The debate about seventies cars and their ills and vices never ends. And, yes, like all old cars, they have to be evaluated in the context of their times. GM’s Colonnade cars may have been overly big and had mediocre space utilization, but GM did know how to endow them with decent dynamic qualities generally well above their competition. This C&T video of the Century GS is probably the most flattering of any of the Colonnades.
1973 Buick Century GS455 C&T Video: The Best Performing Colonnade?
– Posted on April 15, 2011
Thanks for posting this video! It’s great watching that Buick being flung around the test track.
Interesting that, even in 1973, the narrator commented about Buick being an “old man’s car” and his hope that this car was just the first step in a new image for Buick! The more things change…
The “Gran Sport” badge on the grille has a font that looks very early 1970s…it has a Peter Max vibe about it.
The car, when shot from the low, front 3/4 angle early in the video, really shows off its “Motorama” look. From that angle, you can see what Bill Mitchell was striving for when he designed these cars…a long, low, very sculptured look. Which, to a 10-year-old boy in the fall of 1972, was like a dream car brought to life. Never mind about such mundane matters as trunk space or cramped back seats (let alone gas mileage!).
Like this?
Yes, that is it!
The font you describe is called “Futura”. Yes, that lettering style was very much in vogue back then, but at the very tail end of its popularity. Leftover from the sixties. The 1970’s were one big hangover, period!
@Zackman! From a fellow graphic artist? C’mon bro, you should know better…
That’s a variation of FUTURA BLACK as drawn in 1929 by Paul Renner of the Bauer type foundry (from Germany)…
Sorry, I’m a bit of a type freak…
Another thing I used to love about GM cars. The badging had the best fonts. I especially love the mid-90’s Pontiacs and some later Chevys (like the Impy) that use a version of Magneto for the identification script on the doors.
Well, shoot, Geo! I was at least half-right! I just didn’t feel like doing too much research on the font. After all, I’ve been out of graphics professionally for over 30 years! I design folding cartons now – like Tide dry laundry detergent, beverage cartons, candle packaging, food and candy cartons and the like – tomorrow’s trash to be real cynical! The last time I did any graphic work was sign painting 21 years ago.
Believe it or not, I still have a type book from an old St. Louis typesetter, Warwick Typographers – they sent me that book in 1969 when I was a graphic artist (illustrator – their term) in the air force, just out of high school!
Magneto? If I recall, it was either Sandoval or Sofachrome, or a cobbled combo, as I had to find the typeface that Chevy used was stretched and squeezed, when I had the mirrorchrome custom scripts made for my Impala, as shown on my avatar on TTAC. Sure makes my Imp unique! What I finally had to do was send the place an actual 15″ long sidescript from Chevy so they could copy it. They did an outstanding job, too.
I’m not as meticulous on graphic-related stuff these days as I don’t deal with it everyday. I’m 60 and thinking of other stuff down the road, but always keeping that knowledge not quite in the back of my mind as it may come in handy in the future. I sure enjoy discussing this stuff, though as we did a few weeks ago!
Hey Zackman – no worries, I was just pulling your leg. It’s nice to see someone else with a similar set kind of job. I have worked with flexible packaging (plastic bags) and do a few folded cartons myself. My company makes pocket schedule holders. Lots of fun folding paper…
I could swear it was Magneto, but so many fonts are similar to one another these days that it’s hard to tell what’s what.
I understand what you’re saying, I’m 48 and am thinking about other things down the road too. Let’s hope we get what were wishing for,.
I wish there was a vid of the Chevelle SS 454 there somewhere.. I’m a bit biased though.
Nice ride!
Last summer I went to the 28th Street Cruise here in lovely Grand Rapids, MI, and someone had one of these. However, it looked like a 37 year old car and needed lots of TLC. Neat to see however…
Remember, kids, there’s no replacement for displacement!
…”the power steering unit couldn’t keep up with the demand”? Yikes.
Not only was the ’73-’74 Gran Sport the best performing colonnade, it could easily be argued that it was the best looking, too (and that includes the personal luxury coupe Monte Carlo, Grand Prix, and Riviera). Probably cheaper, as well.