1975 Buick Century

The 1975 Century was Buick's entry-level intermediate A-Body vehicle, available as a coupe, sedan, and a 6- and 9-passenger station wagon. Pricing began at just over $3,810 which included a 231 cubic-inch V6 engine which it shared with the Buick Skyhawk. A 350 CID overhead valve V8 was available offering 35 more horsepower than the V6 and rated at 145 hp. The base Century Special Coupe was available only with the V6 engine, while the other trim levels could be purchased with either the V6 or V8. Station wagons were equipped with only V8s. The Century Custom, previously called the Century Luxus in 1974, was a step above the base trim level, with bright rocker moldings and nicer interior treatment. The top-of-the-line trim level was the Regal which added a model identification script, a shorter grille with vertical blades, with parking lights located on the outside of the grille.

A Buick Century paced the Indianapolis 500 race in May of 1975. Pace cars and dealer replicas were often similar; this wasn't the case with the Century. The Century Pace Car was powered by a 455 four-barrel with dual exhaust, heavy-duty suspension with front and rear stabilizer bars, GR70X15 steel-belted tires, and a hatch roof conversion. The exterior was finished in white with full side decals in red and blue with a hawk image on the front fenders and hood. The words 'Free Spirit' and 'Buick' were added. The interior had bucket seats, a console, and a vast list of amenities and luxury items. The dealer pace car replicas had different equipment. They had the Hurst hatch roof panels and the same body style as the Pace Car. Power was from a 350 cubic-inch V8 and the tires were GR70X15. Management felt that buyers would be reluctant to purchase the car if it had the 455 V8 due to the OPEC embargo. The replicas had the graphics package which included the white paint, GS style blackout grille, and Glacier Blue interior with White vinyl bucket seats. They were given a modified heavy-duty suspension tuned for a pleasant road-going experience. Buyers could select certain options and other variations including power door locks, windows, audio sound equipment, and bumper trim. One example was fitted with a column shift automatic.

by Daniel Vaughan | May 2019