Except for a one-year revival of the Gran Sport nameplate in 1986, the Gran Sport was offered for the last time in 1975. And it was no longer the powerhouse it once was, with just a V6 or a small-block V8 available to get the job done. The seller’s ’75 GS looks to be in good condition for its 51 years, and try as he/she might, the seller can’t quite capture the entire automobile in any of the photos. Located near Elk Grove, California, this apparent survivor is available here on craigslist for $6,800 OBO. A thumbs up to Tony Primo for the tip.
Dating to 1965, the Gran Sport had been a luxury muscle car based on the mid-size Skylark. In 1973, when GM switched to the Colonnade design, the Century moniker was revived to represent the cars, so the 1973-75 models were called the Century GS. Demand continued to decline to 6,637 units in 1973, 3,355 in 1974, and just 1,288 in 1975. By the end, there was no Stage I and no 455 cubic inch V8, just a 231 V6 and two versions of the 350 (2- or 4-barrel carburetors and single or dual exhaust). Which means that 175 horsepower SAE net was the most you were going to get out of any GS in 1975. There would be no 1976 Gran Sport.
We’re told this ’75 GS runs well, perhaps thanks to a new carburetor, alternator, and a selection of fluids. The car has 119,000 miles, so if the engine and automatic transmission have never been opened up, they certainly have seen a lot of West Coast landscape. The air conditioning is said to work great, and that may be because the compressor looks to be new or nearly new.
The body looks fine, and the paint is okay with a few scratches and nicks here and there. The front bucket seats have been reupholstered, but not in materials that match the rear seat. Everything looks comfortable, and we’re wondering which of the original engine choices reside under the hood. If you’re looking for a rarer GS, the 1975 Century Gran Sport might be it, except perhaps for an early GS Stage II or GSX.
Not exactly seeing $6,800 here, as it needs a chunk o’ love…
but it’s a “survivor”….
lol.
This would be great background filler for a period movie scene I guess.
I don’t believe the Gran Sport package was ever available in this body style.
It was. From 1973 to 1975. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buick_Gran_Sport#Century_GS_/_Century_GS_Stage_1
Not with the formal roof style. The colonnade coupe had larger quarter windows and a more sloping roof.
You are CORRECT!
The 1975 Buick brochure says the GS package was available on the “1975 Century Hardtop Coupe” and that it consisted of “firm ride and handling package,” GR70 wide oval steel belted radios, courtesy lights, oil pressure and engine temperature gauges, and “Gran Sport paint treatment and markings.”
So I guess it depends on how they defined “Century Hardtop Coupe” here because they called both the formal roof and the collonade roof 2-doors “hardtop coupes” elsewhere in the brochure.
So i dunno. I’m not enough of a Buick expert to know for sure, but I can see with my own eyes it does not appear to have any kind of special paint scheme. It looks to me to be just a regular Century Custom coupe, which replaced the Century Luxus for 1975
Chevrolet offered a 1975 Chevelle with a 454, and Pontiac and Olds offered 455s in their mid-sized cars, yet Buick mid-sized cars maxed out at a 350 for some reason.
The Gran Sport package is listed as available for the “Century Hardtop Coupe.” Both this formal-roof coupe and the standard coupe are referred to as “Hardtop Coupe” in the brochure.
Don’t see any evidence of it being a GS… Wishful thinking…
My Mom had a 74 Century GS when I was of driving age!!
Not sure what makes this a Gran Sport? There was a 1975 Gran Sport running around my town back in the 80’s, it had a V6 in it, but it also had “Gran Sport” decals on it, and I think a grille emblem also. This just looks like a Century with bucket seats and a console. I would need some sort of documentation on this car, I’m not buying the claim.
Doesn’t look like a Gran Sport to me. No Gran Sport badge in the grille and no stripes on the side or on the trunk.
i have never seen a 75 GS. i have seen 73,74s but never a 75. no markings on it either. not buying it. i think it’s a plain century.
I dunno about it even being a GS. Pretty sure it’s just a Century Luxus or whatever they were calling them that week. Fancy bucket seats and big motor but wrong body style for a Gran Sport.
Every body panel on this car sags. Hard pass
Dig that matching painted horse wheelcover!