Last Year Survivor: 1975 Buick Century Gran Sport

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.