1969 Buick GS 400 Stage 1

Muscle car powered by Buick 400 Stage 1 V8.

1969 Buick GS front-quarter view; representative exact-year GS exterior context.

Build pathway Factory option on 1969 GS 400

Engine 400-cu-in Buick V-8, Stage 1, 4-barrel

Advertised output 350 hp gross; 440 lb-ft torque reported unchanged in references

Known body styles Sport Coupe and Convertible Coupe

Documented Stage 1 installations 1,256 Sport Coupes and 212 convertibles cited by Hemmings from Buick GS Club of America records

Story

The 1969 Buick GS 400 Stage 1 is best documented as a factory performance option on Buick's A-body GS 400, not as a separate make-built special edition. The source record supports two GS 400 body paths for 1969: the two-door Sport Coupe and convertible. Buick reference data identifies the Stage 1 engine as a 400-cu-in V-8 with four-barrel carburetion, 10.25:1 compression and a 350-hp rating, while Hemmings' technical account describes the RS-coded Stage 1 package as a factory option that added Stage 1-specific camshaft, valvetrain, fuel, ignition and exhaust pieces to the regular GS 400 basis. Transmission coverage remains model-line rather than single-car specific: a floor-shift three-speed manual was standard, with a Muncie four-speed manual and Turbo Hydra-Matic 400 automatic available. Rear axle information is likewise configuration-dependent; Hemmings reports Positive Traction as mandatory with Stage 1, with 3.64:1 gearing for non-air-conditioned cars and 3.42:1 with air conditioning. Production totals should be read conservatively. Team Buick lists all 1969 GS 400 production as 6,356 Sport Coupes and 1,776 convertibles, while Hemmings cites Buick GS Club of America records for Stage 1 installation: 1,256 Sport Coupes and 212 convertibles, further broken down by transmission. Visual identification alone is weak: hood scoops, GS badges, auction captions or Stage 1 emblems are not enough to authenticate a car without engine stamping, documentation and drivetrain evidence.

1969 Buick GS side profile; exact-year GS body and trim context.Greg Gjerdingen via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0

Specs

Car type: Muscle car
Body: Two-door Sport Coupe or Convertible Coupe
Engine: 400-cu-in Buick Stage 1 V-8
Horsepower: 350 hp gross per Team Buick and Hemmings references
Torque: 440 lb-ft gross reported by Hemmings as unchanged from base GS 400
Carburetion: Four-barrel carburetor; Hemmings identifies Rochester carburetion for Stage 1

Equipment

Stage 1-specific camshaft and valvetrain details reported by Hemmings
Cold-air hood/air induction on 1969 GS 400 model line
Positive Traction rear axle mandatory with Stage 1 per Hemmings
Dual exhaust
Available four-speed manual or Turbo Hydra-Matic 400 automatic

Exact-year Buick GS 400 engine bay showing the 400-4 installation, GS 400 air-cleaner assembly, induction path, accessories, and brake hardware; it provides model context without proving Stage 1 originality.Mr.choppers via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0

Linked Parts

Price history

Values

Nominal dollars from original price sheets, auction archives, and approved value references.

Original Price

A verified original price is not yet available for this car.

Market Observations

Auction sale $82,750

Apr 15, 2026 · Bring a Trailer
Restored GS 400 hardtop 446379H249989 with photographed RS Stage 1 engine and partial VIN stamp, BB transmission tag and partial VIN, ON axle stamp, factory Lime Green and Buckskin context, and a 2024 MCACN Concours Gold certificate. · restored · concours Bring a Trailer records an $82,750 sale. The photographed Stage 1 drivetrain identifiers and partial VINs provide car-specific identity evidence. The restored classification reflects the documented body, interior, drivetrain, brake, and suspension work; concours condition reflects the named MCACN Concours Gold award rather than an inferred visual grade.
1969 Buick GS 400 Stage 1 446379H249989 auction result
Auction sale $39,000

May 1, 2025 · Bring a Trailer
GS 400 hardtop 446379H340616 with Protect-O-Plate, photographed engine and drivetrain stampings, 400ci V8, and BB-code TH400; refurbished in 2015 and changed from Antique Gold to red with 15-inch Rallye wheels. · modified · unknown Bring a Trailer records a $39,000 sale. The Protect-O-Plate and photographed drivetrain evidence support the reported Stage 1 pathway, while the color change, refurbishment, and wheel change require a modified classification. The auction record does not establish a normalized condition grade.
1969 Buick GS 400 Stage 1 446379H340616 auction result
High bid $37,250

Apr 18, 2024 · Bring a Trailer
GS 400 hardtop 446379H227303 with a Waters Buick car-order form explicitly listing A1 Stage 1 and B2 TH400, plus an initial invoice and Protect-O-Plate; the car was repainted around 2015 and uses an Edelbrock intake, staggered wheel sizes, and auxiliary gauges. · modified · unknown Bring a Trailer records a $37,250 reserve-not-met high bid. The A1 order-form entry provides car-specific factory Stage 1 evidence beyond badges, while the repaint and disclosed induction, wheel, and gauge changes require a modified classification. This is a no-sale signal, not a transaction price.
1969 Buick GS 400 Stage 1 446379H227303 auction result

Values move with paperwork, originality, options, condition, venue, and body style. High bids and guide values are labeled separately from completed sales.

Reference records

Options, Colors & Components

Source-backed details for trim, chassis, production, and authenticity.

Transmission

Factory transmission floor-shifted three-speed manual
Factory transmission Muncie four-speed manual
Factory transmission Turbo Hydra-Matic 400 three-speed automatic

Options

Stage 1 / RS Stage 1 performance engine option factory · performance · Hemmings describes Stage 1 becoming a factory option in 1969; Team Buick engine table lists GS 400 Stage 1/RS 400-cu-in four-barrel 350-hp entry.
H4 Rallye Road Control Package optional · chassis · 15:1 power steering box, rear anti-roll bar and Firm-Ride tuned springs/shocks per Hemmings.
H6 Rallye Ride Control Package optional · chassis · Similar suspension package without upgraded steering box per Hemmings.

Paint

**Front trim detail crop from a 1969 Buick GS image; visual context only.**Greg Gjerdingen via Wikimedia Commons; local crop · CC BY 2.0 derivative

A Regal Black factory · solid
B Burnished Brown Poly factory · metallic
C Polar White factory · solid
D Crystal Blue Poly factory · metallic
E Twilight Blue Poly factory · metallic
F Azure Blue factory · solid
G Trumpet Gold Poly factory · metallic
H Lime Green Poly factory · metallic
J Embassy Gold factory · metallic
K Turquoise Mist Poly factory · metallic
L Deep Gray Mist factory · metallic
M Verde Green Poly factory · metallic
N Burgundy Mist Poly factory · metallic
P Silver Mist Poly factory · metallic
Q Fire Glow Orange Poly factory · metallic
R Signal Red factory · solid
S Champagne Mist Poly factory · metallic
T Olive Beige factory · solid
V Sunset Silver factory · metallic
W Copper Mist factory · metallic
Y Cameo Cream factory · solid
Z Antique Gold factory · metallic

Authenticity

**1969 Buick GS Gran Sport convertible; exact-year convertible body-style context.**Greg Gjerdingen via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0

Engine production code RS / Stage 1 400-cu-in entry in 1969 GS 400 engine number reference · Stamped engine production code on right side of engine block per Team Buick reference · fraud detection
Stage 1 drivetrain documentation Factory Stage 1 option; Positive Traction and Stage 1-specific axle ratios reported for authentic Stage 1 configurations · Factory paperwork, drivetrain inspection and axle documentation; not established by exterior trim alone. · numbers matching
Body/model number context GS 400 Sport Coupe model 44637 or Convertible Coupe model 44667 in Team Buick production table · VIN/body documentation and Fisher/production records. · fraud detection
Stage 1 parts-catalog service-installation components Buick parts catalog Stage 1 service-installation list for 1969 includes valve-train package 1394270, distributor 1112016, carburetor 7036730, fuel pump 6470098, and notes production Stage 1 rear axle ratios of 3.42 P.T. and 3.64 P.T. · Component-level inspection against factory parts-catalog numbers, supported by car-specific paperwork and date/originality review; the catalog list alone does not prove an individual car was factory-built as Stage 1. · numbers matching

Still Researching

option packages The available online GS option image was not OCR-readable in the captured source, so exact Buick option ordering codes and prices beyond Stage 1/H4/H6 were not extracted.
authenticity markers A Buick parts-catalog scan now verifies a 1969 Stage 1 service-installation parts list for several component numbers, but engine casting dates, production-original component dating/stamping, and individual-car originality remain unverified from factory records in the reviewed references.

Codes & names