Love the color combo,members ride? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/69-STAGE-1-/200775304523?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item2ebf24054b
That car has had a LOT of money put into it you can just tell. Only thing that doesn't add up for me is the 8.5 diff. That's not a 12 bolt is it? If it was built in Canada then a 12 bolt had to have been born there. Gear ratio I "think" should be 3.64 if it had A/C, not sure. But I am sure about a 12 bolt needing to be born there.
An 8.5 rear end would likely be from a 71/72, and yes, 3.64 would be the correct ratio for a non a/c car. I don't think he is saying that its the original rear. He doesn't say if its the original tranny, just that its a BB tranny. That part that I find a little misleading is "Original short block included but it is a service replacement block." If its a service REPLACEMENT block, than its not the original short block, it's the service block that replaced the original short block. And yes, I believe it is owned by a board member.
Stage 1's could be purchased in Canada- which would qualify for the GM Vintage Historical Services... Which would give you documentation on the car- options, color, etc. If I understand that service correctly, cars BUILT or SOLD in Canada will have the documentation for $75. SO, to echo what CJP typed.. Not the original block, ? trans, ? rear... Carb? distibutor? I guess if none of that is original and all you have is a piece of paper that states it's a Stage....What are you buying? For the record, I think it is a BEAUTIFUL GS ragtop that I would love to have sitting next to a HARDTOP, maroon with white topped Stage!!!
Did all Canadian built GS's come with a 12 bolt? I can't make heads or tails out of what he means that the original short block is included but its a service block and now it has a 430 in it? Ether way it is a beautiful car and I'd love to have it, that color is great but white seats wouldn't stay white very long around me I'm not good with white.
not what it left the build line with but original in the sense that it was a brand new, factory motor put in presumably 40+ years ago to address a pre-existing problem . So I get where the seller is coming from. Original meaning Buick install.
I believe a 3.64 was an "option" for a non AC car but not for an AC car.I don't believe it was standard equipment.
Yes, even the Skylarks built in Canada had 12 bolts. I've never in all my years seen anything to dispute it and it's in all the literature I can find.
There were no Stage 1 car ever built in Canada. Oshawa Ontario plant built 1969 GS 350 and GS 400 hardtops ,and yes they had 12 bolt axles. All GS Stage 1 in 1969 and 1970 were all built at main home Buick plant in Flint Michigan. This car being a factory non AC 1969 GS Stage 1 car would have had a 8.2" 3.64 posi.
My understanding is that the "ON" 3.64 was standard on all non A/C cars in 69 and 70, and the "OO" 3.42 gear was standard on A/C cars, and that anything else was optional. I wasn't there though, so certainly I could be wrong. ---------- Post added at 02:21 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:19 PM ---------- I haven't seen the paperwork on this one, but I am guessing the GM paperwork he is referring to is the import paperwork from Flint to Canada. Marco has several cars in the registry with that paperwork.
Putting words in my mouth, John... . Not at all what I had said....As Don said in an email- 'you're buying pedigree'. I'm just thinking of the costs associated with finding stage specific parts... Such as a carb, dizzy, etc. And, if I had a Flint built GS 400 ragtop without the original driveline, it still could be a Stage, right?? As far as rear axles- ALL Canadian built 69's got 12 bolts. Posi was optional w/ the 12 bolt. Standard POSI rears for the 69 Stage 1's were OO code 3.42 10 bolt for AC cars, ON code 3.64 10 bolt for non-AC. It sounds like he has a 'service replacement block' on the stand and a 430 in it..
The body tag will say Made in Canada and the letter in the VIN will be an "I" for the Oshawa, Ontario plant. If both of those are in place and it's true that no Stage 1's were built in CA, then I guess it's not a Stage 1.
John- very, VERY well documented that 1969 Stage 1's had 3.42 for AC cars, 3.64 for non AC equiped cars. I've never had or seen a 69 Stage that was different. I have seen the ad that states a 3.64 is standard... But, I believe when the cars rolled out, the engineers changed their minds...
The reason that they did not put 3.64 gears on stage 1 cars with AC is Buick found that the AC compressor could not take the rpms. This is per Dennny Manner, the Buick engineer for these engines at Buick.
Absolutely NO WAY In 1969 and 1970 only factory built Non AC GS Stage 1 cars recieved deep 3.64 ON Code Posi Axle. All 1969-70 GS Stage 1 's with factory AC received 3.42 OO Code Posi Axle.
