1971 Buick Centurion Shows Battle Scars and Rarity Marks After 30 Years of Barn Oblivion

While the overall build volume of the nameplate doesn’t put it among the rarities of Detroit’s finest piston crafts, there is a particular variant of the short-lived Buick that can claim that title. The convertibles covered less than one-tenth of the Centurion production, with 10,296 examples assembled for the three model years.

The inaugural year was the lowest point in Centurion’s sales, with 29,398 vehicles. The new Buick was offered only as a two- and four-door hardtop or a drop-top. The former scored 2,161 on the money-making scale of its launch year, making it the rarest of its convertible namesakes and the least popular Centurion.

The brand-new Buick was a chip off the old Wildcat block: make that its big V8 block. Like the successful model it had replaced, the Centurion offered just one engine (with two different tuning setups). The behemoth 455 cubic-inch (7.5-liter) powerhouse was OPEC’s closest friend and probably held the top spot on the Clean Air Act supporters’ “Most Wanted Gas Guzzler” list.

The commanding 1971 Centurion delivered 315 hp or 330 hp (gross rating; 319 PS / 335 PS) and 450 or 455 lb-ft (610 Nm / 617 Nm). It was slightly under the 1970 Wildcat performance due to a gutted emission of 8.4:1 (down from 10.0:1) but had plenty of reserves to plant a big smile on the driver’s face. The feds might have removed the lead from the gasoline; there was absolutely nothing they could do to extirpate it from the right foot of certain gearheads.

Those 230 or 265 net horses (233, 268 PS) went to the rear wheels by appointment of a duo of three-speeds: a manual or the Turbo Hydra-matic 400 auto. The former allowed a 3.42 rear, while the automatic was more cruise-friendly, with its 2.93 gears. Honestly, it was not an overflowing abundance of power teams, but it was the absolute best Buick had in store, bar the GS 455 Stage 1 and GSX muscle.

Curiously, the 1971 Centurions came at higher prices than the following two model years examples: the ragtop was the most expensive, at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $4,678. By the end of its production, the same vehicle sold for $144 less ($4,534). Maybe that’s why the model's last year attracted more open-top-requesting customers than the previous two years combined (5,739 units versus 2,396 in 1972).

The ‘71s remain the hardest to come across nowadays – but not impossible, as the car cosmetician gang from WD Detailing proves with their latest find (and the last for 2023). By some engineering miracle, one convertible Centurion from 1971 remained hidden in a barn for the past three decades. How it got to the top floor is a mystery (and the YouTubers don’t reveal how they got it down to ground level).

What they do show, however, is what this beat-up Buick looks like after a deep cleanse, provided we ignore the crooked nose (a fender-bender encounter, most likely) that ruined the grille and keeps the hood from closing completely. Amazingly, the power top still works, but the cloth roof is shredded and torn – raccoons have had a long-term residence in this Buick, and it shows.

Apart from the cosmetic damage to the front and top, the car is in reasonably good shape, and the detailing job put a sparkle on the old Buick’s face. We don’t know how many miles it has, what type of engine sits under the massive hood, or the history of this rare GM automobile. We don’t even see if the enormous eight-cylinder runs, which would probably be pivotal in deciding its fate.

If the big 455 and its four-barrel carburetor are still up to the job, maybe this half-century Centurion gets a second shot at the lottery of life. Again, the detailers don’t tell us what the engine would have been rated when new (observing the presumption that they have that information).

Excluding the crooked grille and the broken rear window (which was made of real safety glass, as we can see in the video – too bad it’s shattered all over the back of the car), the Centurion is probably one of the best-looking neglected barn finds ever.

After the pressure wash and the rest of the beautification process, the black livery sheds its three-decade contamination, and the Magic-Mirror finish sparkles once more. Even the chrome on the rear bumper shines boldly after a mandatory scrub, leaving this Buick on the lookout for a proper renovation.