I've had my '97 Riv for a while now let me tell you, Buick certainly did some things right with this car. Plenty of power on the supercharged version, so comfortable it's spoiling me, the car is a pleasure to own and drive. I get silly grins while driving it, just like with my '70. I love this car. But I went for a drive in my cousin's '04 GTO yesterday. Great kick in the pants feel from that thing. It makes the right sounds, too. but it really did feel sorta like my Riviera does while driving in it And then it hit me: the car is dead . There is no life to it. Sure, it would haul if my cousin would uh, what's the nice way to say grow a pair? He won't take the traction control off...a story for another time. He mashes the gas and the car goes fast. but where's the soul? I've been in airplanes that go much faster but they are anti-septic, too Now, my '70...you mash the gas a few things happen- 1) It makes this noise like a stock car. It idles quietly enough, but sounds like it's angry when you floor it. the GTO makes nice noises, but the '70 growls like it may just eat you. You can HEAR the carb sucking air. How cool is that?! 2) this odd screaming sound comes from the back of the car, accompanied by smoke and a smell like a tire fire 3) the seat does a small dance behind you, it may slide a bit left or right depending on the crown of the road 4)you have a small definite butterfly in your stomach, because this thing is gonna start getting ttraction in a second and you need to have the nose pointed the right way 5) you can watch the gas gauge move. Which is a mystique no new car will ever have the same way, regardless of the make That car is alive, it hasn't had it's soul wrenched out of it with electronic do-dads, sound deadening, ergo(flippin)nomics, and emission controls. It is alive and you treat it with respect or it just may bite you to remind you who's the boss. It takes no cr@p Living with the '97 is easy Living without the '70 is not easy Turns out that I'm still a hot rod guy after being pampered in that (gorgeous) Riviera. It's tried to seduce me since November. The '70 is still my baby, and the car I'd rather be driving. I'm still a hot rod guy :TU:
I'm spoiled by my luxo-barges. My particular hangup is old Cadillac's. Got a 67 and a 79 Sedan De Ville. [had a 76 'coupe untill the accident last month] I usually only drive the buicks when I get that "squirrley" feeling.... Kind of like when a country boy wants to listen to heavy metal music. Of course with summer here, I'll probably be driving them more often.
Chris, I have said the same thing. I call it the "Oh Sh1t Factor". When you floor it and feel vibrations, hear strange noises, your heart beat increasing. You don't know where the thing is going next. I love it.
That's what I don't like about the newer cars - no personality. Many are just cars, and often barely that. Going fast isn't the point, as anything can be made to go fast. Its the whole experience that is important.
Ditto all the way.... I feal like I'm in an old airplane when I'm driving the Centurion. Blown mufflers and the soft top makes it noisy as hell, you can barely talk to the passenger, but what the hell, it makes you feal alive. My girlfriends Lexus is on the other side of the planet when it comes to it, quiet smooth, but boring, with as you say, no soul...
Thats interesting... both of my cars are loud, fairly unruley, and draw a lot of attention (negative or positive)... Unfortunately, my daily is considerably faster than my non-daily... and both are my passion This makes things expensive. I should try one of those "comfortable" things.
You could always just make the Skylark a terror, Eric :grin: Click on Darryl's link and make the 350 scream
Thats my plan... I was going to go BBB, but my ideas have changed :grin: I need to have the Skylark in the 12's :shock: to be notably faster than my DD. It might take a project along the lines of BillMah's (except to a much lesser degree) to get me there, but I'll do it. Oh, and Im glad you like your Riv... I actually am looking for a later model Buick to drive daily. I was thinking a Regal GS, though :Brow: Or even one of the late 80's/early 90's LeSabre T-Types.
That is so true. I would much rather have an older car to drive than a new one. The way I see it, I drive a car that very few people have, most people apreciate it, and has character. Why would I want a new silver beemer like every other businessman when I can have an old 69 vert to cruise around in. Cool is the word! I love my stock custom because it's a pleasure to drive. I love my GS clone cause it'll lay 100 feet of rubber, shakes and rattles, sounds bad a** with 3 inch pipes and the 113A cam. I get thumbs up looks from people in the custom, and I get POS stares when I'm in the GS clone (still needs paint bad!).Can't wait to get the stage 1 on the road (It'll be a happy medium, leaning more towards the bad a** side though) :3gears: I love 'em all!
