Those are some classic videos and some great driving. Love the drifting of the 442 in its clip. Also the 69 Impala is classic...looks like he's cornering on the rims!! "Couldn't punch it's way through a wet Kleenex!" CLASSIC. Bob
I've thought about that...yet they describe the car and give specs as a Stage 1. Do you think they just didnt know what they were driving? On the flip side of the coin, the only way my car is visually identifiable as a Stage 1 is the air cleaner decal. It didnt even have a Gran Sport emblem on the grille! It seems there were some build variances in Fremont, because the codes for the grille, emblems, and headlight doors are on my buildsheet ... I never noticed the car in the video was an open diff!
Yeah the car tested is definitely a GS455. The Stage 1 package came with a posi-traction rear end. But like you said the headlight bezels are chrome and not blacked out. This is nothing new with these 73s. They didn't make that many 455 and Stage 1 cars so when they came down the assembly line, they put the parts on which they had. If they had them there, they would go on, if not I am sure they did what they had to just to keep the line moving. My 455 car came with a Regal 455 badge on the grill above the gran sport emblem. They also forgot to add the Heavy Duty cooling option (part of the Stage 1 package) which is the 7 lade fan and 4-core radiator. The customer paid for this option, its on the build sheet but never got it. Now I have to add it at 5 times the cost of it back then. ou: Rhett your car was built in Fremont? Both of mine were built in Framingham, in the same month too, April! My 350 car was built in California and its amazing how there is NO undercoating on it especially compared to these cars built in Mass. Where was your car originally sold at? Also what are the brand of headers you have on the car now, just curious?
Yeah my car was built in Fremont, special ordered in December 72 and built the 3rd week of January 73. No undercoating anywhere (maybe in the rear wheelwells, but I dont remember) The car was sold and delivered at Sangera Buick in Bakersfield CA. I actually got both the original dealer license plate frames from the seller a few months ago. The headers were sold through Kenne Bell, but manufactured by some SoCal shop....Dougs? I think they went on the car in the early 81, I have the reciept in the basment somewhere.
Louie, No more 73s for me for a while. I have to get the other two running first! Hope to meet up with you soon! :TU: ---------- Post added at 12:01 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:59 AM ---------- Strange your car was built over here but shipped to CA. Maybe they only made the Stage 1s in Flint and Fremont? If you can find any of the info on the Kenne Bell parts please post pictures. That would be great to look at.
no - the Fremont plant is in California, the Massachusets plant was Framingham....My car was built, sold and lived in California
Great car! If you're willing, I'd trade you a white bucket seat interior for your black bench seat interior, or I' buy your black interior. I'm redoing a black 4 sp Stage 1, and would like to change the color to black. The buckets and rear seat have been redone with the correct trim. I would need all the window trim in black. I have more than enough white and tan window trim to do more than one car. Let me know. 214-536-3021 Thanks, Pat Neil 73 Stage 1 4 speed, Suncoupe, black 73 Stage 1 auto, silver/white
Anthony - I've got ton of Kenne Bell literature and catalogues, newsletters, etc... I'll try to make copieis, but far too much stuff to post here. The original owner of my Stage 1 bought all his stuff over the counter from Jim Bell. He's had handwritten notes on the back of their scrap paper on degreeing the cam and curving the distributor, etc...Kinda cool!
I should stick with state names instead of cities :spank: you are correct. The cars built in Fremont don't have much undercoating. But my two cars from Framingham, Mass do. Your luck to have found a West Coast car too! ---------- Post added at 01:36 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:34 AM ---------- Rhett, I would Love to see those notes and stuff. Maybe if we meet up at a track sometime you can show me. I will PM you.:TU:
Yeah - the condition of this car is unbelievable - I'll never buy another rusted car again. I was out in LA a couple weeks ago, beautiful cars all over the place. Bad news I think they've caught on and priced them accordingly. I'll try to start scanning some of this stuff too... it's all getting pretty old.
