71gsx

Hi, Recently expired ad on eBay. Anyone seen this car before?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1971-Ameri...ash=item3b011c8e39:g:6~4AAOSwXOVagE8U&vxp=mtr

 

I have seen it. There is a thread on it. This is the GSX that he changed from a 350 to a 455. Could be a nice car if he would had left it original. I am not sure if he still has it but tried to sell it at Mecums with no success. There are some other things wrong with it but the guy wouldn't give me the time day so I said why should I bother. The car came from Bill Bayliss.

 

the guy who owns it is a board member. i don't know his username. i met him once at a local show. seemed like a nice guy. i believe he told me it was a factory 455 car.

 

This (was) the old Bill Bayliss car.

http://v8buick.com/index.php?threads/71x-documents.318288/page-2#post-2694869
http://v8buick.com/index.php?threads/1971-cortez-gold-gsx.170924/#post-1348374

On the "old" BPG forum, there was a long discussion with many pics when it was in Bill's shop. The current owner did a great job restoring it.

 

Those old threads are interesting reads, got my morning chuckle.....

 

It was never a 455 car. Just check out the old thread, it tells the whole story.

 

What became of the original motor and transmission??

 

Those were some great reads. It's way over my head some of the language used - not the derogatory language - but the decoding and such. It sure seems like it was a 350 4 speed GSX BUT why wasn't there codes on the cowl plate to indicate that? That's more Buicks fault. Reading all that content made me think anybody could claim to have a GSX. It's hard to tell.

When that guy who is into Chevys bought it, and I guess he still owns it - someone commented that it had been repainted and the stripes were too wide. At that point documentation would be almost impossible to verify. Codes, numbers, build sheets, etc are so important for documentation.

 

Pat, in reading some of the old threads, apparently they bolted a 455 done to Stage 1 specs to the 4 speed transmission, so as I understand it, the transmission is original to the car. But I understand - the flow of words goes back and forth and off on a tangent, it's hard to tell.

And why does the current ebay auction refer to it as an "X" only in the paragraph blurb? The auction content is minimal and strange to read. I think on cars purporting to be GSX's, you kind of expect longer drawn out explanations and content. It's a Big Boy car, it should be a Big Boy auction.

I believe when it is shown at Mecum, it was discounted for lack of credibility but I was not there. If you don't have your ducks in a row at a major money auction, and you have a reserve, then you are likely taking your car home.

I always wonder, why do people sell cars? Most reasons are different. Sometimes we just want different cars. This guy always seemed to want to move the car, and has been trying for years! In that time, he could have thoroughly enjoyed the heck out of it rather than trying various venues to unload it at "max values."

 

The stories that have followed this car... Again, I don't know if the old BPG board is up, but there were several pages worth of discussion about this car, along with very detailed pics, when it was at Bayberry Farm (Bill B's shop in Vermont). One of the well know and knowledgeable board members was going to purchase it.. Sans engine and semi apart. If my memory is correct, the car had original paint and maybe stripes? I know the engine and trans were out of it.. There were close up pics of the stripes, wing, paint, interior, and so on. Many were 90% SURE it was a "real" GSX 4 speed. However, there was no documentation and the original engine was gone.. Because of that, no one would stake their name to it being a "real" GSX.

 

In my opinion because I meet the guy before the car was finished, he liked the looks of the 455 stage 1. My car is an original 455 stage 1, 4 speed car. He checked it over a lot that day I meet him. If someone wanted a car that was worth a lot and being an orginal GSX, but had no experience with GS's would make this mistake. He should have left it a 350. From what I have learned by talking to many people who know Bill Bayliss (I've never meet him) He is very knowledgeable and has owned many Buick GS's that he knew it was a 350 car.

 

here is the question- since the original 350 is gone, would it be worth more with a service replacement date code correct 350 or as it sits with the a 455?

 

Yea I would love to own the 71 GSX but it was taken off on e-bay.

 

IDK... I wouldn't be screaming at this thread.. It's "questionable" on what this car was. Most, in the "know", strongly believe it is a small block. I would be screaming at MYSELF for not researching the living h*ll out of the car before restoring it.

 

i think he made the right choice. a 350 4 speed is cool for sure but it's hard to argue with a 455.

 

Let's clear the air. I am the owner of this X. First off I am a faithful GM car guy love all a bodies 68 to 72. Be honest and admit maybe chevy do look good, body lines grills tailights etc. I was looking for something different, fast and classy, something not many have. I found one I liked very much. Your buick guru here in vermont presented it to me as a bbb car. With no motor and No help with vin I took his word shame on me. I'm glad it's a stage and drives and goes real well. Bill bayliss and you guys believe it's an X. As for you Richie I apologise for not getting to talk I saw an old friend hadn't seen in a while and when I got a chance to talk you were gone,sorry. So much more I like to say but device is dying. Please ask any questions love to continue conversation.

 

Beautiful Buick...........4 Speed even cooler