1970 Buick Riviera: ENGINE RELATED DETAILS: *Rebuilt in 1986. *Block bored .030" over (Modine 4 row radiator installed), TRW forged pistons(8.5 to 1 compression ratio),ARP rod bolts, crank chamfered and polished, Kenne-Bell 1H hydraulic cam with Stage 1 valve springs, three angle valve job with bronze liners, 3/8" adjustable pushrods with .045" lifter preload, Mellings high volume oil pump, MSD 5 ignition, Mallory Unilite conversion(no points), recurved distributor (centrifugal advance=10 degrees at 1000 RPM with 22 degrees max at 2000 RPM, 15 degrees vacuum advance, 16 degrees initial advance), stock Quadra Jet carburetor rebuilt and rejetted. Kenne-Belle double roller timing chain set. TRANSMISSION DETAILS: *Rebuilt in 1986. *Stock parts used in rebuild with Transgo shift kit added. FRONT SUSPENSION: *Rebuilt in 1987. *New MOOG or TRW ball joints(all), control arm bushings(all), sway bar bushings, center link, tie rods, idler arm, KYB gas shocks (Gabriel gas shock in rear). BODYWORK AND PAINT: *Redone in 1986. *Stripped to bare metal, old bondo replaced, new dings and dents repaired, custom metal patch panels used to repair rust over wheel wheels and quarter panels (no fender skirts), primer coat and sealer coat applied, RM brand color coats(5) applied with 3 coats clear coat, wet sanded, machine buffed, hand waxed. Seems to me like he did a nice job. Car hasn't been a driver since 1997 though and has only been started up periodically since then to keep seals lubed. Watcha think?
around $2,000.00 seems too good to be true. comes with alot of parts big and small and another 1970 stock 455 engine.
going to check it out tomorrow. from owner to my initial inquiry Q: Is the car a driver or has it sat too long and needs to be re-sealed? A: The car has no leaking seals and I have been running the car several times each year to help prevent leaks. Q: How many keys does one key operate- both front door locks? Do all keys fit and operate the locks as they are meant to? A: One key works the door locks/ignition switch and another key works the trunk lock. All keys fit properly. Q: Does the car start easily? A: The car fires up on the fifth or sixth crank if it has sat for a few weeks, second or third crank if it has sat for a few days. When the engine is warm, the car fires up on the first crank. Q: Does it idle smoothly? Any noises from engine, transmission or rear while running and driving? Any smoke at start up or while running? Any blow by? A: The engine idles smoothly at 700 RPM in drive with brakes applied. There are no unusual engine, trans or rear noises. There is no smoke at start up or at idle and no blow by. Please note that car has not been on the highway since 1997 and will benefit greatly from an extended highway run. Q: Is coolant visible when radiator cap removed? Any air bubbles surface while running? A: Coolant is to the top of the radiator since the stock overflow tank is used and there are no bubbles in the coolant. Q: Color of oil and tranny fluid? A: Oil is golden color and tranny fluid is cherry color. Q: Do all indicators work? Does all inside and outside lighting work? Do instrumentation switches and gauges work as intended? A: All indicators, all lights, all instrumentation switches and all gauges work. I added a water temperature gauge, oil pressure gauge and tachometer under the dash below the stock cig lighter tray. Q: Does the heat blow hot? A: Yes. Q: Does the AC blow cold? A: Yes, I measured 34 degrees at center outlet this past April. I added a switch to allow the A/C to operate when the front window defroster is on the way later model cars operate. Q: Does windshield wipers and washer work? A: Yes, both work. The windshield washer tank needs to be remounted. Q: When was last time for tune up, compression and vacuum check, plugs, wires, cap, rotor? A: Plugs are stock AC, wires are MSD 8mm silicone, cap and rotor are Accel with brass inserts, and all were last changed in 1997. Compression check and vacuum readings were done then too. About 135-140 psi on compression check across all cylinders and about 28" vacuum readings, if I remember right. Includes Shop and Body manuals Parts catalog aluminum front drums extra driveshfts with center support windshield rear window front grills electric fuel pump assemblies (floats and pump) power steering box power brake booster electrical switches and relays dashboard intrument panel rear end differential 455 engine from car originally window moldings and clips extra paint in gallon and spray cans front and rear wheel moldings center horn section assembly FUNNY HOW THE BUICK GODS WORK! I got a 72 boattail in IL that couldn't make the ride back to NY last week and for less than the price of transporting it back to NY and buying parts required to make it sound mechanically I can get the abovementioned or another southern no rust mechanically inspected 73 boattail. Gee if the abovementioned checks out I wonder which way I'm going. Poor lil 72 boattail out in the middle of nowhere.
last one, these last two weeks has been the agony of defeat followed by the thrill of victory! from the lil boattail that couldn't to the bad riv that could! :Brow: Yeah, I know grill pot metal painted flat black - didn't faze me in the least - getting two more grills with deal. And I like how he did away with the fender skirts when he did the patch metal weld. I don't think I'm putting any of the wheel well trim back on or trunk trim becuase it really looks clean and that stuff is just conducive to mositure build up and rusting. Had for thousands less than price of fixing the boattail (which is bound for the scrap heap) to this condition - always inspect the car before deal or have someone else do it. Made an exception on the boattail and got screwed. Only myself to blame, noone else. :spank: The Buick Gods work in strange ways! :grin:
Now since it's living in NY suggestions on how to make the Riviera ribbed rim caps theft proof. Anyone had a stud machined on these and a metal plate with lock nut attach to stud on inside of rim?
Jim, The Riv looks great. I followed you trip to IL through your posts. I was sorry I could not help you. I also have learned to inspect before making a purchase. Some members you can trust some you cannot. One mans mint is another mans junk. It is still buyer beware for the most part. There are good people here, but we need to do our homework first. Good luck with the Riv, judging from the pictures you got a very good deal. Patrick
The car is a beast! Just drove it home today from Brooklyn, NY so it got some local driving and then I hit the Parkway for some highway driving. My brother in law followed me in pickup which additonal parts were loaded up into since I had the inside of car and trunk filled with the small parts he had the rear end and spare engine in bed. He called me to report some of the carbon buildup shot out of tailpipes upon acceleration on entrance ramp to merge onto parkway. Other than that no smoke. Car handled all speeds well, had some brake chatter in front which dissipated on each inch of way. Brakes will be first thing Monday morning. Holy torque! Sorted through the spare parts to find rear window trim, rear assembly above and below bumper, as well as center horn piece; so that will be my Sunday project in the rain. He bagged all hardware pieces and organized five big rubbermaid containers by part types as well as cardboarding windows and wrapping spare engine components and driveshafts in contractor type plastic bags. Wound up with far more parts some in duplicate and triplicate than listed above especially trim pieces. Seller called me four times already to make sure I got home, give me additonal data on AC switching ( he added a switch to trun on condensor during defrost), Kill switch in glove box, Carb secondaries adjustment, Brake chatter and to make sure I was OK with the car. He thought I would flatbed it home because of brake chatter on test drive; and, when he heard I was driving switched the passenger mirror to driver side which is in supply depot buried somewhere in bubble wrap before my arrival. All car sales amongst enthusiasts should go this way and as well. I'm liking the car without the badging, side, trunk and wheel trim more and more each time I look at it and might just tag the pieces and shelve them. The big R on the ribbed cone centers should give it away to any Jeopardy contestants! An interesting note in closing, in addition to the shop and assembly manual I have a parts book from Classic Buicks, Inc with lists a plethora of parts from 1940 models through 1975. Are they still around? Cause if they are and they're reputable I can give you any part number your sweet lil heart desires. I am very pleased with this deal if you can't tell by now.
Great score! I have been toying with the ideal of doing away with the fender skirts on mine also. After seeing yours, I probably will do it. However, IF I could ever find some short skirts, I would use them. But, those things are rare!!!
