The Buick Century was used as a nameplate thrice by General Motors. The first time, the Century debuted in 1936, replacing the erstwhile Series 60. At the time, they came powered with a 5.3-liter inline-eight engine that jetted 141 horsepower and let the car run at a sustained speed of 100mph, and earned it the moniker “the banker’s hotrod”. In fact, the Century came to be named for its 100mph top speed only and is thought to be one of the best Buicks to date.
Discontinued in 1942, the Buick Century was reborn as yet another upscale car in 1954, this time bearing the rather aptly named Nailhead V8 engine, that powered the iconic 1966 Wildcat as well. The Century remained Buick’s performance model with output going all the way to 200 horses. By 1959, the Century was retired, again, in favor of the Buick Invicta.
Finally, in 1973, the Century remerged, and this time it came in a midsize avatar, replacing the erstwhile Buick Skylark. The last run of the Century proved to be the longest, lasting all the way till 2005. The Buick Century’s final example rolled off the assembly line in October 2004 and came to be replaced by the Buick LaCrosse.
But for now, let’s talk about the 1973 re-emergence of the Buick Century, and what it means for collectors today…
The Buick Century, Generation Three
The end of the second coming of the Buick came in 1959, and after a 15-year cooling period, the Century came back in 1973, this time riding on the A-Body platform. Now, the Buick Century was related to the Chevy Chevelle and Malibu, and even the Oldsmobile Cutlass and the Pontiac LeMans.
There was the base Century model, which could be taken as a four-door hardtop sedan or coupe, and also a station-wagon that could seat six to nine passengers depending on the configuration. The Century-350 was another trim, also available in all body styles, except the coupe wore a semi-fastback roofline, and the rear side windows were fixed triangular panes.
The Century Luxus’s two-door hardtop coupe came with “Colonnade” styling, named for an angled opera window between the B and C pillars. The Regal trim came only in the two-door hardtop colonnade coupes, and finally, there was the Gran Sport (GS) option, the last of which could be taken on any trim model for better engine performance.
Performance Was Key For The Century’s Success
The base engine for the 1973 Buick Century was a 5.7-liter V8 that came with a double or quad-barrel carburetor, the latter of which managed a cool 190 horses. So sure, it was a lot lesser than the 1970’s Buicks, but the Century managed a decent output despite stringent new emission controls that strangled engines into submission.
Another engine option was the 7.4-liter V8 that ran on a quad-barrel carburetor, jetting 250 horses. Finally came a refined version of this very engine, a stage 1 7.4-liter quad -barrel, this one giving out the maximum output yet, of 270 horses.
This kind of horsepower may sound a bit disappointing but compare it to any of the other A-Body cars, and the Buick Century turns out to be the most power-packed of them all. The Chevelle SS ran on a similar engine but made 245 horses, while the Pontiac GTO and the Oldsmobile 442 made 250 horses each.
Clearly, the 270 horses made by Stage 1 V8-powered Buick Century was the most exciting of them all. You have to give Buick credit for managing to do their best in a situation going downhill pretty quickly. Most of the 7.4-liter Buick Century GS models are minor collectibles today, but some are definitely more special than the others.
The Cost Of A 1973 Buick Century Today
When we talk 1973 Buick Century GS models, they are rare. Out of the 6,500-plus Buick Century made for 1973, only 979 came equipped with the Stage 1 7.4-liter V8, the one that jetted 270 horses and rode like the wind.
Most 1973 Buick Century examples don’t come very expensive on the classic car bazaar, costing approximately $25,000 for a mint condition model.
The Buick Century is also technically, the progenitor of the Buick Regal, a series that gained much fame with the GNC, and later the GNX as well. At the time, the Buick Century competed successfully against the likes of the Ford Torino, the Plymouth Fury, Dodge Coronet, and the not-so-competitive AMC Matador. To say that this muscle car version of a Buick was ahead of the competition would be an understatement.
The Buick Century may not have created a splash like many other “muscle cars” of its time, but its gentle road presence and powerful engine options kept on rippling the waters, eking out space for itself in the classic car bazaar.
Sources: Hagerty, ClassicCars