This design-refreshed third-generation 1976 Buick Century can be found on Craigslist. It’s located in Clearwater, Minnesota with an asking price of $3,500, right in-between NADA’s average and high retail value.
Other than the grille mishap and some side and bumper trim issues this car looks pretty good for being over four decades old. The seller says that it has 37,236 miles on it and it looks like it’s led a pretty easy life, other than having someone back into the grille or whatever happened there. The good part? There is “no rust” on this “California car”, according to the seller.
I would want to track down that bumper-to-body trim, it looks needy without it. Luckily it’s being reproduced. The Century was revised for the 1976 model year and I think it’s a pretty sharp car, but this is the era that I grew up in and started driving so naturally I like cars from the mid-late-1970s.
The seller says that this car can “seat up to 5 people, super comfy seats.” Having been a teenager in this era, I can attest to the fact that this car will hold many more than 5 people! It does look great inside, both front and back.
This is Buick’s 350 cubic-inch V8 which would have had either 140 hp or 155 hp, depending on if it had a 2-barrel or a 4-barrel carburetor. The seller says that this engine is “rare”. I’m not sure what the production numbers are for 350 V8s in 1976 Buick Centurys but I would have assumed that this was the standard engine and I would have been wrong. The 231 cubic-inch V6 with 105 hp was the standard engine. This one “runs and drives great” and it “Starts when you want it to, no difficulties.” This era isn’t loved by everyone but a rust-free two-door Buick Century with a great-running 350 and nice interior for $3,500 seems like a reasonable buy to me.
Assuming it’s as solid as the pics, this could be a fun toy for someone.
Both the engines and suspension systems are very tuneable; add some modern tires on period-correct wheels and find a canyon road to blast around.
The advertisement was posted 19 days ago. If it is as nice as it looks I would think it would have sold by now. These are comfortable cars and they had a nice ride. I had an Oldsmobile Cutlass and Monte Carlo of the same vintage. My boss back then had a Regal similar to the feature car that I drove a lot. Seems like a decent car for the money.
Very nice car, grungy carpets need to come out straight away. Maybe a black vinyl roof, black carpets and seats, couple of thousand spent on the mechanicals to hot it up.
Judging by the three comments, these are just as boring today as in 1976. I think everybody knew a great aunt or some single secretary that had these. They were good cars,,just boring.
I had one of these as a company car. Exact same color, except mine had a console and bucket seats.
For its time, a very nice enjoyable car.
Funny how the V6 models had a fender badge bragging about the puny engine inside, but the V8’s had no markings.
Remember, it was gas crunch time back then, people wanted V6’s not V8’s.
YEAH, Buick 350.The only way to go during this era.
I used to build these things in Fremont Ca, now home of Tesla. Theses also were available as fastbacks. Only Centuries, not as Regals.
I say a boosted 6.0L LS sleeper is in order!
The 5.7 4 bbl would be the top engine and possibly rare in this model and year. I had it in an 80 Park Avenue. The longer stroke made more torque than the chebby.
Yeah. Just checked listing…4/9/18. Still active. Wish I had a couple bucks! This would be mine!
I had one when i was 16..
At the time it was 1984..good times & fond memories, those were the days!