Upgrade a Base 455 to a Stage 1 Engine

No issue at all man. Everyones got an opinion.

Even for someone who is a purest myself, a sticker on an air cleaner is easily reversed. You do you.

 

My contention still applies here. Nothing wrong with a wolf in sheep's clothing so long as you declare the upgrade to a future buyer.

 

In the good 'ol days, one would put a 350-2 sticker on the air cleaner... especially before hanging out at the local burger joint on weekends.

 

I agree with that.

 

I would respect making it all it can be, after all it’s just a car. I just so happen to be a guy that loves to look at factory originals, heck I’ll fawn all day over a 1963 Corvair that’s 100% correct and walk right by the next 1967 427/435 hp Corvette (90% are fake). It’s just who I am.

I’m just trying to tell you that your car is beautiful just how it is, great colors and a BB, it doesn’t need any embellishments to draw attention to it.

 

Thank you 72Stage 1 for your nice comments on my Buick. I love this car and it is beautiful.

I have to tell you when I bought this car and looked over the Build sheet, I found a number of upgrades that were not factory on my Buick.
I had no idea of this situation. My Buick started life at the Buick factory as a Base 455. These are the items that got added.

As you read through the below mods. I can tell you; I have been told by many Buick folks, that the below "upgrades" are acceptable
because, these are "Upgrades", you could have gotten from the Buick factory. SO, where do you draw the LINE, what is or isn't factory on any given car???

Not all the below "upgrades" were advertised. Only one's that enhanced the car's operating features or just got left out because the owner forgot or didn't tell the Classic car Dealership about.

I can tell you I have looked at a lot of Buick GS 455's over several years, and it's very difficult to find one that has NOT been "Upgraded".

But, let me be clear, I'm not a purest, so a lot of the Upgrades below are one's I really appreciate having.
This car handles better, braking is much better. Tilt steering wheel is a upgrade I like very much.
I find the Radial tire performance is much better, sense my Buick is a driver and not a garage queen, this is very important to me.
Of course, the engine performance is much better, I like that.
I could have done without the shift kit, not found of the trans shifting a low speed and getting that punch in the back.
Advertised as having a 3.42 posi differential, when checked, it had a 2.93 posi differential. Just goes to show, Dealerships do not check to see if the car has what the owner says it has.
I added the LED headlights because the first time I drove the Buick at night, I could hardly see 15 feet in front of the car.
Made for dangerous driving at night. To me, this is a Safety issue.


First, my Buick is a numbers matching car with A/C and TH400 Trans.

Upgrades:
(1) Rallys wheels. Originally came with hub caps.
(2) 15 in BFG Red line tires. Originally came with 14 in Polyglas tires.
(3) Front disc brakes. Originally came 4 drum brakes.
(4) F41 suspension. Originally came with Standard suspension.
(5) Tilt steering wheel. Originally came with non-tilt steering wheel.
(6) Upgraded with Stage 1 engine specs. Originally came with Base 455/350 engine.
(7) Shift Kit. Originally came with Standard BA TH400 trans.
(8) I Added LED headlights. Originally didn't come that way.

 

It's not the judges "could"care less on how it's presented... It's the judges "COULDN'T"care less on how it's presented. I used to get that wrong all the time up until about 13 or 14 years ago when I was corrected by a a Buick friend when I was about 56 or 57.
And Vet... Do or have the car the way you want it but always be honest if you're going to sell it. We're just borrowing these hunks of metal for a short time until we take our last breath.

 

When I take my last breath, my wife or daughter will have to sell the Buick.
I do have a big binder with all the Buick documentation that anyone would love to see, read.
Lots of photos, all restoration and mechanical work ever done to this car. And all $$$ spend to get this car where it is today.
As my Navy Chief used to say, "be all you can be", buy a Buick. Lol

 

To answer your last question on your post, “Where do you draw the line”…..it’s quite simple……..Factory means what it left the factory with, AS Born With.

And to be honest, I added a Buick 8-track to my Orange Stage 1 because like you, I like having it

 

Ok, that's fine.

Of course if I was a purest, I can't control what other people "upgrade".

That's what I am trying to convey. Glad i'am not s purest, because it is very difficult to find a vehicle that is exactly the way it came from the factory with it's build sheet.
A barn find is the most likely factory correct vehicle that can be found. Most of the time.

 

The shift kit should be easy to reverse if it bothers you that much.

 

Great, thanks for the tip. Vet

 

What really nice when you buy a Stage 1, it comes with a lot of goodies, not so much with a Base GS 455. Vet

 

I mean Brett's car is a stripped car, Stage 1 or not. This is how he and for example, Dano, really like them. I always found it odd, as I've expressed before, but they have their reasoning for that and to each their own.

 

You know what they say about striped Stage 1's, less weight, go faster.lol Vet

 

My bamboo cream 4 speed has only one power option and is ps.

 

Brett- Am I reading this correctly? Your car is not an a/c car? If not, I love it. 3:64 gear 4-speed. I love it! The right color too… What rpm at 55mph?