Something to believe in: The 1972 Buick Centurion

OsbornTramain ^ | 11/14/2025 | OsbornTramain

[MAGA2017]

Traction Control became big in the late 1980's and early 1990's on luxury cars, but, it was used by Buick years ahead of time. GM introduced Airbags and also ABS Braking way back int the 1970's, but these safety options didn't gain popularity until the 1990's. Paul Burke was the Star of the 1960's TV shows, "Naked City" and "12 O'clock High" by Quinn Martin.

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TOPICS: Chit/Chat; History; Hobbies; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: 1972; automotive; buickcenturion; commercial

[Inyo-Mono]

It probably had the 401 "nailhead".

Yes, I recall now that's what it was! Thanks for the reminder.

[null and void]

Since we're braggin' on our cars, my first car was a '68 Peugeot like this one, only with a black spray vinyl top:

Had a dickens of a time finding a good image, kept getting 404 not found...

[HartleyMBaldwin]

I had a Peugeot bicycle. Still have it but it needs complete restoration, which I never seem to get around to doing.

[TexasGator]

“There’s a long history of hard tops without B pillars also being called hardtop convertibles by GM.

The 1972 Buick pictured in post #4 was referred to as a hard top convertible by GM. My parents had a similar Chevy at that time.”

If there were a long history, It would be documented.

I am 78. On a convertible the top retracts.

[TexasGator]

Go on auto trader, carfax, etc and search.

[Disambiguator]

One of the greatest engines ever made!

That’s why they had a 30 year run.

[mund1011]

There were two brothers (Ed and George) in my extended family that I grew up with. They were older than me by about 30 years or so. They both were SUPER meticulous about their vehicles. Ed had 1969 Buick Electra 225 4 door and George had a 1972 Centurion.

Sometime around 2000, my buddy Mike bought Ed's Deuce and a quarter. It lasted about a year. Every body panel he managed to smash on that mint 225. After that fiasco, unbelievably, George sold the Centurion to Mike. Six months and that beauty was in the junk yard. Pot and beer are not a good combination when operating a motor vehicle.

[FreeReign]

If there were a long history, It would be documented. I am 78. On a convertible the top retracts.

I'm not that old. But in 1962, when I was a little kid, my Dad brought home a new car. He said it was a "hard top convertible". And he said to "go outside and take a look". So I ran outside expecting to see a convertible and instead I saw this.

And now for the history lesson.

In 1949, General Motors created a new body style with its pillarless hardtops for Buick and Cadillac, following up in 1950 with Chevrolet’s version, the Bel Air. With their low windshield heights and open greenhouses, these GM pillarless coupes emulated the look of a convertible, earning the nickname “hardtop convertible.” Oxymoronic, perhaps, but the odd label captured the flavor of the look, and the pillarless hardtop became one of the hot Motor City styling trends of the fifties.

Link

It's as I said.

Where were you in '62?

[oldtech]

I have a ‘05 Buick LaCrosse presently & it’s been a pretty good car. Previously I had a ‘94 Park Ave. & later an ‘02 Park Ave. Those were wonderful cars & with the 3800 engine got good mileage & reliability. Wish Buick still built cars like these. Those cars were truly cross-country cruisers while still being good around-town cars as well.

[oldtech]

I have a ‘05 Buick LaCrosse presently & it’s been a pretty good car. Previously I had a ‘94 Park Ave. & later an ‘02 Park Ave. Those were wonderful cars & with the 3800 engine got good mileage & reliability. Wish Buick still built cars like these. Those cars were truly cross-country cruisers while still being good around-town cars as well.

[MikelTackNailer]

What a great word picture you made in Post#22!

Occasionally this image of a '67 Cadillac pops up in nightmares from when an old lady hit me while I was on a friend's bicycle whose brakes failed at the exact wrong time.

A tuft of bluish hair over the steering wheel of the little old woman driving it. A witness said she just kept on going as if she'd hit a pothole, never looking back. I flew a good 25 feet and road-rashed another ten. Five broken bones, face half torn off, three months hospitalized.

"The 1967 Cadillac Calais features a 429 cubic inch (7.0 L) V8 engine producing 340 horsepower, with a 0-60 mph time of approximately 8.5 seconds. It is available in various body styles, including a hardtop coupe and sedan, and has a wheelbase of 129.5 inches." Base curb weight: 4,696 lbs. It got an amazing 9.2 miles-per-gallon!

Never found her but always wondered if she knew or not.

[Robert DeLong]

They were rare when they came out, as they were the high performance LeSabre.

Another great Buick was the 1965 Riveria with the hideaway headlights

[Robert DeLong]

I used that Buick to take my driving test. Was sure I would fail the parallel parking test, because it was a land yacht to be sure. But I slid right in with no issue. Must admit that blew my mind without question because I had prepared myself that I would fail it.

[sgt_lau]

The Jaguar XKE is, imo, the sexiest automobile ever made.

[Robert DeLong]

Sexy as can be, but they were terrible as far as reliabmility goes.

[sgt_lau]

*Sexy as can be, but they were terrible as far as reliability goes.*

I can overlook it. For sexy’s sake.

[Robert DeLong]

If you have the money, I guess you can affors to overlook the exenses to repaor it often, along with the expense to get yourself home when it breaks down. 😁🤙

Back in the mid 60s, there were not too many mechanics that worked on them. Some parts had to be ordered from overseas etc. But with enough money you can hire a fulltime mechanic, and plenty of spare parts. 😁🤙

[Bullish]

We always had Cadillac's.