I am looking at a 69 GS 400 on e-bay. The car is in rough shape but basically it is all there. Here is the VIN 446379I123551. The reason I am asking help is that in the pics it looks like there is chrome molding going down the side of the car. I thought the 68-69 GS did not have that molding. I thought only the skylark did. I don't know how to read the VIN to find out if it is a GS or not. Maybe you can't tell. I don't know. Any help would be great. Can you tell from these numbers if ti is a Stage 1 or not? Here are some other numbers with it Engine serial number 491123551 Body Plate: Made in Canada 69 44637 0S612733 BDY R164 772D PNT 1BM40 Thanks Wayne
Wayne - While your car is not a stage1, maybe the Canadian GM documentation facility has information on your car? This information should list all the original options your car was built with.
Here's the information - GM Canada Vintage Vehicle Services 1908 Colonel Sam Drive Oshawa, ONT L1H 8P7 Canada 888.467.6853 (toll-free and only from within Canada) 905.644.4060 or 905.644.3387 (outside Canada) 905.644.5436 fax Office hours: Monday-Friday, 7:30am-5:00pm Eastern All you need to do is supply VIN and for a fee of approximately 50 dollars CDN you will receive all the info pertaining to the car including color, trim and all options. (Thanks Korrie)
I really should not get to worked up about the car. I am too afraid of getting duped on e-bay. Plus without even seeing the car it is hard to pay money for it. How would I get in touch with the facility if I wanted to?
Wayne, it's definitely a GS 400. "44637" is the give away. Plus, the serial number of the engine matches the VIN. That's always good. Does the Tranny ID plate (yellow, after you wipe the sludge off it) say BB or BA? BB came on stage 1's. BA came on GS 400's. I have seen body side moldings on GS's. They were an "option" on the GS. Also, All GS 400's built in Canada had a 12 bolt rear. That's something to look for too. More than anything else though, the VIN tag says it all. As long as they didn't swap it. That's why you should also confirm the other things too. Stage 1's had chrome valve covers and air cleaner lid. I'm assuming the "Stage1" valve cover decals would be worn off by now, so I didn't bother mentioning them, but they did come on the chrome valve covers. Anyway, hope this helps. P.S. I sent away years ago to GM of Canada and they sent me back a nice description of the car on their letterhead. Contained the options, dealership it was sold and manufacturing date. Very cool piece.
Does the guy selling that 69 GS have the build sheet for the car? I would love to find out the option code for the body side moldings because they are not listed on any of the info that I have, but they do seem to be turning up more and more on '68/'69 GS's. :beer
In the Bench forum I posted the same thread. MTex found the car on e-bay and posted a link for me. You can go look at it and e-mail the guy and ask him if he has the build sheet.
gm documents i too purchased the documentation from gm for my 72 gs . i already knew that the car was built in fremont , exported to claresholm alberta ( claresholm buick ) in oct 1971 . i have the build sheet , but the gm documents are really great as it lists everything associated with the car . as long as the car was mauufactured in canada or shipped new from the u.s. plant to a cdn dealer , the documentation is available . i do not know how many years back they go , however . it is worth the $50 cdn .
