1971 GS455 Stage1 project

Here a find, no original 455 though.
https://gainesville.craigslist.org/cto/d/melrose-1971-buick-gs455-stage-1/7105905210.html

 

Wonder what the color combo is. Dash and pad are saddle, not consistent with a white bucket interior.

 

Yeah, dont see any GS emblems any where either.

 

Just needs a starter

 

Yeh my 71 stage had the tank sticker from a car built 14 cars earlier...unless it's complete it's hard documentation to go by...

 

my build sheet is 7 vin numbers off

 

I was thinking 70 and 71 stage cars were built only in Flint

 

72 air cleaner

 

He got right back to me with this - I meant to ask if the trans was original: Platinum Mist/Black vinyl top, saddle bucket seats (odd combo), Freemont, GS.

There were apparently 133 Freemont built Stage 1's in '71 (also a few in Framingham, rest were Flint).

 

Wild color combo! NOT recommended in the dealer book I bet...

 

I have communicated with him about the Stage 1. All the Stage 1 parts are gone. Wrong trans, wrong rear, wrong motor and none of the engine bits. Someone knew what to scavenge apparently. Has a bunch of GS parts and it has a solid frame and cowl per the seller.

 

That's quite the valuable "scrap" of paper then assuming it does in fact show that it's an original Stage 1 car (?). Heck, even if shows that it's a 455 car.

Hard to imagine that color combo w/anything but a black interior. I'm all about keeping them original looking but not sure I could redo it with a Saddle interior. What was someone thinking or did they mean to check off the 168 box and checked 166 or maybe it was entered wrong @ Buick?

I've seen other cars (e.g. '70 Stage 1 4-sp. Stripper w/a rim blow wheel) that had to be mistakes in ordering/entering. I have a car where the trim tag (and physical evidence) show painted top and it didn't show up on Wayne Roberts microfiche - He said it drove him nuts & concluded that Buick just never entered it when they invoiced the dealer for the option.

 

Yeah - I was interested since my 71 Stage 1 is a platinum mist car but not with all the pieces missing. I have a 70 skylark parts car that is Dark Green with the Burnished Saddle Interior and a Brown vinyl top and that is not a pleasing combination either.

 

Does/Did your Skylark have a vinyl (or painted top)? At one time I owned a (non-recommended so "Z" code on the Trim tag - Your Skylark should have that too after the trim code) '70 Stage 1 4-sp. that was Sherwood Green w/a dark brown vinyl top & Dark Saddle interior. I'd have kept that one orig. if I'd have restored it - Not as bad as silver/black/saddle. A couple years ago I saw a '70 GS 350 4-sp. for sale with the exact same color combo as old my Stage 1.

Interestingly, my current '70 350 4-sp. (Seamist Green w/Sherwood Green painted top & black interior) that I referenced above also has the "Z" code on the trim tag but there is nothing "non-recommended" about that combo. I'm thinking the car before (or several maybe) it's plate was stamped had a "Z" and the worker forgot to pull the "Z" from the stamping fixture. If so, there could've been many that day that got the "Z" before he finally realized it, lol. I've also heard that the "Z" could be used for other reasons. It's a super oddball car so maybe the guy just thought "this car deserves a "Z."

In '71 I believe the dealer had to specifically "sign off" on a non-recommended color combo (I don't think that was the case in '70) which leads me to believe it was more likely a clerical error at Buick. I'm sure they changed that in '71 after a few cars were built in '70 where Buick got "that" phone call.

 

Dark Brown Vinyl Top. I don't believe it had a Z on the tag though. Skylark Custom Coupe with Buckets and column shift. (??!!) 350 2 bbl with a posi rearend, AC and manual brakes.

 

I used to own a 70 Stage 1 4 speed that was Sherwood Green with a dark green vinyl top and burnished saddle bucket seats. It also had the Z on the cowl tag.

 

There was one chart for approved body/top color combos and another for body/interior combos. There wasn't one for top/interior combos and I've never studied them enough to see if there was overlap (i.e. could you get an approved body/top combo where the top/interior weren't). I do know that dark (Sherwood) green body and Dark Saddle interior weren't approved and would get a "Z" but then they could've just as easily forgotten to just as my shouldn't have one but does.

 

That would seemingly look pretty good actually. Someone on here has, IIRC, a burgundy mist w/Dark Saddle interior and that wasn't approved but also seems like it would look good. The brown top on my old one not so much (now that I think about it, it didn'thave the top on when I got it - I think it was supposed to be brown). My current Stage 1 4-sp. is dark (Sherwood green) w/a green vinyl top like your old one but pearl white interior - I really couldn't picture it (my orig. top is faded as all the green ones are) until someone sent me this pic. The top is almost the same color as the body. Is this by chance your old car? Although it looks to be a green interior and not sure if it's a 4-sp. If not, when did you sell that car and do you know where it wound up (asking for a reason)?

 

I have no idea where the car is at today. I sold it around 10 years ago I guess.