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Bunker Find! 1969 Buick Riviera

Having lived in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for eight years, I can’t help but hear the classic Pittsburgh accent as I relate details of this 1969 Buick Riviera, located in a bunker-like garage in nearby Bridgeville. This Azure Blue classic awaits a new owner willing to commit to an opening bid of $4000 here on eBay. In 1969 you could take your high school diploma down to the steel mill where your Dad and his Dad had worked and (assuming you weren’t a lazy bum) get a job for life, or at least that was the hope. By the time this Riviera turned fifteen that world had changed, but perhaps owning this car can reclaim good memories of a simpler time.

Buick’s personal luxury coupe delivered high style in 1969 with its spaceship-looking front. Concealed headlights were all the rage and the Riviera was no exception. While this body continued through 1970, that final year featured quad headlights awkwardly jammed inboard. Continuing the Pittsburgh theme I picture this car as belonging to the foreman’s wife perhaps, or a gift to reward the Mother who kept your butt in the house studying while your good-for-nothing friends were up to no good.

While the front-wheel-drive Oldsmobile Toronado and Cadillac Eldorado shared the Riviera’s platform, Buick utilized rear wheel drive for the Rivera. The only engine choice was a good one:  the 430 cubic inch Buick V8 making 360 HP and 475 lb-ft of tire-shredding torque (thanks to automobile-catalog.com for some details). As suggested by the cylinder heads in the trunk, the engine and transmission need to be rebuilt according to the seller. Close your eyes for a moment and picture this classy ride immaculately restored. You’re cruising the French Riviera that inspired this Buick’s name, with no urgency or agenda. Gas is $5.50 a gallon, but in your day dream, cost is no concern. So… who is motivated to spend $4000 (and more) to return this powerful powder-puff to perfection?

Comments

  1. Avatar Steve R

    Nice pictures, thorough description, bidding should be strong on this one.

    Steve R

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    • Avatar Dusty

      I know Rivieras and whoever buys this better have buckets of cash to restore it !

      Like 0
  2. Avatar Metoo

    Wow! A real land whale. I like it!

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  3. Avatar Craig MacDonald

    Three pictures, none of the interior, and he couldn’t be bothered to take the junk off the car’s roof. One line of poorly written description and an auction with a “price is negotiable”??
    Aw, c’mon man.

    Like 0
    • Avatar grant

      The junk on the roof appears to be the hood, and some other detritus. In the 2nd pic the hood looks like it’s just sitting in place.

      Like 0
  4. Avatar jcs

    3 days left and 0 bids so far. I would say that buyers are telling this seller that they don’t like the lack of details and pictures in his listing.

    Like 0
  5. Avatar jw454

    It looks like this car was purchased by someone that wasn’t familiar with working on old cars or cars in general. Took the door regulator out… couldn’t put it back in. Took the engine apart… can’t put it back together. Took the front bumper off… can’t get it back on correctly. I hope someone buys this car before anything else happens to it. These are nice cruisers. Many years ago, my boss had a 1968. It was like floating down the road on a cloud.

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  6. Avatar Jay

    My Dad owned one just like this (think it was a 68 tho?), when I was growing up. It never ran, spent time in the yard, in the garage, back to the yard, in the driveway. Me and my brothers used to climb in it (and on it) and pretend we were driving it. It was a blue-ish/gray color, with a black vinyl top. Interior was pretty emaculate. Interior was black too, not sure if it was leather or “Pleather”…but remember the AC unit hung just below the passenger dash. The rear seats seemed to be buckets? And had speakers near the head of the rear seats. I believe the interior was also trimmed in chrome? My mother hated it that Dad kept this thing around all them years l, hahaha. Closest he ever came to working on it, was he located a Wildcat he was going to engine swap. It never happened, the Wildcat was sold with our Barn. He finally found an in law to work on it a few years back, but ended up not fixing it. It’s fate ended at an “ABC” dealership (the in-law found a salesman was interested in it). Not sure if they ever fixed it.
    Any way…memory lane seeing this one.

    Like 0
  7. Avatar ccrvtt

    I sure hope this beauty gets taken by someone with more than just stars in his or her eyes. It deserves to be brought back fully.

    Agree with Craig MacD – poor presentation is killing the sale.

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  8. Avatar mark

    My parents owned the identical car, color and everything, in the late 70’s-80’s. He bought from the mayor of Delray Beach Florida. We owned a lot of the early Toronado’s and 67-70 Eldorado’s. We loved the “E” bodied cars. I owned the “boat tailed” 73 Riviera in 1980.

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  9. Avatar Beatnik Bedouin

    Looks like the hood and grille/bumper were kind of dropped back into place for the shot of the Riv’s front. The latter’s kind of sitting out in space.

    It would make a nice restoration and the guy sounds negotiable.

    I happen to like ’60s Buicks, but then I am a bit biased, having owned one for 42 years…

    Like 0
  10. Avatar Miguel

    All during the ’80s and even later these cars were basically worthless.

    I want to know what happened to all of a sudden make them worth big money.

    Is it just the odd styling and the flip down headlights?

    Like 0
  11. Avatar Jay Calk

    My sister had a 1968 Riv GS. Ran fast but they loads of issues with car. I don’t know if it was just a lemon or what. it was stylish and was very fast. Of coarse my bother in law was hard on everything.

    Like 0
  12. Avatar BOP Guy Member

    I’ve been keeping an eye on this one on eBay, though I keep an eye on all 68-69 Riviera’s. My first car when I turned 16 was a 69 Riv GS, gold/green paint, black vinyl top and dark green interior with bucket seats and center console. I bought it for $1500 bucks in the early 80’s. It’s a heavy car, but tons of torque and more than adequate hp hide that fact. They are very comfortable, and mine had every option. I loved that car, and would love another one. You never forget your first ! Hate to see one treated like this. More photos and better information would help to sell this one, but I’ll pass.

    Like 0
  13. Avatar Jose Delgadillo

    I’ve had several ’60s Rivs. They were good looking, comfortable, good driving road cars. Very reliable and well built. One of GMs best.

    Like 0

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