- 15,465
- Orange County, NY
- GTP_GT916
- Nii916
GTP Cool Wall: 1971-1973 Buick Riviera
- Thread starter GranTurismo916
- 60 comments
- 10,548 views
- 5,551
- Controls set for heart of sun
- GTP_RogerTheHors
I scroll down, and I see a beautiful rear end come into view.
And then I scroll down more, and see the front.
Dear Haruhi, it's hideous.
And then I scroll down more, and see the front.
Dear Haruhi, it's hideous.
- 40,419
This is an absolute beautiful car right up until you get to the side shot. Then you realize just how humongous it actually is. Then you get to the front profile, and you see just how horribly the attractive front half is actually connected to the attractive rear half.
Ugh.
Still, cars don't get much more distinctive than the boattail. It was the Forward Look of the 1970s, and the buttoned down restyling was undoubtedly inferior.
Ugh.
Still, cars don't get much more distinctive than the boattail. It was the Forward Look of the 1970s, and the buttoned down restyling was undoubtedly inferior.
- 5,303
- Riverside, Ca
- GTP_Leonidae_MFT
Seriously Uncool. Too large, too heavy, and ridiculously underpowered motor for the displacement it has.
- 11,122
- Bromley
- V16T91
- E0nLeader
Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you - a 70s muscle car that is not basic.
The boat-tail instantly gives it more appeal than nearly all American muscle. That's all it took. Being different.
For defying convention alone it's an instant Sub-Zero. Mind you, it's not even the best of the era.
The boat-tail instantly gives it more appeal than nearly all American muscle. That's all it took. Being different.
For defying convention alone it's an instant Sub-Zero. Mind you, it's not even the best of the era.
- 13,831
- Down under
- 2,701
- Italy
- Yellohead
- Clydeyellow
Party in the back, 70s-American-design-by-committee in the front. But still, a big block engine mated with a 3-speed slushbox make this car cool, in a weird way. Also, how can I not love a muscle landboat when it's named Riviera?
[Am I the only one who's itching to know if the 455 takes well to twin turbos?]
[Am I the only one who's itching to know if the 455 takes well to twin turbos?]
- 23,433
- It/It
- GTP_TheCracker
The first generation is a sub zero. This scrapes a meh borderline low cool.
The concept of a large American coupe that isn't a one dimensional muscle car. One that's stylish without being ostentatious, is more like a Citroen DS.
The concept of a large American coupe that isn't a one dimensional muscle car. One that's stylish without being ostentatious, is more like a Citroen DS.
- 34,949
- Indian Falls, NY
- slashfan7964
You can tweak that motor by without changing any parts and double it...
Do you know what a muscle car is? Because this is not a muscle car.
- 11,122
- Bromley
- V16T91
- E0nLeader
Oh, alright then - 'American style'.
I mean, American muscle is a generalised term and someone like me doesn't care much to be specific for something it might not apply to exactly.
A Corvette isn't a muscle car but it is perceived to be a part of 'American muscle' and it's my favourite which falls under that category.
- 1,817
- Weirs Beach, NH
- RS73private
Cool, I like the looks of it.
- 3,023
- Peruibe, SP
Ain't sub-zero because it's automatic. Seriously, I like the car for also having a damned big block buick has but automatic in the 70's? I mean, mostly classic cars would be manual, I was a little sad when I discovered it was automatic. Shame.
Nonetheless, my second favourite generation of the Riviera. Gets a cool.
Nonetheless, my second favourite generation of the Riviera. Gets a cool.
Cano
Premium
- 20,758
- Cephiro
Exactly. All this "underpowered" and "not a manual" stuff is impossible. You'd think by now people would understand that these were not muscle cars, these were luxury cars. Yes, they were offered with big V8s because that's what existed back in the day and because they needed it because they were heavy and rode like a cloud, they were not performance cars. You didn't want to do burnouts in these, you didn't want to powershift, the idiotic thought that anything american from this era should be a muscle car is all-too present in here, and it's so sad.
- 3,023
- Peruibe, SP
So technically, the Riviera is not really a muscle car? Oh well. So basically, if a certain car is not very powerful, there could be a chance it would be automatic? I might even check if the was a poll for the AMC Pacer and check if that had auto just aswell, or might aswell search for it.
But you gotta admit Cano. They might not serve for performance but if they're well built for lowriders or actually, clean and low cars, the Riviera would be a solid choice, since I've shown some great images of Rivieras in the past.
- 783
- United States
- Tunerguy21
I would normally agree with this as I typically don't like or find cars cool that are nothing more than just V8 powered versions of Adamgp's avatar. However, there's something about it that makes it cool, or rather, makes it not uncool.
Sage Ages
(Banned)
- 12,817
- Antarctica
You guys do realize a lot of cars had automatics then, right?
You guys are spoiled by muscle cars. You do realize this was around the time they switched from gross and net ratings? High compression and no accessories looks better on paper.
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- 34,949
- Indian Falls, NY
- slashfan7964
They took good strong engines and made them dumb and changed the ratings and then on paper it looks worse. In reality up until 74 the early 70s cars were mostly every bit as fast as the cas before them within reason. That's not to say some ratings weren't fudged or sandbagged. It goes both ways. Some engines made more than advertised, others not as much. Hell, there is known examples of the SAME ENGINE in the SAME CAR having more power the the other back in the day.
This is not a muscle car. If you need the extra power, go throw a couple hundred dollar bills at it and watch that displacement come to life. This car is a barge. Your modern 175hp 4 banger is not going to move a yacht of this size. Yes, they built 4 pots back then and yes they got great economy but the lack of power compared to modern day (a typical 2.5L 4 cylinder mdade 85hp average) is why you see such big engines in these cars. Buick 455s were known to be power houses. This engine in it's best year made 510lb-ft of torque. Do you guys have any idea how much that actually is? You simply do not know torque until you get behind a big block...
Sure, modern diesels might school them in peak torque output, and modern day smallblock V8s definitely deliver absurd amounts of power, but the delivery of said power and at least in muscle cars, the lack of refinement (not so much in this car, as this car was pure luxury) was what made them appealing and so fun to drive. If you can't appreciate that for what that is, then I'm sorry you're missing out.
Believe it or not, more automatics back then were used than manuals, much like today. Society was just as lazy. Tech wasn't what it was today. Finding a good solid manual back in the day behind a massive V8 such as this was rare. They made them, sure, but unless you beefed them up they didn't last like the automatics would. In fact, in the 80s you couldn't even get manuals in some cars because they weren't strong enough to take all the torque the anemic engines you guys like to laugh at were putting out. A 7.5L is a 7.5L. You want to laugh at the stock rating? Go ahead. Laugh. Just remember that those days emissions and technoloy wasn't what it is now. They didn't have 45 years of trial and error to make things work. They took existing engines and made them work in whatever way they could because developing new ones to rapidly changing regulations was nearly impossible and developmental costs were too high. Oh you forgot about that? Who's the fool now...
Like a I said, a 455 is a 455. You can make absurd power out of one of these babies. More than you will ever, ever need. Not everyone wants to mod them and that's fine, but don't knock it because the potential is absolutely there. It's up to you to unleash that potential. If you'd rather not, enjoy the car as it is and quit you're bitching, or grow a pair and do something about it.
/endrant
This is not a muscle car. If you need the extra power, go throw a couple hundred dollar bills at it and watch that displacement come to life. This car is a barge. Your modern 175hp 4 banger is not going to move a yacht of this size. Yes, they built 4 pots back then and yes they got great economy but the lack of power compared to modern day (a typical 2.5L 4 cylinder mdade 85hp average) is why you see such big engines in these cars. Buick 455s were known to be power houses. This engine in it's best year made 510lb-ft of torque. Do you guys have any idea how much that actually is? You simply do not know torque until you get behind a big block...
Sure, modern diesels might school them in peak torque output, and modern day smallblock V8s definitely deliver absurd amounts of power, but the delivery of said power and at least in muscle cars, the lack of refinement (not so much in this car, as this car was pure luxury) was what made them appealing and so fun to drive. If you can't appreciate that for what that is, then I'm sorry you're missing out.
Believe it or not, more automatics back then were used than manuals, much like today. Society was just as lazy. Tech wasn't what it was today. Finding a good solid manual back in the day behind a massive V8 such as this was rare. They made them, sure, but unless you beefed them up they didn't last like the automatics would. In fact, in the 80s you couldn't even get manuals in some cars because they weren't strong enough to take all the torque the anemic engines you guys like to laugh at were putting out. A 7.5L is a 7.5L. You want to laugh at the stock rating? Go ahead. Laugh. Just remember that those days emissions and technoloy wasn't what it is now. They didn't have 45 years of trial and error to make things work. They took existing engines and made them work in whatever way they could because developing new ones to rapidly changing regulations was nearly impossible and developmental costs were too high. Oh you forgot about that? Who's the fool now...
Like a I said, a 455 is a 455. You can make absurd power out of one of these babies. More than you will ever, ever need. Not everyone wants to mod them and that's fine, but don't knock it because the potential is absolutely there. It's up to you to unleash that potential. If you'd rather not, enjoy the car as it is and quit you're bitching, or grow a pair and do something about it.
/endrant
Cano
Premium
- 20,758
- Cephiro
You're out of your noggin as usual. You do realize that every freaking muscle car since 1964 came with a high-performance automatic option? And that these were, in most average-guy cases, way better than anyone rowing a 4 speed this side of Ronnie Sox? Yes, it isn't as romantic, but they got the job done and were even quicker than a manual trans car.
And in the case of the Riviera, the thing isn't if it's not powerful enough or not, it's that it's a freaking luxury car, dammit. In a luxury car you don't want to row gears, you want to cruise peacefully, in comfort and syle. Thus, an automatic.
Also, the Riviera has been a stapple of the custom movement since day one. I'm glad it never veered too much into lowrider territory.
