Restoration InformationI find that the best way to inform people how to restore a '75 Buick "Free Spirit" Century Custom Series is to provide answers to questions. Are all '75 Free Spirit Buick Centurys identical?NO. There are several inconsistencies from car to car.
What commonalities are shared by all '75 pace cars?
What is the rubber material under the tail lamps, above the sides of the rear bumper and bewteen the front bumper and the body?This is commonly known as "filler" material; a common build material used for many cars of the 70s to hide gaps for large reinforced bumpers with springs. This material is not available anywhere NOS (New Old Stock); it will have to be custom fabricated. Fortunately this is not a difficult task and any reputable restoration shop will be able to help you out. There is some debate as to what color the filler material should be. The front filler material should be silver (or medium/dark gray). The rear filler material under the tail lamps should be black. The rear filler material to the sides should be white. On some cars this may also be the same color as the front filler. While acceptable, the vast majority of pace car replicas have this particular filler in white to better match the body. Whom do I go to to get my stripes re-done?Graphik Concepts. They were the original shop that did the stripe package. Important notes: The original graphics were NOT decals. They were placards. That is the reason why they are so thick. A very common issue is that your placards are "gator-cracked" in the blue area. There is no known fix for this. The only solution is to have the car's paint completely stripped and have the stripes painted on. It does not take away the authenticity of your car when you do this being that the placards are almost impossible to maintain even if you take pristine care of your car.
There are shops who have vinyl versions of the stripe package. However, this package has colors provided by 3M and they do not match the original look. The only way to get the true color from 1975 is to have them painted. There is no other accurate way to do it. Yes, it will cost you several thousands of dollars to have it done correctly. But as they say, you do get what you pay for. If you go cheap, it will look terrible. I have a 2bbl version of the car. If I swap out for a 4bbl, does this make it a "true" pace car replica?I've been asked this question several times. The answer is NO because you will not have what are called "matching numbers". Your VIN will instantly discredit you because it will say you have a 2bbl when you have something else there. Does the Century "share" any parts with other GM vehicles?Yes. The Century in 1975 was an "A-body" General Motors vehicle. The "A" platform was used by all these cars in 1975:
While it's true that body parts will not fit, mechanical parts will for the most part. It's strongly suggested not to mix/match parts from cars in other GM divisions with the Century. Use all-Buick parts if at all possible when restoring. Remember: The intent of restoring is not to build a "mutt" car. Can you convert manual-crank windows to power windows?Yes. This involves the installation of a regulator in both doors. The rocker switchgear can be placed in the same place where the window crank is. This is the one piece of equipment where it does not have to be Buick-authentic as many GM coupes and sedans used the exact same switchgear across the board. Bear in mind this may be a costly upgrade just to have power windows. You may want to consider keeping the cranks. The seat belt buckles have a "GM" logo on them. Is this okay?Yes. There were no specific Buick emblems on the buckles. Is it true the THM350 automatic transmission breaks easily?This is only true if you have a heavy right foot when driving. The TurboHydramatic 350 transmission is not as rugged as the THM400 in this particular application. However, being that all '75 pace car owners have absolutely no intention of "roasting the tires", the THM350 will not be any cause for concern under normal driving conditions. My Hurst Hatches are cracked. Can I fix them?Yes. You can have the plexiglas re-done if you choose. And yes it will be expensive. However it's better overall if you can locate another set. If you happen to be one of the few lucky owners that doesn't have cracked Hurst Hatches: I strongly recommend you always drive the car with the hatches off. This will ensure that your hatches won't crack - ever. I want the ticking clock to work again. How do I fix that?Visit any traditional jeweler and he or she will be able to custom-fabricate a clock that will work for you with the existing face. It will be 10 times better than the original clock and probably out-live you. There is absolutely no reason to seek out an original working 1975 Buick-issued interior clock. It won't work correctly and will be often off-time due to age of the parts (and the fact Buick didn't exactly put a huge effort in making sure their clocks lasted past 3 years, let alone 30). What is the seat material used?Naughahyde, a.k.a. "pleather". If you choose you can restore the original nauga or upgrade to leather even though white leather seats were never offered. Well-known annoyances with nauga:
What performance can I expect out of the engine?The '75 Free Spirit Century was made at a time when performance was "luke warm" at best. The car is not a racer although she looks like one. Your goal is to make the engine run "smooth". That is Buick style. If you are looking for tire-roasting performance, the '75 Century is not the car for you. You would be better off with a Gran Sport or Grand National if performance is what you're looking for. Any reputable mechanic will be able to work on your small-block 350ci V8. It is a relatively simple engine of the time without any special parts needed to repair/maintain. What gas mileage can I expect?Realistically speaking, 14 city/17 highway. The reason for the low MPG is due to the 350THM transmission which does not have an overdrive gear. Can I run "regular" gas?Yes, although it's suggested to use a minimum 91 octane fuel to ensure the 4bbl carburetor performs optimally. How do I replace the chrome trim on the opera windows?Have it custom fabricated. It's not difficult to have a shop do this. How do I replace the rubber stripe on the front/rear bumpers?Again, have it custom fabricated. And again, it's not difficult to have a shop do this. |
