I have a 68 GS California series that gets a lot of interest and questions when i take it to regular car shows. The one comment i get is " I never have seen one of these. Tell me about it." I would like to find out how many other 67,68,69 California series cars are out there. Put together a registry of owners to be able to talk about our "special Cars". What do you think. Glenn
be hard cause the california cars are specials with the gs trim and emblems stuck on. the vin shows special and im pretty sure it was done at a dealer rather than in flint so idk how you would document them all. there is also colorado and carolina version. i think it was only in 68-69. the 67s are all california.
Nekkid has it, except the goodies were installed at the factory. My ex (sold it Saturday) was built in Fremont, CA.
i think we are both right they built them as californias now that i think of it but i think the colorado and carolina was changed from cali to that by the dealer. something along them lines.
Here is a good link with some production numbers. http://www.gsjeff.com/fact-stats.asp and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buick_Gran_Sport#The_GS_California I have a 69 California and they ask what California means. I simply say its a trim/performance type package that was available. I've never seen one live other than the one I own. Probably won't see many in person these days. They were rare and who knows how many survived.
Thanks for the input. My 68 was built in Flint. Butchman, I will check out information you posted. I understand that the carolina and colorado cars were a dealer installed deal. I know the California was a factory built car. just wanted to find out more information from you guys on the site. Glenn
ive seen several 68-69 cars only one 67. have never seen a carolina or colorado in person that i recall.
http://designscomputed.com/cars/Belle.HTM a colorado https://www.flickr.com/photos/thumpr455/16969944902 and a carolina i think all carolinas where blue only way ive seen them. i saw one other online and it was a all faded and rusty restoration project but was blue.
Interesting information on the Carolina and Colorado cars. The Carolina has a different grill, no vinyl top and looks to have a sky roof. Interesting. The Colorado has Air Conditioning. Does anyone know if these cars were done by one dealer in each state, thinking like a Yenko deal on Chevelle's. My understanding on the California cars was that they all came with the 350-4 V8, T-300 transmission, 3:23 rear axle, vinyl top, AM radio, bench seat, deluxe steering wheel, GS badging, chrome wheels and chrome air cleaner. The only options listed were power steering and power brakes and choice of color. Buick touted it as " the Distinctive Personal Car for Americana on the GO." The listed price on the car was $3,320.00. If any one has any thing to add to this, let me know. Would like to see how many may still be out there. Glenn
That doesn't make a whole lot of sense, if the dealers ordered Californias and changed out the scripts. Those scripts even match the California holes in the quarter. You can get any car with or without AC, that is an option not tied to any other "package". A roof hole is something that was not offered from the factory in '68, for sure. Given that my '68 California was 32 YO when I bought it, things could have changed. I do know that it had a newer differential in it. But the steering wheel was standard, not a sport wheel. Mine came from the factory with power steering, 4 wheel drum brakes, a tan vinyl top and dark green body, according to the build sheet. Where are you finding this information? As far as Carolinas only being blue, that might be a takeoff from something about blue in the Carolinas, but that is not anything I am familiar with. As far as anything resembling a Yenko conversion, I'd put that likelihood out in the stratosphere.
The 69's have the TH-350 transmission. As far as the rear axle I've read 3:23 or 2:73 so not sure which it came with. Mine has power steering, manual brakes, and A/C.
When I purchased my 68 California three years ago it came with a ton of additional parts and service manuals as well as a lot of information on the California. Glenn
I don't have any solid info on the Carolina, so I won't comment on that one. The Colorado GS was was the brainchild of three Denver dealers who knew that the anti-California sentiment at the time would keep them from selling any California GSs out of their dealerships. So they got together and had a run of Colorado emblems made that would fit in the same mounting holes as the California emblem. They then changed the emblem out at the dealership and started their own local advertising campaign to help with sales. The standard option package for the '68-'69 California GS was pretty much as you have listed; GS 350 drivetrain in the Special Deluxe chassis ('68-'69 had different transmissions), vinyl top, deluxe steering wheel, and GS badging with the additional GS emblem on the sail panel. Also, no 350 emblems on the hood in '69. Power steering, power brakes, air conditioning were still check boxes that the buyer could select if they wanted. Because they used the Special Deluxe chassis they had bench seats and no rear arm rests. Somewhere at home I have the dealer order sheet for the '69 GS California, it's been posted here before.
they are so rare idk alot on carolinas i know the two pictures where a blue color. this car could just have the emblems stuck on it or be a bad resto project idk. the one i saw for sale many years ago was similar blue but it was faded out and had some rust. the sc/nc state flags, duke, and pepsi use the same color blue. chevy made some chevelles that where the tarheel light blue only sold in the carolinas and called it a carolina edition also. they did the same thing in late 70s early 80s with chevy trucks in eastern ky with the black gold edition c10s. it did seem the other picture i saw did have a white vinyl top but i cant remember for sure its was many years ago and i saw it for sale on cl or ebay once. idk nothing else about it. there used to be a set of emblems that popped up on ebay from time to time off one also.
http://www.webring.org/l/rd?ring=bu...e.webring.com/people/eu/um_4456/carolina.html this is the only other info i could find online now. me and steve dee talked about carolina back in 2011 and i said i would love to see one. shortly after there where was that came up for sale. pretty sure it was around knoxville on cl. i dont think i ever saved the picture. if i did its been so long idk if i would still have it since ive had several pcs since then. it may be on one of my portable harddrives. ill dig around see what i can find.
http://www.v8buick.com/archive/index.php/t-45663.html there is the emblems that sold. pretty sure i saw another set on there at one time. also has them pictured on a car. thats the best i can do.
I have a 68 GS CA undergoing a slow resto. Mine was also built in CA. I may throw a TH350 into it because parts are hard to find for the ST300.
Patrick, good luck with your project. It's that time of the year when I have to think about getting the 68 ready to put away for the winter months. During the summer months my wife's car sits outside so the 65 and 68 have the garage. But for some reason she is not into cleaning the frost off the windows in the morning and wants her car back in the garage.
