Question '69 GS - Trim on sides - Option or not?

When I pulled the fenders on my '69 GS I noticed there were filled trim holes on the sweeping body line to the door. ....well OK, so I thought, the fenders have been replaced with fenders from an orginal midnight blue car. Digging deeper my doors (orginaly factory blue also) have trim holes filled also. uzzled:

Was bolt on trim an option for the '69 GS? If it had gotten trim on the sides, would it have gotten trim elsewhere? Would there be trim on the trunk? Top of the doors?

It is a strange car. 400, Convertible, manual brakes, manual windows, no a/c, no power steering, has buckets, has console, no radio, no clock,.....

I pulled my tank sheet and it is a couple of VIN numbers off from mine :rant: But I am still digging.

"Big Red" aint got no sissy trim. What was included in the GS package? I would have thought the GS models are more sporty and trim delete?

Thanks in advance for knowledge and insight.

 

Hi I have had my 69 GS400 convert since 1984 and have had my fenders off many times. There is NO trim on the side of a GS in 1969, there may have been fenderwell molding mine has it. As for trim on the trunk there is a single trim stripe on the lower edge of the trunk the trunk latch cover was seperate. It look like the doors and fenders for your car may be from a skylark which has all that trim on it. Check the vin number ( 44667 ) to make sure it is a GS and not a Skylark the trim tag should also have the right body code on it ( 44667 ). Good luck with the car I would not trade mine for anything!!! ( even my wife knows that she goes before the car does ) My car needs to be redone it only has 350,000 miles on it hehehe. You have a great car to start with IMHO


Ken :Brow:

 

Side trim came on both the Skylark and GS in 1969, whether it was a special order or not I don't know.

Rick

 

I thought 69 was the same as 68... Anyway, in 68 the GS options do not list the body side molding that follows the sweeping body line, from near the headlight, all the way back to the back of the quarter. I know my 68 got donor parts from a 69 Skylark Custom, and the owner back then seemed to remember transferring over any and all trim from the 69 to the 68 GS. This was in the mid 90's. Thus the side moldings on my car.

 

There are some differences between the 68 trim and the 69. I have a 69 GS 400 Stage 1 complete numbers matching on every part and I am the second owner. It has the stainless trim on the side from front to the back wheel well and from rear wheel well back. My 69 GS 400 does not have that trim and its also complete numbers matching. I can send pics if you like. I prefer the pin stripe rather than the stainless trim

Rick

 

To my knowledge, the 69 GS did not have the side mouldings as they only came on Skylarks. If you look back to even 65, the GS models had ornaments (vents) on the fenders with the mouldings deleted from the sides. Supposedly, even the early 70 models were not able to option the body side moldings. Am pretty sure later on in 70 they became available.
If you only have welded holes on the fenders and doors but not the 1/4 panels, it is likely that the sheet metal has been replaced at some point in time. The holes were probably welded up as there were none from your car to be put on.


Mark

 

Rick I would love to see the picture of your Stage 1 car with stainless trim on the body line!!!! I will admit it would be the first I have seen and would like to add the pic to my extensive collection of Buick cars I have been collecting Buicks since 1974 and am always trying to expand my knowledge about them

Ken K

 

Sent you a PM

Rick

 

According to the 69 order form (Rev 1 too) there is no option for the side mouldings on the GS. The file is too big to attach on the board. That said, who knows what was actually done in production or at the dealership for the buyer. I try never to say never when it comes to our cars. Some unique stuff has been built.
Some things to consider. The GS models were to have wheel well mouldings that covered the complete well in the rear. Skylarks with side mouldings used a much shorter wheel well moulding in order for it to look correct with the side mouldings. So, the wheel well moulding would have to be different too.
It would be interesting to see the pics as myself (and likely others) have never seen a 69 GS with the mouldings as factory installed pieces.

Mark

 

The file is JPG and 90,324 k and I don't have the software on this computer to resize it. I will be glad to send it to someone for resizing. There was an almost anything goes during the time that these cars were made so I would not discount anything.

Rick

 

Here is revision #2 of the 69 GS order form (taken from Marco's Stage 1 registry site)

 

I would love to see some sort of documentation from the factory, mainly a build sheet, that shows that side trim on a GS (either a 68 or 69). I have quite a bit of '68 and '69 literature and it does not show the side trim as an option. I am not saying that it is not possible for it to come from the factory that way (possible special order from the dealer), but it was not a standard option that was available on the '68 or '69 GS.

Even original owners could have added trim to a car. o No:

Please, someone come up with a factory build sheet or original dealer order that shows the side trim on a GS This "mystery trim" question keeps coming up.

:beer

 

Rick, you have a PM

 

Here's Rick's '69 stage1 with the mouldings...

 

...and Rick, don't be shy...

Congratulations Rick :beer

 

o No: ou: o No: ou: o No: :shock: :TU:

 

I'm sorry, I don't understand your smilies parade o No:

 

These are the trim holes I have on my GS

This is what I have with my '69 Convertible GS. These are some of the trim holes. 1/8 inch holes? Both sides and in the trunk lowers.




Finally, this is the Gas Tank sheet :rant: found in my car, My VIN and Trim Tag. Can someone decode the tank sheet? Did the car that belongs to this to this Tank Sheet get trim?



Thanks for your help. :beer

T

 

I guess my sutle parade of shock and disbelife was lost on some and the final thmbs up once again lost ...... oh my how sutle humor has lost its place!! :Brow:
I am impressed with the trim pictures but think it may be a Dealer installed item not from the factory as far as the trim holes in the convert in pictures ???? once again maybe a dealer installed trim item at the time ??? o No:

Ken

ps: I will try and be less sutle about my humor andsome times it apears shock it it helps

 

I checked the trim mounting holes on mine and they appear to have been stamped out and not drilled also they are either 3/16 or 1/4 in. holes. The finish under the moulding doesn't look like its ever been disturbed. I have the clip off and was able to look at the holes very close and if it was done at the dealer they would have had to remove the sheet metal to get the holes that perfect on both sides. I am still looking at more sheet metal to see if its all like that.

Rick