The 1960s in the United States had seen ever-increasing horsepower levels as domestic auto makers were competing for the pinnacle of muscle car performance, but that competition would see its acme with the 1970 model year. Looming government fuel economy standards (that would become known as Corporate Average Fuel Economy after 1975), federal emissions regulations, and insurance companies’ increasing reluctance to cover young drivers in high-horsepower cars would sound the death knell for factory performance specials. Rather than knuckle under and neuter their big power muscle cars, General Motors chose to make 1970 the best year yet by removing their previous 400 cubic-inch displacement restriction on mid-size passenger cars, allowing each division to shoot for the moon. For Buick, this meant cramming their 455 cube Big Block into the Buick GSX.
The Buick GSX was a GS with the performance and handling package, akin to Oldsmobile’s 442 W-30 or the Pontiac GTO Judge. The GSX featured special graphics with stripes down either side, front and rear spoilers, sport mirrors, a hood-mounted tachometer, GSX emblems on the dash and in the grille, a unique padded steering wheel, and a beefier trunk torsion bar to deal with the added trunk spoiler weight. GSXs were also equipped with black bucket seats, a console-mounted shifter, front and rear anti-sway bars, quad-link rear suspension, a limited slip rear differential, quick ratio steering, and Firestone Wide Oval tires. Air conditioning could be had, but only as a dealer-installed option. With its Ram Air 455, the GSX produced 350 horsepower, but the GSX Stage I option bumped horsepower to 360, with a pavement-wrinkling 510 pound-feet of torque. The GSX could be equipped either with the four-speed manual or three-speed automatic transmissions. Buick built just 678 GSXs for the 1970 model year, 491 in Saturn Yellow and 187 in Apollo White.
Our feature 1970 Buick GSX is one of an estimated 400 built with the Stage I performance package, and one of 282 equipped with the Turbo-Hydramatic three-speed automatic transmission. It was used as a competition car early in its life, albeit with a replacement drivetrain as the owner removed the original. The GSX was the subject of a two-year restoration that was completed in 2010, restoring the original drivetrain. It is finished in Apollo White over a black vinyl bucket seat interior, and equipped with power steering, power brakes with front discs, front and rear spoilers, hood-mounted tach, a Sonomatic AM radio, and fifteen-inch five-spoke wheels shod in reproduction Goodyear Polyglas GT tires. Included in the sale are a build sheet and a 1970 Ohio title in the original owner’s name.
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Comments
Buick’s glory days. Since the ’87 GM and GNX, nothing but crickets and ultra boring sedans and crossovers. Anyone out there covet a Rendezvous or Regal? Why GM continues to castrate and starve it’s brands then pronounce them dead is nonsensical. Buick should have been killed back in ’10 along with GMC Truck and the dollars put into creating some appealing and attractive Pontiac’s or Oldsmobile’s. China be dammed.
Yes! Who wants to buy a pissy assed foreign tin can with an American nameplate slapped on it!?! Not me.
GM mid-sized cars from ’64-72 dominated the field. From wagons to muscle-cars. The Buicks and Olds models were always a little more refined. Great cars.