Rare Rides: Basic Brown Buick, a 1973 Century Coupe

Corey Lewis
by Corey Lewis

Though its nameplate dated back to the Thirties, the Century was an all-new model for Buick in 1973. The Century promised exciting value and (optional) power and luxury in the mid-size segment.

Let’s check out this very basic three on the tree coupe.

The first Century was offered in 1936, a year when Buick renamed their entire line to recognize new styling and engineering improvements. The name was discontinued after 1942 but returned in 1954 when Century was once more a full-size car. The first- and second-generation Century models followed the same formula: Use the body from Buick’s Special with its largest V8 engine. The second-generation Century lasted only through 1958 before the name was retired once again.

Not until 1973 did a Century return to Buick’s showroom floors, as a new midsize offering on the rear-drive A-body platform. Prior to ’73, Buick’s midsize was the Skylark, but that name went away for a while (to return later as a compact) and the Century took its place. The top Century trim was the Regal at the outset, a name which quickly became its own separate model. Century was available with two doors as a coupe, or with four as a sedan and wagon.

Worth mentioning, there was a class distinction amongst the Century coupes. Base models called Century 350 had a rear quarter window and fastback profile, while the more expensive Century Luxus had a notchback roof with opera windows. Century Regal (shown) also carried the more formal roof. The Luxus name was short-lived and was replaced by the more familiar Custom trim in 1975.

Base engine duty was handed to the 231 cubic-inch Buick V6 from 1975 onward. Customers who enjoyed eight cylinders had two or three options from which to choose. A Buick 350 was Century’s initial base engine, with the Buick 455 as a hi-po offering. At the top was Oldsmobile’s 403, but that was only offered as an option on wagon versions in 1977. Transmissions on offer were three-speed in manual or automatic guise, as well as a four-speed manual.

The third-gen Century lived through 1977 before it was downsized into a smaller A-body in 1978. That was the last of the rear-drive A cars, as in 1982 the fifth-generation Century debuted as a front-drive A-body. Today’s first-year Century has the base 350 engine, a manual transmission, and not much else aside from a radio. It’s for sale in salt-free New Mexico and asks $12,500.

[Images: GM]

Corey Lewis
Corey Lewis

Interested in lots of cars and their various historical contexts. Started writing articles for TTAC in late 2016, when my first posts were QOTDs. From there I started a few new series like Rare Rides, Buy/Drive/Burn, Abandoned History, and most recently Rare Rides Icons. Operating from a home base in Cincinnati, Ohio, a relative auto journalist dead zone. Many of my articles are prompted by something I'll see on social media that sparks my interest and causes me to research. Finding articles and information from the early days of the internet and beyond that covers the little details lost to time: trim packages, color and wheel choices, interior fabrics. Beyond those, I'm fascinated by automotive industry experiments, both failures and successes. Lately I've taken an interest in AI, and generating "what if" type images for car models long dead. Reincarnating a modern Toyota Paseo, Lincoln Mark IX, or Isuzu Trooper through a text prompt is fun. Fun to post them on Twitter too, and watch people overreact. To that end, the social media I use most is Twitter, @CoreyLewis86. I also contribute pieces for Forbes Wheels and Forbes Home.

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  • Art Vandelay Art Vandelay on Feb 11, 2021

    I think that fastback coupe is a great looking car, especially if you put the bumpers on a diet and tucked them a bit. Those are some of the best looking rims an OEM ever fitted to a car

  • Jeff S Jeff S on Feb 12, 2021

    I actually preferred the pre 1973 GM intermediates but I got use to this generation. I had the 73 Chevelle Deluxe sedan and then I bought a new 1977 loaded Monte Carlo at the end of the model year. My favorites are the Monte Carlo and Grand Prix of this generation but I don't mind all the others.

  • MaintenanceCosts It's not a Benz or a Jag / it's a 5-0 with a rag /And I don't wanna brag / but I could never be stag
  • 3-On-The-Tree Son has a 2016 Mustang GT 5.0 and I have a 2009 C6 Corvette LS3 6spd. And on paper they are pretty close.
  • 3-On-The-Tree Same as the Land Cruiser, emissions. I have a 1985 FJ60 Land Cruiser and it’s a beast off-roading.
  • CanadaCraig I would like for this anniversary special to be a bare-bones Plain-Jane model offered in Dynasty Green and Vintage Burgundy.
  • ToolGuy Ford is good at drifting all right... 😉
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