Buick Century 3rd Generation Origin
The 3rd generation Buick Century was manufactured from 1973 to 1977. It was mostly assembled in the U.S, and the three different assembly plants were located in Flint, Michigan, Framingham, Massachusetts, and Lakewood Heights, Georgia.
Following a 15-year hiatus, the Buick Century logo was restored for the 1973 model year on the restyled rear-wheel-drive intermediate A-body framework. At the same time, Skylark was removed as the name for Buick’s mid-sized cars, and the Century Regal coupe gained the position as the company’s flagship line. It later became its own series, dropping the Century moniker.
It was available with two- and four-barrel Buick 350 engines that produced 150 (112 kW) and 175 hp (130 kW), respectively. The 455 model with 225 hp (168 kW) was also an alternative. The base Century and Century 350 coupes featured a fastback roofline with large rear quarter glass, whereas the Century Luxus had a more proper notchback roofline with narrow opera windows.
The Gran Sport performance feature was retained by the Century as a result of replacing the Skylark. The package, which was obtainable with any engine, included enhanced suspension, additional instrumentation, and a distinctive appearance treatment.
Buick Century 3rd Generation Overview
The 3rd generation Buick Century was designed in a rear-wheel-drive layout, and it was available in three boy styles. They are the 2-door coupe, 4-door sedan, and the 4-door station wagon. The four-barrel 350’s output was elevated to 190 hp, thanks to the dual exhaust (140 kW).
While Stage I 455’s efficiency was reduced due to emissions regulations, output was competitive for the period at 270 hp (201 kW) and 390 lb-ft (529 Nm). With the 350 engines, a Saginaw three-speed manual transmission was conventional. A Muncie M-21 four-speed was obtainable with either a 350 or a regular 455, while a Turbo-Hydra-Matic 400 was required for Stage I.
The Luxus was rebranded as Century Custom in 1975. On coupes and sedans, the new 110 hp (82 kW) 231 V6 was implemented as standard equipment, together with a three-speed manual transmission, and the big-block 455 was no longer active. The four-cylinder 350 V8 engine became regular on-station wagons.
A new carriage top was introduced for the club coupes that partially covered the rear quarter glass, giving the vehicle an appearance similar to the formal-roof Century Custom. A Century Special coupe with a fastback roofline was added to the lineup. The Special was advertised as the Century’s economy variant, and it was only available with the V6 engine.
When the United States government approved rectangle-shaped headlights in 1976, Buick incorporated them into the Century and positioned them on coupes and stacked vertically on sedans. Sedans received a taller, more formal grille, while coupes got an angled, body-colored front end as well as new bodyside sheet metal that didn’t have the traditional “sweep spear.” The Gran Sport option was also dropped. The V6 engine was modified in 1977 to be even-firing, and a 403 cu in (6.6 L) Oldsmobile V8 was added as a station wagon option.
Buick Century 3rd Generation Production
The 3rd generation Buick Century was one of General Motors’ most successful cars on the market. This is because there were almost 760,000 units manufactured during its production years, and this figure cuts across models like the Century, Luxus, Century 350, and Century Custom.
Buick Century 3rd Generation Price
The 3rd generation Buick Century was priced at $3000 at the time of production. Currently, it can go for prices ranging from $10,000 to $50,000, depending on the model.
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