The third generation of the Buick Riviera only sold from 1971 until 1973. Buick struggled in the sales race with the car, and in 1973 only managed to sell 34,080 cars. Our feature car is one of those 34,080, and you will find it listed for sale here on eBay. Located in Skokie, Illinois, it is offered with a clear title. The seller has listed it with a BIN price of $9,399.99 but the option is there to make an offer.
It’s not often that you get the opportunity to purchase a car that came from the estate of the original 98-year-old owner, but this is that moment. The seller purchased the car in 2017 and describes it as a survivor. It does have some rust issues that will need to be dealt with, but overall the general condition of this car is not bad. There is some rust in the lower rear wheel wells along with the lower edge of the trunk lid and rear quarter panels that is visible in the photos. The floor and frame have surface rust, but are otherwise solid. The vinyl top also looks to be in good order, and I can’t see any indications of corrosion or rust under it.
The interior of this Riviera is quite good for a car of this age. There is cracking of the upholstery on the armrests on both doors and a small seam separation on the driver’s seat, but the dash and pad look great and the rear seat looks like it has never been used. All of the factory equipment such as the power driver’s seat, the power windows and cruise control work perfectly.
Given the fact that this car used to be owned by a 98-year-old man, I’m trying to picture my grandfather driving a car with a 455ci V8 engine and it’s enough to cause me nightmares! This 455 runs perfectly, and the owner has undertaken some work to keep everything in check. He has fitted a new muffler on the driver’s side, fitted a new battery, a new alternator and electronic ignition system. The car was specified with air conditioning but this wasn’t functioning, so the compressor and bracket have been removed and are sitting in the trunk. The Riviera also sports new plugs, plug wires, new heater valve and new hoses for the radiator and heater. The seller claims that the car starts and runs nicely, and that the automatic transmission shifts smoothly.
I really like the rear styling of this Riviera. These didn’t sell particularly well when they were new, but prices for them have become quite respectable. Good examples are now fetching anywhere from $14,000 to $30,000 for a really good one. This one needs some work, but there is nothing there that would be classed as major work. It runs, drives and stops as it should, and is in the sort of condition that could be used and enjoyed immediately. I personally think that it represents a pretty good buy.
I know where there is an EXACT copy of this car. It was being driven until recently; now it sits in the driveway, victim of some malady causing it to be parked! I wonder would they sell it………. :-)
No, they won’t. They will politely infor you they are going to “fix it up”, and years from now it will be rusting back into Mother Earth. Sorry to sound cynical, but I’ve had this scenario happen to me more times than I care to count sure as most of us here.
Beautiful car though.
Same with me, many many times!
Moparmann, only one way to find out, you could be pleasantly surprised, it’s worth a shot. Tell em your Grandad once had one and you’d love to get hold of one like he had and restore it, they might take pity on you.
This thing is probably hiding alot of rot. $3500 is a better price
I’m a sucker for green 70’s cars, but you’re right. I’d be nervous about the rot.
You will win a LottoRot if you purchase this prize.
My mother had a 1971 Olds Delta 88 with a rocket 455-4bbl which was as large as this Riviera. We use to take it out a roach the (one tire fire) daily until she caught on that we were wasting her tires……LOL!
i love these boat-tails! they look like nothing else on the road before or since; sleek, classy, understated luxury with excess foot pounds of torque ready & waiting. Great to see them appreciating in value. They are worth saving.
A few years ago i decided i needed a personal luxury coupe with a big cube V8 like it was the ’70s again. Narrowed it down to a 67-70 Eldo, 70-72 Monte, 68-72 Gran Prix, ’66-70 Toronado, or a ’63-73 Riv.
Caddy & Olds got bounced, cause FWD burnouts. Dumped the Chevy for the Pontiac’s better lines & proportions & started searching for a 4-speed 455 SJ (good luck!) & deciding which year Buicks were best.
Then i remembered being 4 years old, climbing up to stand on the toilet seat to look out the second floor window to the neighbor’s house & seeing two new Rivieras parked outside the garage, dark red & green boat-tail beauties. Goodbye Poncho.
The 71 is the best looking to me, simpler grill, no side mouldings & those cool-looking (but sketchy in function) trunk louvers. 72’s look good too. Bumpers on the 73’s are to big & the tail was truncated although a Stage 1 455 was optional.
Rational thought kicked in at some point (not typical for me) & i picked up a supercharged 6-speed CTSV & a couple K5’s instead. But i will always want a GS boat-tail Riv.
Nice examples can still be found under $10k & older restorations for under $15k if you’re patient. This one being a Chicago suburb survivor i agree that there is likely too much rust to make it worthwhile for the asking price. I’d wait for one from a more arid environment or one that’s already been redone.
It is nice to see people finally see what solid cars these were.
For almost all of their lives they have worthless used cars nobody wanted.
My uncle let me use his 71 Riv my last year in college. Same color. What a glorious ride that was. I would cruise the country backroads at 90 mph. Take a look at the length of that hood and imagine what it was like looking out over that. And that 455 pumped out the torque. She was fast and so was the gas gauge. I’m lucky in that my uncle gave my a credit card for gas, too!
He was 53 in 73,so it’s not like he bought it in 2018📇
I’m 53 and my daily driver is a 2013 Mustang GT with 492 dyno’ed hp.
Even for a 1973, I’m sure that 455 still sucked pigeons off the sidewalk.
memory is that the 73 455, and not just the Stage 1, had the highest net power ratings of the 3 years and was not that far behind the Firebird SD455 in horsies and even more than in torque. granted, they were heavy cars & not all that quick (low 15 quarters) but still about as quick as anything of remotely simlar size for the time.
I totally agree. I had a 72 Pontiac Grandville convertible with the 455, and that thing was a torque monster! Fantastic car. But my very first car when I turned 16 was a 69 Buick Riviera GS I bought for $1500 in the early 80’s. That car holds a special place for me, and would love to have another. I originally didn’t care for these boat tail cars, but they’ve really grown on me over the years. And with that 455, would be a great way to cruise!
Where’s the doggie in the rear window bouncing his head up and down?
You sure it’s owned by a 98 year old ?🙃😮😜
I like boat tail cars!!!!
The Riviera faced tough sales competition within General Motors. Eldorados and Toronados had front wheel drive to distinguish themselves from the Buick. The Grand Prix and Monte Carlo were redesigned for 1973 and had a lower price and improved handling. The oil embargo reduced sales of all larger vehicles.
The rusting evident in this car is typical Chicago cancer. Wheel lips, lower trunk lip and I would check the lower doors and the trunk floor. I have a a 72 Riv which has lived in Chicago all its life and it has this same rust patterns that car shows. Still it is a solid car but I can’t say how much body work cost. The 455 was a new motor in 71. It is what was called a thin wall and it was about 150 lbs lighter than the Chevy 454 and had more torque. Still this car weighs in at about 4600 pounds, the bumpers added a lot from the 72. Also the 73 was detuned from the 72 which was detuned from the 71. If you are looking for the true boattail design I would opt for a 71 or 72. While these are still iconic a lot was lost in the 73 federally mandated bumpers.
There ain’t no substitute for cubic inches, all 455 of them !
HORSEPOWER is how fast you hit a wall,
TORQUE is how far you take the wall with you!
Only milk and fruit juice comes in 2 litres, (4 pints or 2 quarts US)
Don’t blame me for the quotes, I’m only passing on what someone else once wrote!
Spot on Tony. Ain’t no substitute . . .
I love these monsters, who would ever need that much power, unless you’re out on a country road of course. To sum it up in simple terms, ——
“HORSE POWER is how fast you hit a wall”,
“TORQUE is how far you take the wall with you.”
and
“There ain’t no substitute for cubic inches!”
Don’t blame me I’m only quoting what someone else once wrote!
just because it is a 455 don’t expect high performance … they had been seriously detuned by then ….only 250 hp and it is a very heavy car
My entrance into the Riviera boattail world started in early 1990s when I got a 1972 Rivy. More of a mint green with black interior. Bench seat, colume automatic, pw ps PST pb, freeze your face off a/c. We got it cheap because it had been in a minor accident and had a salvage title. Replace the passenger side front fender, front bumper and a few under the hood parts and she was good to go. Got the title switched back to a clean title and Belinda (that’s what I called her) burned rubber all the way down the road.
Unfortunately, some bimbo in a Dodge Colt made a left right in front of her when my husband was driving and was totalled. I cried for weeks.
Replaced her with a 1971 Rivy, dark red with a white vinyl top and white interior. Bucket seats, console every option but a sunroof.
A little later I also got the one off 1970 Rivy. Not a boattail, but still a cool car.
I sold the 71 and the 72 (as a parts car) to a kid in upstate NY.
I am still regretting selling them.
From there I moved on to a bunch of 70s Cadillacs.