1970 Buick GS 455 Stage 1

Description

Buick fans, you're in for a real treat, and if you're not a Buick fan, this 1970 GS 455 Stage 1 may very well make you a convert. With a numbers matching 455 V8 drivetrain, believed-original mileage, and an absolutely dialed-in Regal Black livery atop the comfortable black interior, this beautifully brutal Buick is the proverbial iron fist in a silk glove. I don't care who you are, you simply have to respect a car that looks like this on the street, and when it packs things like factory A/C and a completely correct presentation, it's unquestionably the one to own. Yeah, this car is every bit as cool as it looks.

Beautifully presented in original code 19 Regal Black, this Grand Sport is incredibly straight, and if you're going to make it black, you need to make it right. Bright and shiny but showing great depth and luster, the dark paint looks great atop the muscular body lines, and despite a few small imperfections here and there, it's a real head-turner. This one has seen some use (I can't blame the owner, I keep wanting to take a break from writing this to go take it out for another spin), but little more than a professional detail would bring it back to show stopper shape. Those two nostrils on the hood are functional, feeding the hungry 455 underneath, and have cool grilles, presumably to keep it from swallowing birds and small animals as this muscle car eats up asphalt with ease. Buick kept enough chrome on the GS to remind you that they were all about luxury performance, and it is all in excellent shape. The front grille matches the nostrils with a tight mesh, and correct red GS badges have been installed wherever appropriate. Adding a little bit of color to the otherwise monochromatic body are the GS rocker moldings which feature red stripes to match the GS badges.

Inside, there's a matching code 128 Black vinyl interior that's very comfortable and presents just as nicely the body. The seats have clean covers with factory-correct patterns and detailing, the carpets are plush with the correct nap and pile, and the back seat looks virtually untouched. Door panels, the dash pad, and even the headliner all look great with no signs of obvious damage or fading, a further testament to how well this Stage 1 has been treated through the years. The Sonomatic AM radio unbelievably still works (an AUX cord was installed inside the glove box for your modern listening pleasure), and the A/C is ready to be recharged to blow cold again thanks to a R134a upgrade to the factory unit. From behind the wheel, there isn't much to remind you that you're in something so darn special, but it takes little more than a quick squeeze of the throttle to understand why the GS Buicks were both admired and feared on the street.

The reason? 455 cubic inches of numbers matching Buick big block under the hood. With 510 pounds of torque, it was the most powerful engine GM ever put into a production car until the advent of the ZR1 Corvette. Buick engine bays are special, with red engines, chrome valve covers, and that unique dual-snorkel air cleaner that feeds the big 4-barrel underneath. This one shows a lot of correct detailing, from the 'GS Stage 1' decals on the air cleaner to the more recent master cylinder and booster, hoses, belts, etc. With the optional heavy-duty suspension, it's built for combat and hooks up better than its softly-sprung Skylark brothers. The power front disc brakes and power steering system are confidence-inspiring, and the X-pipe dual exhaust system rumbles with that distinctive Buick sound that so many of us know and love. And perhaps the car's most striking feature are those basic black steel wheels with 'dog dish' hubcaps wearing appropriate G60-15 Goodyear Polyglas bias-ply tires.

If you're a Buick guy or gal, this is one of the coolest cars of the muscle car era, and it has the hardware to back up its sinister looks. It could even be called investment-grade, because these big Buicks are slowly gaining on their Chevelle and GTO cousins. Better yet, the combination of luxury and performance offered by Buick is hard to beat, and with this baby you'll be the envy of any car show. Call today!