1979 Buick Century Custom

1970s cars could be so strangely optioned. Extremely plain exterior with a manual control outside driver mirror. Inside is the high-dollar GM Delco factory AM/FM stereo CB and power seat. I suspect this odd ball Buick was a customer order.

Sweet Ride - 1979 Buick Century Custom Wagon - cars & trucks - by... (craigslist.org)

 

Yes, it was much pick-and-choose option-wise back then. Nowadays there's very little in the way of option choices. Options come in "packages," and there's often just a base package and maybe one or two upgrades. One advantage to this for the automakers is that it greatly reduces the variety of options on cars going down the assembly line. which makes assembly much simpler. About the only thing that varies from one car to the other as they go down the line is the color.

Another thing is that many options that were considered luxuries back then and thus not found on every car are commonplace today. I can't remember the last time I saw or rode in any late model car, even a low-end model, that didn't have power windows, power door locks, cruise control, and air-conditioning. Whether these are actually standard equipment or not, they're standard as far as the public is concerned. Some or all of these may still be options on current cars, but to find a late model car without them is rare.

 

Depends on what country you are in, and what you consider "Late Model" We have a couple members of out local Solstice/Sky club that have base model Solstice's. No A/C, No Cruise Control, manual Windows, manual transmissions, Cloth manual seats, and 1 of the 2006 models doesn't even have fog lights, or anti-lock brakes! I am told that anti-lock brakes were manditory by the 2009 model year.

As for the car in this thread I agree it was probably a customer order, much more common back then. But still possible today. In 2020 we special ordered my Wifes Daily Driver. A Charger Scat Pack, as she did not want a Sunroof, or Leather Seats. Also she only wanted 1 color Orange!!!!! I was surprised you could still pretty much order individual options on a Charger. Not all of them granted. There were still a few things that required an option "package" but we could still order it about 95% of the way she wanted it.