Targeting the Olds W-30 4-4-2, Chevy SS454 Chevelle, and other max-perf Motown Muscle, the ’70 BUICK STAGE 1 SKYLARK & GSX catapulted Buick into the heat of the battle for Supercar supremacy.
The ’70 BUICK STAGE 1 SKYLARK & GSX, in 360 horsepower trim, were the industry’s first “adult” Supercars. It was a powerful, high-quality, well-balanced midsize coupe (or convertible) with superb ride and handling qualities. While the GS-455 was almost invisible compared with competitive offerings like the Chevelle SS, GTO, Road Runner, or Cobra Jet Torino, the GSX had the look and the power. Tasteful GS Stage I fender emblems were the Gran Sport’s only status badging, while the GSX stopped traffic with bold striping, scooped hood, and a tailored rear spoiler.
“Quiet” is the best way to describe the Stage I GS-455’s appearance – but not its performance! Having driven GS Buicks, including Stage I Skylarks, at GM’s Milford Proving Ground since the first Riviera GS in 1965, I was a believer. No carmaker did a better job of matching chassis/suspension tuning to powertrains than Buick. Once Buick started building Skylarks with 455-inch engines in 1970 and especially the GSX, they became “players” in the highly competitive Supercar Sweepstakes.
Buick dealers did not have a lot of experience selling performance cars to young people. Because Skylark Gran Sports were premium-priced and void of scoops, stripes, and wings, they didn’t appeal to enthusiasts who wanted to “make a statement”. However, that all changed on February 9th, 1970, when Buick announced the GSX, “Another Light-Your-Fire Car From Buick”. Featuring a bold front spoiler, beautifully integrated rear spoiler, distinctive striping and graphics, badging, and paint treatment, and a black hood with faired-in tachometer, a production Saturn Yellow GSX broke cover on February 10th at the Chicago Auto Show.
Also available in Apollo White with contrasting black trim, the GSX, with standard or Stage 1 455 powertrains, was Flint’s first attempt at targeting enthusiasts who were considering a GTO Judge or other high-profile cars. Like Pontiac’s GTO-based Judge, the GSX was a loaded Skylark GS-455 “customized” to appeal to enthusiasts who wanted to make a statement. It certainly was not for anyone looking for a stealth street racer! A late entry in the marketplace, the GSX did not appear in 1970 model catalogs and was not well promoted by Buick dealers. With deliveries starting in March 1970, total GSX sales hit just 678. A base GSX carried an MSPR of $3,283.
For the 1970 model year, GM lifted its self-imposed 400-inch midsize model displacement ban, allowing Chevrolet to market a 454/450 Mark IV big-block Chevelle. Buick, Oldsmobile, and Pontiac offered 455-inch Skylarks, 4-4-2s, and GTOs. Once magazines started road testing new models, it was obvious that 360-horsepower ’70 BUICK STAGE 1 SKYLARK & GSX were delivering performance numbers equal to, or better than, cars powered by higher output big-block engines.
The Stage 1 GS-455 engine was rated at 360 horsepower at 4,600 rpm and an unrivaled 510 pound/feet of torque at 2,800 rpm. It was suspect that there was only a 10-horsepower difference between standard and Stage I engines. When you opted for Stage 1, the 10.5-to-1 engine was fitted with a re-jetted and modified Quadrajet four-barrel with fresh air induction, high-performance valve train, .490-inch-lift, 326/348-degree-duration camshaft, and new heads with 2.12/1.75-inch valves. If you chose an automatic transmission, it was a beefed-up TH-400 with a 2.48 First gear.
The Stage 1 engine was a $113.75 option on the $4,932 non-air-conditioned, automatic GSX that Joe Oldham tested. The Electric Banana was featured in the October 1970 issue of Hi-Performance CARS. He obviously liked it: “Buick’s GSX was the best handling Supercar we had driven at the time. Over the road with the windows up, the Stage 1 GSX was silent despite the 455 cubes throbbing under the hood”.
Back in the day, it was not unusual for carmakers to keep the lid on horsepower ratings. Insurance companies had a field day raising rates on high-performance cars, especially for young owners. The higher the horsepower, the higher the rates. While all eyes were on horsepower, insurance companies paid little attention to torque ratings, which are the key to actual performance. Stage 1 had the highest torque rating, at 510 pound/feet, of any performance engine in 1970 and held that honor for a number of years. Before the 1970 Winternationals, the NHRA “factored” the ’70 BUICK STAGE 1 SKYLARK & GSX, rating the engine at 400 horsepower!
Magazine road tests from that period revealed a wide range of performance times, indicating that all test cars were not “created equal”. When I tested a pre-production Stage I GS-455 Skylark for SUPERCARS ’70 ½ in June 1969, it was an automatic with a 3.64 Posi rear. My best quarter-mile time was 102 mph in 14.10 seconds. Oldham tested a GSX, same specs as my Skylark, at E-Town and posted a best time of 103 mph in 14.0 seconds. He recorded a 0 to 60 mph sprint in 6.2 seconds. “It was quick. I can remember blowing off the likes of GTOs and 442s in informal runs late at night on deserted stretches of road.”
The ’70 BUICK STAGE 1 SKYLARK & GSX were the surprise hits of 1970. They were quick. They were fast. They delivered premium performance for those who understood the advantages of speaking softly and carrying a big stick. Joe Oldham said it all in his GSX road test: “No question, the Stage I Buick is one of the quickest, best running Musclecars of all time. It may also be the best handling.”
For complete details on the ’70 BUICK STAGE 1 SKYLARK & GSX and midsize lineup, please visit https://over-drive-magazine.com/2022/12/06/1970-buick-mid-size-car-fact-sheet/
Plymouth introduced its Valiant-based, fastback ’64 PLYMOUTH BARRACUDA: FIRST PONYCAR on April 1st, 1964, edging out Ford’s Mustang reveal on April 17th. A few months later in August, Ford showed its competitive 2 2 fastback. Plymouth may have beaten Ford to the marketplace, but it barely dented Ford’s ownership of the Ponycar market segment. The first model year is often referenced as 1964 ½, and the Barracuda barely dented Mustang’s appeal and sales success: 23,443 compared with 126, 538!
In June 1965 I spent a couple of hours with Golden Commandos’ John Dallafiore and the Goldfish at the Chelsea Proving Ground drag strip. He was evaluating engine modifications and I was working on a story for the November issue of Hi-Performance CARS. He graciously loaned me his helmet so I could make a few passes in the four-speed Goldfish. With its small-displacement, single-four-barrel engine and 4.89 gears, I shifted at a tick under 6,000 rpm. It felt like a strong mid-14-second car. Three months later, driver and transmission engineer, John Dallafior, won F/Stock at the 1965 NHRA Indy Nationals. He was a considerably quicker and faster than me – 103.68 mph in 13.47 seconds!
For everything you’ve always wanted to know about the ’64 PLYMOUTH BARRACUDA: FIRST PONYCAR please visit