I purchased a 1973 Riviera on the weekend. I have run the vin through our DMV here but all it tells me is that it's a '73 Riv and info on previous owners. I'd like to know exactly what I have here. It has GS fender badges and the air cleaner carries a Stage 1 decal... which of course doesn't mean too much. I was wondering if one of the Riv experts on here could tell me if the VIN actually identifies the options etc... the VIN is: 4Y87W3H403930 Any help is appreciated. Steve G.
Steve, 4Y87W3H403930 4 = Buick Y87 = Riviera Platform, 2dr H.T. W = 455-4, 270hp, stamp code XA, Riviera GS 3 = 1973 H = Flint Plant 403930 = VIN Sequence
Nope the grille emblem isn't there. I think I might still have one kicking around here someplace though. Are there any reproductions of them? If I still have one I think it's broken. I did have another but sent it to a friend of mine in England years ago. Pretty sure he used it on a very nice Black '71 GS Riv. I'm not sure what rear gears are in this thing. I did have a '74 Riv Stage 1 years ago that I bought for parts. It had a 3:23 geared posi. That rear end also went to the same friend in England, I think the emblem I sent him came from the same car. He used the rear end in another Riv but can't recall the year 71-72 that he bought from the east coast of States sight unseen. The car had a ton of mud in it. Then he bought the black 71 and paid a kins ransom for it...lol I lost touch with my frind over there back over 5 years ago. Sent them a note and came back return to sender(they had moved).. Right after I came back from Afghanistan, then I got out of the service and we moved. Maybe they are on these forms. If so... Chris and Julia drop me a note. Maybe there are other British members here who know them. I can't imagine that a pristine Black Riv GS is a common sight over there....
No reproductions, that emblem and bracket are 73-74 only, check E bay, that's where mine came from......... Common no, pain to maintain YES.
Yup, do have a few pics I took of the vehicle to try and get my wife to calm down about my buying it...lol The person I bought it from had purchased it last October with the intention of restoring it. Whoever he got it from and worked it over. Not sure what they were smoking when they did the body work and threw some paint on it... I'll try to get the pics up, you're not going to believe what was done to it.. Luckily a bit of elbow grease should undo most of it.
The areas painted black are actually painted with stone guard The white appears to have been done with a roller..... When looking in the trunk both rear 1/4 s behind the wheel are shot. The previous owner repaired them but sheet metal screwed them on (no welding) The person has some talent as the car is reasonably straight. I wish they would have learned to weld before hand though lol. The generous use of body side mouldings and a million miles of very thin chrome moulding makes you want to scream...lol The fella who came with me when I picked up the car is an air force ACS tech on the base out this way which basically means his job is body work and paint on fighters.... When we got the car home he had a closer look at it and said this summer we're going to strip all that "crap" off it and paint it.... The car was white to begin with. I'm going to look for the engine code this morning, we'll see if the original engine is still in it. I know this one has been out of it because it's painted chev orange.....
