1970 BUICK GS 455 STAGE 1: Hiding in Plain Sight

 

Written by Eric Becker

There’s something undeniably cool about flying under the radar, being the proverbial wolf in sheep’s clothing, and yet sitting behind the wheel of a true scorcher. At the height of the muscle car era, during the late ’60s, performance was being served up by nearly every American automaker. Offerings were often loud and flashy colorful things adorned with “go-fast” stripes.

Little was left to the imagination … except when it wasn’t.

Buick isn’t a nameplate you’d think of when talking about the front lines of performance. It was a division of General Motors more catered to the banker or senior accountant. But the tri-shield was no stranger to performance or the muscle car for that matter, especially in 1970. On offer with No Reserve at the 2020 Barrett-Jackson Fall Auction is Buick’s premiere muscle car, a staid and discreet beast entertained by relentless shove and a raucous V8 engine note. Crossing the block as Lot #707, this 1970 Buick GS 455 Stage 1 truly earns its familial “fast Buick” nickname of “The Banker’s Hot Rod.” The ’70 GS Stage 1 is a true rarity; just 2,465 hardtops were produced in 1970, and only 664 of those came with the 4-speed manual. This is one of them.  Visit website