RARE: 1985 Buick Century convertible

[Guest Shaffer]

I have never seen one before and it states that it is a limited production:<P>1985 Buick Century convertible.<BR> <A HREF="http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1807172363&tc=photo6144" TARGET=_blank>http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1807172363&tc=photo6144</A>

[Guest Dynaflo2]

I checked my Standard Catalog of Buick and could find no mention of an '85 Buick Century convertible. EBay seller mentions limited production as a tribute to the '84 Olympics. I looked in the pictures for any special insignia for the Olympics. There is some kind of badge behind the front wheels, but the pictures are too blurry to tell what they are. Anyone else out there with any production info on '85 Century convertilbes?

[Guest]

If you see an 85 Century conv,it was made that way after it was built.

[Centurion]

The information indicates that these were made by Buick in the Flint, Michigan plant. I agree with oldgsnut that this would have been an after-market conversion that was not produced by Buick. I suspect that the car was not even marketed by Buick, although it is likely that some Buick dealerships had some cars converted.<P>The information also states that the car has the 3.3-litre multiport V6. My impression is that this engine was not yet in production (the 3300), so I think it more likely that the car is powered by the 3.0-litre multiport V6 if it still has its original engine.<P>The Olympics edition of the Century was fairly common in sedan form. Most of these I have seen were white with gold trim and were quite attractive.

[Guest]

My take is just by the look of the top of the windshield, that is a poor conversion. It should not be passed off as a GM convertible, because it IS NOT.

[Guest nailswede]

I've seen this car before somewhere on the net and for what i remember they said then that the engine was changed to a newer one buy a buickdealer or something like that...but i have beeing wrong before

[geno]

Strange....I bet the rear windows don't go down! Is that GS badges I see various places on tne car?

[Guest nailswede]

One more thing is that the roff is so high..cant be designed that way by a GM-designer!? mostly convertibles has lower roof than this car.

[ranchero]

Century convertible: I think I know a bit about these cars. I believe they were after market conversions done by H/E in Cincinnati. The same conversion was done to the then current (and same body) Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera. As both were "unibody" cars, it was necessary to incorporate a frame in order to provide the necessary rigidity for a roofless car. I have seen in person the Oldsmobile Ciera version; when looking at the car it was quite clear that it had been beefed up underneath. The Century conversion may have similar traits. Neither car was a standard vehicle available which could be ordered from an Oldsmobile or Buick dealer. However, some dealers probably made the conversion cars available.<P>Another convertible oddity of that era was a conversion of the Oldsmobile Toronado to a convertible. This seems especially frivolous as the Buick Riviera ('82>'85) and Cadillac Eldorado ('84>'85) were both available as showroom, cataloged "factory" models (though they were done by ASC in Lansing, Michigan).

[Dave@Moon]

I saw one of these (a Century) on the road here in Cincinnati about 3 months ago while Christmas shopping. It was a buff/tan color, which is good because it matched most of the rusty areas and primer. It was almost beyond restoration, even given it's rarity. The roof was mostly duct tape.

[Guest]

The Flint plant was completely gutted in 1985 to set up for front wheel drive cars to be called 1986.From that time on the only Buicks built in Flint were LeSabres and Park Avenues.Also built were Olds 88 and Pont Bonnevilles.The last cars to ever be built in Flint were 3000 white Pontiacs bought by one company.I took pictures of the last car going down the line even though the media was not allowed .When the last car left each station the workers picked up every scrap and nut& bolt and piece of paper,even when their jobs were gone for ever, the plant was left clean.I took a picture of the manager standing alone in an empty factory,he looked pretty sad.I sent him a copy of the photo.This week I took pictures of final assembly,it,s about one half torn down.