1974 Buick riviera GS Stage I

Discussion in 'Ebay Parts and Cars' started by MR.BUICK, Jan 7, 2004.

  1. MR.BUICK

    MR.BUICK Guest

  2. hoyt3

    hoyt3 Active Member

    Hi

    I came across a 455 from a 73 riv with stage one valves and a fellow board member told me that all riv gs 455s were supposed to have stage one valves installed , but some didnt get them . Just passing along info passed to me thanks.
     
  3. Smartin

    Smartin Guest

    Looks like the real deal here...

    Mike is right about the Stage1 valves. Riv GS's were supposed to have the Stage1 heads installed from the factory, but some of us more unfortunate folks later found out some of the cars were overlooked - and had standard valve heads. I was one of the lucky ones:Brow:

    [​IMG]
     
  4. 72Rivguy

    72Rivguy Carl, Buicks Are the Best

    In 71-72, the Riv GS came with the bigger valve heads. In 73 and 74, a Riv GS only was a handling package with a rear sway bar. Buick made the Stage 1 a separate option. You can verify the big valve 455 on 72-74 Rivs by checking the W in the VIN, which that 74 has. In 72 and 73, you could also get the big valve 455 in Centurions. They will also have the W in the VIN. In 74, Buick made Stage 1 engines available in any big car, even Electras and Estate Wagons. They didn't get any special emblems in the grille though. I don't know if the air cleaner had a Stage 1 decal like the Rivs did either. They will also have the W in the VIN. So lots of possible places to find a Stage 1 engine.
     
  5. Rich Johns

    Rich Johns Platinum Level Contributor

    So Carl you say all 71-72 GS Riv's had a stage 1 motor standard
    I always believed the GS option gave you heavy duty springs ,shock ,rear sway bar and a 3:42 posi and GS emblems on front fenders.I know where a wrecked 72 GS Riv is right now and it has W in its 5 digit location on VIN, motor is original has painted valve covers and aircleaner.
    Are you sure W wasn't for the standard 455 and the first year for Stage 1 in a Riv was 73?
    Please advise Thanks
     
  6. MGSCP

    MGSCP Guest

    I have a 71 riv gs motor and it has the large valve heads
    and the good oiling system :Brow:
    the riv stage 1 and the GS stage1 were two different engines on the riv gs the cam was not as wild and you did not get the chrome valve covers large fuel pump or stiffer stg 1 valve springs and the carb was different :eek2:
    on 73 74 riv cars they called it a stage1 othe 71 72 rivs it was just a riv gs motor :bglasses:
     
  7. 72Rivguy

    72Rivguy Carl, Buicks Are the Best

    The previous post was correct that the big-valve 455 used in the 71-72 Rivieras and Centurions wasn't called Stage 1, just a high performance 455. The horsepower/torque rating is different from the one used in A body Stage 1 455s. In 71-72, the Riviera GS came with the big valve 455, chrome air cleaner lid, GS emblems and heavy duty springs and shocks, and 3:42 positraction. There wasn't a rear sway bar or chromed valve covers. There's a W in the VIN for 72 through 74, but the 71's didn't have an engine code in the VIN. The big valve 455 has a different marking, TA I believe, but I have to check my documentation.

    The Centurions with the big valve 455 only got the engine and dual exhaust.

    The few original GS Rivs that I have seen didn't come with chrome valve covers, just the air cleaner lid. I have seen a few without the chromed air cleaner lid too. In 71, it looks like the air cleaner snorkel was slightly larger too.

    Buick must have liked the way radial tires improved the handling of the Riviera, because in 73-74, buying a Riviera GS meant that you got radial tires, rear sway bar, special springs and shocks, and GS emblems. The Stage 1 option came with the big valve 455 and 3:42 positraction. Buick split up the engine and handling options. Maybe it would have been too expensive to have it all in one option, or maybe more people just wanted the radial tires without the faster 455.

    In 72-74, VINs have T for a single exhaust 455, U for dual exhaust regular 455, V for A body 455 Stage 1, and W for B and E body 455 big vale 455/Stage 1. It's in the front of the shop manual for each year.

    73 was the first year that Buick called the high performance 455 used in Rivieras a Stage 1, but it was used in 71-72 also, just not with that name. It makes sense, since the engine wasn't the same as the A body Stage 1.

    If the 3:42 rear axle in that wrecked 72 is for sale, I'm interested.
     
  8. flynbuick

    flynbuick Guest

    Carl

    A friend of mine has a mint 47K mile Riv for sale that was rear ended. He asks 1.85K. I suppose it would have to be a GS to help you.
     
  9. MGSCP

    MGSCP Guest

    3.42

    :beer I put a 3.42 posi in my 72 riv boy did it wake that car up

    :3gears:
     
  10. Rich Johns

    Rich Johns Platinum Level Contributor

    Thanks for the info
    I knew the 73-74 cars had the stage 1 optional if they were a Riv GS car with a tamer cam, not a Stage 1 A body camshaft but yet a bigger cam than in a plain old 455.
    So, the the block code stamped on the deck between spark plugs 5&7 will be ? and will there be a stamped code on the block ?
    My 70 motors do, but I have some extra 74 and 74 455 blocks that do not,they only have VIN stamped on front left face of block by timing cover.
    Please advise
    Thanks for the info
     
  11. Doo Wop

    Doo Wop Where were you in '62?

    ZS is the block code for a 74 Stage 1.
     

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  12. Rich Johns

    Rich Johns Platinum Level Contributor

    Thanks Korrie
    I was really interested in the 72 RIV GS Block Code.
    Sorry I did make that point clear
     
  13. Freedster

    Freedster Registered User (2002)

    Nice looking car at the auction.

    Now, I have a couple of questions: :)

    1) I know where there's a boattail in a junkyard near here. In layman's terms, not knowing right now what year it is, how can I tell for sure if it has big valve heads?

    2) Would those big valve heads offer any performance improvement on an otherwise stock 74 LeSabre motor?

    - Freed
     
  14. 72Rivguy

    72Rivguy Carl, Buicks Are the Best

    Here are the 71-74 455 Block codes from a Guide to Buick Performance Engines:

    71/455 Std./315 HP/ TR Block ID
    71/455 A body Stage 1/345 HP/TS Block ID
    71 /455 Riv Hi Perf/330 HP/TA Block ID

    72/455 Std./250 HP/WF Block ID/VIN U
    72/455 A body Stage 1/270 HP/WS Block ID/VIN V
    72/455 Riv GS/260 HP/WA Block ID/VIN W

    It looks like 73 is identical to 72, except WF becomes XF in the block id code, WS becomes XS, and WA becomes XA.

    Same set up for 74, except use Z in place of W in the block id code.
     
  15. Rich Johns

    Rich Johns Platinum Level Contributor

    Carl
    Thankyou for the Riv codes
     
  16. 73Riviera

    73Riviera Well-Known Member

    Re: 1973-74 Buick riviera Stage 1

    73 Riv's I've seen w/GS option do have a rear sway bar, and I believe the GS includes posi.
    Is anyone sure if the Stage 1 1973 Riviera should have posi IF it its NOT a GS?
    I'm looking at a 73 Riviera VIN W (Stage 1) NON-GS that is NOT running, and there is No rear sway bar, and a "USE LIMITED SLIP FLUID ONLY" tag is NOT on the diff cover. How can I tell by a code or something if it has (or came with) a posi rear or not? Jacking up the car to spin the rear wheels is not an option~

    Thanks.
     
  17. Boattail73

    Boattail73 Well-Known Member

    For 73, along with the Stage1 engine you get a BT tranny and the 3.23 posi, GS handling package did not include any of those.
    Dont scare you of that the tag is missing on the rearend, with my 72 GS Riv I got the tag in an envelope cause it broke during service, same could happen to any other car. Or lift the rearend and hold one tire and see if the other one still turns or not.

    Do you refer to the white 73 Stage1 riv on ebay right now?
     
  18. 73Riviera

    73Riviera Well-Known Member

    Yes, it's a "1973 Buick Riviera Stage 1 NON-GS", CA car on Ebay,
    The car "may" have correct trans, hard to read the old tag to say 100%,as always the parts you need to see most are the hardest to read!
    Rear seems NOT to be posi, and ratio seemed closer to a 2.73, I jacked up and checked by spinning tires, so maybe the rear diff was likely swapped out at some point.
    Carburetor #7043240 is same as regular 73 Buick, and is NOT the 7043242 I think it should be,
    Distributor #1112110, same also a regular Buick, and NOT the 1112087 I'd think it should be.
    Engine: Almost impossible to read the engine codes, and the VIN# part is blocked by the power steering if on that side, or the alternator on the other... so simply could not get a view or access to clean it to even find those numbers, so that also could not be confirmed...
    Best part, that it's a 455 ;), but it does not run, and could not even see if it turns over,
    interior seems fair but requires complete restoration,

    Worst parts about the car is all the RUST!, RUST!, and more RUST!
    Around the rear window is rusted through BAD and water leaked in to and sat and completely rotted out the part under the package tray, I would think this would be a tricky and expensive part to repair and most of the Boat tails seem to have rot near the rear window so to find a good donor piece would be hard as well.
    I was shocked to see how bad the Rust was and can't figure out how it got so rusted out, and
    the trunk and quarters are likely more damaged than I could see as when I tried to lift the carpet it started falling apart, so I did not want to make a mess of someone else's car.
    Also the rust is pretty bad around the rear wheel openings,
    And~
    The top of the left rear 1/4 near the trunk has rust through, again hard to imagine how that happened, can bee seen in seller's Ebay pics.
    the front fenders seem like they'll be rusting through soon and
    on the hood under the stainless trim part near the windshield,
    The Ebay pics make the car look a lot better than it really is.

    Oh I almost forgot, More bad news... on the engine (that does not run), the water outlet is broken off the timing case, so would be a big labor job to fix and as most of us Buick followers know, the timing covers wear out and can be hard to find in good shape and the few NOS ones that pop up from time to time usually sell for over $400+++!

    To restore this car would take a LOT of $$$$$$$ and TIME! and for parts, for anyone considering shipping it, I'd avoid it, I happen to live within 15 minutes to where this was so was glad I could go see it before consider to bid,
    The Owner is nice but I feel he wants more than its worth due to sentimental value for time he's had it, but sadly during the years it was rusted away...
    I was extremely surprised to see so much rust on a CA car he said was originally sold in the L.A. area! He did say the car spent some years in Oxnard near which is very near the ocean so I think it was getting a lot of salt air, but even still the rust was surprisingly bad, mabe the owner had a beach house!
    Even for parts I feel it's not worth the $750 starting bid, especially when you factor in any kind of shipping, either for the car or parts



    Thanks for the reply.


     
  19. THEPUGSRIVIERA

    THEPUGSRIVIERA Well-Known Member

    How about a 1974 Buick Riviera GS Stage 1 with factory air bags just like in your own car. It was called The Air Cushion Restraint System. Only 329 Riviera's came out of the factory in 74 with the air bags in them. In 75 there were only 25 produced. In 76 there were only 6 made. Those 31 cars are gone and don't exist. I also have Maxtrac in this car which is traction control. It works off a sensor on the driver's front wheel measures it in hertz sends it to a computer on the passenger side of the dash then to a small square relay on the tail-shaft of the transmission which directs traction control to the rear wheels via the drive-shaft. I also have real leather in this car of which only 481 cars were made. The option cost $586.00 which explains why there were so few. This car as per my build sheet was built on 2/26/74 but was not registered for the first time until 7/8/76 as per my title. Nobody would buy this car because of the air bags. It is a good possibly I could have the last airbag Riviera. As the story goes in 73 Chevrolet sent out 1000 Impala's with airbags to test the waters and added it to the option list. Boy what a mistake. People went nuts. Chevy dropped the option package. In 74 GM took the Electra's, Riviera's, 98's, Toronado's, and Cadillac Coupe's, Sedan's, and Eldorado's and picked so many each day at the plant to have airbags installed in them. The air bags never showed up on the window sticker or in the showroom brochures as I have a brochure and it is not listed as an option. The man that bought this car was told he was buying a used car because the dealer put a plate on this car and ran some miles on it. I have already spoken to the original owner of the car and told him it was actually a demo he bought. This poor car is a rot bucket and will need a lot of work to bring her back but somehow it will be done. Your thoughts.

    Thank you,

    John A Wettengel

    My phone number is 973-927-7414 if you would like to talk about it.
     
  20. GSX 554

    GSX 554 Gold Level Contributor

    John. The way that Max-Trac worked was when the sensor in the LF wheel , and the sensor in the Speedo housing in the trans were not the same the computer would short out the points in the distributor thus slowing down the driveshaft. It was so that the driven wheels were not going faster than the front wheels. It was not available after Buick went to the HEI distributor in 1974. I worked on a lot of these at the dealer when they were new. I also saw a few Air Bag cars.
     

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