The 'Free Spirit' Skyhawk was a 1976 creation based on the V6 Buick Century Indianapolis 500 Pace Car (The first-ever V6 powered Indy 500 Pace Car - see top pic at left). The Indy Pace Car (2 were built) featured a turbo charged 231 V6 engine, aluminum hood and deck lid, Hurst shifter and T-Tops. Buick went on to make 1,290 replica Buick Century's based on this same Pace Car using a slightly altered decal package (see bottom pic at left).
Buick then went one step further, making the 'Free Spirit' decal pattern available to other Buick's, including the Skyhawk for 1976. The Skyhawk 'Free Spirit' edition is essentially the same as that found on the Century, a long, wide decal starting at the front of the door and running the entire length of the car, stopping just short of the wrap-around taillights. There is also a predominantly white striped decal on the 'hump' of the hood. Included in the decor package are black wheel well arch decals for the front wheels. The rear wheel arches are incorporated into the large side decal. Also, the facia between the taillights is also decaled black. To dress it all up, Buick added a special red/orange paint to the Rally II wheels. This package was given an RPO Code of WH1 for 1976 but this option package was also made available for 1977 and the RPO Code curiously was switched to WH2. In 1976 the Free Spirit package cost the buyer $148 and went up to $165 for the 1977 model year.
Below are 3 pics taken by Ben Hartman (Many Thanks 'v6buick'!) of a Buick 'Free Spirit' Skyhawk that he had found in Indiana and inquired about. Unfortunately this car had not been well cared for and had seen much better days, and the owner was not interested in parting with it (this was a few years back, one can only assume the car is long gone now - shame). These pics at least show off the extensive Free Spirit decal package.
Below are pics taken of a newly acquired Buick Free Spirit Skyhawk, found and purchased by Paul Nelson (Spyderman1977) in Texas. Restoration is underway! Paul also provided me with a copy of the GM literature at left, of the Buick Free Spirit Skyhawk decal package.
1976 Production - 918
1977 Production - 385
Total Free Spirit Production - 1,303 Skyhawks
