Wowie, what a car! I know that the mid-1970s isn’t the favorite era for a lot of car folks, but this 1975 Buick Century Custom Colonnade Hardtop Coupe (that’s a big name) looks like an absolute jewel. The Apple Red paint color and white vinyl top sure make it pop, as do the beautiful road wheels. The seller has it listed here on eBay in Ionia, Michigan, and they’re asking $14,500, or you can make an offer. Thanks to Tony P. for the tip!
What a sassy design. GM knocked it out of the park with the early third-generation Century, in my opinion. 1975 was the white shoes and white belt era, and you could do no wrong if you had a stylish leisure suit on with a white belt and white shoes, and then stepped out of this Buick Century and walked into a fern bar. What an era. Here is a 1975 Buick brochure, and one just on the Century.
The third-generation Century was made for model years 1973 through 1977 and, being a colonnade, it again has non-operable rear side windows. This was the era when vent windows were all but gone in passenger cars or were quickly fading away. As with buildings with non-opening windows for fresh air, it was seen as much better to conquer nature and use air-conditioning than to actually have fresh air. Bummer. I know there were other reasons, such as it being hard to balance the HVAC system with operable windows and probably others, but still, bring back vent windows in vehicles!
The seller says that this car has 57,300 miles, is in factory condition inside and out, and that it is always garaged when not in use. They say that it was never driven in snow or on salty roads. The seller’s parents bought it from an estate, and it looks like another beautiful survivor car. They are definitely still out there, although they aren’t inexpensive. I’m dying to know how much they paid for it at the estate sale. The interior isn’t loaded with power features and options, but it looks fantastic everywhere you look. As does the trunk, although I’m picking up a red tint/tinge on the spare tire for some reason.
The red hoses draw my attention as always; I’d change those on day one of owning this otherwise gorgeous car. This is Buick’s 350-cu.in. OHV V8 with a 2-barrel carb, which was rated at 145 horsepower and 270 lb-ft of torque when new. Backed by a THM-350 automatic sending power to the rear wheels, this car is said to be tight and run well. Any thoughts on this time-capsule Century?
Said it before, despite the power numbers, ultra tall gears, these go down the road effortlessly 👌 😌
Although not the showy ’75 Century Pace Car featured here on Barnfinds.com for $75 large (see link below), this example holds it’s own. Especially on the price. Could $12,000 buy it?
https://barnfinds.com/stunning-1975-buick-century-free-spirit-pace-car-edition/
Leisure suit reference cracked me up Scotty 😆🤣😆
Not everyone’s favorite era but I always admired the colonade cars. Although there are no vent windows that long door and side glass provided lots of ventilation. Stylistically it tied together much of GM design for the period. The two door sport coupes look so much better with the large quarter window and the stripe running from the hood all the way to the end of the flank lends character. GM had many non metallic colors in ’75 which they seem to recently explored again. This would be a fantastic car to own and drive.
nice but you would need to get for 10k or less. these are not too popular.
Would love one of these with a Gran Sport option with a 455!!
They are nice cruisers for sure. My Mom had a 74 Century Gran Sport when I was younger.
Vey nice Buick here!!
Nice Buick example.
This is the most enthusiastic write-up for a car I’ve seen on BF. Scotty, you should get a commission from the seller for this glowing article! Lol!
Does anyone remember when the Century and Regal were separate models and became only the Regal? I thought it was 1973 but guess not.
This car is a striking color combo though I would prefer a red cloth/velour interior. I don’t think it’ll be any trouble to sell.
The rear side windows were supposed to be stationary. Buick as well as the other GM two door Colonades also have rectangular windows built in the roof that were referred to as opera windows. You could get either the triangle style seen here or the rectangular style. I remember a friend’s parents that had one in that had the rectangular style windows on the sides.
John
Great comments, folks! Not that they have to be positive to be great, but I’m just glad to see that I didn’t mess up too many facts and details on this one, for a rare change.
Ha, thanks, Jack M! I’m not going to admit that I owned a pair of white shoes and a white belt in this era as barely a teenager. Nope, I won’t admit it…
I may have been too enthusiastic, Jon! That’s classic. I was just so surprised to see such a nice example in such an eye-catching color combo, no rust, a 350, and a somewhat reasonable price compared to just about everything else for sale these days. This would last one winter in Duluth before it had rust up to the door handles. I really expected to see a white interior here, but that may have been over the top.
Same here Scotty I was 15 in 1974 had a pair of maroon plat form shoes they were even like a brushed velvet cloth. I am now 66 and I still have them in the back of my closet strange times but I enjoyed ever minute of those years. As usual enjoyed your write up keep them coming.
Ha, I had a pair of those, too, Lakota! I got mine from a mall store called Flagg Brothers: 4″ platform shoes for a 6′-5″ tall guy with long hair in a rock band- whew, what an era.
As far as car corrosion goes here in Mn., Scotty, I think this watery substance they spray the roads with before a snowstorm is more corrosive than salt. Supposed to make the snow not stick to the pavement and be easier to plow. MnDot was sold the proverbial bill of goods on that one.
To reference how all of us cool dudes dressed back then, I had 5 leisure suits at one time with a couple of necklaces and 2 shirts costing $100/ea.! Get down tonight! LOL!
We wore cords,& thought we were cool!
Those Buick 350’s in that era all had 4 BRL carbs
Duaney, actually, buyers could get either a 2-barrel or a 4-barrel carb on the 350 V8 in a 1975 Buick Century Custom.
https://xr793.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/1975-Buick-Century-CN.pdf
(The last page shows the specs)
https://www.automobile-catalog.com/car/1975/177335/buick_century_custom_hardtop_coupe_5_7l_v-8_hydra-matic.html
https://xr793.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/1975-Buick.pdf
(page 34 lists a 2-barrel and 4-barrel for the 350 in the Century Custom)
And, running the VIN lists this engine as a 350 V8 with a 2-barrel carb.
https://www.tpocr.com/buickvin10.html
4D37H5H211391
Remember spending all day Saturday with bleach white and a toothbrush. .clean it then and again on Sunday morning white seats .????
When I was a kid in Toronto, one of our neighbours bought one of these. Metallic brown, tan inside. Kept it in the garage built into the hill our condo townhouse complex was built on. The garage had no door, just a curves ramp up into it. He came down probably about three weeks after he got it and it was sitting on concrete blocks with the beautiful Buick road wheels MIA. Nothing else was touched on 30-40 cars in that garage.
Remember Kojak slapping the magnetic bubble-gum machine on the roof of his strippo Century?
Probably would’ve blown off if he had the vinyl roof.
You’re right, Crocker! LOL!
Auction update: this one apparently sold for an unknown amount, the seller accepted a best offer bid.