1970 Buick GS 455 Stage1 Clone

Description

When the Buick Gran Sport debuted with a larger 455 cubic inch engine in 1970, it upped the power ante over its lesser equipped forerunners and even prompted its manufacturer to conservatively state its power output to avoid the undue scrutiny that often accompanied unusually powerful cars at the time. No doubt, the 1970 Buick GS 455 Stage 1 was a screamer of a muscle car, but there weren't many of them made and most of those remaining have been relegated to displays. This 1970 Buick GS 455 Stage 1 clone not only captures the visual magic of its inspiration, but its powerplant is built to the very same specs, and it even features some well-chosen upgrades that take its driving experience to a higher level.

Glossy black paint jobs like the one adorning this GS are a high-risk proposition. They look great when preparation and skill converge as intended, but often reveal unfortunate faults when any shortcuts are taken. This Buick falls solidly into the first category, showing evidence of patient craftsmanship from front to back. The entire body was taken all the way down to bare metal to search out any imperfections residing below the surface and then reassembled with precision, so you'll find nothing but straight and unmarred body panels with impressively even gaps sitting between them here. Very clean chrome bumpers sit fore and aft, and new rubber seals surround clear glass on all four sides. The exterior emblems and badging were not just refurbished, they were replaced entirely. Yes, this was one thorough restoration.

Climb inside and you'll see an impressively restored interior that strongly retains an original look, but features some elements that actually go it one better. The power bucket seats up front are clad in leather, beginning life on a late model GTO before being recovered to match the leather clad bench seat in back, while offering markedly more adjustability and comfort than their predecessors. Take a look around the cabin and you'll see a lot of new components - in addition to the seating, the carpet, headliner and door panels have all been replaced yet retain the Buick's original stock look. A customized but original center console runs between the bucket seats, blending in perfectly with its surroundings and featuring a very alluring pistol grip shifter within easy reach. A Vintage Air climate control system blows through the in-dash registers to keep everyone plenty comfortable on the road, while an AM/FM/iPod system resides front and center in the dash to power an array of speakers that include trunk-mounted subwoofers with their own amp to tend to your audio wishes.

There's plenty of restoration wizardry sitting underneath the hood as well. The 455-cubic inch V8 has been thoroughly attended to and brought to proper Stage 1 specs by Kim Barr Racing Engines of Garland, Texas and is in optimal shape, running smooth and topped with an Edelbrock intake manifold and 4-barrel carb to provide all the power you could want. It's mated with a 4-speed 700r4 transmission that offers versatile gearing and its overdrive feature is engaged with a flick of a switch mounted under the dash. With power disc brakes at all four corners, this classic can come to a fade-resistant stop in very short order. This masterfully restored Buick muscle car sits on a set of Ridler Alloy Torque Thrust wheels that carry Nitto 555 tires.

It's not often that you encounter a classic that's been restored with the combination of top tier craftsmanship and well-chosen, upgraded components this 1970 Buick GS 455 Stage 1 clone offers. Call today!