Greetings all I'm new to the forum and to Buicks. Recently purchased a 1968 GS400 convertible, 3-spd auto w/center console. I purchased the car from the son of the original owner who claims that car looks is as it did when it rolled off the showroom floor. I know that about 10-12 years ago both rear quarters and the top were replaced. The car was then repainted in the original color. The car has the Buick sweep spears. However, I can't find any other pictures of other '68 GS400s that have them and this option is not listed in the Facts and Features manual I have. They are listed as an option on the Custom. Does anyone know if this was a valid option (or a special order option) on the GS400? Maybe they were added when the car was repainted? Thanks for your help.
Welcome, nice car! Conventional wisdom is no, that was not a gs400 thing, but I know the question has come up on Greg Davis's GS350 coupe...seems like the car had them from new. I like the 68/9 styling enough, but IMHO the sweep is such a big styling feature that it seems overkill to accentuate with trim.
In my experience the sweep spear moldings were only an option on the GS. I do not think they came standard with them. I have seen some GS's with them, even in literature, but it is rare because not many people opted for them. Others will chime in. If you pop one off one of the fenders that was not replaced, you should be able to tell if the studs for the molding are original studs that are welded on. The aftermarket ones screw into place if someone wanted to add them after the fact.
Thanks - I used to think that the sweeps made it look more like an old man's car but they seem to have grown on me. Besides, now that I've reached the age where most people bought these new I fit right in :Brow:
Thanks - too bad Sloan museum doesn't have any info on the 68/69. Something like Pontiac's PHS would be a big help.
I don't know, that looks like plain ol' stick on body side molding to me.o No: I think it would look MUCH better without it. IMHO
That's what I thought when I looked at the picture as well. The original chrome strip was just that, a chrome strip. This has a rubber strip in the center, which is different than the factory installed stuff.
These stainless steel "spears" are not listed as a 68 option for the GS cars. I have not seen anyone step forward with a build sheet with proof they came on a 68 GS car from the factory. I have them on my 68 GS350. No documentation, and the car had a lot of work done in mid-90's resto a few owners ago. I communicated with the guy this past winter who restored it with his father. They pulled it from a salvage yard in early 90's, and he says they were on the car at the time. In your pic, is that a rubber center strip, or just black painted? I'll have to look, but I thought they were painted black in the center on mine (paint mostly gone).
X2. Aftermarket body side molding for sure. Im not sure about peeling it off though. You might take the paint with it
Thanks David - this whole thing has me really confused. I'll check the spears out a bit closer, I think it's a rubber strip in the center. They're the stick on type as noticed by another board member. I figured as much since the car had a repaint. The car came from a title state and the owner sent a copy to me before I went to check it out. Vin# on the title matched the car. VIN# 446678H181369
Mine had similar stuff on it when i got it. and KMart wire wheel covers! When I pulled the side molding off, the paint had faded enough that you could see where they were. So beware if you take them off, the glue was fun to remove too! It's been painted and touched up a couple times since then!!!!!!
My car had that stuff on it when I bought it. The first thing I did when I got the car home was to pull that crap off. If you use a high wattage hair dryer to soften the adhesive, it comes off relatively easy.
And have 2 black-painted grooves/slots, and a solid stainless center section, unlike the rubber center on the aftermarket.
