When considering Buick’s vaunted Riviera, I believe the second gen (’66-’70) is my favorite, except for today’s subject, the bookend ’70 edition. The sleek Bill Mitchell light, airy, fleet-of-foot styling is still present, but the fender skirts just kill it for me. Yeah, I know, petty, but it changes the whole look of the car. I suppose they could just be chucked… Well, I don’t want to be too dismissive or get ahead of myself, so let’s give this resident of Spokane, Washington, a proper review. Those with an interest will find this big coupe here on eBay, where it’s available for a current bid of $3,500 with one bid tendered so far.
Riviera was available in standard and GS trim in ’70, and 37K buyers, who didn’t have the fender skirt phobia that possesses me, stepped up to the plate and bought one. There weren’t many differences between the GS and the less gran standard model, those differences primarily being mechanical, and consisting of a heavy-duty suspension, a limited-slip differential, and a steeper final drive ratio. The seller tells us that this Riv has been sitting since ’97 and adds, “This car needs quite a bit of love. I am not going to sugarcoat anything. The body is pretty rust-free; however, where the original vinyl top was will need some attention in the trim areas. There is also a little bit under the trunk lid, and where the battery tray is. There is a small amount where and old battery tray meet the inner fender and core support. There is nothing to worry about structure-wise. The driver’s side wheel skirt has an area of rust as well. This car will need new front glass as the area I mentioned where top needs attention around the A-pillars.” That vinyl top looks like it has taken flight, and the underlying steel has either been painted brown, or the vinyl material itself has been coated with something – it definitely doesn’t look right. The side-spear stainless trim, a ’70 only design, is supposed to be color coded to match the exterior, but the coded part has either faded away or been rubbed off. The finish, Bamboo Creme, code 50, according to the getting-ready-to-fall-off trim tag, is worn, and Buick’s ordering guide states that the Bamboo Creme hue was supposedly not available on a Riviera – sounds like some internal miscommunication may have happened. The ubiquitous Buick Road wheels are always a nice inclusion, but I’d suggest that white strip tires would be more typical and in order.
The interior’s brown cloth and vinyl upholstery is in fair shape, though the dash pad is badly split and the headliner is gravity-bound in places. The instrument panel has the usual delamination going on, and the dash, maybe the glove box lid, seems to have problems – the interior images aren’t that clear.
The engine room should ensconce a 370 gross HP, 455 CI V8, but that big-block has been given the bum’s rush and replaced by a 1969 vintage 360 HP, 430 CI powerplant. The seller claims that it runs now after getting “broken loose“. I’ll assume the original Turbo-Hydramatic 400, three-speed automatic transmission is still in place.
The seller concludes by telling interested bidders that his Riviera won’t drive and will need to be winched onto a flat-bed tow truck. He adds, “It has good bones to work with, but it’s a project for sure. I hope this describes the car in great detail for you. I do not want to lead anyone on.” The listing is pretty detailed and sounds honest; this one’s gonna be a worker. But, as the seller suggests, “I hope this car goes to someone who has always wanted one of these.” Anyone out there want this one?
Good article J.O. Seller mentions posi rear end. I believe the GS model came standard with a livelier gear ratio as well.👍
You’re right Stan…..a 3.42 posi axle was part & parcel of the Riv’s GS option (http://www.lov2xlr8.no/brochures/buick/70riv/bilder/5.jpg).
I prefer the hubcaps on this bodystyle, and the skirts gotta stay!
There was also a slimmer style fender skirt available as well but I unfortunately was not able to locate a picture of them! :-)
You’re probably thinking of the attached, and I agree, this version I like. That said, I’ve never actually seen one in the steel and didn’t know such an animal existed.
JO
I can’t think of another postwar car that offered a choice of two different factory installed fender skirt styles. Lincoln used a similar “not a fender skirt” fender skirt in 1978 and 1979, but there was no alternative. Cadillac offered two fender skirt styles from 1989-1993, but the Fleetwood/Sixty Special got the full skirt and the DeVille got the partial skirt.
Nice project. I am wondering why the 454 was chucked?
Yeah that 70 Buick 455 was a very good motor. Better than the 69 430.
the best part of this car is the motor and its gone. 430 is just not the same. 1 year only body style is not the best looking. Like the color combo with the cloth inserts on the seats.
I love the 70 Riviera! The best thing about cars of the 60s and 70s is you could order them the way YOU wanted.
This one has a cloth interior, bench seat and column shift. Mine had vinyl interior, bucket seats, console and floor shift. You could order skirts to give it a formal look or what they called half skirts which is what mine had to give it a sportier look. The rally rims were sportier also.
Mine ran when I got it back in the late 90s early 00s. I drove it home at 25 miles an hour as the front end was shot. $4000 later I had all new bushings, shock absorbers, exhaust, tires, etc., etc.
Great cars fast and luxurious.
The mini skirts are a big improvement! This is the first actual ’70 Riv. that I have seen, so equipped.
JO
Thanks Jim. As you can see they were all chromed, then painted to match the car except for a small chrome strip at the bottom. The side spear molding was the same. All chromed then the center was painted to leave two small chrome stripes.
Obviously the paint came off of the side spear and the half skirts on my car but I liked that look better.
What Angel_Cadillac_Queen_Diva means is the [mini] skirts and side moldings are chrome-plated pot metal. And, yes, some people did purposely remove the paint from the side moldings. I don’t think too many removed it from the skirts.
Bamboo Creme was the color of my sister’s ’70 Coupe deVille. One of my friends in college had a later-model Riviera he had ordered from the factory with a Cadillac paint color. His dad owned the Buick dealership, and it wasn’t a problem, so that could explain the “unavailable” color on this car. I was always uncertain whether or not I liked this particular model of Riviera, but owning any Riviera will always remain on my bucket list.
SOLD for $3,600 with just 2 bids.
@PRA4SNW
He got a deal!
That’s for sure!
3600 seems like a good buy, but shipping down here would probably be around 2K, maybe more. Why Washington?