1 of 66 Built GS455 CONV, #'s matching, documented, STAGE 1 455 V8, BEYOND NICE

DESCRIPTION -

Numbers matching, documented, and orange...is this the coolest Buick ever? Ultra rare, powerful and stylish, this 1972 Skylark GS Stage 1 was one of the fastest cars you could buy in the 1970's, and it was built after the “death” of the muscle car.

The 1972 Stage 1 was strong enough to win Motor Trend's top performer award that year, running mid 14's at better than 100mph—and with low compression and emissions tuning! The convertible wasn't just fast, they were the rarest of the rare—only 66 automatics and 81 overall were built in 1972, that's rare.

The Alfred P. Sloan museum has the build records on a lot of muscle car era Buicks such as this one, and they make that data available to owners like PHS does for Pontiac people.

Looking over their report on the build sheet, you'll see the list of options is incredible:
34 67 GS455 Convertible
ZZ Flame Orange
1 White convertible top
245 White notchback bench seat interior
A1 Stage 1 Performance Option
B2 Turbo Hydramatic 400 transmission
CF Power disc brakes and variable ratio power steering
DN AM Sonoramic radio, rear speaker and stereo tape deck
E6 Through bumper exhaust extensions
F7 G60-15 white letter tires and chromed wheels
G1 Performance axle with positive traction (unlisted; std. Stage 1)
I6 Air conditioning
L2 Soft-Ray tinted windshield
NF Front and rear bumper guards and bumper strips front and rear
O6 Sport outside rear view mirrors
S7 Tilt steering
UD Full Rallye gauge package with tachometer and Convenience Group (Trunk light, mirror map light)
V2 Chrome plated wheels (STD with F9 Wide Ovals)

Well, that left a few boxes unchecked at the factory...the restoration took care of that. In went power windows and locks, tilt and cruise, a power seat and the killer hood tach. Excluding such odd options as the engine block heater, towing package or oversized whitewall tires I think we're safe in calling this Buick “loaded.”

Looking up the zone and dealer list, we found the car delivered to Minneapolis (zone 15) and dealer 001—that's Buick proper. This was, most likely, either a dealer rep's car or (by its 8/26 invoice date) an auto show/exciter car designed to push sales. Either way it's just one more thing to make this already special car even more so.

Front and center are the car's credentials. GM finally returned to sanity in 1972, putting both the trim and engine in the VIN. 4G67V2H—That's a Buick, GS 455, convertible with the Stage 1 engine option, built in 1972 at the Flint, Michigan plant. Right on the dash is the proof of this car's provenance—something the owner of a previous model year cars would kill for.

Under the hood is where the special parts lie. The "WS" stamp on the rear driver side block pad designates it as a '72 Stage 1 piece, while the VIN stamped on the front signals this as the original block. The transmission has the original VIN stamped clearly and crisply on the driver's side while the Stage 1-specific code BB tag is riveted to the passenger side. Visually the engine compartment is in superb shape with the proper chrome dress up bits. The carburetor is the original '72 Stage 1 piece (7041242) that's been fully restored, working with the original 1112016 distributor for combustion. A new battery, wires and hoses and a fresh tune up mean you won't have to worry about a thing for the upcoming show season.

The fully restored interior looks better than new. The dash pad is straight and soft, the gauges are freshly restored, all switchgear operates as designed and the power top functions efficiently. The stereo tape deck (that's 8 track, y'all) is under the dash where it belongs. New upholstery from the carpet up is in place and in perfect condition. The seats are freshly stuffed, with power motors to get you the right position for comfort. With 3.42 gears in the rear this is quite the cruiser—muscle cars were meant to be used, after all.

The undercarriage is in excellent condition. New steering and suspension components bolt to a restored satin black frame. The floor pans were painted in satin black, a little shinier than stock but easier to clean. New brake components from rotors and drums to hardware, lines and hoses are in place. While not concourse, it's a lot easier to care for the suspension and steering painted the way it is rather than finicky phosphate and bare metal finishes.
Flame Orange certainly isn't the first color that comes to mind for a Buick, but on a hot car like this it's a winner. Chrome bumpers and trim are re-chromed original pieces. T3 bulbs highlight the original, excellent grille. Stainless trim pieces are highly polished. The hood mounted tach looks awesome from the driver's seat and intimidating from the street. The re-chromed 15” Rally wheels with G60-15 Polyglas tires anchor the car and are the best look on a muscle Buick—there's even a brand new matching spare in the detailed trunk.
It bears repeating: Documentation, numbers matching cars in cool colors are the ones to own. This car's super rare, gorgeous and fast.

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