I've been thinking about buying a 72 GS350 hardtop to restore. Not a frame off job, just a simple interior resto, exterior resto, and driveline resto. The car was parked on the street with another car in front of it. One day a guy driving a ford ranger lost control, and rearended the Buick. It pushed it forward into the other car. This mishap destroyed the rear bumper and gas tank. It also buckled the hood, fenders, grille, and wasted the front bumper. Now heres what it does have going for it. The car has great colors; Sunburst Yellow with a White vinyl top, and White interior. I LOVE that color combo. It is also optioned TO THE HILT. It has everything except power windows and locks. Buckets, console, disc brakes, posi rear, AM/FM 8-track, tilt, tach and gauges, sport wheel, EVERYTHING! I've talked to my dad, and he says it wouldn't be worth it since it is only a small block car, and would only make a good donor car. I'm sure that is true, but I don't want to see this thing get parted out, or worse, crushed. I could pick this thing up for $800 with a clean title. Thanks, Kevin
The 1972 is the last year of the A-body GS. It is also the last year before a style change. Typically the first and last years of a style change are worth more, and the car is the last of the Skylark based Gran Sports on top of it. Being a Buick, it's value is relatively low, but considering what it is, the car is a milestone of sorts, being the last model year of it's kind- after '72 there were no more Skylark-body GS cars at all, the GS name went to the Century.
Do you know the owner well enough to get him to let you have a body shop look at it? If not, ask him anyway. You probably want to know how extensive the damage is before making your decision. Is the frame bent? Core support destroyed? Body mounts cracked? Etc. Also, what is the level of rust on the car? If all that adds up to a big bill, you might want to keep looking. What kind of shape is the driveline in? What about the braking system? I see you're 15, so I imagine this will be your first car. Great that you're choosing a Buick. You have taste well beyond your years! It would be a shame if you couldn't earn enough $$ to enjoy it for a long time. That might turn you off to the hobby and that would be a shame. I think you should get some more information, estimate just how much it will cost you to fix (and it always costs more than you estimate), and compare that to what you could get with your restoration/restification estimate and initial $800 combined. If you do that, at least you'll be making a good value judgement. My two cents. Good Luck.
I guess I'll share the way I look at it..... You probably have a budget in mind for your "semi-restored" car when it's done. Whether it's $2,000 or $25,000, you probably have a round number in mind. Take that car, for $800, and think about what it'll need: Both bumpers, fenders, grill, headlight doors, core support?, frame work?, gas tank, trunk lid, paint job ... etc.... Is it still within your planned budget when it's done? Maybe, maybe not. I don't know what your budget is, or the shape of the car, or how nice you want it to be when it's done. What can you buy right now that's within your budget? 71-72 GS350's seem to be popping out of the woodwork this last month, and it seems you can get a pretty decent driver for anywhere between $4K and $7K depending on how nice a driver you want. What will that $800 car look like after you stick another $3,000 to $5,000 in it? If it'll be sweet, and you would enjoy the work, I'd say go for it! I know I'd get alot more satisfaction out of doing one myself, as opposed to buying that's done already. But if you have $6K to spend, and that car's going to take $10K worth of work, you'd be better off spending $5K on a decent driver, and still have $1000 left to do "the little things" that make it "YOUR" car. (I can never buy a car without doing at least a few little things to it so it's "mine") :gt: Just my two cents. Good luck with whatever you decide to do! :TU: *EDIT* Since I type like a turtle, Ken posted while I was typing. So.... "Yeah..pretty much what Ken said". :gt: LOL
Man oh man have I heard this soooo many times. I don't know about the rest of ya'll, but my world does not revolve around having a big block in my GS. It isn't like you will buy the car for an "investment" anyways, right? I haven't seen too many guys make money selling a car that they restored....at least not a GS anyways, so it really doesn't matter if it's a 350 or 455. Sorry for venting a bit..... but to me, if you think you will enjoy it and it's within your budget....go for it. If you are buying it to race, then you can figure on doubling your budget for that almighty big block and all the go fast stuff you will certainly need. Mike
What might be helpful is if someone could give the young man realistic pricing on the parts ne would need? I haven't had to buy them recently but I am sure someone here could give him an estimate on the front end stuff. The little bit I have seen tell's me the cost of the grille, hood, core support (if needed), etc. is pretty steep. I know it shocks most people when they learn how hard it is to find what should be a simple item and the cost to get it once they do find it. That might help him make a determination of how much the cost would be, assuming he can figure out the "easier" stuff to price like interior parts, etc. Just my $.02 worth. Chris
if the interior is in nice shape it may be worth buying. Seeing as it has all sorts of options. If you could find a cheap 4 dr or no engine 2dr buick for parts, swap the front end stuff over. Even if you get one for $1000, that would bring you up to $1800, plus other needs. I'm sure you could find a cheap 4 dr with a good front end. Even if the chrome on the 4dr bumper isn't perfect, or the fenders have a little rust, it's a good start for a first car on a kid's budget. Me and my buddy basically did something similair back in high school. It was his car, but it was pretty much "our project" at the time. 73 Plymouth Scamp. Front end was COMPLETELY smashed. frame and all. We got that for $175 (6 cylinder car, nothing special). Then bought a 71 dodge dart for parts for $100. Made around $200 selling parts from it. Cut the front end off of the dart, and welded it the the scamp. The fenders and hood are differnent between a scamp and a dart, so we picked up a set at a car show, and a grille on ebay. Now (3 years later) the car has a built 360 and is in primer. Good luck -Nick
72 GS In response to your info (Thanks Guys) I bought my first car already and it's a 70 Skylark with a 455. I talked to the owner of the 72 last night, and he accumulated a pair of fenders, a rust free core support, nice 72 GS hood, and headlight doors. No grille or front bumper though. I have a nice rear bumper for it, but it's not the N-25 that got screwed up in the wreck. The body mounts are good, as the truck that hit it went under the car and pushed it. So the front end took the full impact. Interior is all there, and the drivers seat has the typical rips in it. Frame is not bent, body mounts are good. He has a core support for it, but the one thats in it was rusty so he junked it, and bought this one. The old one has minimal damage on it from the wreck. Body is solid and rust free. My dad doesn't like small block cars very much, and who could blame him when he has a 70 Stage 1 to play with. I'd rather have that than a small block car, but I'll take what I can get :Brow: Thanks, Kevin
Kevin, how about getting some pictures of the car and posting them to the board for some opinions? Personally, if he has collected those parts and the car is that well optioned I would try to save it. If you can just get the car back in drivable condition, IE drive it every weekend that you can and work the suspension back in etc, then you will be doing the car a big favor. In a couple years the small block cars are going to be harder to find than the big block cars because everyone thinks they are parts material.:blast: . GS350s are just as cool as 455s, even if they are 105 cubic inches shy. That's just my $.02, but either way I would be interested in seeing some pictures of this car. :TU:
I say fix it.A real GS for $800.00 sounds like a deal.The GS350 will be a better and cheaper car to drive [ although i woundn't make it a everyday car] What the car sounds like it mainly needs is someone who wants it and will put some labor in it.SAVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!
I say fix that '70 in your barn. Haven't you mentioned the '72 GS convertable that your other uncle got for $3000.00?!
Someone else asked about this car. I have not seen it up close and personal. Here is what I know. One of my other brothers (There are 7 kids in our family - 6 boys) bought it from one of his neighbors. He was the original owner. It is originally blue with a white bench seat interior. It has been repainted in a lt teal metallic color years ago and not painted very nice. Car has always been stored inside. Top has not been down in 10 years. Anyway I have only seen pics so I will know more on Monday. Maybe I can post a pic then. Good chance that this car will end up in Kevin's Dad's hands. GS convert from the original owner for 3000 that is complete and straight is an excellent deal in my book. Happy 4th to all! Be safe and enjoy your day!:beer :beer :beer
