Thanks for checking with the Guru.. Would that be RJA, by chance? BTW, could you send me an email? I lost all my contacts this week in a computer meltdown...along with 2 years of emailsou: adamm@buickpartsdirectory.com Thaaaaaanks:beer
Lesabre base engine It's hard to believe but I think the base engine for the Lesabre was a straight six. Every now and then one will show up on Ebay. Straight sixes actually have a lot of torque. The base engine for the Centurion was a 350. Hence a Lesabre with a 455 was called a Custom 455 because it was considered a special order. The first time I ever saw a Centurion was in the movie "Used Cars". It does seem like a cross between an Electra, Lesabre, and Riviera. The 50's show car actually had a closed circuit camera and monitor that replaced the rear view mirror.
not in a nutshell, LeSabre base engine was the 350 with higher perf 350/4 available, the Centurion in 71 & 72 came standard with the 455 with a higher output 455 available, 73 the 350/4 was standard on the Centurion with the 455 optional, 455 was available on the LeSabre all 3 years - I think that sums it up without breaking it down to much further although it could be.
...and I believe that '73 is the only year for the "455 Custom" fender badges on a LeSabre. btw, my '71 Chassis Manual shows the base tranny for a LeSabre to be a 3-speed manual. Anybody ever actually seen one?
According to my 71/72 Buick Facts Books the 250 6cyl was only offered in the base Skylark. It was not offered in 72. The standard engine for the LeSabre was the 350-2 barrell the only option was the 350-4 barrel. The 3 speed trans was standard on all models except the Electra/Riviera in 1971. It was discontinued in the B bodies in 1972.
'71 and '72 were different... In '71, the 3-speed manual was listed as standard, but doubtful more than a few ever hit the street. In '72, the automatic was standard. The TH-375B went with the 350 and TH-400 with the 455. I don't know about '71 for the LeSabre, but for '72 the base engine was 350-2V, optional was 350-4, or 455-4. As for the six, Buick hadn't been a straight six company for many years. They borrowed the basic straight six from Chevy in a couple of cars later (probably the Apollo), but not for full-size. They're legendary for V6, but Buick was basically an "eight" company, until their own V8 disappeared. In-line can deliver great torque, but the technology didn't exist back then to take advantage of it - the block was too heavy and carburetion too inefficient for the long manifold distance.
one In 71 total Centurion production with a 3-speed manual was - drumroll - (1) ONE. Even more odd was it was a convertible
Straight Six I stand corrected. :spank: I know I saw one with a straight six on Ebay. But, maybe they pulled it from a Skylark or didn't know what they were looking at.
GM made automatic transmissions standard in all the big cars during mid 71, so the total number of any 71 big car from them must be extremely small. Probably more Cheys and Pontiacs than Olds and Buicks. The 6 was available in Bel Airs and Biscaynes for 71, but the automatic used with it was Powerglide. Probably was more for taxi use.
The Rumor about the '71 Convertible And the rumor I heard many years ago -- but cannot confirm -- is that this was a black convertible with the Modified High Performance 455.
On the subject of LeSabre / Centurion differences . . . Here's an interesting and somewhat unusual 1971 literature piece that was actually a dealership mailer to prospective customers. I like it because it shows both the LeSabre and Centurion. I've always found it interesting that the advertising and brochure photos omit the protective side moldings, which most of the cars were equipped with. The beautiful Rosewood/Sandalwood Formal Coupe in this photo wears the early style deck lid with 54 louvers instead of the later version with fewer louvers. The car also has the seldom-seen Super Deluxe wheelcovers, which were the Electra 225 style with Centurion helmet center emblems.
Ahh, sweet dreams! (drooldrooldrool...) Wouldn't a column-shift 455 be SO different and just WAY cool? :bglasses: I always liked Ford column shifters...once they get a little wear, they're sooooo smoooooooooth, especially the 2-3 shift. :Brow:
Color examples For you fans of obscure '71 full-size colors: My Dad's twilight turquoise Lesabre Custom (owned 2/71-roughly mid 1977):