The early 70s Buicks are now going for over $30,000 on EBay motors. Huge cars, they are not a cheap cruise. But...beautiful cars, and kill ngs of the road of their era!
My first car was a '73 Buick Regal. It had a 454, 400 turbo trans and a mechanical 4 barrel Quadra-jet. It ate the 1st set of mufflers I put on it so I went with glass packs. It was sweet! Like this one it was loaded, but had a bench seat, which I preferred. The fastest car in town was a '65 mustang that could pull its tires off the ground on launch, mine could hold its nose on his rear bumper on a 1/4 mile! Drove it for 4 years and sold it for what I payed for it to get a work truck - No, it was it the '69 El Camino!
Hi Stephen, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your 1st car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RU-vid Channel, Lou
Hi Andy, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RU-vid Channel, Lou
When Motor Trend tested the last mid-sized "big"-blocks in '73, there was a Stage One, 454 Laguna, and 440 Charger among some slower cars. I think the order and times were roughly Charger (15.00); Stage One (15.2) and Laguna (15.7). The really significant difference between the 270 HP Stage One and 250 hp Chevelle is evident in those numbers -- the Buick was still a supercar, and of course the drag-racing magazines were able to get those two top cars comfortably into the 14.00s with harder launches and some minor tweaks. And for a 4.200 pound car!
Hi vintagemotelguest, Thank you for viewing and sharing your knowledge. Hope you see many more cars on this RU-vid Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RU-vid Channel, Lou
Rare and well done, my friend. Buick delivered the performance to match its luxury, a dynamite combination that is still considered iconic 45 years later!
Hi Martyn Schorr, Happy to read you appreciate this car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RU-vid Channel, Lou
joe Schlotthauer They are underrated imo all though there brand was a luxury car the Buick GS really caught peoples attention not really for the Grand sport itself but to go into Buick show room to look at other Buick cars.
Wow, old video, but what a beautiful vehicle. You never here people go back in time talking about cars from 73, it's always 71 and under. The lines are classic on this.
Looking at the front fender treatment with the creases blending into the doors, I see it as kind of a throwback to the Buicks of the '40s. What was great about the Colonnade coupes was that they were made to look like hardtops even though they weren't. While it is true that GM built these cars in anticipation of rollover laws, those laws actually didn't come to pass, but hardtops would eventually become passe anyway. Phil is very fortunate to have this rare car.
Hi Ellen Wilts, Glad you enjoyed this one and think the car is "Sweet!" A white interior must show every mark for sure, so you need to be super clean and tidy getting in this one :-) Lou
What an incredible car. Haven't seen one of these since I was a kid. That idle sound is killer, hard to believe its stock. Thx for the great interview Lou.
Hi Chuckles9191991, Glad to read you think this car is "incredible" :-) Agree, you just don't see this car. Regarding the interview, thank you for viewing and you're welcome, Lou
That's also net power with everything driven off the crank. instead of the old time gross power ratings. Probably has 8.5:1 compression to so it's down a bit of power from the 1970 model. Either way, this is a sweet car. Thanks Lou.
1973 Century I personally consider it one of the nicest cars that Buick introduced to the market. I really enjoyed the video. Thanks LOU. Please have a great day. Kind Regards HISHAM ELFIKI
Nice! I turned over, (not ready to take on a barge of a project) a ‘73 Chevelle SS454, 4 speed, A/C, dark brown with beige-swivel-bucket seat interior, NON POSI, (would light up that one tire at 50 mph, which was a new experience always having posi in past cars). Like this Century, it would be quite a collectible car now. Thanks Lou. Love your style and respect your investment of time.
Hi Richard Malone, Glad you think this car is "nice" :-) Appreciate your kind words regarding my style, and you're welcome. Hope you enjoy many more cars on this RU-vid Channel, Lou
Thanks Lou for another great selection on a terrific car. I also saw this car at the MCACN show and really enjoyed seeing it. A super rare car and many people are unaware that the Stage 1 was still available and that the 4 speed was also available. A phenomenal Buick indeed!
Hi mrgrandprix fourspeed, Thank for sharing you enjoyed this "terrific car" :-) Glad you went to the Muscle Car and Corvette National, and were able to see so many amazing cars in person, Lou
Sorry to be off topic but does anyone know a way to get back into an Instagram account..? I was dumb lost the password. I love any assistance you can give me!
@Nasir Kyng i really appreciate your reply. I got to the site through google and I'm in the hacking process atm. Seems to take a while so I will get back to you later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
Those beautiful curves on the side of the Gran Sport... I can feel the hard work put into it... makes it rare to see... since that there were 92 built, it's easy to tell that it is not everywhere... the vinyl top is incredible. The white, wedding-ish interior looks very suitable for a wedding too! The great engine is no complaint... just wow. On the exhaust when the engine fires out's the fuel sounds like a fart (haha). The fact: In 1973-75 and in 1986, there was a Century Gran Sport. For 1973, Buick renamed its intermediate line from Skylark to Century, a nameplate previously used on Buick's full-sized performance cars from 1936 to 1942 and 1954 to 1958. Like all GM intermediates, the 1973 Century received new Colonnade styling, which amounted to pillared hardtop sedans, coupes and station wagons - each of which utilized frameless windows along with fixed rear side windows, and convertibles were discontinued. The GS became the "Gran Sport" and was now an option package on the semi-fastback Century 350 Colonnade coupes. The "Gran Sport" option included decals on the rear fenders and trunk lid reading "gran sport" along with suspension and appearance upgrades. More than 700 '73 Century GS models were built with the Stage 1 455, the majority with the three-speed Turbo Hydra-matic 400 transmission and a small number with the four-speed manual transmission, John.
I used to take my grand national to the GS Nationals in Bowling Green Kentucky what an awesome event for the GS and GN! Best part was the camaraderie at the hotels at night time!
Thanks for this great sleeper video Lou. Like I mentioned before these performance Buicks were largely unrepresented at the recent Mecum auctions. I hope there is more representation at the upcoming events.
Hi Brenden Howe, Glad you enjoyed this one and consider the car "beautiful" :-) Thank you for the wonderful comment and encouragement. It's appreciated, You're welcome, Lou
Nice, I was with my Dad and he bought a brand new Buick Regal in 1973 for 4.000 dollars out the door it was a beautiful green and green interior in belleire Ohio
Loving this one thanks for sharing this is one of my favorite cars it's on my list they don't make cars like this anymore would love to test drive this one thanks for sharing keep up the good work
Hi Oteliussen from Norway, Thank you for the wonderful comment and happy to read you're enjoying the Channel. I'll keep finding the details for you :-) Lou
I liked the 73-77 colonnade Pontiac's the best...but they were all great looking cars. The 77 Can Am is probably my favorite car of the late 70s...other than a 77-78 W72 400-4 speed Trans Am. I'm a Mopar guy but Mopar was completely in the shitter by 1974...the year they replaced the 340 small block with the junk 360
Hi Keith, Happy to read you appreciate the looks of this car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RU-vid Channel, Lou
Very attractive Buick, looks great in gold. I like the interior, very cool n comfy looking and a striking contrast to the warm gold. Might be the most I've seen goin on in an engine compartment... seriously a lot in there. Looks impressive. Beautiful car, great vid, thank you!
I bought a new Camaro in '73 overlooking this Buick just next door to where I orded the LT Z28 what did I miss, but I've no regrets the Camaro was an awesome car you couldn't have changed my mind at 19
I had two Buick centurys a 1974 & a 1975. one was a Luxor or lexor I can't remember. I painted one this exact color with murals on the trunk. And I painted to the other one a dark pastel green with a white half top and believe it or not gangster whitewalls. One had flowmasters and the other cherry bombs or glasspacks exhaust. It was the early 90s and I was young and dumb with pockets full of cash. Those were the days.
Now that's a engine needed in my 76' Buick Regal. I was born with a Buick in the driveway and been driving nonething Buick out of my driveway. ✌️out bro
Had one for a whole month,..........till the rear main let go! Very nice,....fat slot mags,......air shocks......cool cars! Also had a 73,74,75,442’s. And I always wanted a Pontiac can am.
Perfect ! There’s not a surface on this car I couldn’t eat my dinner off. Another self-confessed collector happy to admit his condition to friends and with a GS for (almost) every day of the week.
Hi Andrew Graham, Agreed a lovely dinner table, however I'd be nervous using a fork with the paint looking this nice, so I'd have to use a rubber covered baby spoon :-) Lou
As the British would say what a great BURBLE from the exhaust. My dad had nothing but Buicks. Wildcat, Lesabre, two Rivy's. And I know drive a new turbo Regal which I love.
This was what I always wanted to sink my teeth into...although it was a shame that ragtops were gradually being outlawed until circa 1982, when Chrysler brought them back out in full force!
Hi David, Happy to read you appreciate this car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RU-vid Channel, Lou
Hi sebastian chavez, Glad you "love the car!" :-) Thank you for the kind words on the video, and let's see if a SS Chevelle will hit the Channel soon. If you type into RU-vid search "My Car Story with Lou Chevelle" you should see some, and here is one I think you'll like, Enjoy, and Happy new year, Lou ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-kPC0QgdbXwI.html
SWEET ride! My old boss had a 1974 GS 445 Stage1 4-speed but his had t-tops. I could only find an obscure reference to that within an article about the 1975 "Spirit of America" Century Coupe with the Lightning Rod shifters back in 1985 in Muscle Car Mag, if I'm not mistaken. It referenced that only a few late production models came that way; something to do with the naming of the shifter between Olds and Buick (I think after '74, the Lightning Rod name was for Olds and Buick had to pat Olds for the use of it for '75). I saw a '72 red w/white top Regal Sun Coupe running around town about a year ago, between Joliet and New Lenox and it had a Stage1 badge on it. I know the biggest you could get in that model was the 350 Stage1. It was Rough, not rusted, but very faded red paint; nearly pink on the hood and trunk;, ratty top, sagging rear coils and it was burning more oil that gas. That's what it looked like since it was billowing blue smoke out the back end and was just coated in black soot and oil. An old guy (looked about 90 or older) was driving it and the back seat was filled with junk. I tried to stop him so I could buy it but he turned before I could catch him since I got the red light. The one thing I did like about the GS for '73 was that it looked like my '72 LeSabre Limited coupe, which I miss dearly. It had a 455 Stage1 in it from the factory. My aunt traded in her '65 Galaxie 500 XL LTD Coupe w/352 tri-power for the Buick. When I bought it in '84 it had 145K on it and ran like a top. She kept the car maintained to a T and so did I. I ended up degreeing the crank & cam and swapped out the quadrjunk for a Holley 650 Double pumper w/center squirters. THAT woke the Beast but I also got better mpg; nearly 16 mpg's in town and over 20 on the highway at 80 mph w3.08 posi.. It was all original and triple green and very comfortable. Those old Frigidaire A/C units really pumped out ICE COLD AIR! In the summer, I would get frost on the front window if it was humid out. BTW Lou, did you used to work at Kasch Auto's on 79th St?
Lou...I've disliked the looks of the mid to late seventies cars since they were built. Who the hell doesnt? Yet lately I've been spying videos of them and feel a tingling in my loins, the Can Am in particular,. Is this normal? Or should I have myself checked out?
Yeah, GM had convertible up through 1976 and 4 door pillarless hardtops too. But for SOME reason they saw fit to get rid of the two door pillarless hardtop in 1973. Too bad, so sad. But this is the finest example I have ever seen. Loaded, 4 speed AND all the power options, not common.
just beautiful!!!!!!, my brotherinlaw had a 69 stage 1 skylark wish It was still around, and my sister had a 74 Malibu classic, I loved the body styles from 73 to 77 :) thanks your for video :)
Really cool car. Obviously not quite a 70 gsx455 stage 1 but a really cool car just the same. First time I've ever actually seen one of these. Always thought 72 was the last year of the Buick GS
I picked up a 74 LeSabre 4dr sedan in the mid 80's....yeah ..big deal..right!....however ...this one was ordered by a Saskatchewan wheat farmer that I bought from when he retired.. a special order police equipped Lesabre from Kansas plant, HD suspension and brakes,HD Turbo 400,455-4v'police' engine,factory dual exhaust, pw, pbseat,,that thing pulled on the highway like mad, car is long gone but I still have the buildsheet buried somewhere...
Hi rodrigo oliveira from Brazil, Glad you enjoyed the looks of this one :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing a wonderful comment, and you're welcome, Lou
Thank you for Showing more. Post 1971 muscle cars am glad to see these cars you just don't see them compared to there 1960s and 1970 1971 Counter parts people always tend to give these cars flak for not being Fast.
I had a 1973 Oldsmobile 88 Royale convertible in Mayan Gold wa4413 code 60, which was a butterscotch gold. Buick called wa4413 Harvest Gold. Olds had 2 golds in 1973, Buick 3 golds with one color exclusive to the Riviera. The other Olds gold was a lighter Chamois Gold, which Buick called Green Gold. Due to the indoor lighting, I can't determine if this is Harvest Gold.
@@loucostabile oh absolutely Lou! your channel has long been one of my favorites when it comes to automotive classics and especially the American car scene. needless to say I am a subscriber. I appreciate your response, keep up the great work ! greetings from germany to America. :)
Hi Adrian Johnson, Happy to read you appreciate this car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RU-vid Channel, Lou