No, it was a re-stamp when I bought it...and I found out (with the help of some super-knowledgeable fellow board members here) that I, in fact, was the one who got bamboozled when I bought it. I sold it and was honest in my description. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a nasty e-mail to write one particular seller on eBay.
I spoke to the seller on the phone, he seems like a nice guy and very honest. His friend, the guy who bought it from me, is still the owner. Apparently, when his friend told him it was supposedly a "non-numbers matching" motor, he looked at it and thought that his friend was wrong, telling him it was indeed a correct VIN-matching motor, well, I understood as I too thought that before I was corrected by others as to the impossibility of it being right after discovering the date code was May '69 on the block, and they were still casting 430's at that point, not 455's. He seems legit and they have done a lot of detail work to the car, including correcting all of the shoddy exhaust, detailing the engine compartment, installing the correct rear-end, etc. It is a decent car and looks even better now than when I had it, so hopefully someone will get a deal...he said that the owner was going to let it ride and sell it for whatever it brought. Good opportunity in my opinion.
Mike, Did you ever find out from the previous owner why the cowl tag was removed? I remember the pictures showing the wrong rivets were used (with washers) that made it obvious it had been removed and re-installed. The car looks pretty good in the ad. Being a lifetime Spurs fan, I love the color combo! Thanks for any info.
No, I didn't. To tell you the truth, with all of the other hoopla surrounding the car, it totally slipped my mind at the time I talked to him. I was just happy he was willing to make it right for me and reimburse me some money due to the motor issue.
I seem to recall talk about re-boding and re-tagging being a fine and harmless practice. I wonder...:uzzled: Maybe this will shed some light.
For what it's worth, it's not a rebodied car, it's a real car with a non-original motor that has been re-stamped. Nothing in it for me at all...just giving you the facts. If the data plate was removed it was done to repair rust or something along those lines, but it was not re-bodied.
I understand...I've followed the story of your old car. You've had more than your share of grief. That was kinda my point...Folks who "monkey around" with body tags, Vin plates, and engine stamps (no matter how well intending) are creating potential problems for themselves and all future owners.
I agree. Looks like it sold for $25,850...pretty decent car at a pretty decent price, wonder who the new owner is?
Looks like it is back?.......... http://kansascity.craigslist.org/cto/808452101.html REAL DOCUMENTED 1970 Buick Gran Sport Stage 1 455 This car has documentation from the GS Historic Society (Wayne Roberts) and a build sheet. It has a 1970 date-coded 455 engine. The transmission is the ORIGINAL BB coded turbo 400 with the BB tag in place and the VIN of the car stamped on the drivers side pad. It also has an ORIGINAL ON coded 1970 Buick GS Stage 1 rear end restored drum to drum by JKC (Buick Specialist). Original Silver Mist Poly color repainted approximately 13 years ago. Build date is 12.03.1969. Car was ordered with rare factory power disc brakes, power steering, rally wheels, and black vinyl top and an 8 track tape player. The heads, intake, etc are correct and original; the carb is not. The distributor is correct and date coded for the car.
Seems like a bargain to me. I think too much emphasis is put on the matching numbers for the 70s if they're documented. On the other hand, for the 71s if the numbers don't match you don't know what you've got since there are no records to verify options against the VIN. Maybe I'm biased since I've got a 70GS St1 with an engine that doesn't match but the trans does and the VIN checks out. Same situation as this one, and I wouldn't consider anything lower than mid 30s for it. If a real St1 looks good with correct parts and runs good, a stamping that's usually almost obliterated by paint shouldn't make tens of thousands of dollars difference in my opinion.
Obviously you're right, but the question is... How much money? Stats would be interesting. I think this particular car is going for a bigger gap than it needs to be, or usually would be.
does anyone check the body code, stamped into panel just above the top rubber trunk watherstrip between quarters. my 70 GS350 is stamped there with correct body code. saw a 70 GS stage 1 with a skylark stamping, owner wasn't pleased with my find on his car. said I was wrong its a stage 1. what do I know. mine is correct and matches my car.
