1976 Buick Century

The Buick Century name was revived for the 1973 model year and given the rear-wheel-drive intermediate A-body platform, which had been redesigned for this year. The Century served as a replacement for the mid-sized Skylark. The Century Regal coupe was the top-of-the-line model trim level, and would later become its own separate series, without the Century name.

By 1976, the Century received the newly legalized rectangular headlights, positioned side-by-side on the coupes and vertically stacked on the sedans. Additionally, the sedans were given a more-formal grille while the coupes were given a sporty, angled, body-colored front end with a new bodyside treatment that was without the traditional 'sweepspear.' The Grand Sport option was no longer available. Trim levels now consisted of the Century Special, Century Custom, and Century Regal. The Regal was considered a part of the Century line and not a truly separate model, although it came with its own styling cues.

The Century coupe body styles had a fastback roofline and flared wheel openings. The base price for the Century Special Coupe was just under $4,000. The front grille had a six-slot design with many vertical bars resting in body-colored framing. The quad rectangular headlamps flanked either side of the grille with a hood ornament resting at the front center of the hood. Side lenses were at the front edge of the front fenders, and similarly in the back.

The Custom Coupe had a similar formal roofline as the Regal but with a slightly different front end. The Century Custom had cloth or vinyl notchback seating. The wagons had vinyl notchback seats. The base century and Special bench seats were done in either cloth or vinyl.

The coupes rested on a wheelbase that measured 112 inches while the sedans and wagons measured 116 inches. The base overhead-valve V-6 engine displaced 231 cubic-inches and offered just over 100 horsepower. A three-speed column shift transmission was standard on the V-6. They had a perimeter frame, radial-tuned suspension which used computer-selected springs, a front stabilizer bar, and special geometry. Power steering was standard; the Century Custom Sedan and Wagons had power front disc brakes.

Optional equipment included an all-metal electric sunroof, Landau vinyl roof, power windows, six-way power seats, electric door locks, automatic trunk release, Cruise-Master speed control, tilt steering wheel, and low-speed-delay wipers. A Climate-Control air conditioner that cooled and dehumidified was also optional, as was the Custom-Aire semi-automatic AC unit.

Bodystyles on the Century Regal included a coupe and sedan with prices beginning at $4,460 for the V-6 powered coupe. The Regal Sedan came standard with the 5.7-liter V8 engine, except in California. The Coupes came standard with the 3.8-liter V6. The sedans were given the Turbo Hydra-Matic as standard while the coupes had the three-speed column shift transmission. Coupes could be ordered with the 350CID V8 and automatic transmission.

Standard equipment on the Century Regal included power steering, Regal insignia and nameplates, velour upholstered seats, and simulated woodgrain instrument panel with deep-set dials.

The Regal S/R package added front bucket seats upholstered in ribbed velour, Rallye steering wheel, a center console with gearshift lever, headlamp dimmer in the turn signal lever, and steel-belted radial whitewall tires.

A Buick Century Custom V-8 was used to pace the 1975 Indianapolis 500. A year later, a Buick Century with V-6 power was selected to pace the 1976 Indy 500. This was the first V-6 powered car to pace the pack. Buick was also the first automaker to provide consecutive pace cars to Indianapolis since Packard in 1916 and 1917. Driving duties were entrusted to Marty Robbins with passengers Tony Hulman, Jim Rathmann, and Chris Schenkel.

To help the V-6 engine meet the speed requirements for pacing at Indy, it was given a turbocharger, a modified ignition, special spark plugs, a specially calibrated carburetor, and modified camshaft and cylinder heads.

Two original Pace Cars were built for handling the pacing duties, with one car serving as the backup. A total of 1,290 replicas were made. The replicas had the graphics package, color-keyed wheels, and the 165 horsepower 350 cubic-inch V8 engine in place of the turbocharged V6. They also used Hurst Hatches T-Tops, with the brushed aluminum roof trim and T-tops being installed by Hurst.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jun 2019