Hello everyone. My name is Joe and I am currently in the market for my first Buick so I decided to get a start on things and join you fellow Buick lovers. I have been nothing but a GM owner from Olds to Pontiac to Chevy to GMC (except for a Kia once, don't ask). I am looking for a 1970 GS with a 455. I am debating on a light to moderate restoration or dropping some coin on a ready one. I'm not looking for a world class GS that wins tons of awards, though that would be nice, but rather a date night and local show car. There are some clone/tribute/replicas out there that look decent and are much more affordable but I'm not too sure about it. What is everyone else's thought on it? I don't know how the average classic/muscle car meet goes down. I'd hate to be "that guy with the fake GS" that takes up a spot and gets shunned by the other "original" owners. So I guess my question to that is: Do clone/tribute/replicas show up at local meets and if so are they welcomed by the guys that have, what I feel, more of a right to be there? Thanks guys and I look forward to being a part of this community.
I can't speak for everyone else but personally, I have no problem with clones as long as the owner doesn't try to pass it off as the real deal. Not everyone can afford a genuine car, and as far as I am concerned they should have the car that they want regardless of whether it was born that way. I don't go to many car shows but we do attend a cruise night at least once a week and I know of some clones, one is a Hemi Cuda, and I have never heard a single word from another car guy degrading them for it. Heck, if done right most people couldn't tell the difference anyway.
I'm alittle turned off by a clone, I would be more inclined to look at a Skylark badged sleeper with a monster nasty BBB in it and dog dishs than a well done GSX clone, once I know its a clone I lose total interest and so do all my Muscle Car buddies than own other stuff like Camaro's and Chevelles and such. We just don't get the point, and besides, going Buick you get a lot more for your $$$$, a very common 1970 BB Chevelle SS with cost you $40k plus, you can get a super niceand rarer by about 80,0000 cars 1970 BBB GS for less and then go beat the snot out of that 396......just sayin.
Buy, build and enjoy the car that you like. If you are happy with your car others will normally appreciate it also. The pride and satisfaction of cruising down the highway in a nicely finished old muscle car has very little to do with the $ value. We are here to help and encourage others that love Buicks. Welcome and enjoy.
Be forewarned, if you build a clone GSX (and maybe a clone GS I suppose) you will be asked about 100 times at every car show "is it real?". It gets a little tiring after a while. Been there, done that. And when you answer with, "No, not a real GSX, but it is a real Stage 1 GSX with a factory 10/10 paint code", all they here is No, as they walk away telling their friends that they knew it wasn't real. But that is still better than them asking you what year your Chevelle is, lol.
Yea, I get asked that at every gas station I stop at, or the enevitable, "I had a Chevelle just like that back in school"....omg.... But I agree also with the other post, buy, build what YOU like and want, its your baby!
Welcome, I suspect half the GSs are clones and I've had only one "real" one. See my list. Have been happy with all of them. But been there done that and right now just want a nice Skylark, as a matter of fact my favorite cars were 67 Specials. When you see the right one you will know it.
