1973 Buick Century - The Center of Geo Politcs

Metaphorically speaking, which came first - the OPEC Embargo of October 1973 or the influx of imports from Asia and Europe? Yes, the imports came first but their share of the market really didn't take hold until after the embargo. Have to wonder, though, if there was no embargo, would The Big Three have downsized? With no embargo, what would have been the impetus to do so? Based on GM's upsizing of their full-size "B and C bodies "in 1971 and subsequent upsizing of their intermediate "A bodies" for 1973, like our fabulous '73 Buick Century here, it seemed there was no end in sight as to how long and wide American automobiles could or would get.



Now, with regards to the first energy crisis, it's not as if warning signs weren't everywhere that we could have been forced into a precarious situation if OPEC turned off the spigots. Since 1949, with our country's cozy relationship with oil-producing nations in the middle east, we had steadily increased importation of foreign oil because it was less expensive to do so than producing it domestically. In April of 1973, six months before the embargo amidst growing hostilities in the Middle East, the Nixon administration announced a new energy strategy to boost domestic production to reduce U.S. vulnerability to oil shortages in the event "something happened". Well, something did happen on October 5, 1973 when an Arab coalition launched a surprise attack on Israeli positions. With the United States supporting Israel and the Soviet Union supporting Arab nations, OPEC stopped exporting oil here. The embargo, in turn, led to drastically increased gasoline prices and shortages the likes of which the United States had never seen. Even during World War II. All of a sudden that shiny, new 10 miles per gallon 1973 Buick Century became a stone cold pariah. To make matters even worse, as part of the bargaining chip to end the embargo in March of 1974, the Nixon administration allowed OPEC to continue charging the increased prices for crude oil that they had been charging during the embargo. 

While the size of this car was a problem with regards to its maneuverability, it's not what kept in languishing on dealer lots for months during the embargo. That "350-2", Buick built V-8 down there was the primary culprit and was, in a round about way, at the center of geo politics back then. Although it made just 155 horsepower in two barrel guise, less horsepower in theory using less gas, it had nearly two tons of less than aerodynamic mass to pull. Factor in early emissions gear bogging down engine performance and efficiency even more and you have a good old fashioned gas guzzler.  

 

Through it all, though, we've always thought these big Buick "A bodies" the most handsome of the 1973 GM intermediates. I know we're in the minority in appreciating the lines of these cars too with most "car people" preferring the 1967-1972 GM A's over these cars. Regarding size, though, and we're people who love a big car, they are about as big an automobile as we'd ever wanted to drive. Anything bigger than this really gets hairy to maneuver. The '74's got bigger by rote since the government mandated that rear safety bumpers be festooned to all cars sold in this country as well as the fronts starting in 1973. Bit of an oddity then that the '73 "A's" came our with this one year only rear bumper. These "mid sized" cars were so big that they were the basis for GM's full size A and B bodies starting in 1977.



 

GM's A body intermediates never got any bigger and the Buick Century (and Regal for that matter) underwent a painful restyling in 1975 that took away most of the character lines that our black beauty has. 1975 also brought about the re-introduction of the Buick V-6 as the base engine to help improve mileage. If you thought the "350-2" powered cars were underpowered drive one of those V-6 powered Centurys or Regals for that matter. This car would feel down right sporty in comparison.

Our subject is for sale on CL up here in Northeast Ohio between Cleveland and Youngstown Ohio with an asking price of nearly $9,000. Yes, that's a lot and while it's probably priced accordingly for a mid '70's personal luxury car in very good condition, we think it a ton of money for anything made after 1971 that's not a Corvette and is certainly no muscle car. It's also optioned strangely but it does have only, allegedly, 29,481 miles on it. Here's the link. If you get it at anything close to $5,000 you've done well. You can spend the savings on the gas it's going to use.