Vehicle Description
It's still shocking to many classic car enthusiasts that the big,
bad muscle car Buicks don't get more respect from the collector car
market. With more torque than anything this side of a Chevelle, and
a unique combination of luxury and performance, cars like this
dialed-in 1971 Buick Skylark GS Tribute should be on every muscle
car fan's list of favorites. Featuring a powerful 455 big block V8,
good options, and styling for days, this 'Gentleman's Hotrod' may
be the best bang-for-your-buck in our showroom right now, so you
better read fast...
The relatively unknown prowess of the Buick muscle car can work in
your favor, however, because there's a ton of performance in this
car for a fraction of the cost of a big block Chevelle or GTO. This
car started out as a regular Skylark, but during the restoration,
it was upgraded with a built 455 that's quite an impressive
horsepower machine. Gray Metallic is the color (an upgrade over the
factory Code 53 Cortex Gold in our opinion), and it looks fantastic
on the Buick's curves, perfectly fitting with the division's
performance mission. Bodywork was done not long ago, and everything
fits together nicely, including the fiberglass hood with pins and a
faux ram-air setup (part of the GS package). It's been driven a bit
and there's some very minor evidence of use and blemishes, but
nobody's going to complain about how awesome this girl looks in
person. Proper GS 455 badges were procured for the transformation,
including the one on the blacked-out GS grille up front, and a
newer black vinyl-wrap on the roof was installed that adds a touch
of sophistication to this 'Grown-Ups' muscle car. Chrome is quite
good throughout, especially the heavy-duty bumpers fore and aft,
and the unique red-trimmed rocker panel trim adds a racy look.
The black vinyl interior is in good order - including the sculpted
front buckets and matching rear bench seat - reasonably plush tan
carpets fully insulate the cabin, and nicely turned-out black door
panels with proper GS badge inserts. The original gauges are in
good condition inside the factory bezel, and this one features an
aftermarket tachometer that was installed to mind the revs, and
despite the colors not matching, it fits in quite well. But those
gauges only cover the basics, so a set of auxiliary units were
neatly integrated under the dash that match the tachometer. The tan
dash warms things up a bit inside, a JVC AM/FM/CD is fitted in the
factory slot, and the dash pad is in great shape with no cracks or
fading to report. And yes, this Skylark was indeed a factory A/C
car, and it's blowing cold thanks to an R134a refrigerant upgrade.
The wood-rimmed three-spoke steering wheel is in fine condition and
includes a Buick horn ring, and it's joined on the column with a
shifter that easily falls to hand. Out back, the trunk has plenty
of space to accommodate almost any Power Tour gear you'd ever need,
and the painted sheetmetal presents well and offers another
opportunity to showcase just how solid the bones of this Buick
really are.
The original 350 block that powered this Buick is long gone,
replaced by a thumping 455 V8 that's been built right and has
plenty of horsepower on tap. With a 4-barrel carburetor,
performance intake, and long-tube headers it's definitely got the
hardware to take some pink slips, and it all feels like it's barely
getting broken in. The block's been neatly detailed and is topped
with finned Buick valve covers and a chrome Holley open-element air
cleaner, and even the wiring for the HEI ignition is neatly
organized and the inner fenders and firewall were nicely painted
satin black to really make the motor pop. The TH350 3-speed
automatic transmission shifts smoothly, but most importantly it
shrugs off the horsepower going through it with ease and spins a
heavy-duty 10-bolt rear end out back adorned with a TA differential
cover. Fat sway bars front and rear help this big body devour
corners, while power steering and power front disc brakes make each
drive an absolute pleasure. Long-tube headers feed a dual exhaust
system that sounds awesome and it sits on ever-handsome Buick Mag
wheels with staggered 235/60/15 front and 295/50/15 rear BFGoodrich
T/A white-letter radials that finish off the killer look.
This is a handsome, fast, well-sorted muscle car from arguably the
best year for performance and power. If you've been searching for a
clean A-body with a big block, perhaps you've just been looking
under the wrong banner. Take a long look at this GS Tribute and see
if maybe you'd prefer a little extra luxury with your muscle, then
give us a call!