Universal 1970 Information

Transcription

1 Universal 1970 Information - Production Figures Body Style Engine Type Production Hardtop 350 9,948 Hardtop 455 5,589 Hardtop 455 Stage 1 2,465 Convertible 455 1,184 Convertible 455 Stage GSX GSX 455 Stage Total Production for ,096 - VIN Located on the upper left face of the dash and is visible through the windshield. The 1 st digit will be a 4, Buick's code. The next 2 digits will be - 34 for GS for GS 455 The next 2 digits are the body style code - 67 for two door convertible 37 for two door hardtop The 6 th digit is the year code, 0. The letter is the assembly plant code - B - Baltimore, Maryland C - South Gate, California D - Atlanta, Georgia G - Framingham, Massachusetts H - Flint, Michigan I - Oshawa, Canada K - Kansas City or Leeds, Missouri L - Van Nuys, California N - Norwood, Ohio V - Bloomfield, New Jersey X - Kansas City, Missouri or Fairfax, Kansas Y - Wilmington, Delaware Z - Fremont, California - Colors Color Sales Code Service Code Regal Black A 19 Glacier White C 10 Gulfstream White D 25 Diplomat Blue E 28 Coronet Gold G 55 Seamist Green H 58 Aqua Mist K 34 Sherwood Green M 48 Burgundy Mist N 78 Silver Mist P 14 Fire Red R 75 Desert Gold S 53 Bamboo Cream Y 50 Harvest Gold Z 55 Apollo White C 10 Saturn Yellow Q Q

2 - Vinyl Roof Colors Color Sales Code Service Code White 1 A Black 2 Dark Gold 7 Dark Brown 5 Dark Green 9 - Convertible Top Colors Color Sales Code Service Code White 1 Black 2 Dark Green 5 E 1970 Chevrolet Monte Carlo's and Chevelle's use the same trunk lids as the GS. You could order the GS painted in a Riveria color for $100. The Riveria paint code will be on the cowl plate.

3 1970 GS Engine Engine has an engine code of SP and is painted red. Bore and Stroke " x 3.850" Compression Ratio :1 Horsepower RPM Torque ft RPM The Carburerator was a Rochester Q Jet 4V with numbers of M/T and A/T Distributor Number Firing Order is with the left bank from front to back being and the right being Transmission There were three different transmissions offered with the GS in 1970, a three speed manual, a four speed manual, and the TH-350 automatic. - Rear Axle The standard rear axle ratio was 3.23:1. The GS was equipped with dual exhaust. The stripes in the rocker panels should be red in color.

4 1970 GS Engine Engine has an engine code of SR and is painted red. Bore and Stroke " x 3.900" Compression Ratio :1 Horsepower RPM Torque ft RPM The Carburerator was a Rochester Q Jet 4V with numbers of M/T and A/T Distributor Number Firing Order is with the left bank from front to back being and the right being The intake casting number was The head casting number was Note: The casting number for service replacement heads was The valves were 2.000" in diameter for intake and 1.625" in diameter for exhaust. The block casting number was Transmission There were three different transmissions offered with the GS in 1970, a three speed manual, a four speed manual, and the TH-400 automatic. - Rear Axle The standard rear axle ratio was 3.42:1 for manual transmission cars and 2.93:1 for cars equipped with the TH-400. The GS was equipped with dual exhaust. The stripes in the rocker panels should be red in color.

5 1970 GS 455 Stage 1 - Engine Engine has an engine code of SS, located between the 5 and 7 plug holes, and is painted red. Bore and Stroke " x 3.900" Compression Ratio :1 Horsepower RPM Torque ft RPM The Carburerator was a Rochester Q Jet 4V with numbers of M/T and A/T Distributor Number Firing Order is with the left bank from front to back being and the right being The intake casting number was The head casting number was Note: The casting number for service replacement heads was The Stage 1 heads share casting numbers with the 455 heads, but contain larger valves. The intake valve is 2.120" in diameter and the 1.755" in diameter. The block casting number was Stage 1 cam - At advanced duration (0.006") is 297 o intake and 307 o exhaust. Duration at 0.050" is 207 o intake and 226 o exhaust. Lift at intake is 0.406" and 0.440" at exhaust Lobe seperation is 116 o at intake and exhaust. The Stage 1 should have a 5 / 8 " inside diameter oil pickup tube and a high pressure 60 psi oil relief spring. The Stage 1 should also have chrome valve covers and bolts. The Stage 1 had a black painted air cleaner lid. - Transmission There were three different transmissions offered with the GS in 1970, a three speed manual, a four speed manual, and the TH-400 automatic. If the car has the TH-400 the transmission should have a model code of BB. The transmission model code is located on the passenger side of the transmission. TH-400 should also have a high RPM governor. - Rear Axle The standard rear axle ratio was 3.64:1 for non-air conditioned cars and 3.42:1 for cars equipped with air conditioning. The GS was equipped with dual exhaust. The stripes in the rocker panels should be red in color. All GS Stage 1's were assembled in Flint, Michigan and will have H as the seventh position of the VIN. The Stage 1 package was code #275 and cost $ The Stage 1 emblems should attach through studs in the "S" and the "1".

6 1970 GSX - Engine The GSX could be equipped with either the 455 or the 455 Stage 1 engine. - Transmission There were two different transmissions offered with the GS in 1970, a four speed manual which was standard, and the TH-400 automatic. The TH-400 should have a model code of BB or OW for a Stage 1 and BA for a standard Rear Axle The GSX's equipped with the 455 had a 3.42:1 rear axle ratio with posi-traction. The GS was equipped with dual exhaust. The stripes in the rocker panels should be black in color. The GSX was offered in only two colors - Saturn Yellow and Apollo White. The GSX was only offered as a hardtop, no convertibles were produced. The paint code for a Saturn Yellow GSX is QQ and was used only on the GSX. The paint code for the Apollo White GSX is 10 and was also the same code for the Glacier White GS's. The GSX contained no seperate VIN identification. GSX option included: Rallye Ride Control Power Disc Brakes G60 x 15 Tires on 7" Chrome Wheels Engine Insruments and Rallye Clock GSX Specific Ornamentation Four-Speed Manual Transmission Consolette Items that were specific to the GSX: Front and Rear Spoilers Note: The front spoiler was shipped in the trunk and installed by the dealer to prevent damage during transportation. Hood Stripe Body Side, Fender, Quarter Panel, and Rear Spoiler Stripes GSX Quarter Panel and Rear Spoiler Decals GSX Grill and Instrument Panel Emblems Outside Racing Mirrors Hood Tachometer Rallye Steering Wheel 3.42:1 Posi-Traction Rear Axle Except L75 Option Stage 1 Cars Black Bucket Seats Optional equipment was the TH-400 transmission with floor shift console and the Stage 1 option. Items not available on the GSX: Vinyl Top Body Side Protective, Deck Lid, Rear of Hood, and Fender Cowl Moldings The GSX had a black interior, trim code 188. The GSX came with a special padded steering wheel The GSX also had a special trunk tensioner bar to support the spoiler. GSX's with the original paint should have a small miss-match in the stripes directly above the rear wheel well.

7 Is It a Factory Stage 1? by Richard Lasseter and Mark DeConti as published in the Nov/Dec 1994 GS X-tra The VIN does not differentiate the Stage 1 from the standard 455. Contrary to popular belief such options as tach, gages, sway bars, 15" wheels and disc brakes were not standard equipment with the Stage 1. The Stage 1 short block is identical to its non-stage 1 counterpart. All 1970 and later Stage 1 heads were simply standard heads opened up to accept bigger Stage 1 valves. This is why standard and Stage 1 heads carry the same casting number. On the smaller bore 400 in 1969, the bigger valves would ve been shrouded too much to give any solid horsepower gain so the 1969 Stage 1 carried the standard size valves. Stiffer valve springs came with the Stage 1 option. You also got tubular pushrods, which of course all 1970 and later 455s had, but in 1969 they were unique to the Stage 1. The 1970 Stage 1 carried a half point higher compression due to the larger valves taking up more space in the combustion chamber. Due to this fact, for any given year(except 1969) the Stage 1 had an actual compression.4 points higher than the standard 455. All Stage 1 cars also had 5/8" i.d. oil pickup tubes. This was unique to the Stage 1 in 1969 and 1970 but about midyear 1971, all 455 engines came so equipped. Ditto for high-pressure 60-psi oil pressure relief spring. Those minor, yet important, items were the only changes in the] Stage 1 oiling system. Internally, the only other change was the slightly hotter cam. It can be identified by one thin, non-functional groove on the barrel of the cam right before the first pair of lobes. Stage 2 cams have two grooves right together. Engine wise, the only other changes were minor ignition and carb modifications. All Stage 1 cars were to be initially timed at 10 degrees BTDC. Jetting was one size larger than stockand secondary metering was also richer due to thinner secondary metering rods. All Stage 1 cars did come with HD cooling which primarily centered around a 7 blade fan and three core radiator. All ac equipped GS big blocks came with HD cooling. Drive train wise, all Stage 1 engines came with a BB coded, six clutch pack transmission that also had a high rpm governor and increased pressure valving for neck-snapping, tire burning shifts. These transmissions had two capital B's on the trans. i.d. plate located on the passenger side of the trans. Finally, all Stage 1 cars came standard with a posi rear. In 1969 and 1970, the gear ratios were 3.42 and 3.64 for AC cars and non-ac versions, respectively. Other ratios up to 3.91 could be ordered. Starting in 1971 all Stage 1 cars had The serial number of 1969 and 1970 models were GS specific. The first five digits of the VIN designate the GS model. The hardtop was and the convertible carried The GS350 was model The 455 Stage 1 was only available on the or models in 1969 and In 1971, only one GS model was available in hardtop and convertible. The 455 and Stage 1 was now just an option to a GS 350. This makes identification a bit more difficult but not impossible. The Stage 1 was only built in Flint MI. The seventh digit of the VIN must be an H for Flint assembly plant. All Stage 1 cars came with chrome valve covers and bolts. The lower bolts have shanks for the spark plug wire holders. If the covers are chrome but the bolts are not something is not right. It is easy to chrome a set of valve covers but the bolts are a different story. We hear some 1969 GS Stage 1 cars came with chrome air cleaner lids but we know most of them didn't. The 1970 and later model GS cars had black painted lids. No GS ever had a fully chromed air cleaner. The decals are all being reproduced so don't use them as a means of identification. Original Stage 1 decals had raised letters that are noticeable to the touch. There are also some pretty good reproductions around.

8 The Stage 1 cars had two Stage 1 emblems. The 1969 emblem is on the hood and the is on the front fender under the GS emblem. After market and even GM supplies of these emblems are still available. It is worthwhile to take a closer look. The original emblems attached to the fenders at the S and 1. The emblems available today are the variety that attach at studs in the center of the emblem. All Stage cars used a different carburetor and distributor than its standard counterpart. The numbers are as follows: Year Carburetor # Distributor # The real nitty gritty of engine i.d. is the engine code. It is stamped on the block deck between number 5 and 7 spark plugs. The key letter here is "S" The second letter of the code MUST be an "S" A 1969 would be RS, 1970 is SS, 1971 is TS and 1972 is WS. The last three digits are the production code for the build date and is not used for Stage 1 identification. The VIN is stamped on the block between number 1 and 3 spark plugs on 1969 and 1970 models. It is on the face of the driver's side of the block beneath the power steering pump on models. If the last six digits of this number match the last six of the VIN then this engine originally came in the car. If not, the engine has been changed. The transmission also has a VIN stamped onto the case. Again if the last six digits match the dash VIN tag the transmission is the original. The driver's side axle tube has two letter code stamped on it. The 3.42 used code OO with 3.64 getting ON. These codes also designate posi-traction. Some axle tubes may not have any stampings. Beginning in 1971, the rear axle was increased to 8.5" ring gear. It visually became different from 1969 to 1970 design and carried different letter codes. The code for 3.42 was LWB or LW. Just for the record, 12 bolt rears were not available in any Stage 1. Only Canadian built GS models came with 12-bolt rears