What package would you order back in begin seventies at the Buick dealer?

[MichelHaak]

Let's talk about our most favorite package deal at the Buick dealer when we are throwed back to 71-73 and had 10.000 dollar to spend!

My favorite:

71 ragtop, flame orange.
White leather interior, fully loaded with power windows, bench etc.
Parade Boot. right hand side mirror.
NO parking moldings at the side. Stainless on the trunk.
Rally wheels. 455 T 265 HP engine.
Climate control. 3 spoke steering wheel.
Positrac rear axle. Cruise control. That's it.

Really like the 71 model, like it much more than 72 and 73... Though I like my 72 also.:beers:

[centurion 455 ragtop]

Hate to say it Michel and to all my other Buick brothers, if I had $10,000 back in 1970-73 I would have bought either an AC Cobra 427 or a ZL1 Vette:rooleyes2: Sorry guys...

But keeping with the theme of things,:xyxthumbs: and my love for Buicks. I would pick any of the Centurion years, I like them all. Must be a convertible and would have checked off every option available and if it wasn't available, I would have thrown a couple of Franklins ($100 bills) as a tip into the saleman's hand, saying, "This is for you, now just do it please". Oh and of course a custom color of my choice.

If I had any extra money left I would put it down on a 1972 GS Stage 1 convertible (only 81 were made):rolleyes:

[Richard Dunn]

Okay you just bought back my memories.
I had a Consumers Guide price guide for 1973.
At the time I had the option list and prices practically memorized.
Here goes.
1973 Buick Centurion convertible.:cool:
455 4bbl V-8
Positive traction (I didn't even know what it did but I wanted it).
Air conditioning.
Tinted glass complete
Automatic transmission.
Power steering
Power brakes.
Convenience package with clock and trunk lamp
Power windows.
left hand remote mirror.
Tilt steering wheel
Six way power seat, driver's side.
Custom line cover.
Power door locks.
Body side moldings (I'm a city kid, I know what shopping carts can do)
wide rocker panel moldings.
Front lamp monitors.
Front and rear bumper rub strips.
Front bumper guards.
AM/FM stereo with 8-track tape. (Or a cassette player)
Maybe and not required. The cruise control and the 6-way power passenger seat.
As for colors.
1) Maroon with a sandlewood interior and sandlewood top. :D
2) Maroon with a black interior and a white top
3) Bamboo cream with a sandlewood interior (maybe saddle) and a sandlewood top
4) Mediteranean blue with a black interior and a white or black top
5) Willow green with a green interior and a green roof.
6) White with a black interior and a black or white roof.
7) Taupe metallic with a saddle (or sandlewood interior) and a sandlewood top.
8) Lt blue metallic with a black interior and white or black roof.
9) Triple black.
10) Jade green with green interior and a green or a white roof.

Wildcards: White with a saddle interior and white roof.
Bamboo cream with a black interior and white or black roof.
Midnight blue with a black interior and a white or black roof.
And maybe Dark brown with a saddle interior and a white or sandlewood top.
Now I never saw any back then but if I could have had it, the Riviera only color, sort of a cinnamon-copper color with a sandlewood or saddle interior with a sandlewood roof. Now that would have knocked them over!
So I kind of knew what I wanted back then. LOL!

[RFortuna]

For me it would be a 72 convertible loaded out except body side mouldings, the fender top lamp monitors, and the wide rocker moulding. I think they take something away from the beautiful lines of the car. I can't decide between seamist green/green interior/white top, and hunter green/white interior/white top. And if I had 10K back then, I'd also get a triple black Riviera GS to sit next to it in the garage!

Randy

[Bob Alberini]

For those of you who know me, this will not be a surprise. It would have been a Fire Red with black vinyl roof 72 Centurion 4 door hardtop with black cloth interior and virtually a check list car -- including MaxTrac, Front Lamp Monitors, Cornering Lamps, Automatic Climate Control and about anything that was offered. I know I would have opted for the standard Centurion wheel covers though but aside from that, just loaded, loaded and loaded.

[Adam]

I've often thought about this, if I could order any 71-73 Buick new from the factory it would be a:

1971 Centurion convertible
high performance 455 with dual exhaust
TH400
posi rear
AM/FM stereo with 8-track
AC with automatic controls
power: windows, doors, seats, top, steering, brakes
tilt wheel
remote mirrors (left, and right)
wire wheel covers
and either black - red pinstripe - white top - white interior
or blue - white pinstripe - white top - white interior

But if I could go for any year I would get a 1960 Invicta 2 door hardtop with the 401.

[73 CONVERT RON]

Hey Guys ... Wait A Minute .... Think About This $10,000 Bucks In 1971 -1973 Was A Lot Of $ Green $ ... A NEW 3 Bedroom 2 Bath House Was $57,000 Or Less ... I Was Paying .25 Cents For A Gallon Of Gas . I Think The Minimum Wage Was Around $1.55 Ok Lets Move Forward Now In 2008 If You Factor In Inflation What Would That $10,000 Bucks Be Equal Too In Todays Dollars ??? (lots) OK In 2008 A New Ride Loaded Will Run You What $40,000 To $45,000 With Taxes And That's Just A RUN OF THE MILL CAR (TOYOTA) ... And Were Not Talking About A Convert Either !! Look At It This Way Now You Can Go Find A Good Fixer For $3000.00 To $4000.00 Bucks ;-) WHAT A SCORE ...so On The Weekends Ya Go On A Treasure Hunt At A Few Junk Yards And Ya Find One Or Two Good cars TUCKED AWAY IN THE BACK ROW WITH COMPLETE CRUISE CONTROL AND SIDE TURN LAMPS AND PERFECT REAR BUMPER RUBBER ... YAHOO ... And Now Ya Spend A Few Weeks (months) Finding Parts On Ebay Setting At Your Desk With A Long Neck In Hand AND PLAYING A STEELY DAN C.D. AND FINDING N.O.S Parts For A Song Just Pennys On The Dollar ... Wow ... Can You Even Guess What The Parts Would Be Thru The Dealer If They Were Still In Stock ?? Yep There Goes Your Kids Inheritance .
Now A Days Ya Can Go Get Your Convert Painted In Just The Color You Want From Bamboo To Champagne FROM Black Leather To White Vinyl seats With A Black Cloth Top GO INSTALL A RIGHT SIDE MIRROR then ya find a parade boot for 400.00 bucks ;-) ... And Let's Talk About Technology Today A Little Bit Of This And A Little Bit Of That And Poof 450 H.p. Maybe A Extra Set Of After Market 18" Rims On The Rear And 17" Rims On The Front With Two Inch Drop Spindles Just For The Fun Of It ... Some Body Wake Me Up That Was One Sweet Dream ... And All For Around $10,000 Bucks In 2008 Money SUCH A DEAL ... What A Beautiful Thing ... So Now You Have A Better Car Than What Was Sold New In 1971,1972 Or 73 AND IT'S JUST The WAY YOU WANT IT WITH NO REGRETS .... AHHH LIFE'S GOOOD .... Regards, Convert Ron ;-)

[Centurion]

Time to jump in on this one. Since I'm not a convertible guy, I'd probably stick with a '71 Formal Coupe.

I would load it up with all options, except for the protective side molding. Road wheels, bumper guards, paint stripe, custom rear body molding, and cornering lamps would be required on the outside. I would forego the accessory Vigilite lamp monitors, which we never saw installed new on '71's.

Minimum interior options would include the accessory group, tilt, cruise, A/C (manual controls), power windows, power seats, AM/FM stereo. The custom seat belt option is a must have, since the buckles are so nice. The car would have MaxTrak and high-performance 455. If I were ordering, I would skip the rim blower steering wheel (but would certainly never discard the one that my car was delivered with).

It's with the factory colors that I would have the most fun. I would be tempted to look at special ordering one of the exclusive Riviera colors on my Centurion, but there are plenty of great standard-issue colors. My top choices would be:

Twilight Turquoise, Tealmist Gray, Verdemist Green, or Nocturne Blue -- all paired with black vinyl roofs and black interiors.

[EEE]

72 Centurion Convertible
Manual transmission
Hi performance 455 with stage 2 dealer installed heads, cam etc.
3.42 posi
Power windows
Rallye wheels
Tinted windows
Rallye steering wheel
AM/FM radio
A/C


Icy blue with hmmmmm... I'm not sure on the interior color.


No bumper guards, rubber pieces, side trim, power seats, extravagant cornering lamps, trunK stainless, extra cheese etc.

[The German]

Really interesting dreams here ! Now you will know mine:

Most of us want a lot of options – so I do also, that´s no question. For me this dream-question is reduced to : 1. what year of production, 2. what type and 3. what color . My answers are :
1. I´m with Keith : "Like the 72's best, the 71's are nice, the 72's got it right, and the 73's went in for a facelift lost some of the clean styling."; so I would order a car of 1972;
2. convertible for cruising , 4-dr.-hardtop for a daily driver;
3. the convert. I would order in the color combination of this car (bamboo cream, white interior and white top) : http://www.buickcenturion.com/forums/showthread.php?t=419
Other possibilities would be white with blue and white interior like my 71 car but with a blue top and pinstripe or fire red with white interior, top and pinstripe like Keith´s former 72 car.
The 4-door I would order in the same color combination of Bob´s and Randy´s hardtops of 72 (dark green with geen interior and black vinyl top) – very elegant !
_______________
Rolf

[73 Centurion]

I'd take the $10G and invest it conservatively. I'd then have enough to pry Adam's car out of his hands when he's got it detailed to perfection.

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

John

[Robroy]

Believe it or not but I would actually choose a 73 2d in the same color combo as I got but with some more options.
The 71-72 are nice cars indeed no question about it, for me the 73 styling is just a little nicer plus that I’m nuts about the roof-line (rear window style) on the 73 two door coupe.
The extra options would be:
455 High Performance, dual exhaust, factory rally wheels, central looking, power windows & seat, passenger side mirror, posi rear axle and AM/FM stereo with 8-track.

I’ll copy Rolf’s line about the second and daily driver Centurion as Bob´s or Randy´s 4d hardtops of 72 (dark green with green interior and black vinyl top) since I think they really got class!:xyxthumbs: They would beat any kind of limo what so ever for a grand event, that’s my opinion..:xyxthumbs:

[Richard Dunn]

Hi Per, glad that you like the '73s as much as I do.

But I love those '71 and '72 Buicks too.:)

[The German]

Hi Per, glad that you like the '73s as much as I do.
But I love those '71 and '72 Buicks too.:)

Sometimes I think our love to Centurions is a way comparable with the love to women : we all love all beauties, only we love some of them more than others, one of them most and there is a special space for dreams also !;)
_______________
Rolf

[dewbers]

we all love all beauties, only we love some of them more than others, one of them most and there is a special space for dreams also ! ;)
_______________
Rolf

Well said Rolf! Well said...