Independent · Source-led · American performance history Issue 01 · 1951–2023
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1972 · Buick · United States

1972 Buick GS and GSX: 44 cars, traced by invoice

The last A-body GS year before the Colonnade Century; the GSX package, now in many colours, was invoiced on only 44 cars, most of them outside the lower 48 states.

United States · researched through 2026-09-22

Dark-green 1972 Buick Skylark GS with white vinyl top, front three-quarter, at a car show
1972 Buick Skylark GS Photo: Kevauto, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The GSX registry's own breakdown sheet, compiled directly from original Buick invoice data, records exactly 44 GSX-equipped GS cars for 1972: 24 with the Stage 1 455, 4 with the standard 455, and 16 with the 350 four-barrel. The invoices behind that count ran from September 9, 1971 through July 3, 1972, giving this record an unusually precise production window for a single model year.1

Of those 44 cars, only 5 were sold in the 48 contiguous states, according to the same sheet; 22 went to Canada and 17 were exported, including cars sent to Hawaii. The package was offered in a wide range of colors that year, with the sheet listing 26 separate paint and vinyl-top combinations, most of them representing just a single car. Beyond the GSX package itself, this record's own production notes state that no citable 1972 production totals broken out by GS engine, 350, 455, or Stage 1, were found in any available source; the only whole-body figures come from a separate reference giving 7,723 GS sport coupes and 852 GS convertibles across all engines combined, numbers this record treats as body totals rather than as anything that can be reconciled against the 44-car GSX count.1,2

GSX invoice prices ranged from $2,855.46 to $4,500.67, averaging $3,728.73 across the 44 cars. The engine-and-transmission breakdown behind the overall 44 is precise down to individual combinations: 2 Stage 1 cars with a four-speed manual and 22 with the Turbo Hydra-Matic 400, the automatic cars split 14 with air conditioning and 8 without; 1 standard-455 car with a four-speed and 3 with the Turbo Hydra-Matic 400; and 1 350-engined car with a four-speed and 15 with the Turbo Hydra-Matic 350, those automatics split 2 with air conditioning and 13 without. No engine ratings for 1972 are carried in this record's own engine entries at all; each entry's own note states plainly that no citable 1972 Buick specification document was read, so power and torque are left blank for all three engines rather than estimated from other years or other sources.1

Individual regular-production option counts are also documented at the level of the 44-car GSX population specifically: a rear window defroster on 18 cars, Soft-Ray tinted glass on 17, and front-and-rear bumper stripes on 26. Twenty-six paint and vinyl-top combinations are tracked with their own individual counts, from four cars each in Stratomist Blue and Arctic White down to a single car in colors like Seamist Green with a black vinyl top or Sandalwood with a tan vinyl top; this level of per-color counting reflects how completely the surviving invoice data covers this particular 44-car population rather than a typical model-year paint chart.1

Eight GSX-specific interior trim codes carry their own production counts as well: a single saddle-brown vinyl bench, three black vinyl benches, single white and saddle notchback seats, two black notchbacks, fifteen white vinyl buckets, nine tan-and-black vinyl buckets, and twelve black buckets. A separate, broader set of GS interior trim codes, not scoped to the GSX specifically, is documented for the wider GS line: seven codes for the two-door hardtop and four for the convertible, covering green, saddle, black, white, and tan-and-black vinyl, with this record's own interior note explaining TeamBuick's 1972 legend behind the codes, an asterisk marking bucket seats and a pound sign marking notchback or 60-40 seats. Identification detail includes a decoded example VIN, 4G37K2H100001, breaking out Buick, series, body, an engine letter, the year, the assembly plant, and a production number starting at 100001, and three GS engine codes: WB for the 350 at 190 hp net with dual exhaust, WF for the 455 at 250 hp net with dual exhaust, and WS for the 455 Stage 1 at 270 hp net. No specifications and no performance-test data were found in an accessible documented source for the year.1,2

Fact sheet · 1972 · United States

The numbers

1972 Buick GS and GSX — The last A-body GS year before the Colonnade Century; the GSX package, now in many colours, was invoiced on only 44 cars, most of them outside the lower 48 states.

Coverage: Partial — researched sections are shown; missing ones are not yet sourced. Researched through 2026-09-22.

Every figure is labeled with how sure we are. Reported means a manufacturer, registry, or reference figure we cite but have not reconciled against factory records ourselves. Disputed means credible sources disagree and both are shown. Rows are separately scoped; don't add them together unless the note says they make up a total.

Key facts

  • GSX 1972: 44 cars (24 Stage 1, 4 standard 455, 16 350 four-barrel); 4 four-speed, 25 Turbo Hydra-Matic 400, 15 Turbo Hydra-Matic 350.1
  • Sold by location: 48 states 5, Canada 22, exported including Hawaii 17.1
  • GSX invoice prices ranged from $2,855.46 to $4,500.67, averaging $3,728.73.1

Production

By package or option
What was countedCountBasisStatus
GSX package, all1,3 GS with GSX package · 2-door hardtop coupe · 350, 455 or 455 Stage 1 · all markets (US, Canada, export) Counted from invoices. Two accounts agree but may share the registry's lineage. 44 sold, model-year Reported
By engine
What was countedCountBasisStatus
GSX, Stage 1 4551 GSX · 2-door hardtop coupe · 455 Stage 1 · all markets 24 sold, model-year Reported
GSX, standard 4551 GSX · 2-door hardtop coupe · 455 · all markets 4 sold, model-year Reported
GSX, 350 four-barrel1 GSX · 2-door hardtop coupe · 350 4-barrel · all markets 16 sold, model-year Reported
GS 350 hardtop4 GS 350 · 2-door hardtop · 350 V-8 · not stated by source 5,896 not stated (enthusiast-site production table), model-year Reported
GS 455 hardtop (standard 455)4 GS 455 · 2-door hardtop · 455 V-8 · not stated by source 1,099 not stated (enthusiast-site production table), model-year Reported
GS 455 Stage 1 hardtop4 GS 455 Stage 1 · 2-door hardtop · 455 V-8 Stage 1 · not stated by source 728 not stated (enthusiast-site production table), model-year Reported
GS 350 convertible4 GS 350 · 2-door convertible · 350 V-8 · not stated by source 645 not stated (enthusiast-site production table), model-year Reported
GS 455 convertible (standard 455)4 GS 455 · 2-door convertible · 455 V-8 · not stated by source 126 not stated (enthusiast-site production table), model-year Reported
GS 455 Stage 1 convertible4 GS 455 Stage 1 · 2-door convertible · 455 V-8 Stage 1 · not stated by source 81 not stated (enthusiast-site production table), model-year Reported
Engine transmission
What was countedCountBasisStatus
GSX Stage 1, 4-speed1 GSX · 2-door hardtop coupe · 455 Stage 1 · 4-speed manual · all markets 2 sold, model-year Reported
GSX Stage 1, Turbo Hydra-Matic 4001 GSX · 2-door hardtop coupe · 455 Stage 1 · TH400 · all markets 14 with air conditioning, 8 without. 22 sold, model-year Reported
GSX 455, 4-speed1 GSX · 2-door hardtop coupe · 455 · 4-speed manual · all markets 1 sold, model-year Reported
GSX 455, Turbo Hydra-Matic 4001 GSX · 2-door hardtop coupe · 455 · TH400 · all markets 3 sold, model-year Reported
GSX 350, 4-speed1 GSX · 2-door hardtop coupe · 350 4-barrel · 4-speed manual · all markets 1 sold, model-year Reported
GSX 350, Turbo Hydra-Matic 3501 GSX · 2-door hardtop coupe · 350 4-barrel · TH350 · all markets 2 with air conditioning, 13 without. 15 sold, model-year Reported
By market
What was countedCountBasisStatus
GSX sold in the 48 contiguous states1 GSX · 2-door hardtop coupe · 48 states 5 sold, model-year Reported
GSX sold in Canada1 GSX · 2-door hardtop coupe · Canada 22 sold, model-year Reported
GSX exported (including Hawaii)1 GSX · 2-door hardtop coupe · export incl. Hawaii 17 sold, model-year Reported
By body style and series
What was countedCountBasisStatus
GS 2-door sport coupe (43437), all engines2 GS · 2-door hardtop sport coupe · not stated by source 7,723 built, model-year Reported
GS convertible (43467), all engines2 GS · 2-door convertible · not stated by source 852 built, model-year Reported
Totals
What was countedCountBasisStatus
GS series, all, with the GSX line counted separately (MuscleCarClub total)4 GS, GS 455, GS 455 Stage 1 and GSX line as the source tabulates them · 2-door hardtop and convertible · not stated by source The source's seven lines (5,896 + 1,099 + 728 + 44 + 645 + 126 + 81) sum to this figure. It counts the 44 GSX as a separate line, whereas the two TeamBuick body rows (7,723 + 852 = 8,575, an unstated sum, not a published total) do not; neither source says whether the GSX cars are inside the body counts, so the total may include them twice. The source names no record behind its table. 8,619 not stated (enthusiast-site production table), model-year Reported

Each group of GSX rows (engine, engine-transmission, market) partitions the registry's 44 as the sheet presents it.

MuscleCarClub's 1972 table gives the engine-by-body split (its hardtop lines sum to TeamBuick's 7,723 and its convertible lines to TeamBuick's 852) and a stated 8,619 total that also counts the 44 GSX as a separate line. The 8,619 exceeds TeamBuick's two body rows by exactly 44, and neither source says whether the GSX cars are inside the body counts; the figure is shown with that caveat and is not to be summed with any other row. The table names no source, so it is not independent of TeamBuick.

TeamBuick gives the two GS body rows; the GSX rows above are a subset of the sport coupe per the registry; whether MuscleCarClub's separate GSX line is inside its hardtop lines is not stated.

Prices when new

ModelPriceBasis
GSX invoice price, minimum1 $2,855.46 dealer invoice price as compiled by the GSX registry, 1971-09 to 1972-07
GSX invoice price, maximum1 $4,500.67 dealer invoice price as compiled by the GSX registry, 1971-09 to 1972-07
GSX invoice price, average1 $3,728.73 dealer invoice price as compiled by the GSX registry, 1971-09 to 1972-07

Prices are the nominal dollars of the day, not adjusted for inflation.

Engines

EngineFactory ratingAvailabilityBuilt
455 V-8 Stage 11 455 cu in · one 4-barrel optional, GS Not yet sourced
455 V-81 455 cu in · one 4-barrel optional, GS Not yet sourced
350 V-8 four-barrel1 350 cu in · one 4-barrel standard, GS Not yet sourced

Ratings are the manufacturer's advertised figures under the standard shown (SAE gross before 1972, SAE net after). They are not dyno results, and gross and net ratings can't be compared directly.

Transmissions

TransmissionAvailabilityBuilt
Turbo Hydra-Matic 4001 optional with 455s Not yet sourced
Turbo Hydra-Matic 3501 optional with 350 Not yet sourced
4-speed manual1 optional Not yet sourced

Options and packages

CodeOptionPriceInstalled
package GSX package (GS)1 — 441 Reported
sales code Rear window defroster (on GSX)1 — 181 Reported
sales code Soft-Ray tinted glass, all (sales code 1 group, on GSX)1 — 171 Reported
sales code Front and rear bumper stripes (on GSX)1 — 261 Reported

Paint

CodeColorBuilt
BB Stratomist Blue1 41 Reported
BB1 Stratomist Blue / white vinyl top1 11 Reported
CC Arctic White1 41 Reported
CC2 Arctic White / black vinyl top1 11 Reported
FF2 Seamist Green / black vinyl top1 11 Reported
HH1 Heritage Green / white vinyl top1 11 Reported
HH2 Hunter Green / black vinyl top (as printed under HH)1 11 Reported
II Hunter Green1 11 Reported
II1 Hunter Green / white vinyl top1 11 Reported
II9 Hunter Green / green vinyl top1 11 Reported
JJ6 Sandalwood / tan vinyl top1 11 Reported
MM1 Burnished Copper / white vinyl top1 11 Reported
MM6 Burnished Copper / black vinyl top1 21 Reported
MM8 Burnished Copper / brown vinyl top1 11 Reported
QQ Cortez Gold1 51 Reported
QQ1 Cortez Gold / white vinyl top1 11 Reported
RR Fire Red1 21 Reported
RR1 Fire Red / white vinyl top1 21 Reported
VV2 Silver Mist / black vinyl top1 11 Reported
YY Sunburst Yellow1 31 Reported
YY2 Sunburst Yellow / black vinyl top1 11 Reported
YY8 Sunburst Yellow / brown vinyl top1 11 Reported
ZZ Flame Orange1 41 Reported
ZZ1 Flame Orange / white vinyl top1 11 Reported
ZZ2 Flame Orange / black vinyl top1 11 Reported
ZZ6 Flame Orange / tan vinyl top1 11 Reported

Color names are the factory's. We don't show color swatches, because a screen color is no guide for a restoration.

Interiors

CodeTrimBuilt
126 Saddle brown vinyl bench1 11 Reported
128 Black vinyl bench1 31 Reported
245 White notchback1 11 Reported
246 Saddle notchback1 11 Reported
248 Black notchback1 21 Reported
365 White vinyl bucket1 151 Reported
367 Tan/black vinyl bucket1 91 Reported
368 Black bucket1 121 Reported
100 GS 2-Door HT: Green, vinyl2 Not yet sourced
106 GS 2-Door HT: Saddle, vinyl2 Not yet sourced
136# GS 2-Door HT: Saddle, vinyl2 Not yet sourced
108 GS 2-Door HT: Black, vinyl2 Not yet sourced
138# GS 2-Door HT: Black, vinyl2 Not yet sourced
138* GS 2-Door HT: Black, vinyl2 Not yet sourced
135# GS 2-Door HT: White, vinyl2 Not yet sourced
135* GS 2-Door HT: White, vinyl2 Not yet sourced
137* GS 2-Door HT: Tan Black, vinyl2 Not yet sourced
130# GS Convertible: Green, vinyl2 Not yet sourced
135# GS Convertible: White, vinyl2 Not yet sourced
136# GS Convertible: Saddle, vinyl2 Not yet sourced
138# GS Convertible: Black, vinyl2 Not yet sourced

Identification

VIN
E.g. 4G37K2H100001: 4 = Buick; series letter (G = GS); body (37 hardtop, 67 convertible); engine letter (K = 350 4-bbl dual exhaust, U/V = 455 options, W = 455 Stage I per TeamBuick's engine table); year (2); plant (H Flint; also C, G, X, Y, Z); production number from 100001.2
Engine codes (GS)
WB(2): 350, 190 hp net, dual exhaust; WF(1): 455, 250 hp net, dual exhaust; WS: 455 Stage 1, 270 hp net.2

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Same model year

Also in 1972

  • AMC AMX The first year of SAE net ratings and Chrysler-built TorqueFlite automatics. Javelin AMX production rose to 3,220, and the 304 V8 became available.
  • AMC Gremlin X and Spirit AMX The first V8 Gremlin: the 304 (150 hp SAE net) in AMC's subcompact. Gremlin X production is not published in any source found.
  • AMC Javelin The base model was dropped, so every non-AMX Javelin was an SST. This was the first year of the Pierre Cardin interior and of Chrysler-built automatics.
  • Buick Riviera Net ratings only for 1972: 250 hp standard, 260 GS per ROA; 2,171 of 33,728 were GS.
  • Chevrolet Chevelle and Malibu SS The last Z15 Chevelle SS of the first generation: net-rated engines, an LS5 454 at 270 net hp, and 5,333 SS 454s.
  • Chevrolet Chevy II and Nova The source engine table switches to net ratings; SS and Rally Nova offered. Enthusiast-compiled production: 349,733 cars; Super Sport 12,309.
  • Chevrolet El Camino SS Last year of the Chevelle-bodied El Camino SS; 50,359 V8 Malibu El Caminos were built, and the SS share is not separately published.
  • Dodge Challenger Hardtop only, with a new grille: the R/T gave way to the Challenger Rallye package, and the most powerful engine listed was the 340 four-barrel.
  • Dodge Charger The R/T and Super Bee were dropped; the new Rallye package became the performance Charger, and the 440 Six Pack was cancelled after a handful of cars.
  • Dodge Dart GTS, Swinger and Demon The Demon's second and final year under that name: 8,773 Demon 340s, with small Canadian and Swiss-market 340 runs counted separately.
  • Ford Maverick Grabber The dual-scoop-hood Grabber in its second year as a model; Classic Industries counts 35,347.
  • Ford Ranchero GT The Ranchero GT continued on the 1972-76 Ranchero; 12,620 GTs were built, per reference-site counts in the Standard Catalog lineage.
  • Ford Thunderbird First year of the sixth-generation Thunderbird; only the whole-line production total was found.
  • Ford Torino The new body-on-frame Torino sold 496,645 in 1972; the performance models were the Gran Torino Sport SportsRoof (60,794) and hardtop (31,239), with the 351 Cobra Jet and a Rallye Equipment Group on the option list.
  • Mercury Cougar Net ratings arrived, the 429 was gone, and the 351 Cobra Jet became the performance Cougar engine, fitted to 3,560 cars.
  • Mercury Montego GT The first year of the fastback-only Montego GT on the new split-wheelbase intermediate, with the Cyclone name reduced to a performance option that only a few dozen buyers took.
  • Oldsmobile Cutlass, 4-4-2 and Hurst/Olds The 4-4-2 became a Cutlass option again, engines were rated in SAE net (W-30: 300 hp), and a Hurst/Olds paced the Indianapolis 500.
  • Plymouth Barracuda and 'Cuda Hardtops only, single headlamps, four round taillamps, and a 340 four-barrel as the top engine: the 'Cuda carried it as standard.
  • Plymouth Duster 340 and 360 In the first net-rating year the Duster 340's 8.5:1 340 was rated 240 net hp with electronic ignition, the Twister became order code A51, and output rose to 15,681 in both compilations.
  • Plymouth GTX, Belvedere and Satellite For 1972 the GTX existed only as the 440 four-barrel option on the Road Runner hardtop; Mueller's Muscle Car Source Book counts 672 of them.
  • Plymouth Road Runner The hardtop-only Road Runner took a 400 four-barrel as its advertised standard engine, and production fell again.
  • Pontiac Firebird and Trans Am A strike-shortened year: 29,951 Firebirds and 1,286 Trans Ams, every one a 455 HO.
  • Pontiac GTO The GTO goes back to being an option on the LeMans, with net ratings only; 5,807 were built.
  • Pontiac Grand Prix A carryover year with the SJ still offered; production recovered to 91,961.
  • Pontiac Tempest and LeMans The GTO becomes a LeMans option, and the LeMans gets WW4 and WW5 performance packages.