1 of 358: 1971 Buick Skylark GS-350
The Skylark-based Gran Sport (or GS) was Buick’s mid-size muscle car in the 1960s and 1970s. With rising insurance premiums, big-block motors were starting to fall out of favor in the early 1970s. Which explains why nearly two-thirds of GS production in 1971 had a 350 cubic inch V8. The seller has a rare model because it has a manual transmission, found in less than 400 of the base GS models that year. This looks like a solid survivor-quality Buick, but the car has been wrapped rather than repainted, so that may not appeal to purists. Located in Peoria, Illinois, this otherwise sweet coupe is available here on eBay where you’ll have to do better than $14,300 to crack the seller’s reserve.
Because of Buick’s position in the General Motors pecking order, the GS was the most luxurious of the intermediate-sized performance cars sold by GM. The Skylark-based GS was an especially hot car in 1970 when the 455 V8 was introduced, but rising insurance premiums and upcoming emissions tightening would eventually make those powerhouses extinct (from the factory). The seller’s ’71 GS is still quite energetic with its 350/4-speed pairing and only 358 buyers opted for one this way in 1971. The total production of 9,170 GSs was down by more than 50% from 1970.
The seller has owned this vehicle for about a year and seems more than pleased with it, so perhaps another car has caught his/her eye. The car has been “modified” for better performance and looks, so perhaps the engine produces more than the stock 315 hp with Ram Air induction. The engine has been rebuilt and the seller has a stack of receipts to prove it. That sounds logical with 131,000 miles on the odometer.
Apparently, some body work was done before the vehicle was wrapped in flat olive green. Pop open the trunk and you’ll find the original color was silver. While this was the seller’s preference, most buyers would prefer to see what things looked like before the wrap was done. After all, what condition is the silver in if you decide to peel away the pricey wrap? Once you get past this, the rest of the car appears quite stout, including the white and black bucket seat interior. Does this GS float your boat?
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Comments
Ad says Peoria Arizona, not Illinois.
Nice looking car. Price should go considerably higher mainly due to the transmission.
Steve R
Handsome car, looks pretty solid. I believe the original color to be Silver Fern which is a light green, same as my 71 which had later been painted red. It baffles me that the Buick is considered more elegant than the other A body’s of the day. I feel the Olds and Pontiacs both have nicer interiors, my 71 Custom felt very bland on the inside, but I’m and 80’s and 90’s kid so maybe that changes my perspective.
The 350s were the perfect engines for these cars, put the bigger engines to shame in so many ways. Cheaper, more reliable, better MPG, nicer insurance rates.
This car is in AZ. so am I. I wish I knew where I would love to go see it.
Not a fan of wraps on old cars. I’d much prefer it’d been left alone. At the very least, it would have been nice to see some pics of the body and paint prior to the wrap treatment. Lord only knows what is underneath. Still, not many GS left the factory with a 4 speed, so definitely a cool car regardless of the vinyl wrap. Would really like to see it repainted in the original color. You don’t see many silver fern 71s, and with the white interior, this Buick would look so fresh and so clean, clean.
One cool 😎 Buick. Stick shift sleeper wow 👌
I dont know how much it costs to get a car wrapped, but my guess is, it was cheaper than a paint job. Hopefully the metal is covered really good underneath it so it doesnt rust. Otherwise I think this would be a blast to drive especially with a 4 speed.
I remember that original silver green color from my childhood, its a nice color and I think would look great painted in that color again.