1972... I was just turning six and I was in the first grade at Holy Family school in Union City, New Jersey. I was a narrator for the class play, along with Michelle Burke, probably because we were the best readers in the class. Sister Moira was our teacher, and I remember we had to wear ties and uniforms to school. It was the early 1970's and I was oblivious to all of the social changes taking place, and all of the really cool cars that were being made in Detroit. My Dad, I remember, had a Galaxy 500. It was teal, and a vast improvement over the 1950's era Ford Fairlane he had owned just the year before. He got rid of it after the back door flew open around a turn and I nearly fell out. My sister saved me that day by grabbing a hold of me as I slowly slid toward the open door. There were no seat belts in those old cars! By the way, Thanks Michelle! A little late, but better late than never! Anyway, I bring that up to tell you what I was doing at that time. Half a continent a way, in Detroit, a new Buick Centurion convertible was rolling off of the production line. It was one of only 2,396 Centurion convertibles produced that year. Over the years, the car has had three owners and racked up about 89,000 miles on its odometer. I am now its fourth owner.
All in all, the car has been taken care of very well over the years. The last owner had the interior redone in leather (an option that was not available for the car in 1972) and also did work on the brakes and exhaust. New tires and rims have also been placed on the car, and the convertible top had been replaced within the last ten years or so. Currently, I am changing out the exhaust manifolds and the battery cables. The exhaust manifolds had a hole that made the engine louder than it should be. Given the age of the engine, they do not make replacement parts for the vehicle, so I had to hunt down used parts through eBay and classic car sites. The parts were available and I am currently waiting for them to arrive by UPS.
In the Spring, I am planning to have the car repainted, and possibly change the convertible top from its current black to white to match the interior. I have always wanted a classic car, and I am thinking of having this one painted like a Hot Wheel! We have a local car show that runs every Wednesday night during the summer, and I am looking forward to showing off my treasure next season. All said, I am really excited about my classic muscle car. Looking ahead, I will update you on my progress with the car from time to time.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
September 2021
Categories
All
|