1979 Buick Century vs. 1982 Ford Thunderbird
To start off, 1982 Ford Thunderbird is newer by 3 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1979 Buick Century. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1979 Buick Century would be higher. At 3,275 cc (6 cylinders), 1982 Ford Thunderbird is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1979 Buick Century (104 HP @ 4000 RPM) has 17 more horse power than 1982 Ford Thunderbird. (87 HP @ 3800 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1979 Buick Century should accelerate faster than 1982 Ford Thunderbird. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1982 Ford Thunderbird weights approximately 6 kg more than 1979 Buick Century.
Both vehicles are rear wheel drive (RWD) - it offers better handling in dry conditions; in addition, if you are looking to drift, both vehicles do the job better than front wheel drive vehicles. With that said, do keep in mind that many other factors such as speed and the wear on your tires can also have significant impact on traction and control. Let's talk about torque, 1979 Buick Century (218 Nm @ 2000 RPM) has 9 more torque (in Nm) than 1982 Ford Thunderbird. (209 Nm @ 1400 RPM). This means 1979 Buick Century will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1982 Ford Thunderbird.
Compare all specifications:
| 1979 Buick Century | 1982 Ford Thunderbird | |
| Make | Buick | Ford |
| Model | Century | Thunderbird |
| Year Released | 1979 | 1982 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 3214 cc | 3275 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Horse Power | 104 HP | 87 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4000 RPM | 3800 RPM |
| Torque | 218 Nm | 209 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2000 RPM | 1400 RPM |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1430 kg | 1436 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4990 mm | 5100 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1790 mm | 1890 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1410 mm | 1350 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2760 mm | 2760 mm |
