Last week I found a 69 California GS in decent shape in Blue Ridge, VA on Craigslist for $1,600. I snapped it up immediately, and now I'm trying to learn something about it. I've read everything I can find on the search engine here and elsewhere. My car appears to have all of the right badges, the ram air cleaner, bench, post, auto, etc., BUT it doesn't have a vinyl top. Maybe it's been removed, I dunno. Haven't had time to go after engine nos. yet. Here's the cowl tag info - could someone help me decode? ST69 43327FL1 183338BDY TR 114 52 DPNT 02C The VIN is 433279H251695. The car is currently a very faded red, but there's bondo under there and I don't think it's the original color. The interior is black and duct tape. -Joe
Joe- was this the one on craigslist for $1600? Nice.... ST69= year 43327= body style= 2 door post coupe FL1= Flint built TR114= parchment bench (like sandlewood- light tan) 52 PNT = signal red paint with D= Black vinyl roof 02C= build date = 3rd week of February, 1969
George - yes, it was on Craigslist. It only has a bill of sale, but it seems like I've got options to get a VA title for it without a lot of trouble. I bought it in the dark with a flashlight, but it's fairly solid except for the trunk floor and the R inner fender/rad support/body mount area. Oh, and it appears there may be some bondo'd up rust where the post meets the body. Apparently the guy had lots of calls on it, and he even gave me the number of somebody who wanted to buy it from me if I wanted to resell. I'm relieved it was red - he thought it was supposed to be a cream color. The door panels totally don't work - they're from some other A-Body and the window/vent window/remote mirror hole locations are all wrong and had a chop job done on them to make them work. The car has power steering, manual 4-whl drums and no A/C from the factory. Had to winch it on the trailer - it didn't run (no battery and dry-rotted rubber fuel line) and when I fixed those issues it wouldn't move - added a couple quarts of ATF and then drove it off the trailer the next evening. I smiled. Not my first A-Body, but it is my first Buick. -Joe
Geez, I have to tell you, and this comes from someone who is a proud stepchild loyalist, that depiction of that car with that "taking a dump" squatting stance is just butt ugly. 69's look so much better with a little rake to them. It changes the entire demeanor of the car in my opinion.
