybe someone else and post some up. I'll try to remember to take some more when the weather here quits raining.


    It's about 99% correct. Much better than the other article.

    That is correct. It is my understanding the original owner wanted a black car with gold stripes or he would go buy a Chevy Malibu, which offered that combination. Immke Buick was a very large dealership and had significant contacts within Buick and they special ordered the Black GSX.

    The article is correct except for the black, red and verde green (very dark green color) were, we believe, special order cars. I believe they are also correct for the 1972 model year in the Hemmings article.


    That is exactly correct.
     
  14. Brad Conley

    Brad Conley RIP Staff Member

    71GSX455-4SPD likes this.
  15. bignastyGS

    bignastyGS Maggot pilot



    Showoff...lol
     
    STAGE III, 1972Mach1 and Brad Conley like this.
  16. SkylarkGeorgia

    SkylarkGeorgia Well-Known Member

    watched your interview for mcacan, and after spotting your signature found and also red the article (again on hammings:)) about your gnx "prototype", loved both.

    and here come the new questions if you don't mind:)))

    so fire red and verdemist green were also one offs? and the rest 6 color combos were on the standard buick order list? and what about 72? the article says fire red was carried over from 71 together with some other colors. did they make fire red standard for 72 or is that also incorrect? and how many factory fire red(with black right?) gsxs exist

    is there any info regarding the colors and production numbers for 71-72 gsx? I red 71 documents were lost in the fire but maybe there is a register or something done afterwards.

    I noticed that your white gsx, among other differences, has glossy strips right? all others have mate black right? or are there any exceptions? and what about the black gsx are the strips glossy? they looked kinda mateish or semi mate in the video.

    and what about the red pinstripes and black rocker stripes are they also mate?
     
  17. Brad Conley

    Brad Conley RIP Staff Member

    Thank you very much!

    As far as we know. The Verdemist Green car is not documented. No Build Sheet, invoice, etc has been found by the owner YET. It has ALL the indications of being a real GSX but is unverified so far. If I were a betting man, I'd put my money on it being real. But I'm not a betting man. The red '71 is for sure a real GSX. If you notice, it was sitting next to the Prototype at MCACN as shown in the video. Very nice car and a for real GSX.[/QUOTE]

    The 1971 records are believed to be "out there, somewhere". I learned a long time ago to never say never. There was no fire, that is for sure.

    Yes, my car has glossy stripes, including the twin pinstripes (orange and red, to match the interior). All other correct GSX's were a semi-gloss or semi-matte gloss level. For the rocker stripes, most restores will use 3M pinstripe in, I believe 1/4" width. For the red, Tomato Red is the proper color in the 3M brand and the black, well, is black.
     
    Smartin likes this.
  18. SkylarkGeorgia

    SkylarkGeorgia Well-Known Member

    So as I understand there was only one specially ordered factory red gsx in 71 and no factory produced red/black gsx in 72 (another fake fact from the article:)) and all other red gsxes are just clones and tributes.

    As for stripes, originally in factory all of them (hood, sides, pinstripes and rockers) were painted (in a special facility) and not stikers or stencils right? But today restorers are using 3m tape and stencils right?
    And what about gold stripes were they also semi-gloss/semi-mate? And in case I use 3m tape for pinstripes will it not look awkward with painted main stripes? Or maybe I should paint them all or use stencils for everything?

    Sorry I bombed you with so many questions:)
     
  19. Brad Conley

    Brad Conley RIP Staff Member

    1 red 1971 GSX known, and I know of at least 1 red 1972 GSX (Stage 1, 4 speed). Stripes were all painted using a mask. Most of the restorers are not using the mask, but laying them out freehand using dimensions found on the internet. The red pinstripes are painted and not 3M vinyl tape. The 3M vinyl tape I was referring to was for the rocker moldings, not next to the main stripes. The gold stripes are semi-gloss, not shiny.
     
  20. bignastyGS

    bignastyGS Maggot pilot

    Well we know where the pissing match and know it all started...Chill out buddy..
     
    87GN_70GS likes this.

Share This Page