Hello there I own a 70 Stage 1 and am planing to do a GSX theme on it. what color combo would you like to see? open to suggestions (there are no wrong answers here!) The car does have Black interior. I myself like the Black and Gold scheme or even original GSX Apollo White and Black I can't decide. Thanks in advance SPEEDYGUMP
Hot pink with neon green stripes. :eek2: C'mon, imagine the looks you'd get! :Brow: Only kidding. It's your car, you'll be the one driving it, so it will have to be something you can be happy with seeing every time you drive it.:TU: Does it have alot of body work? If so, white. If not, then any color will do.
A few questions: Bloomfield, Iowa?o No: (may be close enough to share parts/info, depending what you might need):Brow: I'm also in the process of restoring a '70 Stage 1 as a "GS-X": http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?t=218316 I prefer Black interiors, myself; as for exterior choices, I like either the White or the Yellow, but am not a purist, and would rather see variations of colors, like a Metallic Yellow or a Color-changing White (a buddy did a '56 Pontiac; as you look at the front of the car, it's Pearl White... then walk alongside, it starts changing to purple, then looks Radar Blue from the rear! Beautiful/Amazing!:eek2 My '71 Skylark/GSX Stage II clone was Corvette Yellow (brighter Yellow than Saturn Yellow, which has too much Orange tint than I care for) My current '70 Stage 1 will be PEARL White with GSX stripes, similar to what you see on the newer Buicks & Cadillacs!:kodak:
I agree that you must paint it a color that you want to look at over and over. Go to members rides and look at the cars in the 70-72 section. that might give you some ideas. Since your cloning it why not do something thats not been done yet?
Hey there GSX4me So where a about do you live. Centerville, Kirksville, Des moines? If I paint it White I could be persuaded into putting a blue pearl clear coat on it. Not sure what that would do to the black though. Thank you for your opinion! I might go wild later on (I have dibs on a rough 70 Skylark Post car) change it to an off-bread that will make some wonder at the car shows. (70 Buick GS on the outside 69 Olds 442 on the inside and something modern under the hood). I might get beat up for that one. It is only "dibs" because he wants to get rid of it now and I cannot pick it up until I get back from Afghanistan. Yes currently deployed Speedygump
Hey Speedy, I have no idea where Bloomfield is, without looking on a map, which is why I asked. I'm closer to Chicago than Des Moines. Keep me posted with progress! Also interested to hear more about this post car project... Be careful over there; wish you safe journey home!:beers2:
What color was the exterior/interior/top of the car originally? Then ask yourself what color can you live with every day? I'd go to the paint supply store and look at paint chips in the book and stop at every car dealership and look at the colors on the new cars as well. that will give you a base of reference to make a decision you can live with. FYI, I'm partial to colors what were available when the car was built. And ones that were on GM products. That way there would have been a possibility of getting it via the COPO system. What year is the car?
I have never seen a vintage burgandy GSX clone. I think that might be very cool with black/gold stripes
The car was originally Cortez Gold with a Black vinyl top. It got hit early in life and had a new blue passenger door installed (door was repainted original old on the outside.) Some time later the car was hit pretty hard up front. (no frame damage though. A Green front clip from a 70 skylark was used to replace the front end damage (No front fender emblems as well as a new radiator top plate from a 350-2). She was then repainted fire engine Red. Now for the bad part. She was hit lightly in the nose and a decent Cortez Gold 71 GS hood was put in place by an amateur. The car was amateurishly primed and the rust was covered by inches of bondo. She then sat for an untold number of years. When it was rediscovered by someone else they tried to do a good thing by removing some of the paint and bondo then painted about a 1/4 of the car with either Bamboo Cream paint or light yellow metal etching primer over roughed in bondo. Missing its rear bumper and many GS components ie grill, headlight bezels, and emblems, and air cleaner to name a few the car was found abandoned in an old rental unit! After the new landlord found it she waited almost 6 months to get the title from the state and it was not long before it found it's way onto E-bay where I purchased it. When I got her here she was a sad Buick indeed original engine knocking real loud on 129,000 miles. I took her frame off and purchased all the correct panels I needed to put it all right again. and paid a trusting body man with the shell and all the body pieces. The engine was given to a 70 GSX owner who said he would no longer build another motor but since it was his favorite car (70 455 Stage 1) he would make an exception this time! Now for me I am deployed to Afghanistan and can't do the work myself or even see the progress until I get home. Before I left The frame was sandblasted and recieved 3 coats of POR 15 as well as a 4th topcoat of chassis Black bushings were replaced and new fuel lines and brake lines were run "Inline Tube" New springs are due but I might like the stance with the sagging front so Ill wait on those. New floors, trunk, trunk drop offs inner and outer wheel well housings, firewall extension panels. rear qtrs (sorry only skins), trunk lid, rear spoiler, inner rockers and finally outer rockers were installed I was able to fix the doors and hinges to my standards before I left. Now in Afghanistan I sit daydreaming what she will become (color). I come home in Aug but I do get A 2 week leave in mid Febuary to see the progress. I hope you enjoy your rides as much as I Do! Deployed Speedygump
Such an abusive history on that car. Glad your are saving it, and I too wish you a safe trip home. :TU:
I would think that painting the car a nice silver and have the stripes in either black or a grey would look very good.
Please don't leave the bad springs in there. If you do not like the stock ride height just buy the correct spring rate in a lowering spring. Got to keep from another hard hit on this rare car. Thank you for your service and as always our prayers for the military personel!
All in all I can verify 5 different donor cars in this one! both Skylark front fenders. (from same car) 71 GS Hood donor Passenger door (shorter door handle?) and it's blue 1977 Cadillac Seville transmission AC 77(ID code) Big Car drivers Mirror when I am done with it. It will have only the best. New fenders, new radiator support,new passenger inner fender and a 1970 hood (no helper spring) and original style sport mirrors. Still trying to find someone able to rebuild a 1967 switch pitch super turbine unless someone else has an Idea? Yes this was a "rusto bucketo" when I got it. It has lived its hard life and now (I believe) it needs pampering! Speedygump
Any suggestions on the stance?/ Rims, Tire sizes? Th ones I have right now are the 15x7 WG Rims I can get custom wound springs reasonably easily if I know the weight of the car at the 4 corners and the spring rate of the originals and desired ride height. Should I trust Pre made ones. I hear they say 2 inches lower but can actually raise the car from current ride height due to years of sagging. This was one of this cars stronger points. (Its solid suspension and frame not to mention original block and rear end). "10 bolt posi" Of all things the originals still have the plastic detail tags on them (not readable due to primer over spray) The title said 2,710 for the weight new. Most Cutlass/ 442's I own are around 3,850. So? I will Just have to wait to have it weighed. speedygump
Why not keep it stock? Nothing wrong with the looks of a Stage-1 stock. The Buick world is already full of GSX's. Way more than were built. Just my oprinion but really means nothing.
There is nothing wrong with stock. I am actually trying to go with 3 changes or fewer from stock. Not from a purist point of view. Radials Am FM CD player Possibly an X pipe exhaust. I should be able to get away from the paint as long as it was available in that year. They are not terribly strict on that in the shows around here. Sometimes I will throw my 69 Cutlass S into the Muscle Car class just to compete with the Chevelles. Other times I will leave it in the Orphan Restored Class. OH (Its burgundy with the black stripes down the hood.) Hundreds of comments on the color. Aftermarket rims are one of the quickest ways to be thrown into the modified class around here. Just I want to get away from the vinyl top due to me living in the rust belt here in Iowa. The Cortez Gold is one of the more common colors I have seen on the A bodies I own (along with the "light pea green" that fades to almost a chalky white.) I have owned 6 A bodies in the past with this combo. Aztec Gold, Black top, Black interior. (I seem to collect 66-72 Buick and Olds) I am surprised I have never even seen a saddle colored interior in person. It appears in pictures quite commonly. Keep the suggestions coming!:Comp: speedygump
The Hotchkis 2" lower springs are very nice and even ride good. I bought two sets and a 1" rear sway bar, had a 1 1/4 on the front of one. One set of edelbrock gas shocks and one set GM performace gas shocks. The edelbrock's are great but I have not got to try the GM yet. I am trying to stay close to stock. Lot's of good colors around, I don't blame you for not going back to gold. My convertible was Dk green but it will not be by summer. I hate to change color on an all numbers matching car but it cannot be helped. The new machine silver and flat black stripes would look good. Rosewood or black cherry would good look also. You could also do something like a black cherry with rosewood stripes. I did a 69 RS that way in maple and dk maple and it was nice.
What can I say I personally like the looks of the rear spoiler and the stripes! I will not even try to pass it off as a real GSX But being a Stage 1 It is already close to it. I will keep the GS Stage 1 badging on it and no front spoiler or even a hood tach. I still have the original trunk lid in case I desire to put it back to original. (I hope the body man doesn't toss it.):spank: speedygump
