72 Stage 1 convert-Buckets?

Could this car come with buckets and console?

 

No bench seat only for 72.

 

Could be special ordered though. There's a car in east Texas with'em.

 

Trying to decide-Buckets or bench for my tribute car. With only 81 made, I am going to keep it as "correct" as I can. THANKS!

 

If you do convert to buckets....make sure you buy the 4 piece bracket set.

 

Thanks for the replys-most likely going to keep the bench.

 

Benches are for Grannys:laugh:

 

But you can hold your sweetie while cruising-just like high school! Plus I can spend more on the motor if I just recover the bench!

 

This is my understanding of the issue - in '71 & '72, Buick did not "offer" either buckets or console in the GS converts. This was the general rule as evidenced by the Wholesale Car Order sheets and sales brochures stating that buckets and consoles were not offered in the drop tops. However, like most rules, there was an exception and either or both the buckets alone or buckets/console package could be special ordered. Further, because of the raw body modifications required to the floor pan for buckets (4 seat tracks welded to the floor instead of the bench seat's 2 tracks) AND/OR the shifter mounting brackets welded to the trans hump (hole for 4-speed), that these modifications were actually completed by Fisher when the bodies were assembled (before delivery to the Buick plant). As such, the few converts in '71 & '72 GS converts with either buckets or buckets/console combo will always have an "SCO" (Special Car Order) stamped on the data plate on the cowl. SCO was also used for special order paints, etc. There were probably few customers who were in the "know" as how to special order a car beyond what the factory sales brochures explained what was and was not available and frankly, probably a majority of dealership sales people would have shot down the request from a customer as also not possible. I have heard many times that back in the day, customers who wanted to special order a 4-speed GS were told from many dealerships that they would not order one that way because it was not a "typical" Buick and the customer had to search for a sympathetic dealer to order the car with a manual trans. Imagine that.

 

:beer :beer :beer

 

I do NOT concur with the SCO statement. Friend had 71 gsx cortez gold that has paperwork for car saying it was SCO; cowl tag does not reflect that. He sold car to another board member here in Texas. Hope he chimes in on this issue.

 

And then you have the people who spend the time and effort to convert them. My 71's trim tag indicated a white bench; my car came to me converted so well no one could never even guess it wasnt factory...

The seller had no idea how rare and desireable they were,
and I didn't either...

 

Then again, the split bench with the up-high arm rest is a very comfortable seat. Although buckets are firmer and more contoured, you don't get an arm rest.

If only they'd put cup holders in the consoles back then they'd be a lot more worthwhile having. The little indents on the back of the glove box door just don't make it.

But I'm off track. Yes, 71-72 only had bench or split bench absent a SCO. Even with the 4spd cars which is kind of strange too.

 

Frank, I too have seen many conversions from bench to buckets that look fantastic. I think another interesting question would be if other sister divisions had the same bucket seat restrictions in '71 & '72 to the convertible A-bodies with bench vs. buckets (Cutlass/442, Tempest/LeMans/GTO & Chevelle/SS)? And if not, then why just Buick?

To Steve:

My comment about SCO's earlier were directed toward the subject of the thread - whether bucket seats were available in '71 & '72 GS drop tops and I added the comment about the special paint because that is also an acknowledged fact. SCO's were used for many reasons, but my understanding is that SCO's as stated on the cowl data plate were for special build issues which involved modifications to the body shell and paint processes outside the standard production (for any given year/model) plan while Fisher body had the body shell to build out. Fisher body stamped the "SCO" on the data tag because (again, it is my understanding) that is where the data plate was made and affixed ... at Fisher before handover to Buick for final assembly.

It is possible that Buick used the "SCO" designation elsewhere in the manufacturing process for other trim options, etc., that would not involve body/shell or paint modifications and, therefore, may show on orig. paperwork, but not on the data plate. Whether adding the GSX stripes qualified as an SCO like ordering a special order paint, I am not certain. Duane or others can answer this with authority, espescially about many unique 1971 issues (GM strike?) because at the end of the day, the plant had to get 'er done/built event through the strike severly affected the "ideal" manufacturing process. I am referring to the official Buick "plan" for the way the process was supposed to work and we all know ALL CARS were NOT built according to this plan ... at the end of the day, the production line had to get 'em out the door. 1971 seems to be the "poster child" for oddities in Buick assembly procedures.

On the otherhand, I do not know what specific issue(s) w/ SCO designation(s) you are referring to with your friend's '71 Cortez Gold GSX. Just the existence of the GSX option (with stripes? The hood tach option? The rear spoiler? It can't be a convertible (because there were none from GM) with a bucket seat issue like the subject of this thread, so you would have to be more specific. I am not sure whether or not all factory GSX's in '71 &/or '72 had an SCO for the stripes to be painted on, but Buick had elaborate templates to lay on the car in the paint process - I thought - on the regular paint line.

The other issue I will add about the data cowl plate is that GM's data plates in this era were not all emcompassing like the Chrysler data plates (that had all production options listed), rather, the GS cowl plates really need to be combined with paper build sheets (or microfiche) to make a complete record for the build and SCO status of the particular car.

To Mike:

Try coffee cups with a low magnetic bottom? Just a suggestion.

 

It is true that $$$ talks and finding a friendly dealer rep would have helped, too. I beleive there is documentation about the only black '72 GSX (with gold stripes) and how the factory actually refused to paint the black stripes on the black paint, but did paint the other parts & colors leaving the gold stripes for the dealer to spray. So, there is no doubt Buick wanted to sell cars and was somewhat flexible, but Buick did have its limit at certain points. A GSX convertible, now that would have been interesting ... wonder if Buick would have agreed or not when a Buyer was standing there with cash-in-hand? Heck, it is documented that Buick even sprayed one SCO '70 GS Plum Crazy Purple (a Chrysler color). I know this is further off topic, but considering the fact that someone at Buick or the Marketing Dept. goofed up in the initial '71 sales literature print run and forgot to add the availability of the GSX and the new, wider color availability options ... maybe there would have been a lot more of 'em built after '70.

 

IMO, it looks great. I have never understood what is so wrong with the fitment as regards the quarterpanel lines...

This is a nice example... buckets/console 71 GSX convertible!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRjZipZMars

 

Hey Brad, thanks for the correction about the Black '71 GSX ... I see that car on the cover of a Buick book every so often and it is striking.
My comment about the "wider color options" for the GSX starting in '71 was intended to be about the base color of the cars, not the stripe. I have been told before that the only variation on the actual GSX striping colors was for red cars when orange accent stripes replaced the red accent stripes. Is this true?

IMO, Buick would have sold so many more GSX's if they had taken the Pontiac approach of "The Judge" package focusing on high impact colors and spoilers at a very modest price on an otherwise stripped down car for impact on the street instead of the high dollar mega-priced GSX 1970 package ... there were trade offs, for sure. Buick was half way there to the high impact colors with the Saturn Yellow ... definitely something different for the men from Flint. But, when "Mr. Pontiac" Paul Zazzerine (sp?) publicly and repeatedly praises the 1970 GSX as probably the best all around performing and handling muscle car of the day because of all the engineering effort contained in it (spoilers designed extensively for high speed function as well as aesthetics, suspension/steering settings, etc), that is very impressive. The '70 GSX package was definitely a high-water mark in terms of a complete muscle car (5 seat, not pony car) with the pure power to back up its image. And, the GSX project engineers are to be highly commended for their contribution to musclecardom. I just think the GSX stripes and a BBB would have been more effective as a teaser to generate PR on the street ... if more could have been put out on the street. Look at what the sheer street reputation of the GN's did in the 80's to bring in non-Buick buyers?
I do not intend to pick on GTO's or "The Judge" package in these comments because I genuinely like them also. But as a entire "engineered package", the '70 GSX takes a back seat to no car and can back that claim up. It still amazes me that the Judge GTO's will bring the kind of money they do compared to the GSX's ... maybe this reinforces my earlier point that image in the muscle car hey-day was probably more important than the ultimate E.T.'s turned in. Winning the "wow' factor at the local drive-in may have been way more important than winning races.
In fact, Buick's own internal justification for pursuing the GSX package development was directly (I have seen the internal documentation) due to a need to have a comparable "youth" oriented model like Pontiac (Judge) and Oldsmobile (Rallye 350 & W-30, maybe H/O). This motivation combined with the Buick marketing model (below Cadillac) and Buick's own strict(er) finishing requirements (as Brad explained), I guess, led to the end result. In the end, though, with the '70 GSX package priced alone at about 33% the base price of the car itself, it seems obvious that few young buyers could afford the car. This is why, from purely a marketing stand point irrespective of the well-deserved high praise for the whole '70 GSX package, I like what Buick did for '71 & '72 with the GSX and allowed an a-la-carte approach ... I think doing this strategy a year earlier would have allowed a better chance for the GSX to flourish because by '71, the handwriting was on the wall. On the other hand, sales was the key factor and if the GSX stripes alone could been shown to have measurably increased GS & Skylark sales ... Buick would have pushed it much further even out of its "comfort zone". Heck, lookie what Pontiac brass did when their butts were called in by GM corporate heads to explain why they broke a corporate rule (stuffing the 389 full size engine into the intermediate chassis, a-la the '64 1/2 GTO). Pontiac brass explained there was a "loop hole" allowing the large engine was an "option", not standard equipment. When that failed, they just explained the increased sales figures ... the rest is history.