1971 Centurion Cvt. - Antique Automobile Club of America Discussion Forums

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#503932 - 04/21/08 10:35 AM 1971 Centurion Cvt.
TG57Roadmaster TG57Roadmaster Member Registered: 12/05/05 Posts: 832 Loc: South Carolina	Just got back from a quick trip to Chicago, and found this sweet '71 Centurion ragtop near Libertyville. I had to follow the guy and talk (go figure) about his car, 'cause it's the same color as my great-uncle's long-lost '71 LeSabre coupe. We spoke about the Forums, the Centurion Registry (which he knew about) and the car's history. His great-uncle bought it new, and it just came home from a rotisserie resto. The seats were redone, but the door panels and much of the interior is original. I asked about rub strips & pinstripes, but he said his uncle didn't order them. How cool to have such a sweet family car. I want one! TG _________________________ Luck is when Preparation meets Opportunity.
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#503946 - 04/21/08 11:32 AM Re: 1971 Centurion Cvt. [Re: TG57Roadmaster]
Centurion Centurion Long Time Member Registered: 12/07/99 Posts: 3859 Loc: Washington State, USA	Tom, what a beauty! It's unusual to see a Nocturne Blue '71, and this car looks like a real knockout. Thanks for pursuing the guy and nabbing these great photos for us. _________________________ Brian Laurance, BCA #5168 '59 Buick Electra 4-door hardtop '71 Buick Centurion Formal Coupe '89 Buick LeSabre Limited Coupe
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#504117 - 04/21/08 09:18 PM Re: 1971 Centurion Cvt. [Re: Centurion]
Smartin Smartin Member Registered: 03/04/02 Posts: 1875 Loc: St. Charles, MO	I need to towel off my desk from the drool!! Interesting about the stripe. I'd like to see a buildsheet. _________________________ Adam Martin Gateway Chapter Assistant Director www.buickpartsdirectory.com www.buickcenturion.com www.gatewaybca.org 1971 Buick Centurion Formal Coupe 1971 Buick LeSabre Custom455 Four Door Sedan
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#504138 - 04/21/08 10:27 PM Re: 1971 Centurion Cvt. [Re: Smartin]
festid festid Member Registered: 06/06/06 Posts: 20	Hi. I accidentally posted to the General AACA page and not the BCA page- does anyone know for sure if 1971 LeSabre 2dr coupe doors and windows (the door windows) will swap directly to my 71 convertible??? Thanks.
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#504143 - 04/21/08 10:41 PM Re: 1971 Centurion Cvt. [Re: festid]
Smartin Smartin Member Registered: 03/04/02 Posts: 1875 Loc: St. Charles, MO	For sure - yes, the door windows will swap. If I were a bettin' man (which I am), then I am fairly sure the quarter windows will swap. _________________________ Adam Martin Gateway Chapter Assistant Director www.buickpartsdirectory.com www.buickcenturion.com www.gatewaybca.org 1971 Buick Centurion Formal Coupe 1971 Buick LeSabre Custom455 Four Door Sedan
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#504148 - 04/21/08 10:51 PM Re: 1971 Centurion Cvt. [Re: Smartin]
festid festid Member Registered: 06/06/06 Posts: 20	Fantastic. I have acquired two donor doors that are in better shape than my originals, and I may just swap them completely. Thanks. Any hints on finding a real nice grille?
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#504172 - 04/21/08 11:51 PM Re: 1971 Centurion Cvt. [Re: festid]
TG57Roadmaster TG57Roadmaster Member Registered: 12/05/05 Posts: 832 Loc: South Carolina	festid, I'd check with someone who has a Master Body Parts Manual before you proceed with the rear quarter window swap. Can't help you, 'cause mine only goes up to 1968. Here are a couple more pix of the Nocturne Blue droptop. Love the license plate, TG _________________________ Luck is when Preparation meets Opportunity.
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#504317 - 04/22/08 01:47 PM Re: 1971 Centurion Cvt. [Re: TG57Roadmaster]
TxBuicks TxBuicks Member Registered: 07/09/01 Posts: 73 Loc: Denton, TX	It's cool to see the louvers on the trunk. This was a one year design, only in 1971, for Buick's new 'Flow Through Ventilation.' It lasted only one year because they leaked so bad. Now who would have thought cutting holes in the trunk lid would cause it to leak? A lot of people exchanged these trunk lids with ones from other years. _________________________ Roy Faries 1961 Electra 225 1964 Wildcat rfaries@verizon.net
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#504341 - 04/22/08 03:23 PM Re: 1971 Centurion Cvt. [Re: TxBuicks]
Centurion Centurion Long Time Member Registered: 12/07/99 Posts: 3859 Loc: Washington State, USA	TxBuicks, I've been around the '71 full-size Buicks since they were new, but I've never met any owners who indicated that their trunk lids leaked. There is a drainage system inside the trunk lid to handle rain. The deck lid louvers were utilized on all the new '71 GM full-size cars (plus the Chevy Vega), and were intended to exhaust passenger compartment air as part of the new, continuous ventilation system. According to some of the literature I've read, though, the drainage system could not handle the quantities of rain that some drivers experienced. I've also heard that some body styles created a positive pressure over the trunk lid, causing the louvers to suck air in rather than expel it. Whatever the issues were with the system, GM implemented a running change very early during the model year to reduce the number of louvers. The car pictured in this topic has the later style trunk lid with fewer louvers. As noted, the system was redesigned for 1972, and the trunk lid louvers disappeared. _________________________ Brian Laurance, BCA #5168 '59 Buick Electra 4-door hardtop '71 Buick Centurion Formal Coupe '89 Buick LeSabre Limited Coupe
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#504373 - 04/22/08 04:49 PM Re: 1971 Centurion Cvt. [Re: Centurion]
brh brh Member Registered: 08/19/02 Posts: 767 Loc: Illinois	Had a 71 Pontiac Catalina with the flow through, never leaked. Also had a 72 Centurion convert--- this 71 sure looks nice and brings back some great memories, thanks for the pics.
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#504396 - 04/22/08 06:08 PM Re: 1971 Centurion Cvt. [Re: brh]
Smartin Smartin Member Registered: 03/04/02 Posts: 1875 Loc: St. Charles, MO	If the drains are to become clogged, this can cause rust-out at the base of the trunk lid, and also an "overflowing" situation in hte lid itself....due to the water not being able to go anywhere. Guess where it overflows to - yep, the inside of the trunk. _________________________ Adam Martin Gateway Chapter Assistant Director www.buickpartsdirectory.com www.buickcenturion.com www.gatewaybca.org 1971 Buick Centurion Formal Coupe 1971 Buick LeSabre Custom455 Four Door Sedan
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#504589 - 04/23/08 01:06 PM Re: 1971 Centurion Cvt. [Re: brh]
TxBuicks TxBuicks Member Registered: 07/09/01 Posts: 73 Loc: Denton, TX	Wow, I didn't mean to get anyone's feathers ruffled. Perhaps I was misguided as to the effectiveness of the louvers. I just think they look great and appreciate them when I see them. I was also trying to point out to those less knowledgable forum readers that they were a one year option and not seen very often. _________________________ Roy Faries 1961 Electra 225 1964 Wildcat rfaries@verizon.net
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#504695 - 04/23/08 08:07 PM Re: 1971 Centurion Cvt. [Re: TxBuicks]
Smartin Smartin Member Registered: 03/04/02 Posts: 1875 Loc: St. Charles, MO	Duly noted, Roy! I don't think you ruffled any feathers. Thanks for pointing out the louvers. I always get questioned about mine. _________________________ Adam Martin Gateway Chapter Assistant Director www.buickpartsdirectory.com www.buickcenturion.com www.gatewaybca.org 1971 Buick Centurion Formal Coupe 1971 Buick LeSabre Custom455 Four Door Sedan
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#504748 - 04/23/08 11:33 PM Re: 1971 Centurion Cvt. [Re: festid]
Glassesguy Glassesguy Member Registered: 03/05/05 Posts: 172 Loc: Ohio	Checked my 1973 Body parts Book. Interesting find. The front doors (less trim,hardware, and glass) are listed for Series 5000, 6000, and 8000 for all 2 drs. I was surprised to see the 8000 Series was the same. The glass, though, is listed for 1971-74 B Body 2 dr: however there is a separate part # for 71-74 convertibles. Same for the Quarter window glass - it is different for the 2dr coupes vs the convertibles. Hope I'm reading this correctly. _________________________ Dave Rex BCA 1649 1939 Special 4 door 1965 LeSabre Conv 1997 Riviera 2007 Pacifica
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#504884 - 04/24/08 02:56 PM Re: 1971 Centurion Cvt. [Re: Glassesguy]
festid festid Member Registered: 06/06/06 Posts: 20	OK, so there's some question whether the glass is the same for the coupes and converts; I'm gonna go out to the garage and measure each of them. That otta do it. I'll let you all know what I discover. As for the 1/4 glass, the windows in the convert. are fine and will stay put for now. I'm curious as to how many louvres the early cars had vs. the later ones. I believe my car was built in August of '71, making it a pretty late car (which may explain the light-monitor option it has, which I believe was officially a '72 option... but I digress.) For the record, the trunk has never leaked. All the other seals, however...
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