gs or not a gs????

I recently purchased a 1971 GS maybe?? LOL it is a bucket seat floor shift car w/ gs badges ... the car is a 80's ish race car ... the 1st seven digits of the vin are 434371H ..I know it was a flint built car but other than that i'm lost... the car has a 12 bolt w/ c-clip elims a spool and moser axles..a moly drive shaft ..turbo 400 w/ a man valve body.. scs shifter has a 455 w/ an aggressive hyd cam b4b intake and a hei dist..a set of hooker super comps ...man steering box and man disc brakes.. its a solid car that's a little rough around the edges... definatly worth restoring but I was curious if it was a base skylark or what... any advice would be welcomed...

 

43437 should be a GS model.

 

Looks like you have a GS... or a Spot Wagon LOL
http://www.tpocr.com/buickvin6.html

looking forward to seeing some pics

 

The VIN on my 71 GS convertible (no question about it's being a true GS) is 434671H. However, from the VIN decoding site below, it seems that "34" could mean either Skylark or GS.

http://www.musclecarclub.com/musclecars/buick-gs/buick-gs-specs.shtml#VIN

 

I ran the number on the back of the block near the bellhousing and came up w/ it being a 1973 casting I believe..are there any tell tale ways of looking @ the chassis and figuring out if it was a fact bb car?? everything has been so molested on the car i'm sure any build sheets are long gone...i've taken the gas tank out and there was nothing...and the car had no carpet in it when I got it....i'm in the process of installing new hotchkins control arms front and rear and some wilwood front brakes... I would like to restore the car like a old street/race type car...ill get some pics up when I get the car off jack stands....

 

If original, I believe there is a difference in the steering shaft setup between bb and sb cars. Also compare the engine # with the VIN, should match if original.

 

http://www.buickperformanceclub.com/BBBshaft.htm

Shows difference in shafts.

 

Check the partial VIN on the drivers side of the TH400 to see if it matches the car. If it does this is consistent with it leaving the factory as a GS455 as opposed to a GS350.

 

71 Series designation for Skylark was "33," Skylark Deluxe "44"..."34" was GS (with body type "3437" and "3467")...

To add confusion......there was SportWagon, which was "3436". Have no idea why Buick chose "34" for SportWagon when could have used "33" or more likely "44"...since no wagons in either Series...o No:

 

the guy I bought it from said he put the current th400 in the car but he didnt say what he took out....the car is solid where it needs to be but it has not lived a very sheltered life...im happy to know by the vin that at least the body/chassis is a GS ill do some more digging around on the steering shaft etc....the front fender emblems say GS and below that stage 1 and the mounting studs are @ the far edges????

 

Welcome! We would love to see some pics!

 

ok so the car has the big block steering shaft... any other little tell tale things to look for?? this is like treasure hunting lol...

 

The frame is marked at the rear outside under the trunk, and on top near the drivers door.

 

As Scott says there is a specific part number for a GS 455 frame about a foot from the rear of the frame on the drivers side.