1973 buick centurion convertible rear window

During its final year on the market, Buick only managed to sell 44,976 of the Centurion across all body styles. The “blink and you’ll miss it” aura that the Buick Centurion produces is reinforced by the low build totals. It isn’t loaded with luxury extras, but air conditioning, a pushbutton AM radio, a tilt wheel, a speed alert, and a clock all add to the positive impression made by this Buick. The owner provides no information on an odometer reading, but the lack of visible wear on the wheel suggests that he hasn’t driven this classic into the ground. The dash and pad look perfect, while the owner has protected the carpet with mats to help maintain a high presentation level.

It is upholstered in Brown vinyl, and there’s no evidence of any wear or physical damage. When we turn our attention to the Centurion’s interior, we discover more spotless presentation. However, the owner’s assurance that everything works should be seen as a positive.

Sadly, that’s about all that we know on this front. The engine bay presents well for a survivor of this age, with no evidence of fluid leaks or long-term problems. With all of that weight to drag, it would be fair to expect the Centurion to be a performance slug, and while it didn’t offer muscle car performance, the 17.4-second ¼-mile ET should be considered respectable. The owner also chose to equip this classic with power steering and power brakes. This monster motor should be producing 260hp, which finds its way to the rear wheels via a 3-speed THM400 automatic transmission. Buick delivered on this front because the owner ordered this Convertible with the high-output version of the 455ci V8. That means that if progress is going to be anything but glacial, the car in question will require something special under the hood. That is the case with the Centurion because this one should tip the scales at a whopping 5,081lbs.

When a car is the size of this Buick, it is usually no surprise to learn that it is also pretty heavy. The owner ordered this Buick with Soft Ray tinted glass that appears flawless, while the same seems true of the exterior trim and the chrome Rally wheels. There are no visible signs of rust problems, and the owner reassures potential buyers that the car is clean. Adding to the overall positive impression is a spotless Beige soft-top that comes with a matching Parade Boot. There are no visible flaws, while the panels look straight and true. The owner doesn’t indicate whether he has ever treated this Buick to any repainting work, but if he hasn’t, it seems that he is an expert at preserving what the factory provided. The paint shines beautifully, and the color is almost deep enough to sink into. If big is beautiful, then at more than 18½’ in overall length, the Centurion would nearly qualify as gorgeous! This is a big car with a lot of presence, and it presents superbly in its original shade of Brown Metallic. I have to say a big thank you to Barn Finder Matt H for spotting this beautiful Buick for us. You can drive off into the sunset by handing the owner $18,500. Located in Portland, Oregon, you will find the Centurion listed for sale here on Craigslist. After nearly five decades under his care, the owner has decided to part with a vehicle that seems to need nothing.

Our feature car hails from that final year of production and is a one-owner survivor that presents superbly. The Buick Centurion would fall into the second category because the company only produced and marketed it from 1971 until 1973. In the automotive world, some models are renowned for their longevity, while others tend to be a “blink and you’ll miss it” proposition.

1973 buick centurion convertible rear window