(By Greg Rourke) – We all know the Golden Age of muscle cars pretty much ended after 1971. A few hung on, notably Super Duty Trans Ams, but the rest were relegated to sticker charged attempts at performance. Road Runners, GTOs, and Z28s at least made an attempt, albeit with wheezing smog dog V8 engines. Perhaps the worst insult to injury might be the GSX Buick of 1974.
This sorry example shows us just far the mighty had fallen. In the second half of the 1970 model year Buick rolled out the GSX, with the only engine choices the 455 with or without the Stage One option. For 71 and 72 you could also spec a 350, but the 455 was still available. For 73 the GSX seems to have been mercifully euthanized. However, in 1974 the name was brought back as an option on the Apollo, which one should never call a Nova at a car show. So what did one get when checking the GSX option in 1974? Stickers, a blacked out grill, a white bucket seat interior, and a choked out, underwhelming inline six cylinder Chevrolet power plant. Oh, and wire wheel covers. Yes, you could order a 4 barrel 350 Buick engine, and most did, but that six banger was just an insult.
Buick should have left barely well enough alone after 1972.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE CL AD FOR A 1974 BUICK GSX
C’mon Brian; at the time, everyone was doing it. Was this really any worse than that Plymouth Volare Road Runner or AMC AMX Spirit?
I like the AMX Spirit! It’s a flawed car, point taken, but it was our own hot hatch, and it was just an assembly line away from being an Eagle SX4.
In Plymouth’s defense, the Road Runner was never offered with a six cylinder.
I wouldn’t mind having that car. It’s a 455 and a paint job away from greatness. And Randal can give me the parts list to put a 5 speed behind it. Point taken on the Chevy six – and I RACED a Chevy six! Just doesn’t belong between those fenders.
Dan
Same argument could be leveled at the 74 GTO… Buick was hardly alone in the X-bodification of its previous halo car…
I’m trying to think of excuses for the 74 GTO… uuummmm. yeah it sucked!
Oh wait it had a shaker hood and you could get a 4spd?
None of y’all remember the Brazilian Chevy six race cars. Same basic platform.
But truly badass
Step one: remove lame 6 and weak-matic. Put in a built TH200R4 & a GNX spec or better built Turbo 3.8L V6. The find a 1968-1970 Nova 12 bolt rear end. Because the 8.2 or 8.5 ring gear 10 bolts will fail.
There’s no title and it needs a shit ton of money to make it right. But he does say it would make a good drag car. Could be and it would be unusual anywhere you go. I forgot about these Nova body weirdos