Pace car tributes are almost always some of the cooler finds among the classic American car marketplace, if for no other reason than the paint-and-sticker scheme is unlike anything else you’d find on the dealer’s lot. The 1975 Buick Century “Free Spirit” Indy 500 Pace Car has one of the more memorable graphics kits I can recall on a pace car replica, along with T-tops, color-matched wheels, and a Buick 350 V8 under the hood. While they made well under 200 b.h.p., the Century still stand out today for its looks alone. This example listed here on eBay was slated to be a restoration project, but the seller has decided after many years, it’s not going to happen.

The suggested opening bid is a reasonable $2,500 with no reserve, but there’s no action on that price of entry just yet. The seller claims to have owned the Buick for several years, and pictures in the gallery show he’s been busy acquiring parts during that time. After acquiring the Free Spirit, he purchased another Buick to be a parts donor for this one, but ended up restoring the parts car instead. That’s not because of any major body or mechanical issues with the pace car, as the seller notes it has lived primarily in Montana and Northern California, before making its way to Texas where it currently resides.

The floors are where the bulk of the rust issues reside, with the seller noting that he replaced the driver’s side to an OK level of quality, but the passenger side still needs to be done. The replacement sheetmetal for the passenger floor is included, and the seller seems to allude that a perfectionist may want to take another whack at the driver’s side, too. The frame is solid and there’s only some minor rust noted in the lower rear quarters that hasn’t rotted through. The interior will obviously need some work, and looks more like a car that’s been in Texas all of its life versus the other way around.

The Buick V8 wasn’t exactly a powerhouse, and the seller had plans to swap out the 350 for a 455  / Turbo 400 transmission setup. At current, the 350 is paired to a Turbo 350 transmission, and the seller notes it does run but he’s only fired it up briefly after it was delivered from California. The engine bay is quite tired with parts missing, and there’s no mention of the air cleaner whereabouts in the listing. Several spare body panels and other parts are included in the sale, such as bumpers, T-top panels (the original glass is cracked), and trunk lid, along with drivetrain parts such as a Posi-Track rear end and balanced drive shaft. The opening bid seems like a reasonable number for a limited edition project – do you agree?