I am a new member and just starting a 1973 riviera update and resto project. I would love some suggestions on a posi conversion for my ride. I would also love to find a b4b intake for it. I have done alot of internet searchs on Buick perfomance builds and have found some great stuff. I am going with stock heads that will be reworked, definitely doing a cam upgrade most likely from TA perfomance. If I dont find the b4b I will do the performer intake. It will have all of the standard oiling upgrades including the TA oil pump kit. Stock crank, still not sure on some of the other stuff. Looking for 400 to 500 horses so any help will be appreciated. Thanks CJ
Welcome CJ!! You're pretty close to STL.....sweet. Got any pics of that 73? The posi may be a hard one to locate. It took me a year to find one for my car - which used the same rear as the Riv. Periodically, there will be a B4B intake for sale by one of the members. I bought mine from someone local - who happened to be a member of this board too! You've found an awesome spot for Buick performance enthusiasts! :beer
Most hosrpower for the buck=shorty headers Next have shop like Tri Shield recurve the distributor. Too much cam can hurt stoplight to stoplight performance which is where you are going to need it. Most single power gain= a head change to TA stage 1 aluminum.
All my pics are older when it looked really good. She sat in the garage for about the last 10 years and was driven rarely. Starting this project has been a dream come true. About the posi, the 73 rivs had the 8.5 rear didnt they? I found a way to identify it on the net but the car is at a shop in Mexico, Mo. He pulled the motor and transmission out for me. Have not been able to take a look at it since I found the information on the rear end. I am picking it up Friday to bring back to my garage to start gutting out the interior to get it ready to go to a real great body and paint guy here in Columbia.
Thats why I am here. I appreciate the info. So any good suggestions for what to look for on the posi. Is converting to a different rear end a good option. Also a HEI upgrade was a suggestion. CJ the rookie....
Think you will need a 71-73 Riv GS or a 71-3 wagon to get a 3.42 posi in the 93/8 dimension you need. Ask Smartin. He just did a similar search for his 71 Boat.
contact www.davessmallbodyheis.com for your HEI.... To start looking for your posi rear, you need to know what models were equipped with the 9 3/8. Lets see if I can get all of them in one run... 71-76 Electra 71-73 Centurion 71-76 Estate Wagon 71-7? 455 LeSabre 71-76 Riviera These were all cars with OPTIONAL posi rears, so you're going to have to do some hunting. I got lucky and I bought a 73 Riv GS Stage1 with a 3.23 posi....swapped it out with my stock rear in my Centurion - direct fit. Converting is another story....but there are some 350 LeSabres equipped with the 8.5 rear. I'd look for the 9 3/8 rear first. Heavy duty rears are unbreakable.
The 3.42 posi rear was available in 71-72 only I think... 73 and later had a 3.23 available. You can use different gears in the same posi carrier if you don't like the current ratio. But they must be 9 3/8. The years that I mentioned above are educated guesses. I am under the impression that some of these cars went to the 8 7/8 rear in 74. So your best bet is to look for aa posi in an Electra or Estate Wagon....or anything between 71-73. Does that make sense? Target the models that Jim mentioned and you'll be fine.
I love the scrapyards. I just hate when I dont know what to look for. Now this gets fun. Definitely the shorty headers, HEI conversion, if I do the Stage 1 heads the next thing is what cam and I do want to run the A.C. if possible. Also is there an a advantage to a Holley vs a Q Jet. I understand the Holleys are easy to work on?? CJ
Run a QJet and send it to John Osborne for a rebuild. Info on John: John Osborne Quadrajet Performance Mod and Rebuild Specialist 270-737-4467 JOP455@AOL.COM
