Here $6,500 as of the time of this posting, reserve already met, in Orange County, CA. Here is an opportunity to own and restore a very rare example of factory muscle. First, this is a 1970 Buick Gran Sport(most desirable year) with the high compression big block 455 v-8. Second, its a convertable. Its got factory AC,sport wheels, power windows, steering and top. I purchased this car with the intention of restoring it to match my restored Gran Sport coupe. However, I now need to sell it along with a couple others in my collection. This car has been sitting in a carport in Southern California for many years. It is an excellent candidate for a full restoration. Although the body has a number of dents, it appears to be rust free-its always been a california car.The car seems to be wearing its original paint and the dings in the body can be repaired without changing the original sheetmetal. The interior also needs to be restored, but it is complete and mostly original. Now, here is the good stuff. The car runs quite well. The engine idles smoothly, doesn't smoke, runs cool with good oil pressure. I have just completely rebuilt the original Turbo 400 transmission(with receipts of course) and it shifts great. I've also rebuilt the brakes and replaced the center link in the front suspension. I have installed new BFG Radial T/A's.All of the fluids have been changed as have the plugs. So the car is drivable and currently registered. Drive it while you restore! All of the trunk pans and floor areas are solid. I don't know if the top works as I haven't tried it. It needs a new top so I don't see the point of making it worse by raising and lowering it. All of the power windows work, defrost and heater work well as do the wipers. AC condition is unknown, but the belt is not installed. It also needs a trunk lock and the wheel center caps. Shocks are probably original and a bit floaty. So while it does need a complete cosmetic restoration, the mechanicals are solid. This is a great chance to purchase a big block GM "A" body convertible before the prices get too crazy. Look what Chevelle and GTO convertibles cost these days. The Gran Sports are rarer and usually faster. These cars are already selling for quite a bit in restored condition don't miss out.Good luck bidding
Mmmm... The OC is just over the hill from me. Anyone need me to go take this one for a test drive? :Brow:
love this car I am very interested in this car "dualqwad" if you happen to get the opertunity to go check this car out how bout letting me know what you think my only concern is how high this car will be bid up to ??? it still has 4 days and if it has been on ebay before I would wonder if he has someone "helping the bid along" and this would be why it is still for sale. chris what do you think this car should bring or should I say what do you think a fair price to pay for this car would be as you have looked for quite some time for a 70 455 vert and would know prices better then me on this type car thanks
Ryan (??) I sent an email to the seller yesterday asking him if I could come see the car, but I'm still waiting on his reply. I will let you know if anything else happens. :TU: FWIW; I did a search of that sellers ebay selling activity. If he has been selling that car before, then it musta been over a month ago 'cause I could't find any record of it. uzzled:
I am doing a body off on a 70 Skylark conv. I can tell you the costs to redo the car properly to give you an idea on bidding. This does not include labor except for top and paint. Top-complete-top, rear window, pads, rubber seals, well, boot cover, $1000-1200 Paint- $1500-2000 depending on rust/damage, car looks like it was hit in the rear, just to the left of the license plate, trunk lid is buckled Body mounts----$125 Weatherstrip-complete $200 Suspension frt $500 Rechrome bumpers $700 New interior--complete-all int. panels, carpet, seat covers, seat foams, etc. $1000 Deck lid $100 Detail engine compartment- $200- include new A-arm seals, GS455 decal, air cleaner foams New engine gaskets $50 Totals roughly $6000 Just so you have an idea on a conv if you have not done one lately.
George's number's look pretty good in my opinion, except figure more for bodywork and prepping unless you are doing it yourself, and paint would be more as well (IMO). I would think the materials alone would be more than 1/2 of that paint estimate. Maybe Skip or James or another paint/bodyman can chime in on that. Completed, these cars have been running in the $18k (I only saw one at this price and Randy P. bought it very quickly) to $25k price range. I wasn't really looking at cars needing this much work, so hard to say what it is worth, unless you start with the above figure and then subtract out estimated costs to complete. Don't forget to add about 50% to every number you come up with for the things that need replacing, but you just don't know it yet!
Forgot to add info on AC system: Looks like car has correct 70 oversize ac pulley. Expect POA valve, expansion valve, compressor, possibly condensor, drier, R134, R134 adapters, etc to run about $500-700. If you need more info, let me know. I do most of my work except for paint so I am giving actual parts costs. If you have someone else do the work add 50-75%. Paint estimate I gave is actual here for FL. Just got back my dad's 442 conv. I did the stripe work and removed all trim, bumpers, grilles etc from car. Car was solid, needed repaint, 10 yrs old, clear coat crystallized. About 5 rust spots overall. Cost was $1800 using epoxy primers, 2 color coats, 4 clear coats. As for completed value, if you want to do the car properly, frame off resto, I am going to say you are looking at 17-20k when done! Don't know what options car has besides disc brakes, ac, ps, pb and pw. Owner does not state much else.
This might be one of the few cars that are actually worth restoring (from a $ and sense point of view). I still can't believe what some of you guys spend on restorations. You always hear about these $50K restorations on a $20K car... doesn't make sense to me. My car will be off the frame, and I will be doing everything myself- rebuilding the motor, paint, all labor except for machine work. I will still have more in the car than it will be worth, so I figure I will just have to enjoy it for the next 20 years or so to get my money's worth.
Anyone get ahold ofg this guy yet? I emailed him, but no response. I may take a trip this weekend to look...but I have to know where to go. Figures, I was in Anaheim for the NAMM show last weekend and could have looked at it then...
First thing, you have to add for shipping that car to NC..I don't know if you've checked on that yet....my painter had his 66 Tempest shipped from San Fran CA, car was a runner such as this one and it was $1,100.00 alittle over a year ago.....as far as paint, man that price can go in all different directions, if you can do it all yourself then you already know about what it would be...but still your talking depending on products used and such, 500.00 and up....to pay someone say if you took them the shell with everything off of it and all they do is the needed body repair and paint, you re-install everything...at the lowest I'd guess $2,000.00 and that could really go up from there...he says the floors are good but looking at the pics, the lower door panels have seen water, so the bottom of the doors are in question and the floors....the trunk also...its a tough call, if one of the guys on here can get in touch with the guy and look at it, that would be great. That would make a killer car no dout! :TU:
thanks to everyone for the info I have a lot of 1970 stuff and I just bought a 1970 GS parts car and I have a 71 GS & 72 GS parts cars so parts are not a problem as for other restore things top paint ect ect I can do them in time what I wanted to know it what would be a fair price on this car as it is! and I think around 10-13K is what it will bring buy my best guess on what it will take to make it a 20K car but we are talking ebay so someone may run this up and pay way to much as I have seen ebay people do in the past!!! so we will see how it goes thanks again everyone and if someone gets a look at this thing please post some info.
Apparently not, at least I haven't gotten one yet. uzzled: I even sent him a phone number to call me at, even in his own area code so it wouldn't be a toll call.
I just checked the auction this morning and it has ended. Seller terminated the listing. Wonder what happened?
I hate when people end an auction early because someone makes a back-room(email) deal or the item doesn't go for what the owner wanted. The seller never said what the condition of the core support and inner fender are in. Just because it is a california car doesnt mean that battery acid hasnt taken its toll. The other problem with an original car even if it doesnt currently have any rust, the original caulk that seals the quarter panel outer wheelwell to the outer wheelhouse opening is dried up (and I havent found a way to clean and reseal this area without cutting into something), a few 'got caught by a sudden rainstorm' will start the wheelwells to start rusting. Original sheetmetal cars are great for car shows but bad for anything other than 1 or 2 hour drives. Having said that I think the car is probably worth close to $10k (this leaves them $10-15k for the resto and not be upside down on it) to someone who wants a fairly easy resto but cant afford the $20-25k for a nice car. My .02
yea I hate when people end the auction early also as I wanted to see what this car would bring as I was interested in it myself. I wonder how someone got a back-room deal being the guy would not return emails ???? well I guess this was just not to be my car maybe I will find one later on
