71350SS+454
Active Member
I had a 74 Century with a 350 2 bbl single exhaust really basic transportation. Extremely mundane and boring.They made a 4bbl dual exhaust 350 but they were few and far between plus whenever you found one it was someone's car who knew what he had and they kept the price higher than I wanted to pay.
That car was one of the best handling and braking stock machine I had driven up to then. I tried to find the F41 parts and a 4bbl intake but that was hard to find too. I found an engine at a junkyard with a 4 bbl intake but he wouldn't separate it from the rest of the motor unless I paid the whole engine price. There were no pick and pulls in the 80's where I lived so that made searching for parts difficult,no more like impossible to do.
I found a 73 Buick Century Gran Sport while searching the WantAd Press (anyone remember that weekly paper)that was a 455 Stage II 4 speed with a posi. It was completely rusted out and had half a tree in the trunk and at the back of the hood. Very rusted out including a good portion of the floors. The guy claimed the engine still ran and at the time cherry versions of the Century were about $1000 to $2000 and he wanted over a grand for the engine alone. He said he would sell the whole car for $1250.which was too rich for me considering the shape it was in.
If I found one of the stage II's today I might pull the trigger (if I had the coin that is) I'm always dreaming gives me something to do.
Here's a Hemmings article on the 70's era Gran Sport
That car was one of the best handling and braking stock machine I had driven up to then. I tried to find the F41 parts and a 4bbl intake but that was hard to find too. I found an engine at a junkyard with a 4 bbl intake but he wouldn't separate it from the rest of the motor unless I paid the whole engine price. There were no pick and pulls in the 80's where I lived so that made searching for parts difficult,no more like impossible to do.
I found a 73 Buick Century Gran Sport while searching the WantAd Press (anyone remember that weekly paper)that was a 455 Stage II 4 speed with a posi. It was completely rusted out and had half a tree in the trunk and at the back of the hood. Very rusted out including a good portion of the floors. The guy claimed the engine still ran and at the time cherry versions of the Century were about $1000 to $2000 and he wanted over a grand for the engine alone. He said he would sell the whole car for $1250.which was too rich for me considering the shape it was in.
If I found one of the stage II's today I might pull the trigger (if I had the coin that is) I'm always dreaming gives me something to do.
Here's a Hemmings article on the 70's era Gran Sport
