For Sale- Buick, 1970 GS Convertible. Factory 455 Stage 1 car. SS code. Four speed, 3.64 posi. Rare! 66k original miles, not running. Needs minor cosmetics. $15,000.00 firm. KY [859] 555-6970. You see the local ad and call immediately. A ten minute drive and what sounded like a steal turns out to be, well, a little less than perfect. :grin:
You walk around the other side and not only is there rust, she's been hit pretty hard in the fender, door, and quarter panel. Damn!
It's sitting high in the front. Nothin' like a little weight transfer. The big cube mill is in the trunk and not under the hood! Parts are scattered all over the interior.
You check the cowl code. GM 45 paint. Seamist Green wouldn't be your first choice, but hey, those pie pans kind of go with it!
The underside of the eye sore looks like it's dipped in rust. That's a lot worse than the old man told you over the phone. When he whips out the protecto-plate and original window sticker you make the move. Good luck! I started this car about three weeks ago. It's a 1970 QQ GSX hardtop that I've converted. You can see it in it's early stages in the "Slicks" thread in this forum. My plan is to make an "after" car too, with a clear coat over the base coat. I've still got plenty of code 45 base left! I jumped the gun a little on these pictures, I still have a few details to add, but you get a pretty darn good idea! The fabrication of the roof, stripping of the paint, and the installation of an opening trunk were the biggest hurdles. There are countless other modifications too. $100 and 100 hours!
1970 seamist it makes you wander what people are thinking when they let a potential awesome car deteriorate like that. :ball:
Mother Nature herself couldn't have done it much better. Gonna be tough to fix but hey, at least the grille isn't busted.
I'd offer him about $7500 for it, you never know, he might take it. Rare car with lots of potential, I think all of the parts you'd need are still available, in one box! :Brow: Maybe you should do one that's part way through restoration, set it up in a garage diorama, you know with parts lying around, no front clip ETC. Dave B
Thanks Mike! It's funny you mention the grille though. That's the one place where I knew I didn't take it far enough. I plan on doing a little more work to the car and the grille is in my sights! At the very least it's going to be darker. I also still have to rust the bottom of the hood, fake a mirror mount, try to paint on an emblem or two, and a few other details. Dave-I like your idea of a partial restoration. A 1/18 scale shop is on my short list! Ken-you always crack me up! My wife has a major thing for that table. I appreciate you kind words about the models quarter panel.
Yeah, it's a great model and I especialy like the rear quarter rustout. How did you cut those holes out anyway. Don't have the skill or patience for that kind of work. Used to do some models but not cars, military stuff mostly. Dave B
HA!!!!! Biran... I used to have the real life version of your model... only it was a 72, hit on the left side. Same color, black vinyl top, rusted a little worse than that one though. I rember stripping that top off... what a major PIA. Ahhh the memories
Hey Dave, I drilled numerous holes about 1/16" in diameter and then used an Xacto brand saw {AKA Jeweler's or Hobby saw} to connect the dots. The metal cuts pretty easy but it is very thick in that particular area. Here's a similar saw on eBay: http://cgi.ebay.com/JEWELERS-HOBBY-...ryZ10323QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Jeff, I like how your picture is at nearly the same angle as the first one I posted of the model. COOL! My most basic inspiration for the Seamist '70 was a long ago memory. Sometime in the early eighties, I looked at a 1970 GS Stage 1 convertible. It was Seamist green with double black, just like this model. The car ran though, unlike the models depiction I created. I passed on the $1500.00 price {I think that's what it was-I've still got the PPG ad somewhere} when the owner opened the trunk, and I could see the frame. Up until that point I'd never seen rust that bad! Now a days, it would be considered an easy resto. I'm not sure of what happened to that car in Millvale Pennsylvania, but the owner was suggesting to potential buyers that he thought the good running Stage 1 drivetrain was worth the asking price, leading me to believe that it eventually became a parts car.
Man how funny is that.... I bought that car for $1500, its from PA, and I ended up parting it out..LOL. Too bad it wasn't a stage 1 'Vert.... I might've kept it. I do think the next GS I get will have to be Seamist though... Something about that color I really liked. o No:
During, after a hail storm, ruining your new paint and body work o No: Ok, so mine's only a GS350... Excellent work, especially since its a die-cast!
