I bought this car in 2007 from the second owner. He parked it in a dirt floor garage after spinning a bearing in 1975. Here is the original thread about it: https://www.v8buick.com/index.php?threads/my-70-gs-project.182164/ I’ve been a huge fan of the motor trend Shows, Roadkill and Roadkill garage. Those guys do what my friends and I used to do in my earliest years of playing with cars 30+ years ago. When I bought this car, I had big aspirations of doing a full frame off restoration since it was a really cool car with neat options. Over the years, I picked at some of the sheet metal work that was needed and rounded up nearly everything to put it back together. Well, it’s been almost 15 years, and there’s been not much progress made. Life, kids, job, and other projects always pushed this car to the back burner. So this past fall, I made up my mind that I was gonna make this car whole again without spending a fortune. I will post updates along the way, and even approximate costs involved. While this build will certainly not be everybody’s cup of tea, I believe this is the best way to keep another GS from becoming a parts car. If anybody feels like they need to make fun of my hackery, please do so. I have thick skin and all commentary is welcome. This pic was taken in 07, a few months after I bought it.
Very cool! Get it going and we can have a roadkill match up with Fred's beater! Wouldn't that be cool seeing those two cars going down the track at cecil?
Jason, the plan was to have it road worthy and drive it bowling green, but my friends have talked me into bringing the white car. This one will for sure be Buick powered. A couple of weeks ago I disassembled a spare SF coded 70 455. It was a low mile engine that just needed cleaned up, new bearings and the oiling mods. Well 2 days after that, my good friend Don (fastest430) offered me a smoking deal on his spare 455, which was built exactly how I’d planned to do mine. Behind that is a stock 45k mile 200-4r from an 87 turbo regal. I think the combo will actually work well. Engine has a 212 cam, ported 70 heads, a B4B manifold. I have a brand new set of repro MT headers that are way too nice for the car, but will compliment the engine nicely. The rear is a factory 3.64 from a stage 1.
Timing cover had a slight coolant leak on the driver’s side. I pulled it to change the gasket and noticed a bit more slop in the timing chain than I like. On with the new chain/gear set. I also pillaged a set of rough stage 1 valve covers from my spare drive train. Those went on as well.
Nice Tim, we're less than an hour and a half apart so a meeting with the Beater would not be a problem. I like the Roadkill concept but it doesn't work for me. My buddy who is a fan makes fun of me because I'm focussing on things like courtesy lights, HVAC, and getting the clock working. He says "just get it running"! LOL. Good luck with the project.
Anybody that says a 99 Honda passport can’t handle a 600+lb engine was just afraid to try. Then again, this might be the only Honda passport (isuzu rodeo version) left on the road. It made the hour long drive from Pittsburgh back to my place, no problem. A huge Thanks goes out to Donnie for this engine. He has been a huge help in all my V8 Buick projects.
I bought this frame out of eastern North Carolina about 6 or 7 years ago. A BW coded 70 455 frame. Paid $800 which I thought was a bargain for a rust free gs frame. Had I known then what the future held for this thing, I would have just sourced an A body frame locally.
Fred, I will probably have all that ironed out as well. Seems like a majority of the roadkill cars started as empty shells. I’m starting with a complete, albeit rusty car. I am totally down for a meet up at Cecil with this pile. It’s making a Buick event this year under its own power. The one that John Csordas is putting on in central PA is another thought.
Me too! I think one reason that I've always been a fan of David Freiburger is his passion for not-so-perfect cars. Dating back to when he was editor of Car Craft magazine.
Absolutely! He often mentions how featuring beater style cars was frowned upon back in the day. I will always gravitate to an original/unrestored car or beater before a restored car at a show.
A little side project that really didn’t need done. Who boxes control arms and leaves the stock 50 year old bushings in?
