If this one has already been post let me know. This is a lead. This is not my car and I am not the seller. The seller’s phone number is shown below. This is a Dano-special: ‘71 350 4-speed, green.
Ooohhh. I like it! Very rare car too - Only around 300 made. There was a beautiful '72 350 4-sp in the same color/ no vinyl & w/a saddle interior/consolette that was at the Nationals in 87-88. Really a shame that as std. equipment Buick used the 3.08 coupled w/an M-21 in these. Even in '70 the 3.23 probably should've had a M-20 or 3.42 which was the optional "performance ratio in both '70 & '71 & in at least in '70 the standard ratio w/a 455 & manual trans. ('71-2?). The black '71 (orig. Burnished Cinnamon) that just sold on eBay was ordered w/ the optional 3.42. Greg (@knucklebusted) put a M20 in his '71 & said it woke that car up. On my last 350 4-sp, I went from 3.23 to 3.42 (temp.) to 3.73 & the car was sig. quicker w/ea. change. My current '70 350 4-sp. is a factory SCO 3.64 and I bet it was pretty darn quick when new (very low option too so lightweight) and is getting a '70 Buick 3.91 to remain stock "appearing."
Spoke to the owner yesterday, got a few more pics of trouble spots … He says it’s def a 20 footer, spent a bunch of winters in Wisconsin as a daily driver (they use salt). I love the color combination. Just not sure a small block car would ever be worth what it’d cost to bring it back to pristine. He said bumpers are pitted and paint has scratches. Rear quarters look like they’ve been patched at least once. Says it has a pinion seal leak, and puffs some smoke when starting, grill has a “chunk” missing, but said it drives nice. Really nice guy, selling it to buy a GTO …. ? My buddy in Denver is looking at it in person today.
Definitely not worth the $ it would take but... My 350 4-sp basket case is a labor of love for sure. I hope you get it though!
I’m with you on the 3:08s. I had a 72 4 speed with them and it was an uninspiring combo after you got beyond the thrill of seeing the Hurst shifter.
Here's my take on it... I think its a great car but I don't think I'd want to pay the premium for a factory 4 speed in a small block car. I think if I ever wanted to get a 350 4 speed, I'd just buy a factory automatic and convert it to a stick. The beauty of a small block conversion is that the majority of the parts are readily available. No unobtainium parts like a BB conversion has. You'd get the same driving experience and save a few bucks.
Depends on ones philosophy re: how that car/VIN was born - To me it's worth the difference. Nobody in their right mind would restore my 350 4-sp. & I wouldn't convert my '71 automatic convertible to a 4-sp (I've def. considered it!) despite it also a car no one in their right mind would resurrect. In fact the PO of my sheetmetal donor shell even cut the hole in the floor that I now have to fix. I like factory manual steering cars too. Sure, easy to convert but that's not the point.
Nope, went to a new home in TX for $17k … A nice beater for the $ … just too much $$$ to make it nice again (the way I’d want to). You can get upside down real quick on 350 cars.
