I got a phone call today asking how to tell if a 1971 GS is really a GSX. The owner called me because I own a 1970 GSX. I have no answer for him. Can anyone help with what to look for that would identify the car as a GSX? Right now I don't know much about the car I am going to look and get pictures. What should I look for and what pictures would help id the car? Thanks Jim
I'm going to point out the obvious: make sure the vin starts 43437, at least you will know your dealing with a real GS at the minimum opposed to a skylark.
How about going even more simple then that, First make sure it was built in Flint. The simple answer to your question is there are a lot of ways to prove it is not an X, but very few ways to prove it is. Currently there is no microfilm info available for the 71 cars; therefore the only ways to prove a 71 GSX are as follows; 1. You need a factory build sheet, and more importantly you need one of the sheets that has the info on it to verify the car. 2. If your car was shipped to Canada, then you can get a copy (from GM of Canada) listing all the options etc. 3. You can have some other Factory info that proves it. Maybe a protect-o-plate, or original paperwork from the dealership would work but it depends if the info needed is on there. 4. If it still has original paint, you might be able to prove the car. However this has only been done on a few occasions. 5. The car also has to be built within the correct time period. 6. It also has to be one of the approved colors. Although there are a couple of verified other colors as well. The truth of the matter is there are only about 20 or so verified 71 GSXs. I have one that is verifiable due to having my (BSI) "Body Shop Inspection" sheet and have proven a few others from (POBF) 'Production Order Body Final" sheets. Another thing to consider, in no way would I consider having a window sticker as valid. People have been making fake copies of window stickers for years, so I would never use a window sticker to validate a car. Good luck with your search. Duane
No intention to highjack thread. But if #1 #2 & #3 don't exist and #4 is where I need the expert, how would one go about proving Paint/stripe? #5 is good and #6 is the real kicker for everybody. I need a real expert to look at my factory paint. Color matches paint code and all sheet metal has correct date except the left rear and deck lid. Expert needed! are there any? The answer to the the start of the thread would be paper work only.
Dwayne, Thru editing my post I moved around the numbers so you will need to edit your post, but if you are asking how to verify an original paint car without factory info.............. Only 1 or 2 cars have ever been ID'd this way. I believe Ken Lisk's car was proven this way. His dad bought it when it was 6 months old and the car had all the correct pieces etc. As I explained to you previously, It takes seeing the car in person, and verifying it has original paint. Some of us know how to tell if the stripes are original. It takes that plus making sure all the date codes on the sheet metal are correct, plus having all the 71 GSX parts correct, plus other things, like time period etc, to prove a car. This is something that takes some time to do. As to your car, again as we have talked about before, your car does not have original paint, it is not one of the approved colors, there have been some repairs and parts replaced, and at this time you have no factory info to prove the car............ Now that is not to say your car is not a GSX, only that I cannot prove it. It also does not mean that if/when the microfilm ever surfaces the car will not be proven correct..... Duane
All I want is for that someone who knows how to tell if stripes are factory and correct to come forward.....forget about the color of the car. Is there a price for this service?
Dwayne Email me pics of the stripes on your car including top of spoiler and where stripes end in door jambs, spoiler ends and rear qtr end caps. rich@purestockauto.com
In addition to a very low Body # on a 43437 and a correct paint code, the following things can at least give you hope until we can document these cars: 1. Original GSX dash pad emblem 2. Original painted headlight bezels 3. Original date code correct front fenders and deck lid without emblem holes 4. Thicker trunk torsion rods 5. Bolt holes in core support and fenders for front spoiler mounting
If understand correctly in 1971 the GSX was not a package, only a stripe and dash emblem. Hood tach and front spoiler were optional order items. I may be mistaken. That is why I am trying to find an expert on factory paint and painted stripes.
Guys, You cannot prove a 71 or 72 car is a GSX by its having an original GSX emblem in the dash pad. There are documented 71 & 72 GS's that came with rear spoilers and GSX dash emblems, and were not GSXs. I don't know what the rational was, but it appears if an SCO car came with a rear spoiler then it got a GSX dash emblem. Duane
"So what about the stripes? GSX only?" Yes, For 71 & 72 the GSX option would have included the stripes, rear spoiler, GSX Grill emblem, Dash emblem, and GSX decals only. The rear spoiler, front spoiler,& dash tach could have all been ordered on a GS. You could have even got a GSX with a single chrome driver side mirror and volcano wheel covers if you wanted. (PS. The way some of the 72 GSXs were optioned was just plain ugly.) The fact that the 71-72 rear spoiler equipped cars also came with GSX dash emblems throws a curve ball in the mix. If I have the numbers correct, that would mean (for 71) there were 144 rear spoiler equipped cars and only 124 GSX's, therefore there were up to 20 Gran Sports with an "incorrect" dash emblem in them from the Factory. Duane
wonder how many used owners really believed they had a gsx that got repainted and a previous owner didn't put the stripes on OR vise/versa .thanks for the history dig Duane
not to nit pics but .. unless you have proven that ALL of the Gran Sports with rear spoiler option ALSO had GSX dash plaques .. then your statement is invalid and the proper phrasing of the above should read Thanks for schooling us Duane - always appreciate reading your teachings :TU:
Alan, You are absolutely correct, and I fixed my post. As a matter of fact when I was looking for my 1st GSX I almost bought one of those cars. It was a 71 Stratomist blue GS 350 (& I think 4-speed) car. I was going to purchase the car from the original owner, and when she ordered the car new she told the salesman she wanted a GSX without stripes. He did not know exactly how to order it so he did the following; he ordered a GS 350 car with a factory rear spoiler. The car came with the factory GSX dash emblem, but had the GS 350 style emblems on the fenders. He then ordered the GSX grill emblem, and decals thru the parts department. When I saw the car it had the emblem/decals in the trunk, still in their factory packaging, along with every piece of factory info known to man. The lady got exactly what she wanted, but it was not a GSX. I know of other 71-72 cars like this, and have a factory rear spoiler in the basement from a 72 Dark Green GS. Duane
This is true. I currently have a 72 GS 455 SCO WA6 rear spoiler car and it had factory installed GSX dash pad emblem. Because this car was delivered new in Canada I have GM of Canada Documentation showing that it is a factory WA6 car but not the WA5 GSX ornamentation package. I believe that since the rear spoiler was installed on the line,workers would install GSX emblem on dash assuming that GS was going to be a GSX because the GSX stripes were to be painted after the car came off the line later.
