1974 · Buick · United States
1974 Buick Century Gran Sport: cheaper package, three engine-code schemes
The last year a 455 Stage 1 could be had in a Buick intermediate Gran Sport; 3,355 were built, 478 of them Stage 1.
United States · researched through 2026-09-22
The Century Gran Sport continued on the Colonnade coupe for 1974. Hemmings reports that the package price fell to $108 for the year, now including the Rally ride and handling group, which itself added heavy-duty shocks, heavy-duty springs, and front and rear stabilizer bars.1
Production is given as 3,355 Gran Sports for 1974, including 579 with the 455 and 478 with the 455 Stage 1. Engine choices are described as matching what this record documents for the previous year, the 350 in two- and four-barrel form alongside the 455 and 455 Stage 1, with the Stage 1 still requiring the Turbo Hydra-Matic 400. This record's own production note states that no 350-specific count was found, since the cited article gives only the 455 and Stage 1 figures directly. The Century 350 two-door pillar coupe, the Gran Sport's host body, is given at 33,166 across all trims for the year, a figure this record's own production note again describes as including non-Gran-Sport cars rather than a Gran-Sport-specific count.1,2,3
Four engines are documented for the year: the base XA 350 two-barrel at 175 hp, the optional XB 350 four-barrel at 190 hp, the optional XF 455 at 225 hp with 579 units recorded against it, and the optional XS 455 Stage 1 at 270 hp with 478 units recorded against it. Two transmissions are documented in the available sources: a Muncie four-speed manual with floor shift, optional but not offered with the Stage 1, and the Turbo Hydra-Matic 400, required with the Stage 1 and otherwise optional with the 455.1
Twenty-four paint codes are charted from a Buick-line 1974 list covering all new Buicks, from Arctic White and Regal Black through Plum, with this record's own paint note explaining that a two-tone code on the same source reads as the lower body-color number followed by the upper, and that nine further landau or vinyl-roof colors, lettered A, B, D, E, G, H, L, W, and X, appear on the same page. Nineteen interior trim codes are documented at the level of the Century two-door coupe generally, covering green, blue, saddle, black, oxblood, and four white-combination trims paired with green, blue, saddle, oxblood, or black; this record's own interior note again states that Gran-Sport-specific trims are not separated from the wider Century coupe's own trim chart.3
Identification detail for 1974 carries three separate, unreconciled coding schemes rather than one. Hemmings gives the fifth VIN character as J or K for the 350 four-barrel, T for the 455, and V or W for the Stage 1, matching a decoded example VIN, 4N39T4X100000, from a broader TeamBuick VIN key that further splits the 455 itself into P or R for a two-barrel version and T or U for the four-barrel. A separate TeamBuick engine-code table lists an entirely different letter set, ZP, ZB, ZM, ZI, ZH, ZF, ZK, and ZA, with ZB and ZM given as the 350 at 175 hp, ZH as the 455 at 190 hp, ZK as the 455 at 230 hp with dual exhaust, and ZA as a 455 at 255 hp specifically labelled a Riviera GS engine, while a further Stage 1 code, ZS, giving 455 cu in at 245 hp, is listed under LeSabre, Electra, and Riviera availability rather than Century. This record carries all three schemes as each source's own documented content without attempting to reconcile them into a single set of codes. An unpublished lead notes an uncited claim that a GSX trim package was also offered in 1974 on the compact X-body Buick Apollo, a claim this record has not verified against any primary or citable secondary source.1,3,2
Fact sheet · 1974 · United States
The numbers
1974 Buick Century Gran Sport — The last year a 455 Stage 1 could be had in a Buick intermediate Gran Sport; 3,355 were built, 478 of them Stage 1.
Coverage: Partial — researched sections are shown; missing ones are not yet sourced. Researched through 2026-09-22.
Every figure is labeled with how sure we are. Reported means a manufacturer, registry, or reference figure we cite but have not reconciled against factory records ourselves. Disputed means credible sources disagree and both are shown. Rows are separately scoped; don't add them together unless the note says they make up a total.
Key facts
Production
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Century Gran Sport, all engines1,2 Century Gran Sport · Colonnade coupe · 350, 455, 455 Stage 1 · not stated by source One lineage. | 3,355 | built, model-year | Reported |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Century Gran Sport 4551 Century Gran Sport · Colonnade coupe · 455 (XF) · not stated by source | 579 | built, model-year | Reported |
| Century Gran Sport 455 Stage 11 Century Gran Sport · Colonnade coupe · 455 Stage 1 (XS) · Turbo Hydra-Matic 400 · not stated by source | 478 | built, model-year | Reported |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Century 350 2-door pillar coupe (4AD37), all trims (Gran Sport host body)3 Century 350 · 2-door Colonnade coupe · not stated by source Includes non-GS cars. | 33,166 | built, model-year | Reported |
Engine rows are subsets of the total; no 350 count is used because the cited article does not state one.
Engines
| Engine | Factory rating | Availability | Built |
|---|---|---|---|
| XA · 350 V-8 2-barrel1 350 cu in · 2-barrel | 175 hp (SAE net (as given by Hemmings for 1973-74)) | base | Not yet sourced |
| XB · 350 V-8 4-barrel, dual exhaust1 350 cu in · Quadrajet 4-barrel | 190 hp (SAE net (as given by Hemmings for 1973-74)) | optional | Not yet sourced |
| XF · 455 V-81 455 cu in · 4-barrel | 225 hp (SAE net (as given by Hemmings for 1973-74)) | optional | 5791 Reported |
| XS · 455 V-8 Stage 11 455 cu in · 4-barrel | 270 hp (SAE net (as given by Hemmings for 1973-74)) | optional; Turbo Hydra-Matic 400 required | 4781 Reported |
Ratings are the manufacturer's advertised figures under the standard shown (SAE gross before 1972, SAE net after). They are not dyno results, and gross and net ratings can't be compared directly.
Transmissions
| Transmission | Availability | Built |
|---|---|---|
| M21 · Muncie 4-speed, floor shift1 | optional (not with Stage 1) | Not yet sourced |
| Turbo Hydra-Matic 4001 | with 455; required with Stage 1 | Not yet sourced |
Options and packages
| Code | Option | Price | Installed |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Gran Sport package incl. Rally ride and handling group1 | $108 | 3,3551 Reported |
Paint
| Code | Color | Built |
|---|---|---|
11 |
Arctic White3 | Not yet sourced |
19 |
Regal Black3 | Not yet sourced |
24 |
Medium Blue (poly)3 | Not yet sourced |
26 |
Mediterranean Blue (poly)3 | Not yet sourced |
29 |
Midnight Blue (poly)3 | Not yet sourced |
36 |
Crystal Lake Blue (poly)3 | Not yet sourced |
40 |
Mint Green3 | Not yet sourced |
44 |
Ranch Green3 | Not yet sourced |
46 |
Leaf Green (poly)3 | Not yet sourced |
49 |
Forest Green (poly)3 | Not yet sourced |
50 |
Sand Beige3 | Not yet sourced |
51 |
Canary Yellow3 | Not yet sourced |
53 |
Ginger (poly)3 | Not yet sourced |
54 |
Gold Mist (poly)3 | Not yet sourced |
55 |
Nugget Gold3 | Not yet sourced |
59 |
Nutmeg (poly)3 | Not yet sourced |
64 |
Silver Cloud (poly)3 | Not yet sourced |
66 |
Cinnamon (poly)3 | Not yet sourced |
69 |
Dark Brown (poly)3 | Not yet sourced |
72 |
Ruby Red3 | Not yet sourced |
74 |
Burgundy (poly)3 | Not yet sourced |
75 |
Apple Red3 | Not yet sourced |
79 |
Plum (poly)3 | Not yet sourced |
Color names are the factory's. We don't show color swatches, because a screen color is no guide for a restoration.
Interiors
| Code | Trim | Built |
|---|---|---|
140 |
Century 2-Door Coupe: Green, material not marked3 | Not yet sourced |
160 |
Century 2-Door Coupe: Green, material not marked3 | Not yet sourced |
150 |
Century 2-Door Coupe: Green, material not marked3 | Not yet sourced |
170 |
Century 2-Door Coupe: Green, material not marked3 | Not yet sourced |
141 |
Century 2-Door Coupe: Blue, material not marked3 | Not yet sourced |
161 |
Century 2-Door Coupe: Blue, material not marked3 | Not yet sourced |
151 |
Century 2-Door Coupe: Blue, material not marked3 | Not yet sourced |
144 |
Century 2-Door Coupe: Saddle, material not marked3 | Not yet sourced |
164 |
Century 2-Door Coupe: Saddle, material not marked3 | Not yet sourced |
154 |
Century 2-Door Coupe: Saddle, material not marked3 | Not yet sourced |
174 |
Century 2-Door Coupe: Saddle, material not marked3 | Not yet sourced |
168 |
Century 2-Door Coupe: Black, material not marked3 | Not yet sourced |
178 |
Century 2-Door Coupe: Black, material not marked3 | Not yet sourced |
177 |
Century 2-Door Coupe: Oxblood, material not marked3 | Not yet sourced |
172 |
Century 2-Door Coupe: White/Green, material not marked3 | Not yet sourced |
176 |
Century 2-Door Coupe: White/Blue, material not marked3 | Not yet sourced |
175 |
Century 2-Door Coupe: White/Saddle, material not marked3 | Not yet sourced |
167 |
Century 2-Door Coupe: White/Oxblood, material not marked3 | Not yet sourced |
179 |
Century 2-Door Coupe: White/Black, material not marked3 | Not yet sourced |
Identification
- VIN engine code
- Fifth VIN character: J or K for the 350 four-barrel, T for the 455, V or W for the Stage 1 (Hemmings, 1973-74).1
- VIN
- E.g. 4N39T4X100000 as printed: 4 = Buick; series letter (D = Century); body (37); engine letter (H/J/K 350; P/R 455 2-bbl; T/U 455 4-bbl; V/W 455 Stage I); year (4); plant; production number.3
- Engine codes
- GS availability as listed: ZP, ZB, ZM, ZI, ZH, ZF, ZK, ZA (ZB/ZM 350 175 hp; ZH 455 190 hp; ZK 455 230 hp dual exhaust; ZA 455 255 hp labelled Riviera GS); Stage I ZS 455 245 hp is listed under LeSabre, Electra and Riviera availability.3
Identification
Read a 1974 Buick VIN
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Same model year
Also in 1974
- AMC AMX The final Javelin AMX: 4,980 built, with the Go Package's cowl induction dropped and a production run that stretched into November 1974.
- AMC Gremlin X and Spirit AMX The Gremlin X gained a 'hockey stick' stripe. The 304 V8 remained available, but no X or V8 counts for the year were found.
- AMC Javelin The Javelin's final year: 22,556 non-AMX cars on a production run extended into November 1974.
- Buick Riviera Colonnade pillared roof; 20,129 built, 1,698 with Stage One and 4,119 with the GS handling option.
- Chevrolet Chevelle and Malibu SS The SS was gone; the new Laguna Type S-3 coupe carried the Chevelle's performance image, with a 235 net hp 454 still on the engine list.
- Chevrolet Chevy II and Nova Spirit of America Nova (RPO Z51) offered on the Custom hatchback per the source. Enthusiast-compiled production: 390,537 cars; Super Sport 21,419.
- Chevrolet El Camino SS Colonnade-era El Camino; Chevrolet's 1974 data pages define the RPO Z15 SS option for the El Camino Classic. Team Chevelle's production totals give 51,223 El Caminos built, 4,543 of them with SS equipment.
- Dodge Challenger The last original-era Challenger shared a catalog with the Dart; the 360 replaced the 340 as the optional engine and production ended in April 1974.
- Dodge Charger The last B-body Charger before the 1975 personal-luxury redesign, with 5-mph bumpers, carried-over powertrains and an SE that accounted for 30,957 V-8 cars.
- Dodge Dart GTS, Swinger and Demon The 360 replaced the 340 in the Dart Sport, and Flory's production table counts 3,951 Dart Sport 360s at a $3,244 base price.
- Ford Maverick Grabber Grabber production fell to 23,502 by Classic Industries count.
- Ford Ranchero GT The Ranchero GT continued on the 1972-76 Ranchero; 11,328 GTs were built, per reference-site counts in the Standard Catalog lineage.
- Ford Thunderbird Sixth-generation personal-luxury Thunderbird; the record holds the production total and the luxury-group option prices only.
- Ford Torino The 1974 Torino grew again and added the Gran Torino Elite; the Gran Torino Sport survived only as a formal-roof hardtop, with 23,142 built.
- Mercury Cougar Outside the muscle focus: 91,670 Cougars for 1974 per Wikipedia's table.
- Oldsmobile Cutlass, 4-4-2 and Hurst/Olds The Hurst/Olds paced the Indianapolis 500 again and offered a 350 for the first time: 1,800 coupes, 380 of them with the 455 W-30.
- Plymouth Barracuda and 'Cuda The final year: Barracuda and 'Cuda hardtops with a standard 318 and a new optional 360, and 11,734 built before the line ended.
- Plymouth Duster 340 and 360 The 245 net hp 360 replaced the 340 in the Duster's best sales year: 3,969 Duster 360s among 281,378 Dusters, with Twister, Gold Duster and Space Duster packages priced separately.
- Plymouth GTX, Belvedere and Satellite In 1974 a GTX nameplate came with the Road Runner's optional 440 four-barrel, TorqueFlite required; Mueller's Muscle Car Source Book counts 386 of them.
- Plymouth Road Runner The last Satellite-based Road Runner; production roughly halved from 1973.
- Pontiac Firebird and Trans Am A new nose and the last Super Duty: 10,255 Trans Ams, 943 with the SD-455.
- Pontiac GTO The last original GTO: a package on the compact Ventura with a 200 hp 350; 7,058 built.
- Pontiac Grand Am A revised nose and 17,083 built, only 342 with a four-speed.
- Pontiac Grand Prix The 455 remains the SJ engine as Grand Prix volume falls to under 100,000.
- Pontiac Tempest and LeMans With the GTO moved to the Ventura, the LeMans GT package became the intermediate performance choice, backed by 350, 400 and 455 V8 options.