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| Leaning forward like a shark! Like the Chuck Berry lyric sang, "I'll put you in a car that will eat up the road!" |
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| It wouldn't fool anyone into thinking that it was a hatchback. |
con·trar·i·an
kənˈtre(ə)rēən/
noun
- 1.a person who opposes or rejects popular opinion, especially in stock exchange dealing.
adjective
- 1.opposing or rejecting popular opinion; going against current practice.
"the comment came more from a contrarian disposition than moral conviction"
Life in Silicon valley in the 1980s was the Yuppie dream. I suppose that I was lucky to live in a nice neighborhood surrounded by Beemers and Benzes. My daily commute was spent navigating through a herd of the things. It's not that I thought that they were bad cars, it was just the suggestion of smugness that dripped off them like the condensation of the morning dew.
My blue collar upbringing sometimes rankled at the noveau riche displays of wealth. But it wasn't always really wealth. Usually just a good lease plan. But who cares when you drive a Benz?
I was still riding my Harley Sportster as a daily commuter. I was driving a mini van as a non descript family vehicle. I needed something that would make a statement and define who I was.
I was looking for the anti Yuppie staement car.
And I found it!
One day I was poking around some of the lower line used car lots around South First St. when I discovered an interesting car parked along the back fence. (Where else!) A 1972 Buick Riviera. The infamous boat tail, or as the Low Riders were wont to call it, the "Diamond Back."
This was a big hardtop coupe with a monstrous protruding beak and a slanting rear roofline like a denizen of "Jurassic Park." A seven liter carburated V8 nestled under that dramatic hood.
This was a typical Bill Mitchell masterpiece which unfortunately went somewhat under appreciated, even back in it's heyday.
What better car to poke in the eye of the Yuppie crowd? Just stay away from that back bumper!
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| Believe it, or Not! |
This particular car was not in really bad condition, but it definitely needed some work. So I kept on looking. However, the seed was planted. I'd already had many older Cadillacs by this point, so I thought that I was ready for something different. This car would fulfill that requirement. In my mind the Riviera would blend the dramatic presence of a luxury car with the performance capabilities of a road car. If you don't believe that, check out this video of Bud Lindeman's road test of a 1972 Riviera. Video from YouTube.
That particular car was in okay shape but I wisely decided that I would find a nicer example, which I did. Since this was before the birth of the Internet, newspaper classified ads and the once ubiquitous Auto Trader magazines were used in my automotive pursuit. It's hard to believe that there was once a time when you couldn't sit on the couch in your pajamas and scrutinize thousands of cars.
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| Auto Trader magazines came in many flavors; Car, Old car, Truck and motorcycle. |
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| How we pored over these ads like this! I only bought the local magazines and chased down numerous leads over the years. |
I also followed another old time strategy, telling people that I knew, about the car that I was looking for. Then they could keep their eyes open for me. This was known as "bird dogging" if you offered a finder's fee. This strategy turned out extremely well. My Brother in Law, living in Fresno, called me to inform me that he had seen a really nice Riv for sale in the area. After a very detailed conversation he provided me with the seller's phone number. I called the seller and arranged a meeting. I set out with my best buddy Rick, and a wallet full of cash.
These meet ups can be hazardous, you're meeting with someone that you know nothing about, carrying a wad of cash. Since you are a potential buyer, he knows that you've got cash on you. It's best to take a friend and arrange to meet in a public place. I chose a nearby shopping mall. I know that shopping malls are not particularly safe, but it was a better choice than a back street in some barrio! Buyer Beware!
Long story short, the car was in quite good shape. It had been recently painted in a very dark brown Mercedes Benz color with a full white vinyl top. The interior featured the deluxe interior with pearl white vinyl bucket seats. Another important feature was a nice set of whitewall tires wrapped around a set of Buick road wheels. Money exchanged hands and I drove the Riv home while Rick drove my Civic back.
Whenever you buy a car far from home and drive it back, it can only turn out two ways. It can end up with frustrating breakdowns, delays, buyer's remorse, and leave you with a permanent bad attitude towards the car. Or the car can run like a champ and the drive home cements a strong, positive bond. I was lucky, and the '71 and I had a rewarding trip home. I later had the same experience with my XJ6.
Of course it needed a few mechanical repairs. It started leaking from the water pump. I pulled the water pump then decided to change the front seal. When I pulled the timing case to change the front seal, I found that the plastic timing sprocket was failing. So I replaced the timing chain and sprockets.
Overall it was a very nice car, I cleaned and detailed it and kept it covered up in the garage. Even so, I drove it regularly.
I found a reference to the Riviera Owner's Association in a magazine article. Since I wanted a line on parts and advice I wrote to the Association. Of course this was all before Internet forums. After returning the application I was a member in good standing. One of the benefits was receiving their award winning club magazine, The Riview.
The Riview was a source of mechanical advice, event coverage, member's vehicle show cases, and of course classified ads. It also provided a sense of community and encouragement, vital to an old car endeavor. Every month your enthusiasm gets re-charged and your motivation gets a tune up.
As I became increasingly immersed in Riviera lore I decided that I wanted to own an example of all three early generations. 1963-1965, 1966-70, and 1971-1973. An ambitious plan to say the least.
I thought that the appearance of the 1971 model was very dramatic, although I really couldn't describe it as beautiful. It was more about the statement that it made.
The original 1963 was well received and it is one of Bill Mitchell's best designs of the 1960s.
My favorite early Riviera is the 1966 model. It is smooth, sleek and simple. I think that it actually looked like a custom car with the hidden headlights and tail lamp detailing. It was described in many Buick collector guides as looking like a Motorama showcar that you could actually buy, and park in your driveway. It also features the final appearance of a long line of Buick Nailhead engines, the 425. In my opinion the Nailhead is a thing of beauty and part of what makes the Riviera so distinctive.
Once I located and purchased my '66, I put my '71 up for sale.
I advertised my '71 in the Riview and I was contacted by a European buyer. He was on a buying expedition in the U.S. and had already purchased two boat tails. I sent him a video of the car, a VHS tape, not a smart phone video, and he agreed to the deal.
He had arranged for shipping from a South San Franciso container company. He had his bank wire the money to my account. Then I delivered the car to the shipping agent. The car was on it's way to the Netherlands. The buyer told me that theses cars were considered to be like '59 Cadillacs. An iconic over the top American design.
My '71 had been a very nice, presentable car. For some reason I made a drastic change of direction (orientation) with my '66. While the styling of the 1966 model is beyond comparison, my specific example needed a lot of work. I imagine that I felt that I would restore it, eventually. Unfortunately that's not what happened.
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| A factory made custom car. |
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