? How do i find out if a car is a real stage one "1971 gs"

Discussion in 'The Bench' started by 71gs 4speed, Mar 7, 2003.

  1. 71gs 4speed

    71gs 4speed Well-Known Member

    Is their anyway besides finding the build sheet to find out if a 1972 buick gs is a stage one. I am looking at a 71 gs that has stage one emblems on it. Not know if its a real stage one. Someone has done some custom work to it. Moved the auto shifter to the floor with a slap shift. replaced the 455 with a 69 olds motor. I know the vin# will not tell me anything. Is their any other thing's to look for to tell. Any help would be get.
    Thank's for your time and I hope to hear from ya.
    Robert
     
  2. Marco

    Marco Well-Known Member

    Hi Robert -

    Welcome to the board.

    Here is a webpage containing Stage1 identification.

    If it is a 1972 model, the VIN will depict engine option. If it's the original transmission, there should be a 'BB' on a tag on the passenger side.
     
  3. rh455

    rh455 Well-Known Member

    Robert,

    IF it has the original transmission, the right side of the case at the rear(before the tailshaft housing) will have a tag like this. The two big letters should say "BB" like this one. The color of the tag may be different year to year. This one is a '72. The 5th digit of the VIN should decode a Stage 1 option engine. The VIN will also be stamped on the trans. in the same area as the tag but oposite side. The bell housing on the trans may still have the big "BB" painted in red(probably faded)
     

    Attached Files:

  4. rh455

    rh455 Well-Known Member

    This is the big "BB" in red paint......
     

    Attached Files:

  5. 12lives

    12lives Control the controllable, let the rest go

    BB

    What was different in the "BB" trans? - Bill
     
  6. MikeM

    MikeM Mississippi Buicks

    yeah. pardon me while i make a sandwich.
     
  7. 12lives

    12lives Control the controllable, let the rest go

    got it

    Nice link....Thanks Marco

    a BB coded, six clutch pack transmission that also had a high rpm governor and increased pressure valving for neck-snapping, tire burning shifts.

    - Bill
     
  8. rh455

    rh455 Well-Known Member

    They came with different valving in the valve body, different spring which gave higher shift points and some(not all BB's) had six plates in the clutch pack to help handle the heavy load with a high torque motor. I may be missing something here, but there's a few other guys on this page that know this trans better than I.:Smarty:
     
  9. pakual

    pakual San Jose California

    Does anyone know how to decode those 3 numbers after the Letters?

    My non Stage 1 reads............... SR 357

    Thx a lot
    JA
     
  10. Marco

    Marco Well-Known Member

    The 357 is the engine production code. It somehow uniquely identifies the people who assembled the motor (kind of like a 'batch' code).
     
  11. 71gs 4speed

    71gs 4speed Well-Known Member

    Thanks for all the help guys. I found this car on the internet and it was close by so i thought it was worth checking out. It was $2,700.00 and had the core support rusted out and rust in the normal places. One of the owners prior to this guy had put a vinyl top on the car and it was having a lot of rust problems underneath. They had also hit something with the front bumper and busted the grill it still usable but cracked missing a stud. The air cleaner is long gone but the hood was still their with all the trim. The interior was changed from bench seat to buckets and the seat's were ripped. Needed new door panels. Needs carpet and head liner. All in all the car was customized badly. :ball: The car was a 1971 sorry about the post I was a little tired when I wrote it. I was thinking about buying it because I don't have one yet but I don't think it was a good price am I wrong?
    I have been into buick's sence I could drive. My mom bought me a 1972 skylark convertaible and I have had it ever sence. Now thats a woman!!! :grin: That was 13 years ago. I have it painted candy apple red. Recintley I was turned on to a great find and it is now my current project. Its a 1971 GS 455 4speed. It was a one owner car and when the gas prices when up 20 some years ago he parked it. The last time it was taged was 1980. 46,000 miles. all complete and #'s matching. Very minor rust. I've been reading with you guys for a while glad to finally join the club!:beer
     

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