1968 Buick GS 400

Description

Buick was a little late getting into the muscle car game, but they already had the hardware to build some of the most impressive cars of the era. Any time you see a car like this 1968 Buick GS400, it's probably a good idea to give it a wide berth, because it's packing a torque factory under the hood that runs with some of the biggest dogs of the era. And as a Buick all the luxury and comfort features are included.

Bright red with a black stripe down the center isn't exactly subtle, but when you have the moves of this GS400, maybe keeping a low profile isn't the point. This car wears an older restoration that's still quite presentable and the red paint certainly makes the conservative Skylark sheetmetal look racy. The blacked-out hood treatment is showing a bit of age because satin black finishes are tough to preserve, but there's nothing here that suggests neglect or abuse. The doors fit well, the hood closes with a precise-sounding click, and all the GS badges are in place. A few well-placed pieces of chrome really dress up the Buick A-body and no muscle car is complete without a blacked-out grille. Also be sure to check out the cool Buick emblems on the rear side marker lights as well as those faux vents on the lower corners of the front fenders, making the Buick stand out in a crowd.

The interior is luxurious but sporting, and being a Buick, there's plenty of room. The bench seats are a sensible choice for your muscle car, akin to having your cake and eating it too, and the seat covers are in excellent shape. In addition, the GS got unique door panels, a three-spoke steering wheel, and a reasonable array of silver-faced gauges to monitor the engine's vitals. At some point, the carpets were replaced, and perhaps even the headliner, since they're just too nice to be original. There's an AM/FM/iPod stereo in the center of the dash and ice cold A/C that still uses original-style R12 refrigerant for peak performance. There's plenty of stretch-out room in the back seat and the trunk is solid and clean, offering a full-sized spare with a correct cover, and a replacement mat would be a quick, inexpensive upgrade.

The 400 cubic inch V8 under the hood delivers the goods in true Buick fashion: with lots of torque. The Dante Red engine looks quite correct, and aside from the missing air cleaner lid, it's quite stock. Of course, a 4-barrel carburetor was standard equipment on the GS, as was dual exhaust, which now exhales through a fresh Flowmaster system. It's orderly under the hood, showing good maintenance and some recent parts, and given the durability of these engines, you've got many years of happy motoring ahead of you. The heavy-duty Buicks also got heavy-duty transmissions; in this car's case, a rugged TH400 3-speed automatic that powers a 12-bolt rear end, so no worries about breakage here. The floors are original and in decent shape, and the GS gets sway bars front and rear, so it's a tidy handler without sacrificing that smooth Buick ride. Buick Road Wheels are some of the best-looking hoops of the era and carry 215/65/15 BFGoodrich T/A radials all around.

Not a show car but an unusual and unusually potent muscle car, it's available for a deep discount compared to its Chevelle and GTO siblings and the performance is impressive. Call today!