One of the Nicest Stage 1s for sale

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1970-buick-gran-sport-stage-1-4/

I might need to sell a kidney, but one of the nicest buick colours, right after Aqua in 1970, Great Restoration James on this car!

 

reminds me of John Looneys car which was super nice but I think his was an auto

 

You obviously have no idea what you are talking about Fritz. Nothing has been machined surfaced, decked, or re-stamped. You can clearly see the factory hatch marks and the curved outline of the head gasket in both pics. You should be ashamed of yourself for questioning the authenticity of that block.

 

James- you did an OUTSTANDING job restoring this car! However, based on your previous restorations, expected nothing less. Well done sir!

 

Sorry James, I did not know it was one of yours so I am sure it has been throughly vetted & restored obviously better than new, I had just never seen factory stampings that hard and inconsistent(SS & V.I.N.) in 40 plus years of factory or even experimental Buick motors (could barely see them on my experimental motor)or working on new & reconditioned machinery that had to also be stamped prior to shipping that nice but I apologize.
Definitely could have done without the public flogging as I was asking initially (regardless of not even knowing it was a members car which shouldn’t matter so others could share their thoughts/stampings).
After 45 years of collecting and closely scrutinizing coins if I notice anything that seems odd I ask.
Anyhow tried to make it right and apologize after deleting my post but I see your post insulting me for an observation is still up but guess that is okay?
A PM & I would have pulled down my questions instead of these personal insults over a sincere question, but whatever.

As I said before, beautiful car and GLWS

P.S. Had this been a for sale ad rather than in a leads thread I would not have made those observations nor would have the moderators (rightly!) allowed it. Typical questions and discussion area in leads.

 

In Fritz's defense, I made the same observation when viewing the BAT listing. . I've got 5 blocks in the garage right now TS, XS, 2 SF's, and an AF), , none of the stampings are anywhere near that defined. Not saying I've seen it all, so maybe plenty more exist that look just like the block on the auction car, I've just never seen it in 40 years. . Nice car, good luck with sale, hope it brings a million bucks, etc..etc.

 

I've got a SF block that looks like Big Bad John was driving a railroad spike when he hit the die

My guess is the morning stamps were crisper than the 4:45 stamps ha

 

Yes, John looneys car was an auto.

 

Fritz,

Your initial comments were questioning that the block surface was either decked or machined, and then re-stamped, not double striked as stated in the picture you blew up. Those type of statements can create a negative effect on the sale of a collector car which is why I replied to your post and included the pics. Your comments pissed me off as I bought, built, and sold that car as a numbers matching Stage 1, which it certainly is. I would not have bought it or sold it as numbers matching if it wasn't and jeopardized my name or reputation to make a dollar or two. I took those pics in my garage to document the authenticity of the "born with SS block". They clearly show the hatch marks and outline of the head gasket, which would have been the first marks to go if it had been machined any at all, much less the original stampings that are much deeper (even the lighter ones that you referenced on all the blocks you have studied). Do you see my point?

By the way, this is no longer my car and it is not my auction (although I wish it was). I sold the car in 2019 to the current owner. Since I built the car and sold it as numbers matching to the current owner, I felt it was important to speak up for him since he is not on this board.

 

I can see both points on this, I myself have never seen such defined stamps or to me more strange, the most even and centered SS stamping I have ever witnessed. But I would not question their authenticity, I have seen fraudulent ones in the past and they were so inferior compared to these by far.

 

james was wondering what the block casting date is?

 

Although those are some of the crispest stamping I've ever seen they appear to be original. there are too many dings,scratches,and rust pitting where the dipstick goes in to have been machined. Albeit, these imperfections are hardly noticeable. Also,the dowel pin is original.Would've had to be removed to machine and if so there would be marks. Well done sir.

 

September 10

 

These posts always interest me. I appreciate that a rare painting needs restored not modified. Same with a home, a Stage 1 Buick or whatever, but at some point - for me - this gets a bit out of control and about money, profit, that sort of narrative.

James makes a point that creating doubt could cost him money. I would agree that Fritz came back and defended himself a bit there. I also like the comment that strikes to metal maybe were stronger at the start of a work day and less so near the end.

I just am not the kind of enthusiast that cares too much about these nuances, but I understand the aspect of restoration.

 

THATS ONE OF THE NICEST 70 GS STAGE ONE 4 SPEEDS THAT EXIST !!!!

 

Beautiful car! My first GS was a burgundy mist/white top, black interior 1970 model. Wish I still had that car! As someone who has worked in an automotive factory for the past 25 years, and several of those as a body repairman. I can tell you first hand that all vehicles aren’t built exactly the same, or even exactly as they were supposed to. They are assembled by human beings (even more so in 1970). Mistakes happen, operations break etc. Automotive assembly is not a hobby, it’s balls to the wall 24/7. If we run out of a particular part and have another part handy that’ll will work then that’s what gets installed. If a robot breaks and can’t be fixed within a timely manner then it gets bypassed and someone like me welds the part manually. My point is, if the machine that stamps these blocks breaks down they’re not going to send the workforce home and stop production. They’ll have a repairman stamp them by hand if necessary! Not saying this particular car was or wasn’t. I have no idea, I’m just saying keep an open mind when you see something that doesn’t look “exactly right”.

 

Beautiful car, great color combo. The cobblestones in the pictures look familiar for some reason. Has the dealer sold other Stage1s in the last few years?

 

yes, he sold this '72 Stage 1 convertible on BaT in March 2022: https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1972-buick-gs-stage-1-convertible/

wallypep, I wonder why they didn't put a link to this great video in the BaT auction listing? I have not seen it before. Thanks for the link. This is a fantastic '70 Buick. I think we will be surprised how high the bids go on this one.