Why was A1/L-75 Stage 1 not part of the GSX package?

What did the A1 package consist of?

L75 The option code for a stage one on a standard GS 455?

four-speed the standard transmission on GSX and the automatic being optional above that?

Steve weim55 Colorado

 

I think as Ray's story illustrates, just because nowadays we wish that ALL GSXs were stage cars, back in the day not all customers knew, cared or even wanted that.

 

A1 was the sales code & L75 the RPO (I think I have those terms straight) but same thing & yes, 4-sp. was another option on a GS 455 that was Standard on the GSX.

 

Like any car manufacturer, GM was in the business to make money.

The 1970 GSX option included basically everything visually and mechanically any ultimate gear head would want in 1970.
At a price of of almost 1200.00 over a base GS 455 it was already an expensive car. Making the Stage 1 optional was an easy upgrade for most buyers.

By contrast Pontiac offered the WT1 Judge option for only $337.00 on top of price of a base GTO. However, unlike the content rich Buick GSX, it only gave you a Ram Air III 400 engine in 1969 and 1970 a HD 3 speed manual on floor with a 3.55 open axle. Also included were rear wing , decal stripes ,emblems dechromed rally II wheels, black wall G70-14 polyglas tires and blacked out grill.
Meaning, a base GTO Judge for 1969-71 had manual steering ,manual brakes ,no console ,no gauges ,no hood tach, open axle no posi, actually a pretty base car.

The GSX was the opposite it had everything but was more expensive.

 

...And had Pontiac required every Judge to be RAIV (with steep gears and no A/C) they would have sold a lot fewer of them!
Stage 1 didn’t limit options or challenge driveability like RAIV did but the perception was likely still there. I think it’s pretty awesome that the first year Xs had as much performance as standard equipment as they did.
Patrick

 

I suspect, like the Superbirds and Daytona Chargers, they were too gaudy for most folks. You couldn't have a vinyl top with a GSX. Tastes have changed but a lot of folks wanted a vinyl top on their car.

 

That's what was nice about the 71 & 72 model year, you could order a GS 455 Stage 1 4 speed with GSX options of choice in any color with a vinyl top if money was available and heart desired.

 

While I appreciate all the stories and speculation, we apparently don't know definitively who made the decision at Buick Motor Division, or why, with regard to S1.

One thing I never noticed before is X-2 Rallye Steering wheel is called out as part of A-9 on the GSX order sheet, but as we all know it is not the same wheel as on the GS455. Technically, it should be above A-9 in the exclusive GSX group section of the order form in my first post.

X-2 on the GS455 order form:

 

IIRC the original vision for the Judge was a budget beater to challenge Plymouth's successful Roadrunner by creating a performance "package" (the dechromed Rallye II wheels in example). However, GM couldn't help but throw ginger bread and inflated pricing out there until it became more expensive, instead of less expensive, than the standard goat. Some magazine writers were very critical of PMD at the time for what they saw as a fat fail.

The GSX was never intended to be a budget beater, nor could it be with Buick seen as premium GM marque. The specially developed and low volume steering wheel alone probably could have covered the off the shelf price of S1...

Even with GSX's relatively high sticker cost in 1970, I would submit GSX may well have lost Buick Motor Division money as a stand alone business project, but not to the degree of Ford's Boss 429 Mustang.

Has anyone ever asked that question of a GSX project person or seen something in print?

 

There was actually one "deleted" option from a GS 455 - The trunk/qtr. extension trim.

I've questioned whether between the engineering, tooling, & marketing whether Buick made much, if any money on GS's period. If so, it couldn't have been much or at least not nearly as much % as they made on other models. Maybe they drove some showroom traffic. Maybe they just felt they had to be in that market.

 

The problem with making or losing money on a car like the GSX is the boost it gives to the brand is intangible. Accountants are very quick to say ‘you can’t count ‘goodwill’ or other intangibles so they don’t really exist.’ A lot of our car company heroes DID believe in the value. Bob Lutz is a modern example. He was insteumental in the Viper coming to production, and look at all the free press and enthusiasm it generated, especially relative to its production numbers. Halo cars matter!
Patrick

 

Ron Frakes was the GSX program manager. He made the final decision on all aspects of the car, including the standard engine.

Why?... ask him... I think he is still with us.

JW

 

I'll throw out another theory that is strictly my observation based on insurance rates vs. power to weight ratios back in the day. (perhaps an insurance person can comment). I recall that when horsepower began to get higher and higher, the insurance companies established a policy that any power to weight ratio lower than 10 to 1 would incur a much higher premium. The Skylark/GS weight, depending on equipment, was about 3500 lbs. shipping weight. Take 3500 divided by the standard 455 HP of 350 and you get a ratio of 10- 1. But, add the 360 HP of the Stage 1 and it drops to 9.7 to 1. I wonder if this had any bearing on Buick's decision to offer the GSX with the standard motor? I know it had a bearing on all the manufacturers under-rating their motors in addition to giving them an advantage at the racetrack.

 

The issue with the insurance company increasing premiums did not start until the last part of the 70 model year, however I am sure that was on the horizon for a while.

It basically “hit” the public at the beginning of the 71 model year,

It was such a drastic increase that it was almost the same money to insure a 70 BB car in 1970 as it was to insure a SB car in 1971.
Duane

 

One of my Stage 1 cars had the original insurance papers. "360 H.P. no musclecar" was written on it and underlined.

I like Jim's idea of asking Frakes.

 

From the Sloan archives in Flint.

pbr400 mentioned "intangible", and this shows that they were thinking just that.

Devon

 

Neat stuff. Can't wait to study it more!

 

Here is another document called "GSX AND COMPETITIVE CAR DATA" dated 10/31/69 that has some of the same info but you can see that Buick was really focused on the dollars and cents of the GSX vs the competition and how many they can build depending on the release date of the car, etc. The demonstrates that Buick was very aware that cost was a major factor.

 

Here are the 12 pages of the smaller document "GSX AND COMPETITIVE CAR DATA" in photo format just in case someone can't open the pdf.

 

It appears that the GSX did not sale as well as they projected. I believe the earliest production model GSXs have a cowl tag date of February 1970 (GSX#2 has date 02A, GSX#7 has 02C, and GSX#12 has 02D). Looks like Buick only sold about half of the initial projection.