1975 Buick Century

Free Spirit Coupe

8 - Cyl.

Automatic

4H57J5H171264

Clear

Gasoline

NO RESERVE!! I bought this 1975 Buick Century ‘Free Spirit’ Indy Pace Car in August of 2007 from an individual in Indiana. It has 28,095 original miles. I wasn’t really looking for a ’75 Pace Car but I was collecting Pace Cars and other vehicles and you just don’t see many of the ‘75s come up for sale so I jumped on this one. What really appealed to me about it was its originality, low mileage, and a few unique features that I had never seen on a ’75 Free Spirit. In the interest of full disclosure, I bought the car for about $10,500. The owner had run this car through a Kruse International auction less than a year earlier and had turned down the $13,500 high bid. He told me he was selling it now because he had lost his storage for it. He also told me that he had purchased it from the original owner and that the car had been garaged its whole life. I just need the space in the garage and we never drive this one, so it needs to go. My loss is your gain. HISTORY No one knows how many ’75 Pace Cars Buick actually built. They originally planned on 1800, but the more accepted estimate is around 400. The reason no one knows for sure is that Buick lost all of their records regarding mid-70s cars while changing locations in the mid-80s. Most of the information I have came from research I paid the Sloan Museum in Flint, MI, to do on the car. One reason the number was lower than planned is that they just didn’t sell. Many of the 400 or so that were built sat on lots and many were actually painted colors other than white by the dealers just to sell them. The three track used pace cars were modified with 455 engines and a few other items, but all of the Pace Cars sold to the public were basically the same – all had the 350 4 Barrel Carb motor with the GM Hydra-Matic Automatic Transmission. All ’75 Pace Cars also had Hurst Hatches, and were one of the 1st cars to have these along with the ’75 Hurst Olds. All the cars obviously had the Y8 – Free Sprit Package, which included white ‘pleather’ interior with Glacier Blue carpet. This car was purchased new on March 23rd, 1976 from Graham-Todd Motor Company in Columbus, Indiana. The dealer had removed the “Pace Car” lettering and the side graphics and added Chrome Side Moldings and a Hood Ornament because it had not sold. The original sales price was $7234.74. MECHANICAL The car ran perfectly when I bought it, but I have spent a few thousand dollars on minor mechanical and electrical improvements including: · Replaced the fuel tank sending unit – fuel gauge now works perfectly - $412 · Replaced everything in the AC system - $1208 o AC Compressor o AC Clutch o AC O Rings o Thermal Limiter o VIR Desicant Bag · Replaced VIR Assembly and Ambient Switch - $367 · Repaired all electrical issues including dash lights and fog lights - $297 It runs great now. Everything works, including the clock (although I don’t think it keeps very good time). This car can sit for months and will start up pretty easily for a carbureted vehicle with no drains on the battery. INTERIOR The car’s interior is in great original condition. The original seats are like new front and rear. The carpet is in great shape as is the dash, etc. One interesting item on this car is that it has a column shifter. I have never seen or heard of another ’75 with a column shifter. Buick built cars “off-the shelf” in the 70’s and this is certainly why this one is different than the usual examples with console shifters. The only issues are the standard ones for cars of this era – the speaker cover in the center of the dash is cracking and the rear panels are showing some discoloration (both pictured below). The rear panel discoloration is an easy and cheap thing to correct. The dash speaker cover cracking is not. Car manufacturers used to put the speakers inside the dash and just perforate holes over them to let the sound out. They ALL crack eventually and most people just cut them out and put aftermarket covers on them. I think this looks terrible, so I would leave it or find another solution. EXTERIOR The car is, as I have mentioned, original. The car needs a paint job and decals to be brought to show car level. The paint is showing its age when you look at it closely. It’s presentable in most areas, but is cracking behind the drivers’ door. The placards that are on the car are all cracking, as placards from 1975 will do. Actually, the car is in remarkable condition for its age, but I would paint it and have all of the original decals reproduced. The trim and bumpers, grills, and sheet metal are all in fantastic shape. The filler panels on the front are good (rare) but the ones on the rear need to be replaced. No one makes the flexible originals anymore, but your body shop can get fiberglass panels from GM Obsolete very cheap. In anticipation of the question I’m sure I will get about rust, no, this car does not have any rust issues. It has solid floors and panels and no rust in the usual places. The trunk floor is rock solid and even the frame has no rot at all. I have pointed out in pictures the only spots of surface rust where there were paint chips on the car. EXTRAS I will include all of the following extras with the car: · Original invoice from dealership · Original pit pass from race day · Original warranty information cards · Original Hurst Hatch Information Sheet · Original Buick Radio Installation Instruction Booklet · Original Owner’s Manual · Original Monroe Max Air Electric Ride Control System Manual (this car has this dealer installed option) · Original Buick Consumer Information booklet · Original ’75 Buick Accessories Booklet · Original Buick Dealer Installed Accessory Card (blank) · Original Free Spirit Hurst Hatch Booklet · Business Card from original salesman – Doyle Todd · Original Papers Booklet from the dealership · A lot of original paperwork such as inspections and registrations from the original owner · Original ’75 Pace Car Press Kit (very rare) · Original Program from race day · Indy Motor Speedway License Plate Cover – I bought it at the Speedway gift shop · Original 8x10 photo of all the pace and support cars lined up on the Speedway · A pair of new Indy Wing Logos – If you paint the car, these will replace the logos on the rear pillars now · I also have the original Hurst Hatch Storage Box. I’ve never seen one before or since. It’s in OK condition. I have restored it as best I can. I wouldn’t have stored the hatches in it when it was new, but it’s still a cool piece for the car shows · Printed pictures showing the appropriate size, color, and placement of the graphics originally on the car · A set of 1/24 scale graphics for the car · A piece of the original blue placard material – this is important because it is difficult to match the blue color on the decals if you replicate, the red is easy · The original Buick Demo 8-Track This car is possibly the lowest mileage and most original example of a ’75 Pace Car in existence. When I bought it I owned a number of Pace Cars, including the ’76 Buick example. I had unlimited storage at the time and that situation has changed. I’m down to 2 Pace Cars now, this one and my ’86 Vette. I hate to part with this one because I like it, and I am sure its value is going to rise as the mid-seventies cars are starting to come around. I would imagine that this car would be best for someone who wants to paint it and show it or run it through a Barrett-Jackson or Mecum auction. It’s a rare and cool car. Remember, you can restore a car anytime, but they’re only original once. There probably aren’t more than 40 or so of these still out there. Most cars with Hurst Hatches didn’t survive because they leaked and rust destroyed the cars from within. I would be willing to wager that this is the ONLY ’75 Pace Car in existence with a column shifter and is perhaps the lowest mileage example that you can buy. The car is registered and emissions inspected in Texas. I have a clear title and will sign it over to the winning bidder after payment is received. Please ask any questions and I’ll get back to you ASAP. If you want to talk to me about the car just e-mail me your number and I’ll be happy to call you. I’m listing it as a legitimate NO RESERVE auction because I need the space more than the money. I know someone is going to steal it, but I promise not to report you to the police! Good luck. I feel like I’m leaving stuff out, so please feel free to ask any questions you may have. There is an individual with a very good web site devoted to these cars: http://www.buickfreespirit.com/This is a good source of general information about the ’75 Pace Car and some of the information on the web site is about my car specifically. I also provided the photos of the press kit you will see on the site.