Up at Nick`s Garage in Canada, they had a basically stock Buick 455 Stage I on their engine dyno, and it pulled 503 HP and 547 lb./ft. of torque. That`s HEALTHY ! :-)
Just picked up a Stage 1. Took my 12 year old for a ride the first time. I stood on it, tires smoked, back end slid and pinned her to her seat. She was surprised and asked, "what was that? That scared me. Can we do it again?" Yes we can.
I actually had a 1970 Buick GSX 455 stage 1. Fastest car I ever owned. I used to pull into gas stations and people would walk over to me and argue that it wasn't a Buick. I have missed that car ever since I sold it in 1974. To me it was a true legend.
I was a Supervisor in Buick's Factory 36 Engine Plant in the 70's. I can tell you that the Stage I engines were all assembled by one man (not necessarily the same person over the years). The guy I used to talk to would use production gauges to hand pick all his engine parts to effectively blueprint those engines. That had to help improve the actual horsepower realized.
I bought a 1970 Buick GS 350 with highway driven 95,000 miles way back when and drove it an additional 88,000 miles while only replacing the water pump, tires and brake pads on the front end. I started and raised 10+ years of my family in that awesome vehicle way back when and when I wanted to, I would go out on my own and find a spot to floor it. The Rochester four barrel secondaries that were big enough to fit your fist into would open up and the sound of the air rushing in, the engine revving up and the dual exhaust with glass packs I installed roaring like fire crackers constantly going off in a never ending sequence made my day and made it all worth the while to take on another day. Thanks Buick! I loved that car.
That Buick 455 was enough to make a school bus feel sporty. GS Buicks of the '66 - '73 era were the most brutal street cars I ever drove or worked on. I brought a lot of these back when they were worn out for the first time. Weighing in heavy, as they did, and being well-balanced, the Buicks didn't require a lot of suspension work for traction - but, if you went to the trouble, you could get them to where they'd hardly spin a tire - the launch was brutal from '68 - up.
For me 1966 to 1970 were the best years for the classic muscle cars although 1971-72 were still pretty good years for the muscle cars, 1973 was when most automobiles started to suck.
They all started to suck in 72 and by 75 they were gone completely when catalytic converters became mandatory. The 73-74 455 Super Duty Trans Am is the last true muscle car from the true muscle car era. The 340 Plymouth Duster/Dodge Demon were still pretty quick in 72-73 but that was about it other than the SD Trans Am. Actually three 440+6 Mopars(1 Plymouth Roadrunner and 2 Dodge Chargers) were built in early 72 until the 440+6 was deemed unable to meet emissions regulations anymore and discontinued
My ex-brother-in-law had a 4-speed GS 455 Stage 1, with slicks and open headers, it ran consistent 13.0s at 110 mph. What a great car, GM in it`s finest hour !
Very cool BW. A 4 speed Buick is "extremely" rare. With 110 MPH trap speed, guess his ET could've been a little better, if he were able to hook up . This car would make Ken Belle proud. :)
My dad was a Buick dealer back then. To my chagrin, he almost never ordered a GS with a 4-speed tranny. Automatics were nice, but my old man didn't get the whole concept, I don't think. But they were still fun to drive, with all that Buick torque under the hood. He did order one with a three speed manual, finally. I snuck it out for a "test drive" one afternoon. Pulled up to a stop on a back street, shoved it into first gear, revved her up, and popped the clutch! Burned rubber for several blocks. Weeee Haaa! I think I was 17 or 18 at the time. What a memory.
Not a bad time at all for such a heavy vehicle back then, probably the owner knew some tuning tricks as 110 sounds kind of high though not impossible--like this explains most 'muscle' cars barely broke the 14's, all depended on gearing and traction too, lots of testers sneak some slicks on there and say wow what a fast car, 1/4 mile gears like 410 and 456 are kind of useless on the street and highway
What a shame this muscle car was under the radar compared to the more popular musclecars,now it is one the most desirable and prices are thru the roof.
The 'Buick" of muscle cars! Years later in the 80's, they produced the Grand National which was again one of the fastest cars of it's time. Back in the 50's, they used to call the "Century" the 'Banker's hotrod' because it could pretty much take on any of the hot cars of the 50's. Buick actually has a history of performance. That old nail head V8 of the 50's and 60's found it's way into many a hotrod as well as hot boat. The engines were extremely reliable. While Pontiac and Chevy V8's would be blowing oil at 75K miles, it was not uncommon to see an old nail head showing no signs of ring wear via oil burning at well over 100K miles. And yes, I am speaking from experience of owning these cars in the past. Old Buicks are great sleepers. No one expects you to blow their doors off in a 455 powered 4 door LeSabre!
In that era, each division designed and built their own engines. For instance, the 350s from Chevy, Buick, Olds, and Pontiac had nothing in common internally. Same for the 455s. The 396 Chevy, 400 Buick and Olds, and the 389 Pontiac - not the same, once again. GM started going corporate with the Chevy straight 6 in the early 70s, phasing out division-based-and-limited engines over the next few years. In the late 70s, you could well find a either a Chevy or Olds 350 in your Oldsmobile, a Pontiac 400 or Olds 403 in your Trans Am, a 350 Olds diesel in your Cadillac, a 301 Pontiac or 305 Chevy in your Buick Regal, a Buick V6 in your Cutlass.....you get it.
The "Century", as "Banker's Hot rod" and.. really GM's first "Muscle Car", (The whole concept of using a "big" car engine in a "smaller car", Just like the Olds 88 did in the 40's-'50 and Pontiac did in the '60s...) actually goes back BEFORE the '50s! It was 1936! And, 50 years ahead of it's time, it was available not only a a traditional "hot coupe", but as a sedan! Yep, Kiddos, GM (With a Buick!) was on to the whole "sports sedan" concept in the 1930s!
Great vid! My dad always had fast Buicks. When I was really young, it was a '61 LeSabre w/401 Nailhead. Then, it was a very rare, special-order '70 LeSabre w/455 Stage 1. That's the car I learned to drive in & also made money racing in high-school. We're talking a 6-passenger 4-dr family car that did 0-60 in 6 sec flat, ran high 14 sec 1/4-miles @ 100 MPH - and was clocked on RADAR @ 157 MPH & climbing. Man, that was a fun ride! Got me to be a lifelong Buick hotrod fan. Built a '63 LeSabre with a 425 nailhead dual-quad Super Wildcat engine. Was a real sleeper in high-school! Got out of the Navy in the mid-70s & bought a '67 Buick GS 400 4-speed ragtop. One of only 422 made. (Wish I would've know that back then!) Hopped it up enough to run high 12s in the 1/4-mile. Many years later, I bought a numbers-matching '87 Buick Grand National, which I still own. I tweaked her enough to run 0-60 in 3.6 sec, do high 11s in the quarter, and she's been clocked @ 167 MPH & climbing in top-end. Not too shabby for a bone-stock 231 cube V6! (Running 22 pounds of boost w/water-alcohol injection! :D)
My dad was Buick dealer in this area. He owned 2 Buick dealerships. My older brother and I drove thes GS cars every day. On Sunday we took them to the drag strip. I had a gold with black Vynal top 67' GS 4 Speed that killed it in its class. Nothing came close. Won the trophy every time. 1970 I got out of Army and had a 70' stage 1. Auto. Dark green with bk vynal top. That dark green was very popular then. I took it to the drag strip in Pa. I raced and beat many cars. It came down to a 454 Chevelle from Ohio for the trophy. He had written in white shoe polish on his back window undefeated class champ. He was washing his window after the race.
I owned most of the original late 60's and early 70's car magazines that are referred to in this video. The specific article in Motor Trend where the 70 GS ran a 13.3 quarter was called "Without A Taste Of Geritol." Subsequent articles in other magazines dismissed the GS as not being able to put the power to the ground claiming it's power was overrated-something I should mention that Chev was famous for. The 1/4 mile road tests where they pitted cars directly against each other in 1971 and even years later in 1980 when they located unmodified factory versions of the 1970 A-bodied cars to race, had the Olds 442 W30 come out on top. With apologies-I love all these cars for various reasons.
I had and sold a 70' stage -1 mild cam 113 Poston under 500 lift, slicks 4:10,gears open Doug headers 11:53@'111 m.p.h. all day long,,with a/c on ! 101 degrees outside! Chevy boys hated it! Ford Boys as well!!
A good friend had two Hemi Mopars in the early 70s. He says he only got beat twice.....both by Buick 455 Stage ones....In the 80s he built a car hauler out of a 72 chev 3/4 ton pickup. He put a Buick 455 in it ....it had such amazing pulling power. With a car on the back and a car on a trailer it could roll on the freeways 70 plus with no problem.
The General Motors A-Body in 1970 (Buick Skylark GSX, Chevrolet Chevelle SS, Pontiac LeMans GTO, Oldsmobile Cutlass 442) were awesome muscle cars. And what so good about them, each GM division had the freedom to design their own powertrain. They were great. Even GM of Canada had a version of the A-Body: Acadian Beaumont.
I was 23 and my first car was a 1968 GS400 Convertable. Loved the car. Red w/white top and interior. Chrome mags. Hot car for a hot 23 year old ! That's right ! Just like I said. What a time in my life ! The 1968-1970 BUICK GS400 and GS455 were the best looking styles they made.
The 68-72 Oldsmobile and Buick A-body look so aggressive. I love them both. However the 67 Buick Riviera is, in my opinion, the pinnacle of 1960's car design.
Oof hard claim there, Alfa tipo 33, Alfa gulia, BMW 3.0 CS, DB5 Austin, Alfa Montreal, c2 Corvette, 250 GTO, Jag e type, etc are pinnacle of 60s design.... Not to mention the prototypes back then , Porsche 906, Ferrari sp 330, Lola's, Gulf mirage Ford GT40, etc........
The factory rating was 510 GROSS. "As installed" (SAE NET, which has been Federal Law since the 1972 model year) was approximately 380. Thing is, engine torque alone says nothing about vehicle acceleration. It must be multiplied by RPM in order to be delivered. Horsepower = Torque * RPM/5252. Actual peak engine HP for a bone stock '70 Stage is is in the 310 region (Net, as measured at the flywheel.). Figure 265 or so on a modern chassis dyno.
@@peteshea8010The only difference between net vs gross is with net the accessories (alternator, ps, fan and ac) is included in the net figure. It takes hp to turn those pulleys. And torque is what moves you, not hp. And a stock Stage I puts down 352 hp, and 490 ft. lb. of torque to the ground on a mustang chassis Dyno. I own a 70 GSX.
@@TheKwod right, because published gross hp numbers determine power to weight, driveline loses, traction, torque multipliers, and gear splits. Power band, torque under the curve, shift points, weight transfer...all mean nothing. Of course, thanks for setting the record straight.
My father had a stage one when I was little. I remember hearing squealing of the tires and getting thrown into that aluminum rail car seat. Good times.
Through the years, I have been connected with Mopar/Dodge musclecars, 1971 Demon340 and I currently have a 69 Coronet R/T 440 Magnum 4-spped. But I've held on to dream if I could have my favorite car of all time, it would be, without question the yellow GSX Stage One with the TH400!!! That car is it for me!
commando8088 EXACTLY MAN!!!!! I'm only 28 and the more I think about it, there are plenty of classic car dealers around my area with cars anywhere from $15-$100k or more, so not only will you have a classic but you'll most likely have a car that won't depreciate in value and will be stunning to look at 4ever!😎
Great video. Every so often Buick does something to make performance enthusiasts say 'she'll run what?' If Buick ever put out a retro styled GN Turbo v6 I'll jump in line. No doubt.
Remember these from my local Buick Dealer when i was a kid, drooling every time I went in the showroom. Our Dodge dealer was just up the street and the Buicks got me every time!
I was there... street and strip and times varied considerably based on the state of tune and especially tires and of course rear end ratio. Remember there was no O2 sensors, no computer controlled fuel injection, and carburetors were subject to jetting variations and even the Q-JET with the metering rods had inconsistant air/fuel ratios depending on rpm and float levels. We had reliance on vaccum secondaries controlled by rubber diaphrams and quite frankly it is a miracle analog technology was so good to get these things to run at all. Remember to jet a car you had to make a run and pull out the spark plugs and lay them out and chjeck the color! Yeah, there were cars which we called "Freaks" that just happened to have the variables come together. However I also remember stock Road Runners turning low 15's and most goats with stock tires were in the mid 14's. I'll tell you one thing in the memory banks, Olds and Buick were Fast and for the most part consistant.... The olds 400 engine had a wide flat torque curve and would really pull top end, same for buicks.
Unlike the other GM big block offerings, the Buick 455 was a thin-wall cast block which resulted in a considerable weight reduction. This combined with the huge torque level made the Skylark a 1/4 mile beast. (Not to mention the help with under steer)
most of the following posts remind me when I was a teen & argue with my pals about whose American car division was TOPS! A lot of valuable information & experience on this page. THANKS EVERYONE!
I had to wait to get my GS til 84. My brother n law had a 71 350 GS, and he blew up the transmission. I drove from Louisiana to N.Carolina to get it and drug it home. I hunted junkyards for a good 455. When i put the motor in, I used lesabre motor mounts. Buttoned it all up and headed to Egypt for 6 months. While in Egypt, I found a guy who had the right mounts in PA. I called him from Egypt, and we struck an accord and mailed him a check. They were waiting when I got home. Had em installed in 30 min. They lowered the center of gravity significantly. In 1970 buick made 670 GS 455s. I made it 671. That was a great car.
All my father ever drove was a Buick. He had Rivieras, LeSabres, 225s, Skylarks, and a Wildcat. The latter came with the 455cid an was and incredible car in 1970. Us kids never suffered in the back seat on long vacation trips. A lot more popular family outing than today.
My dad used to have a 1970 GS 455 in the 80s. Said the car could’ve beat anything thrown at it. He got rear ended by some Japanese pickup and insurance totaled and took it before he could say he wanted to hold onto it. He got like $2000 from insurance for it, he says he misses that GS every day, says it was the best car he ever owned.
I can agree that 1970 was the pinnacle yr for old school muscle cars. Every car was within a couple of tenths of each other when tuned and used slicks. It really came down to driver error as far as who won a drag race. Everybody, even AMC, had some sort of hi po car offering in various forms. A 14.5 second car was considered slow by 1970, when manufacturers were finding low 13s right off the showroom floors in stock layouts that anyone could order. Could they handle, and stop? No. Were they easy to live with? No. Could they go straight and fast, you betcha!
Really the Trans Am was the best all around muscle car in 70 and 71 because of the quick ratio steering and the flat handling. The brakes weren't any better than the others but the cornering and steering were a notch above and they were plenty fast.
NO manufacturers were finding "low 13s" right off the showroom floor" in 1970. A few of the tacitly tuned and oftentimes further modified on site magazine test cars logged mid 13s, though that's not what the customers bought.
@@peteshea8010 those magazine test cars weren't stock alot of the time. People don't seem to understand that manufacturers would modify them before sending them to different magazines in order to get better numbers and therefore sell more cars
A total of 678 GSX’s were built, making it a very rare car. About half of that are known to exist. Every time I’d take mine to a car show, the question was always asked...is that a clone?
My grandmother was an anesthesiologist and a bargain lover. She purchased this car in a small town in Missouri. When a young man order the car without checking insurance rates. On one of our trips to grandmas house, I learned she got a new car. At 16 I couldn’t believe what I was seeing in her garage. I driven a few fast cars but this car was dangerous. The power was nonstop! What a car.
IN 1970 my grandfather ordered a special order Riviera. He worked all his life at Buick and was about to retire. He had several options installed that were uncommon. One of the things it had was a Stage 1 455. It was incredibly fast for a big heavy car. It also had thing called "Max Track" that allowed you to change the traction control with a switch on the dash. When my grandfather passed away I inherited the car. My mother ended up with it when I went away to the Army. Unfortunately my mother's boyfriend trashed it. Last I saw it, it was sitting in a field in New Mexico.I also had a 66 Chevelle SS in High School with the 375 HP and Muncie 4 speed. That is the car I wish i had never sold.
Love those 455 Buicks! 100lbs lighter then an SBC with tons more torque. Stuffed a 455 from a 1970 Electra into a 73 Buick Apollo (same as a Nova) and that thing was a stoplight beast not to mention a total sleeper.
They were 100 pounds lighter than a BIG BLOCK Chevy (iron head versions). That's because the Buick engines was weak in that it used two bolt mains, think wall block (and lifter guide) castings, an aluminum water pump housing that proved highly problematic, and so on.
@@mikatamminen2786 The 65 is sweet, too. Drove em all, since my Dad was a Buick dealer back then. I liked the 65 a lot, too. I remember having a yellow ragtop for a demo. I turned 16 in 64, so I had it made back then. The GS was a little heavier than the GTO, but they still rocked! God, I miss those days.
@@mikatamminen2786 Yeah, the 66 had a sleeker style, that's true. If you remember, the Skylark came out later as a deluxe version of the Special, which some might see as a stepped or stripped down version of the Skylark, more or less. The first Specials had a lot smaller, lighter weight body, were made to fit a price point, and which I think would have really been awesome as a kind of a sleeper/muscle car. Anyway, that's why I like the 65 a bit more, because it harkens back more to the earlier models. Kind of like the 64 GTO, which was the BOMB when it came out. It was hundreds of pounds lighter than the 65 model, and which Pontiac was starting to add more luxury and comfort to it, as opposed to the original sporting and speed aspects it exemplified. Auto makers always seem to get away from the things that made some of their cars successful in the first place. For examples, just look at the Tbird and the Mustang. IMHO they screwed up both cars by going to bigger, heavier, and more luxurious cars, which was kinda dumb, I always thought. Anyway, enjoy your GS, they're really good cars and fun to drive. Wish I had one!
When I was a kid, my cousins who all had hot cars, 1969 Chevelle SS 396 etc, all laughed at the GSX until it blew their doors off! Unlike most cars of that size which do their magic in the mids after launch, the 510ft/lb torque of the GSX did it right off the line! Great car!
Enjoyed the video. Even though I'm a Mopar guy, I respect other brands. I remember in high school, reading a magazine article about the '70 GSX. 13 sec. quarter miles all day long. I miss my old '69 Coronet R/T, and the '67 Dart GT.
I’m a Mopar Ford guy but one of the GM cars I knocked my self out trying to buy in the mid to late 70’s was a 70 GS 455 Stage 1 I almost had one I found one in 78 for sale I was right there cash in hand but he changed his mind just couldn’t let it go no matter how many $100’s I put out. I found another one that was a flood at that they had everything new including a new crate engine but never put together it just rotted away to bad it was a clean very low mileage car.
I love cars and watch all of the shows where they restore them and talk about them and all of that but you almost never see these awesome cars I think that's a shame because people need to see how cool they were and that Buick made some very powerful cars from time to time
I had a GSX convertible, white... beautiful car.....still wish I never sold it years ago, but a guy made (what I considered at age 25) a crazy offer and I accepted. Like I said, wish I never sold her!!
Thanks for another great video! The Buick GSX Stage 1 is one of my dream cars. I hope that one day you''ll make a video about the Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser, I love those wagons.
Most ppl don't know this but there were 2 Vista Cruisers that could be ordered with the "W Machine" (W-30) option in 1970. Basically everything the W-30 442 had...except it would come with the optional $40 rear seatbelts :)
Both being a product of Fischer Body, its interesting to note how similar the Chevelle SS and Busick GS were. While I was, and remain, a GTO loyalist, these are BOTH sweet configs for sure!
Long live these real American cars! From 50's 60's 70's. I am a great fan of American machines . since 8 years old to present! Trucks, coaches, bus. Rv, tractors American motorbikes. Bueatiful cars here being shown. Ace !#!😀😉
Oh how I miss my 70 GS. What an engine that 455 stage 1 was I picked up a low mileage one in Long Island back in early 2000, held on to it for a long time waiting to find a good Skylark to drop it in. After so long, I started eyeballing my 1990 Toyota Supra with a bad engine, and noticed the space was adequate, so I decided to try the 455 and tranny in the Supra. What a crazy fast car that was with only a Poston Cam and light port/port match work and 2.5 " dual flowmaster exhaust. One of my funniest moments is when a Dodge Neon SRT4 full of jeering teens decided to challenge me as I coasted along about 45mph on a backroad one day. They were so busy taunting, they missed the subtle rumble of the 455 and flowmasters...until we hit the gas..lol. The supra turned slightly sideways as it broke the tires loose at 45mph for a few seconds, the 455 roaring thru the pipes, moaning of that 4bbl... such sweet music..I know it's sacrilegious to put the Buick V8 in the Supra, but I've always loved cramming fun surprises under hoods of unlikely car donors.
I was the proud owner of a 77 Formula 2 tone blue, 403 auto with posi. Man I loved that car. It had the most comfortable seats and what was said about the steering wheel is true. Fit perfect in hands. Besides loving everyday that I owned that car my favorite years are the early 2nd gens 70 to 73 and early 3rd gens up to 1988
William Mitchell was head of design at GM from the 50s through the late 70s. He's considered a legend of automotive design, and many designers who ended up designing Fords, Chryslers, and some foreign makes worked under him.
Roberto Guerrero set a track record in 1992 for the Indianapolis 500 during qualifying. Powered by a Buick V6 to take the pole. Al Unser Sr. finished third with a Buick engine.
The Buick Grand Sport GS Stage I was a torque monster with 510 pound-feet of torque, a figure only one car - the 1970 Olds 4-4-2 - approached, with 505 pound-feet of torque. Truly legendary muscle cars! Before my time, sad to say....
From Leo: I love the old muscle cars, especially the Buicks. The body shaking rumble of those cars was a great experience. We have to remember, that overall performance these days is good also. The little 3.6 liter V6 in my Cadillac ATS-V makes 464 hp, but nothing rumbles, just a whirring sound that is as civil a 100+ as at 60mph. And it stops, corners and drives effortlessly.
I had a '70 Cutlass with the same body. I rebuilt and hot-rodded the 350ci motor. It was a fun car to drive. Not in the same class, though, but handled well.
I owned a 1970 Buick 455. Traded it off for $500.00 in 1976. Little demand back then because of the gas situation. What a thrill to kick those four-barrels in.
Whats a Baacuda? Hemi Darts weren't remotely street legal or streetable. Ditto for the pre 1970 Hemi Barracudas. Production was extremely limited, with those cars going to factory backed drag racing teams. Put a 100% production line stock 1970 - 1971 Hemi Cuda on a modern day intertia chassis dyno and it will produce something on the order of 315 HP at the wheels. Not much for a 3,800 plus pound car by today's standards!
I drove one. Why was it so fast? It had a trailing link rear suspension...and 525 ft lbs. of torque. Their secret was NOTHING could pull one off of the line...I've read 0-60 times in the LOW 4 sec range...4.38...which is insane! That car squatted HARD ....and off she went...and drove very smooth. Wish I had bought the used one I test drove:).
My GT37 Pontiac blew the motor or I should say I did lol about 30 years ago. I pulled the 400 Indian and dropped a 70s 455 Buick motor in from a 225 Electra. Mild cam, intake and carb with duels. No GS motor by any means; but it was sooo much faster than my 400 ever was. And I'd like to know how much lighter, I never weighed it but the nose of my GT37 sat a good 2-3" higher after swapping motors. So I am guessing 200lbs + difference. And Torque! HORSE POWER SELLS CARS, TORQUE WINS RACES, AND TRUCK PULLS LOL.
Buicks 455 were quite light actually. I've read that they were similar in weight to a small block Chevy. Much lighter than the other 455s at that time.
Buicks were always big on torque, but I can't tell you why. I just know that laying down a patch of rubber was almost always possible in any of those cars from throat era, even the big E225's.
@@waterheaterservices, my father had a catalogue that offered up to stage 17 from an after market supplier. I'm not familiar with stage 3 from the dealer.
The Stage 2 was going to be a 7,000 rpm 500+hp engine, only 2 were ever built. Some parts were sold to private racing firms. None were ever built for sale. The program was cancelled in 1970 due to impending regulations. Pontiac went on to build 1265 SD-455's, Buick and Chevy performance folded, along with Mopar.
Had shots at both a GSX and GTO Judge when I was young but both cars had been thrashed and I was on a 1 car budget and any "hotrod" would have to be a daily driver. I ended up with a minty 1971 SS Chevelle. Despite her hot orange and black trim she was equipped with a weak low compression 350, column shift, bench seat, and 2.73 axle. I miss that car!
Up at Nick`s Garage in Canada, they had a basically stock Buick 455 Stage I on their engine dyno, and it pulled 503 HP and 547 lb./ft. of torque. That`s HEALTHY ! :-)
Just picked up a Stage 1. Took my 12 year old for a ride the first time. I stood on it, tires smoked, back end slid and pinned her to her seat. She was surprised and asked, "what was that? That scared me. Can we do it again?" Yes we can.
That’s what it’s all about man, I hope you and her are still smokin tires regularly!
She’ll remember it forever dad 😭👌
I had a 72 stage 1 my brother had a 67 400 convertible. The most beautiful cars we ever owned
I actually had a 1970 Buick GSX 455 stage 1. Fastest car I ever owned. I used to pull into gas stations and people would walk over to me and argue that it wasn't a Buick. I have missed that car ever since I sold it in 1974. To me it was a true legend.
john jenkins I bet you miss it. I know I would.
@@electrichellion5946
Anyone whom ever owned these special brutes ALL know they SINNED by letting them go.
Sin of all sins!
@John Jenkins What was your reason for selling it? just curious
john jenkins .what do they go for now?100 grand
The gsx is one of my favorite muscle cars. It came out of nowhere and blew everyone's doors off. Then disappeared.
Emissions and poor fuel mileage destroyed the muscle cars.
@@sergeantmasson3669 low compression smaller cams
I was a Supervisor in Buick's Factory 36 Engine Plant in the 70's. I can tell you that the Stage I engines were all assembled by one man (not necessarily the same person over the years). The guy I used to talk to would use production gauges to hand pick all his engine parts to effectively blueprint those engines. That had to help improve the actual horsepower realized.
I bought a 1970 Buick GS 350 with highway driven 95,000 miles way back when and drove it an additional 88,000 miles while only replacing the water pump, tires and brake pads on the front end. I started and raised 10+ years of my family in that awesome vehicle way back when and when I wanted to, I would go out on my own and find a spot to floor it. The Rochester four barrel secondaries that were big enough to fit your fist into would open up and the sound of the air rushing in, the engine revving up and the dual exhaust with glass packs I installed roaring like fire crackers constantly going off in a never ending sequence made my day and made it all worth the while to take on another day. Thanks Buick! I loved that car.
That Buick 455 was enough to make a school bus feel sporty. GS Buicks of the '66 - '73 era were the most brutal street cars I ever drove or worked on. I brought a lot of these back when they were worn out for the first time. Weighing in heavy, as they did, and being well-balanced, the Buicks didn't require a lot of suspension work for traction - but, if you went to the trouble, you could get them to where they'd hardly spin a tire - the launch was brutal from '68 - up.
1968 to 1972 = possibly the best years for American Muscle Cars !!
I agree
@@musclebone7875 Everything after '70 sucked. No power and uglier to boot.
For me 1966 to 1970 were the best years for the classic muscle cars although 1971-72 were still pretty good years for the muscle cars, 1973 was when most automobiles started to suck.
They all started to suck in 72 and by 75 they were gone completely when catalytic converters became mandatory. The 73-74 455 Super Duty Trans Am is the last true muscle car from the true muscle car era. The 340 Plymouth Duster/Dodge Demon were still pretty quick in 72-73 but that was about it other than the SD Trans Am. Actually three 440+6 Mopars(1 Plymouth Roadrunner and 2 Dodge Chargers) were built in early 72 until the 440+6 was deemed unable to meet emissions regulations anymore and discontinued
Until the earlier 1990s.
My ex-brother-in-law had a 4-speed GS 455 Stage 1, with slicks and open headers, it ran consistent 13.0s at 110 mph. What a great car, GM in it`s finest hour !
Very cool BW. A 4 speed Buick is "extremely" rare. With 110 MPH trap speed, guess his ET could've been a little better, if he were able to hook up . This car would make Ken Belle proud. :)
My dad was a Buick dealer back then. To my chagrin, he almost never ordered a GS with a 4-speed tranny. Automatics were nice, but my old man didn't get the whole concept, I don't think. But they were still fun to drive, with all that Buick torque under the hood. He did order one with a three speed manual, finally. I snuck it out for a "test drive" one afternoon. Pulled up to a stop on a back street, shoved it into first gear, revved her up, and popped the clutch! Burned rubber for several blocks. Weeee Haaa! I think I was 17 or 18 at the time. What a memory.
Not a bad time at all for such a heavy vehicle back then, probably the owner knew some tuning tricks as 110 sounds kind of high though not impossible--like this explains most 'muscle' cars barely broke the 14's, all depended on gearing and traction too, lots of testers sneak some slicks on there and say wow what a fast car, 1/4 mile gears like 410 and 456 are kind of useless on the street and highway
Whats the torque rating
@@blackice7408 Plenty!
Had a 70 stage one 455 back in the early 80's that thing would scream.
excellent review - many thanks - makes me want to drive a Buick. As an older, more conservative guy, I would go with the 455 Stage 1 any day.
These along with the 428 Grand Prix are very underrated and under appreciated
Should have put those 428s in every last GTO in the late 60's.
@@w41duvernay they would've if it weren't for the 400cid limit GM put on their mid-size cars.
When looking back at the classics, I realize how plain today's cars are... even with all the computer gadgets.
What a shame this muscle car was under the radar compared to the more popular musclecars,now it is one the most desirable and prices are thru the roof.
😢
The 'Buick" of muscle cars! Years later in the 80's, they produced the Grand National which was again one of the fastest cars of it's time. Back in the 50's, they used to call the "Century" the 'Banker's hotrod' because it could pretty much take on any of the hot cars
of the 50's. Buick actually has a history of performance. That old nail head V8 of the 50's and 60's found it's way into many a hotrod as well as hot boat. The engines were extremely reliable. While Pontiac and Chevy V8's would be blowing oil at 75K miles, it was not uncommon to see an old nail head showing no signs of ring wear via oil burning at well over 100K miles. And yes, I am speaking from experience of owning these cars in the past. Old Buicks are great sleepers. No one expects you to blow their doors off in a 455 powered 4 door LeSabre!
Since the engines were all GM with so much in common, why would Buick be more reliable than Chevy or Pontiac ?
In that era, each division designed and built their own engines. For instance, the 350s from Chevy, Buick, Olds, and Pontiac had nothing in common internally. Same for the 455s. The 396 Chevy, 400 Buick and Olds, and the 389 Pontiac - not the same, once again. GM started going corporate with the Chevy straight 6 in the early 70s, phasing out division-based-and-limited engines over the next few years. In the late 70s, you could well find a either a Chevy or Olds 350 in your Oldsmobile, a Pontiac 400 or Olds 403 in your Trans Am, a 350 Olds diesel in your Cadillac, a 301 Pontiac or 305 Chevy in your Buick Regal, a Buick V6 in your Cutlass.....you get it.
The "Century", as "Banker's Hot rod" and.. really GM's first "Muscle Car", (The whole concept of using a "big" car engine in a "smaller car", Just like the Olds 88 did in the 40's-'50 and Pontiac did in the '60s...) actually goes back BEFORE the '50s! It was 1936! And, 50 years ahead of it's time, it was available not only a a traditional "hot coupe", but as a sedan! Yep, Kiddos, GM (With a Buick!) was on to the whole "sports sedan" concept in the 1930s!
Personally I think the 1970 Buick GS is the most beautiful car I've ever seen!
Great vid! My dad always had fast Buicks. When I was really young, it was a '61 LeSabre w/401 Nailhead. Then, it was a very rare, special-order '70 LeSabre w/455 Stage 1. That's the car I learned to drive in & also made money racing in high-school. We're talking a 6-passenger 4-dr family car that did 0-60 in 6 sec flat, ran high 14 sec 1/4-miles @ 100 MPH - and was clocked on RADAR @ 157 MPH & climbing. Man, that was a fun ride! Got me to be a lifelong Buick hotrod fan. Built a '63 LeSabre with a 425 nailhead dual-quad Super Wildcat engine. Was a real sleeper in high-school! Got out of the Navy in the mid-70s & bought a '67 Buick GS 400 4-speed ragtop. One of only 422 made. (Wish I would've know that back then!) Hopped it up enough to run high 12s in the 1/4-mile. Many years later, I bought a numbers-matching '87 Buick Grand National, which I still own. I tweaked her enough to run 0-60 in 3.6 sec, do high 11s in the quarter, and she's been clocked @ 167 MPH & climbing in top-end. Not too shabby for a bone-stock 231 cube V6! (Running 22 pounds of boost w/water-alcohol injection! :D)
22 lbs of boost?? That's what almost triple the stock amount of boost?? How did that alcohol water injection work??
My sister had the 69 442 and it was beautiful. White with red interior and a massive big block.
Stage 1....one of the quickest cars of the musclecar era...could go toe to toe with the fastest Detroit iron. Torque was off the charts!
My dad was Buick dealer in this area. He owned 2 Buick dealerships. My older brother and I drove thes GS cars every day. On Sunday we took them to the drag strip. I had a gold with black Vynal top 67' GS 4 Speed that killed it in its class. Nothing came close. Won the trophy every time. 1970 I got out of Army and had a 70' stage 1. Auto. Dark green with bk vynal top. That dark green was very popular then. I took it to the drag strip in Pa. I raced and beat many cars. It came down to a 454 Chevelle from Ohio for the trophy. He had written in white shoe polish on his back window undefeated class champ. He was washing his window after the race.
I owned most of the original late 60's and early 70's car magazines that are referred to in this video. The specific article in Motor Trend where the 70 GS ran a 13.3 quarter was called "Without A Taste Of Geritol." Subsequent articles in other magazines dismissed the GS as not being able to put the power to the ground claiming it's power was overrated-something I should mention that Chev was famous for. The 1/4 mile road tests where they pitted cars directly against each other in 1971 and even years later in 1980 when they located unmodified factory versions of the 1970 A-bodied cars to race, had the Olds 442 W30 come out on top. With apologies-I love all these cars for various reasons.
I had and sold a 70' stage -1 mild cam 113 Poston under 500 lift, slicks 4:10,gears open Doug headers 11:53@'111 m.p.h. all day long,,with a/c on ! 101 degrees outside! Chevy boys hated it! Ford Boys as well!!
A good friend had two Hemi Mopars in the early 70s. He says he only got beat twice.....both by Buick 455 Stage ones....In the 80s he built a car hauler out of a 72 chev 3/4 ton pickup. He put a Buick 455 in it ....it had such amazing pulling power. With a car on the back and a car on a trailer it could roll on the freeways 70 plus with no problem.
IIRC minutes hi no
The General Motors A-Body in 1970 (Buick Skylark GSX, Chevrolet Chevelle SS, Pontiac LeMans GTO, Oldsmobile Cutlass 442) were awesome muscle cars. And what so good about them, each GM division had the freedom to design their own powertrain. They were great. Even GM of Canada had a version of the A-Body: Acadian Beaumont.
I was 23 and my first car was a 1968 GS400 Convertable. Loved the car. Red w/white top and interior. Chrome mags. Hot car for a hot 23 year old ! That's right ! Just like I said. What a time in my life ! The 1968-1970 BUICK GS400 and GS455 were the best looking styles they made.
The 68-72 Oldsmobile and Buick A-body look so aggressive. I love them both.
However the 67 Buick Riviera is, in my opinion, the pinnacle of 1960's car design.
Oof hard claim there, Alfa tipo 33, Alfa gulia, BMW 3.0 CS, DB5 Austin, Alfa Montreal, c2 Corvette, 250 GTO, Jag e type, etc are pinnacle of 60s design.... Not to mention the prototypes back then , Porsche 906, Ferrari sp 330, Lola's, Gulf mirage Ford GT40, etc........
I heard that the 70 GS Stage 1 had an insane 520 lbs ft of torque. No wonder it was the fastest car around!
The factory rating was 510 GROSS. "As installed" (SAE NET, which has been Federal Law since the 1972 model year) was approximately 380. Thing is, engine torque alone says nothing about vehicle acceleration. It must be multiplied by RPM in order to be delivered. Horsepower = Torque * RPM/5252. Actual peak engine HP for a bone stock '70 Stage is is in the 310 region (Net, as measured at the flywheel.). Figure 265 or so on a modern chassis dyno.
@@peteshea8010The only difference between net vs gross is with net the accessories (alternator, ps, fan and ac) is included in the net figure. It takes hp to turn those pulleys. And torque is what moves you, not hp. And a stock Stage I puts down 352 hp, and 490 ft. lb. of torque to the ground on a mustang chassis Dyno. I own a 70 GSX.
Had a GS 455, GREAT car!!! WISH I still had it😢
The '70 Skylark lineup was a beautiful design.
Ls6 454 properly set up destroys all these pretenders.
@@TheKwod right, because published gross hp numbers determine power to weight, driveline loses, traction, torque multipliers, and gear splits. Power band, torque under the curve, shift points, weight transfer...all mean nothing. Of course, thanks for setting the record straight.
@@TheKwod all but the buick sadly, wouldn't touch the amount of torque the 455's made
@@apollyon1118 what, 454 or 455, virtually same figures.
@@TheKwod sorta, buick 455 had the most tq ratings over all the other big blocks
My father had a stage one when I was little. I remember hearing squealing of the tires and getting thrown into that aluminum rail car seat. Good times.
My first car was a 1969 Buick Gran Sport 400. Got it in 1980. $500.00. Wish I still had mine!
My favorite muscle car of all time! 1970 Buick GS Stage 1! Best Muscle car Engine of all time!
Noob...lol
noob? not!
Bricklinsv1970 426 hemi 5.7 gt500 engine 6.4 hemi 5.0 coyote ls7 572 chevy
pure garbage
My 1st &Only Real Muscle Car I Ever had. MISS IT...
Through the years, I have been connected with Mopar/Dodge musclecars, 1971 Demon340 and I currently have
a 69 Coronet R/T 440 Magnum 4-spped. But I've held on to dream if I could have my favorite car of all time, it
would be, without question the yellow GSX Stage One with the TH400!!! That car is it for me!
Thats when car styling was determined by imagination and not a wind tunnel.
Man i wish we could go back to those days, Now everything looks generic and nasty
Eh, I guess, I just don't buy new cars. My only/daily car is a '64 Impala SS, nothing stopping people from buying these flawless cars.
commando8088
EXACTLY MAN!!!!!
I'm only 28 and the more I think about it, there are plenty of classic car dealers around my area with cars anywhere from $15-$100k or more, so not only will you have a classic but you'll most likely have a car that won't depreciate in value and will be stunning to look at 4ever!😎
Ahh the good old days, when 50,000 Americans were killed each year in auto accidents in those unsafe cars!
+Bob Johnson so it's not your life.
Great video. Every so often Buick does something to make performance enthusiasts say 'she'll run what?' If Buick ever put out a retro styled GN Turbo v6 I'll jump in line. No doubt.
jjs777fzr .a retro styled turbo gnx ? Why not!
Remember these from my local Buick Dealer when i was a kid, drooling every time I went in the showroom. Our Dodge dealer was just up the street and the Buicks got me every time!
I was there... street and strip and times varied considerably based on the state of tune and especially tires and of course rear end ratio. Remember there was no O2 sensors, no computer controlled fuel injection, and carburetors were subject to jetting variations and even the Q-JET with the metering rods had inconsistant air/fuel ratios depending on rpm and float levels. We had reliance on vaccum secondaries controlled by rubber diaphrams and quite frankly it is a miracle analog technology was so good to get these things to run at all. Remember to jet a car you had to make a run and pull out the spark plugs and lay them out and chjeck the color! Yeah, there were cars which we called "Freaks" that just happened to have the variables come together. However I also remember stock Road Runners turning low 15's and most goats with stock tires were in the mid 14's. I'll tell you one thing in the memory banks, Olds and Buick were Fast and for the most part consistant.... The olds 400 engine had a wide flat torque curve and would really pull top end, same for buicks.
P
Unlike the other GM big block offerings, the Buick 455 was a thin-wall cast block which resulted in a considerable weight reduction. This combined with the huge torque level made the Skylark a 1/4 mile beast. (Not to mention the help with under steer)
most of the following posts remind me when I was a teen & argue with my pals about whose American car division was TOPS! A lot of valuable information & experience on this page.
THANKS EVERYONE!
I had to wait to get my GS til 84. My brother n law had a 71 350 GS, and he blew up the transmission. I drove from Louisiana to N.Carolina to get it and drug it home. I hunted junkyards for a good 455. When i put the motor in, I used lesabre motor mounts. Buttoned it all up and headed to Egypt for 6 months. While in Egypt, I found a guy who had the right mounts in PA. I called him from Egypt, and we struck an accord and mailed him a check. They were waiting when I got home. Had em installed in 30 min. They lowered the center of gravity significantly. In 1970 buick made 670 GS 455s. I made it 671. That was a great car.
My dad gave me his 69' GS when I got my license. Fast car but couldn't afford the gas at the time as a student. It was fun while i had it.
1970 is my favourite year for the Buick Skylark.
favorite
@@allentoyokawa9068 My favourite since the 1967 year. 🙂
Terrific photos! Very nice mini documentary of some truly awesome GM muscle motors / STRONG engines. Many thanks.
All my father ever drove was a Buick. He had Rivieras, LeSabres, 225s, Skylarks, and a Wildcat. The latter came with the 455cid an was and incredible car in 1970. Us kids never suffered in the back seat on long vacation trips. A lot more popular family outing than today.
My dad used to have a 1970 GS 455 in the 80s. Said the car could’ve beat anything thrown at it. He got rear ended by some Japanese pickup and insurance totaled and took it before he could say he wanted to hold onto it. He got like $2000 from insurance for it, he says he misses that GS every day, says it was the best car he ever owned.
57 dislikes from hemi , elephant iron, wankers.... i'm a chevy 427 guy and I approve buick's 455 message... PS: don't underestimate the caddy 500!
I can agree that 1970 was the pinnacle yr for old school muscle cars. Every car was within a couple of tenths of each other when tuned and used slicks. It really came down to driver error as far as who won a drag race. Everybody, even AMC, had some sort of hi po car offering in various forms. A 14.5 second car was considered slow by 1970, when manufacturers were finding low 13s right off the showroom floors in stock layouts that anyone could order. Could they handle, and stop? No. Were they easy to live with? No. Could they go straight and fast, you betcha!
I have raced a lot of the old muscle cars and they might not be very sophisticated but boy do the ooze character
Really the Trans Am was the best all around muscle car in 70 and 71 because of the quick ratio steering and the flat handling. The brakes weren't any better than the others but the cornering and steering were a notch above and they were plenty fast.
NO manufacturers were finding "low 13s" right off the showroom floor" in 1970. A few of the tacitly tuned and oftentimes further modified on site magazine test cars logged mid 13s, though that's not what the customers bought.
@@peteshea8010 those magazine test cars weren't stock alot of the time. People don't seem to understand that manufacturers would modify them before sending them to different magazines in order to get better numbers and therefore sell more cars
@@stretch54 the Z28 Camaro handled great as well compared to other high performance cars of the day
A total of 678 GSX’s were built, making it a very rare car. About half of that are known to exist. Every time I’d take mine to a car show, the question was always asked...is that a clone?
loved my 1970 gs 400 ! paid $500 for it in 1982 out in CA.
My grandmother was an anesthesiologist and a bargain lover. She purchased this car in a small town in Missouri. When a young man order the car without checking insurance rates.
On one of our trips to grandmas house, I learned she got a new car. At 16 I couldn’t believe what I was seeing in her garage. I driven a few fast cars but this car was dangerous. The power was nonstop! What a car.
James Feisley - what happened to the car.
James Feisley has
Car and Driver called the 1970 Buick GSX "An iron fist in a velvet glove"
IN 1970 my grandfather ordered a special order Riviera. He worked all his life at Buick and was about to retire. He had several options installed that were uncommon. One of the things it had was a Stage 1 455. It was incredibly fast for a big heavy car. It also had thing called "Max Track" that allowed you to change the traction control with a switch on the dash. When my grandfather passed away I inherited the car. My mother ended up with it when I went away to the Army. Unfortunately my mother's boyfriend trashed it. Last I saw it, it was sitting in a field in New Mexico.I also had a 66 Chevelle SS in High School with the 375 HP and Muncie 4 speed. That is the car I wish i had never sold.
Love those 455 Buicks! 100lbs lighter then an SBC with tons more torque. Stuffed a 455 from a 1970 Electra into a 73 Buick Apollo (same as a Nova) and that thing was a stoplight beast not to mention a total sleeper.
- You mean lighter than a BBC...
They were 100 pounds lighter than a BIG BLOCK Chevy (iron head versions).
That's because the Buick engines was weak in that it used two bolt mains, think wall block (and lifter guide) castings, an aluminum water pump housing that proved highly problematic, and so on.
Still my favorite of all the cars I've owned.
Awesome Cars !!! And the Grand National GNX- WOW.
'69 Skylark/GS is one of the prettiest cars I have ever seen.
Gotta disagree, I liked the 67 better. But, everyone to his own tastes.
@@dougoverhoff7568 66 the best...got myself a 65 convert
@@mikatamminen2786 The 65 is sweet, too. Drove em all, since my Dad was a Buick dealer back then. I liked the 65 a lot, too. I remember having a yellow ragtop for a demo. I turned 16 in 64, so I had it made back then. The GS was a little heavier than the GTO, but they still rocked! God, I miss those days.
@@dougoverhoff7568 Dad had a 66 Skylark 4dht 340-4 ( wildcat 375) that's why I like the 66 ...plus it has more curves than a 65.
@@mikatamminen2786 Yeah, the 66 had a sleeker style, that's true. If you remember, the Skylark came out later as a deluxe version of the Special, which some might see as a stepped or stripped down version of the Skylark, more or less. The first Specials had a lot smaller, lighter weight body, were made to fit a price point, and which I think would have really been awesome as a kind of a sleeper/muscle car. Anyway, that's why I like the 65 a bit more, because it harkens back more to the earlier models. Kind of like the 64 GTO, which was the BOMB when it came out. It was hundreds of pounds lighter than the 65 model, and which Pontiac was starting to add more luxury and comfort to it, as opposed to the original sporting and speed aspects it exemplified. Auto makers always seem to get away from the things that made some of their cars successful in the first place. For examples, just look at the Tbird and the Mustang. IMHO they screwed up both cars by going to bigger, heavier, and more luxurious cars, which was kinda dumb, I always thought.
Anyway, enjoy your GS, they're really good cars and fun to drive. Wish I had one!
When I was a kid, my cousins who all had hot cars, 1969 Chevelle SS 396 etc, all laughed at the GSX until it blew their doors off! Unlike most cars of that size which do their magic in the mids after launch, the 510ft/lb torque of the GSX did it right off the line! Great car!
LOVE The Gran Sport GS455 Stage1 ';-)
Enjoyed the video. Even though I'm a Mopar guy, I respect other brands. I remember in high school, reading a magazine article about the '70 GSX. 13 sec. quarter miles all day long. I miss my old '69 Coronet R/T, and the '67 Dart GT.
I’m a Mopar Ford guy but one of the GM cars I knocked my self out trying to buy in the mid to late 70’s was a 70 GS 455 Stage 1 I almost had one I found one in 78 for sale I was right there cash in hand but he changed his mind just couldn’t let it go no matter how many $100’s I put out. I found another one that was a flood at that they had everything new including a new crate engine but never put together it just rotted away to bad it was a clean very low mileage car.
4:42 Yep, that was my GS 455. That car had ooompf out the ying yang. Hard to keep tread on the rears. Good times.
Dad had a 76 LeSabre with the 455 and had ice cold air. Back then gas was cheap and if not for greed and taxation still would be cheap
I love cars and watch all of the shows where they restore them and talk about them and all of that but you almost never see these awesome cars I think that's a shame because people need to see how cool they were and that Buick made some very powerful cars from time to time
I had a GSX convertible, white... beautiful car.....still wish I never sold it years ago, but a guy made (what I considered at age 25) a crazy offer and I accepted. Like I said, wish I never sold her!!
Thanks for another great video! The Buick GSX Stage 1 is one of my dream cars. I hope that one day you''ll make a video about the Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser, I love those wagons.
Buick Sport Wagon shared the same roof line.
Lucky B I have a Buick Sport Wagon
Or the Custom Cruiser with the 455!
Most ppl don't know this but there were 2 Vista Cruisers that could be ordered with the "W Machine" (W-30) option in 1970. Basically everything the W-30 442 had...except it would come with the optional $40 rear seatbelts :)
My mom bought a brand new 69 Buick GS 455 console 4-speed posi...sky blue...no AC...no PS.....it was a beast.
One of my friends in high school had one of those that his father had restored for him. It was the fastest thing in town.
He died in it.
Both being a product of Fischer Body, its interesting to note how similar the Chevelle SS and Busick GS were. While I was, and remain, a GTO loyalist, these are BOTH sweet configs for sure!
I owned a GTO 455HO with a switched carb from a caddy the stage 1 screamed by me three races
Love these videos! The best cars and music were from the 60's & 70's not even close!
Long live these real American cars! From 50's 60's 70's. I am a great fan of American machines . since 8 years old to present! Trucks, coaches, bus. Rv, tractors American motorbikes. Bueatiful cars here being shown. Ace !#!😀😉
Please do a video on the 1967 Buick GS 400. Thx!
Oh how I miss my 70 GS. What an engine that 455 stage 1 was I picked up a low mileage one in Long Island back in early 2000, held on to it for a long time waiting to find a good Skylark to drop it in. After so long, I started eyeballing my 1990 Toyota Supra with a bad engine, and noticed the space was adequate, so I decided to try the 455 and tranny in the Supra. What a crazy fast car that was with only a Poston Cam and light port/port match work and 2.5 " dual flowmaster exhaust. One of my funniest moments is when a Dodge Neon SRT4 full of jeering teens decided to challenge me as I coasted along about 45mph on a backroad one day. They were so busy taunting, they missed the subtle rumble of the 455 and flowmasters...until we hit the gas..lol. The supra turned slightly sideways as it broke the tires loose at 45mph for a few seconds, the 455 roaring thru the pipes, moaning of that 4bbl... such sweet music..I know it's sacrilegious to put the Buick V8 in the Supra, but I've always loved cramming fun surprises under hoods of unlikely car donors.
I was the proud owner of a 77 Formula 2 tone blue, 403 auto with posi. Man I loved that car. It had the most comfortable seats and what was said about the steering wheel is true. Fit perfect in hands.
Besides loving everyday that I owned that car my favorite years are the early 2nd gens 70 to 73 and early 3rd gens up to 1988
I just got a 2008 5.3L V8 LACROSSE AND LOVE IT. I think Buick has done well. Got it DYNOED up to 375 horse power..
Thanks for what your all about...The Memories!!
Never change that intro music.....NEEEVER!!!
These are great articles. Top quality by knowledgeable people. Thanks!
I had a 455 stage 1 in my 81 trans am . Swapped it for a 1966 455 olds tornado engine.
Excellent vid. I've been thru a lot of cars,but my 11-sec '87 GN is a keeper.
love the 86-87 GN and GNX
mr black6 I have a 85 regal T-Type that I would like to build up.
WITH work done to it
mr black6 ii
mr black6 my ss would run over that gn cheeks like nothing💪🙄 . 😂
GM had the Best looking cars in the late '60's thru the early '70's. Would love to know who designed those beautiful cars!
William Mitchell was head of design at GM from the 50s through the late 70s. He's considered a legend of automotive design, and many designers who ended up designing Fords, Chryslers, and some foreign makes worked under him.
Buick does have a racing heritage that dates back a 100 years. Buick was racing at Indianapolis in the early 1900's.
Don Bishow true story... And LOUIS CHEVROLET DROVE ONE
Yeah, the famous 1910 Buick Bug!
I was gonna say this too!
@@DAUltimateSACRIFICE LOL, He drove a FEW Buicks!
Roberto Guerrero set a track record in 1992 for the Indianapolis 500 during qualifying. Powered by a Buick V6 to take the pole. Al Unser Sr. finished third with a Buick engine.
Cars in that era had personalities, beautiful distinctive designs. Glad I was around then to experience it, lol. 👍👍
The Buick Grand Sport GS Stage I was a torque monster with 510 pound-feet of torque, a figure only one car - the 1970 Olds 4-4-2 - approached, with 505 pound-feet of torque. Truly legendary muscle cars! Before my time, sad to say....
From Leo: I love the old muscle cars, especially the Buicks. The body shaking rumble of those cars was a great experience. We have to remember, that overall performance these days is good also. The little 3.6 liter V6 in my Cadillac ATS-V makes 464 hp, but nothing rumbles, just a whirring sound that is as civil a 100+ as at 60mph. And it stops, corners and drives effortlessly.
I had a '70 Cutlass with the same body. I rebuilt and hot-rodded the 350ci motor. It was a fun car to drive. Not in the same class, though, but handled well.
I'm going to get 1. It's a beautiful car. I want it to be green.🌈
I owned a 1970 Buick 455. Traded it off for $500.00 in 1976. Little demand back then because of the gas situation. What a thrill to kick those four-barrels in.
Give me any of the 1970 Big Block A-body cars.... Even better, give me one of each. ..
the hemi dart or baacuda , 1968, cross ram hemi
@@andrewp1998 those are the baddest factory drag cars ever...the 68 Barracuda/Dart Super Stocks
@@jeremythompson9122 YES
you know it
Whats a Baacuda? Hemi Darts weren't remotely street legal or streetable. Ditto for the pre 1970 Hemi Barracudas. Production was extremely limited, with those cars going to factory backed drag racing teams.
Put a 100% production line stock 1970 - 1971 Hemi Cuda on a modern day intertia chassis dyno and it will produce something on the order of 315 HP at the wheels. Not much for a 3,800 plus pound car by today's standards!
I would love to see a race between the 455 stage 1 & an LS6 with and without modern drag radials.
Good accurate synopsis of this uniquely golden American era. Very good job.
I had a 1970 Buick GS Stage 1 and it was one of the fastest cars i ever owned. At least before i bought my two Vipers.
I absolutely loved my '69 GS. I drove it until it would drive no more.
I drove one. Why was it so fast? It had a trailing link rear suspension...and 525 ft lbs. of torque. Their secret was NOTHING could pull one off of the line...I've read 0-60 times in the LOW 4 sec range...4.38...which is insane! That car squatted HARD ....and off she went...and drove very smooth. Wish I had bought the used one I test drove:).
I had a 1970 Buick Wildcat with a 455 & it had 370 h.p & 510 ft. lbs. of torque & it wasn't even a stage 1 engine!!!
My GT37 Pontiac blew the motor or I should say I did lol about 30 years ago. I pulled the 400 Indian and dropped a 70s 455 Buick motor in from a 225 Electra. Mild cam, intake and carb with duels. No GS motor by any means; but it was sooo much faster than my 400 ever was. And I'd like to know how much lighter, I never weighed it but the nose of my GT37 sat a good 2-3" higher after swapping motors. So I am guessing 200lbs + difference.
And Torque! HORSE POWER SELLS CARS, TORQUE WINS RACES, AND TRUCK PULLS LOL.
Buicks 455 were quite light actually. I've read that they were similar in weight to a small block Chevy. Much lighter than the other 455s at that time.
Buicks were always big on torque, but I can't tell you why. I just know that laying down a patch of rubber was almost always possible in any of those cars from throat era, even the big E225's.
@@dougoverhoff7568 350 Buick had the stroke for torque (3.85"), the 455 had the head design for torque. Long low wide runners.
@@jordanwiley4582 Thanks for the info, Jordan.
Yep for sure I have a 1971 custom skylark 350 hella torque....i would always beat people at the light
I believe it was in 1970 there was a dealer option for a stage 2 - 455. Not being a factory option it's extremely rare.
Stage 2 and 3
@@waterheaterservices, my father had a catalogue that offered up to stage 17 from an after market supplier.
I'm not familiar with stage 3 from the dealer.
The Stage 2 was going to be a 7,000 rpm 500+hp engine, only 2 were ever built. Some parts were sold to private racing firms. None were ever built for sale. The program was cancelled in 1970 due to impending regulations.
Pontiac went on to build 1265 SD-455's, Buick and Chevy performance folded, along with Mopar.
Had shots at both a GSX and GTO Judge when I was young but both cars had been thrashed and I was on a 1 car budget and any "hotrod" would have to be a daily driver. I ended up with a minty 1971 SS Chevelle. Despite her hot orange and black trim she was equipped with a weak low compression 350, column shift, bench seat, and 2.73 axle. I miss that car!
There was a 1985 Grand National as well, a buddy of mine has one
Had several old Buick nail heads. First one a 1957. Loved my Buicks.
Nice and educational video. My first toy was a small buick gs from 1971 mad in chine. Im 38 years old and i stell keep that little car...