1970 Buick GSX Stage 1 Survivor!
The GSX was the top-of-the-line Skylark, and was Buick’s equivalent to the Pontiac GTO Judge. Equipped with a Buick 455 V-8 engine and upgraded suspension components, the GSX provided a muscle car experience…through the civilized lens of a Buick. In addition to all that power and performance, you still had luxury features like air conditioning. Exceedingly rare, they seldom come up for sale and fetch serious money when they do, especially a matching-numbers survivor like this one. You can bid on this masterpiece of American muscle here on eBay.
The engine has been rebuilt, but it is original to this car. Runs and idles good, so says the seller. It turns its 360 (-ish, some reports claim over 400) horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque through a four-speed manual, one of only 199 cars equipped with a proper three-pedal, to a stock 3.42 Positraction rear end. Hemmings actually has a fantastic write-up on all of the bizarre idiosyncrasies of the GSX. I include that link for you to read at your will because there are many idiosyncrasies…just the history of the GSX is a rabbit hole you can fall down easily.
Its radio works, but the clock doesn’t. So if you don’t have anywhere to be, or have a watch you wear on your wrist, I see this as an absolute win. The seller mentions that the weather stripping is starting to show its age, as is the driver’s side floor mat, and there are a couple of tears in the seats, but beyond that everything is golden. There are so few of these out there that you need to take the bad with the good. That Hurst shifter sticks proudly out from the floor, and aside from a couple of extra gauges in front of it, the entire interior is as it was in 1970.
The seller provides no images of the undercarriage, but typical indicators of chassis health can also be found in places like doorsills and trunk lining; both of those areas are clean. The seller also says in the description the chassis looks clean, and they are willing to have an independent mechanic take a look at it. I trust them, but still. If you’re going to be spending more than $70,000 on a car that’s more than half a century old, it couldn’t hurt to look for rust. Of the muscle cars from General Motors, the GSX is often overlooked in favor of the Chevelle, and that’s a crying shame. Be different. Buy a Buick.
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Comments
How could anyone ever get tired of having any 1970 GS, GSX with or without stage 1 or 2 options? Especially this one with the four speed transmission? Were my hair longer I’d pull it out due to not having the fiscal means to outbid everyone else for this car and I absolutely would be that guy to overbid to ensure ownership of it. To the buyer of it, will you give me a ride in it?
If my memory serves me correctly only 66 Stage 2 GS’s were ever made, however perhaps someone else out there knows different?
As far as I know only one stage 2 left the .factory. The rest were sold over the counter. The stage 2 was a 10 plus second car.
Vince, you are right, the components were never installed from the factory, they were only available over the counter.
Steve R
If my memory serves me correctly only 66 Stage 2 GS’s were ever made, however perhaps someone else out there knows different?
I hate to use the tired old “holy grail” pseudonym, but this is it for many Buick fans. I loved the look and feel of my 71 Skylark so much and daydreamed about one of these beasts. I’ve only seen a 71 or a 72 ( black) in person, but never a 70. For once I was surprised to see the bidding is only at $72k. This is one of those cars that leaves me dreaming of tapping my 401k..
If ever anyone gets confused over the meaning of “muscle car”, here is the guilty party as charged.
They don’t come much better than this GSX with the Stage 1 455…
1970 Buick GSX Stage 1 Survivor!
Well if it survived stage 1, then it’s going to be difficult to get past stage 2.
These made the hemi owners think twice before racing them. They knew the Buick had more than a chance to beat them. A true muscle car.
The GS had the off the line advantage in the stoplight races and maybe in the 1/8th mile drags, but the Hemi quickly spooled up and usually won in the 1/4 mile.
It was hard to keep the hemi tuned properly. On the street the got beat often by the Buick. The hemi was a race engine not really made for street use.
Original paint but with overspray on the right side hood hinge?
GM Quality!
I could be wrong, but didn’t the Stage 1’s have Stage 1 badges on the fenders? I have a friend who has a mint Stage 1 clone/tribute GS and it has the badges on the fenders. I see mint examples of real 1970 Stage 1’s go across Mecham for 70-100K routinely. This example is a little rough around the edges.
Chief, the GSX did not have the Stage 1 fender badges. The only way to know was to pop the hood.
In the stoplight granprix I had a seriously fast 65 442, these Buick’s came along and after about 3 times I realized, resistance was futile !
I had the same experience Charles only mine was a 69 Chevelle SS 396 L78/4sp 4.10 gear only car I ever Lost to on the street and i got trounced pretty good of course the Buick was a lettered race car that has station owner that had put mufflers on his race car and cruised it occasionally BTW the lettering on the car said NHRA record holder I knew i was going get beat guess i just wanted to see by how much 👴😁
Oh my goodness. I would take this over any Chevelle(yes even the LS6!) and the GTO(yes the Judge would get thrown off the bench for this sweet machine).
I had the same experience Charles only mine was a 69 Chevelle SS 396 L78/4sp 4.10 gear only car I ever Lost to on the street and i got trounced pretty good of course the Buick was a lettered race car that has station owner that had put mufflers on his race car and cruised it occasionally BTW the lettering on the car said NHRA record holder I knew i was going get beat guess i just wanted to see by how much 👴😁
Sweet! I like it, just a little rough around the edges is fine with me.
I don’t wouldn’t fix the clock if you want it to be authentic.
Back in 1980 I had the chance to buy to buy one of these from the original owner, Saturn yellow and a four speed Stage 1. It was a very nice car. The asking price $2k. For some reason I thought that I couldn’t afford it, and bought a ’66 GTO for $1700.00.
It doesn’t get much better than a Buick GSX!!
A friend of mine sent me a picture of one of these sitting in an old garage in Wyoming. White with a 4 speed, very complete and original. Covered with dust and boxes stacked on top of it.
Of course it’s not for sale…
I owned a 72 GS back in the day, 350 4 speed! Down the road from me, sat a 70 455 GS, original owner! Paint was trashed on it from being parked near the steel mills in Pittsburgh. $500 could have bought it, but that is more then I made in a month at the time.
Item location:
Foristell, Missouri