1969 Stage 1 4-Speed Convertible at Mecum Indy

This picture was taken PRE-restoration. It has just undergone a complete frame-off restoration and looks stellar, the car was just completed this week, so hopefully they'll get the new pictures before the auction to post to the auction site...

http://www.mecum.com/auctions/lot_detail.cfm?LOT_ID=SC0510-90278&entryRow=988

 

Mike - Both of your '69 4 speed Stage cars are on the block at the same time, should be interesting. Do you know if the current owner put a new roof on the red car? Can you post some pics of the yellow car since the resto was completed? Did you have it restored or did you sell it before the resto?

 

Where are the new pics Mike? I looked on your website and didn't see any of the completed car? Quit holding back on us! :beer

 

We are down to crunch time and the new top is not on yet! ou: We are scrambling! I should have some pics this weekend (Lord willing and the creek don't rise). It does look really nice, I hope we don't run into any snags over the next few days...I'll keep you guys posted.

 

I'm really not sure what to think about it. It sounds as if he repaired it, but from the looks of it, it was a quicky job...I only hope that it was done right. It would take some serious effort to re-do it if it was not done correctly. I really thought that he would do an absolutely knock-down, concours job on it. It deserved that. Oh well, I wish him the best with it, and I wish I could have had Nick, David or someone do it but I just didn't have the funds to do it the way I would have liked.

 

Here are some pics, and a link to my photo site with more...the car goes in Monday morning for the new top, then to the alignment shop (EVERY part is new in the suspension, so it's gotta be lined up). This thing turned out AWESOME and it is an absolute nut and bolt frame-off. I still have a few underhood decals to add, and a N.O.S. air cleaner decal, after that it's a final cleaning and off to Indy!!!

Here you go...

Hosted on Fotki
Hosted on Fotki
Hosted on Fotki

http://public.fotki.com/E86A38/1969-buick-gs-stage-2/page6.html

 

Absolutly beautiful!:TU:

 

Is there a thread on this car? Where did you find this car?

 

Mike,
I believe there was a thread on it last May or June. We bought it in Alabama about a year ago. It is a numbers-matching original. Original motor, transmission and 3.64 Posi rear end, we have the numbers carb as well, but it is not on the car and needs rebuilt. It has a semi-correct 1970 carb on it. It is a factory non-A/C, Stage 1, 4-speed Convertible. It has the handling package with sway bars and Rally Steering Wheel too, from the factory. Oh, and tilt wheel too!

 

Up close for detail...
Hosted on Fotki

 

Interior is all new...
Hosted on Fotki

 

Underside looks better than new...Gardner exhaust is the absolute holy grail of exhaust systems, talk about perfection!

 

Super nice Buick Mike! Looks like WG type 15" wheels on there. I was going to do the same on mine.

The photo album shows a lot of blasting. What did they use? I was surprised by the cowl and windshield area on what was otherwise a very good body. Were you?

What are you expecting to get? Saturday @ 7:50 is a premium spot. I'll guess $165k. The stepchildren will celebrate your good fortune! When's it going to roll into the Fairgrounds? I'll be there Thursday and hope to see the car in person.

 

Hi Mike
This is the one we discussed at the auction last year?
Absolutely beautiful.
what do you expect it to draw at the auction? Is this a reserve auction?
gary

 

Gary,
It sure is. Thanks, we are pretty happy with the way it turned out. It was all done correctly and, save for having to re-use a few small items, it is a really nice car. The drivetrain is really tight as well. Everything we could replace was replaced.

Brian,
Yes, we found some typical cowl rust and it was repaired 100% correctly, if you look at my photos of the body and frame prior to lowering the shell back onto the chassis, you'll see what a nice job he did. There are a few little things I would go back and re-do or replace, but nothing that can't be done easily, by whoever the next owner is. We have taken it as far as we could take it though, and it turned out real nice. The wheels are actually 15 X 7's with the correct satin chrome centers done by the master, Curt McKimm. The center caps are Mitch Romanowski's beautiful reproductions. The grille is new, the shifter and handle are new, and any reproduction part we could buy was utilized...we spent about $10,000 at the Parts Place alone, and probably another $10,000 from various other vendors for hard to find used and NOS convertible trim pieces, etc. It was a logistical nightmare trying to locate everything that we needed, but when I place the final decals on it Monday and we head to Indy on Wednesday or Thursday, it will all be worth it (hopefully!).

Mike

 

Well, they only had one hour of coverage on Discovery channel, and I missed part of it....how'd it do? Dan

 

They have 5 hours of coverage on HDTV if you get that channel

 

And then?

 

78K, they seemed to be a little fast putting the hood down and rolling out, but a guess all auctions are that way.

 

They definitely hurried it through...it brought $78,000 and we sold it. Hindsight says we should have set the reserve higher. It's funny how you set a reserve and it brings just over that number . We were fairly happy with the results, but there was definitely a lot of disappointment in the fact that they were so far behind schedule and, after paying for a premium "TV Star" spot, the car didn't sell until so late that half the buyers were gone. They offer no guarantees though and would not think of reimbursing any of the "TV Star" premium. Oh well, it was a learning experience, and we'll know better next time. Buyer got a nice car though and we weren't too displeased either with the dollar amount.