Anybody know if there's a frame interchange for the 71-72 riviera? Mine is... well, if I'm asking, it's not good. Specifically, the rear section. I'm hoping there's something that's a little more common. TT
Find one from Arizona, probably better to buy a complete car? Maybe Desert valley auto parts will sell you one?
Lol. I'm Canadian. What you basically just told me to do was: Try to buy a car site unseen from 2,100 road miles away, lose 25% in the exchange rate, find somebody to ship it, fill out all the paperwork to get it across the border, pay import tax and hope the frame is good. It be cheaper/less headache to just custom build a frame.
If the car can be documented that it spent it's entire life in Arizona, it should be solid. If it only spent a few years in the Midwest, though, before migrating, it may very well be a different story. Had a 72 Monte Carlo parts car a few years ago. Owner took it from Cleveland to El Paso in 1976. Rust / rot had already taken hold in the body seams, under the floor pan.
Here's what Hollander (interchange # 1879) says: '71-'72 will take either '71 or '72 '73 takes '73 '74 takes '74 That said, it may be that the '73 frame is only different for the bumpers and it's easy to mod it for '71-'72. I don't know that for sure though...
The 3rd generation Riviera was built on a shortened electra chassis. If you can find a similar vintage electra 2-door, maybe a frame shop could chop it for you...of course there may be other minute differences...
I know this is an old thread, but I had the same issue with my 71' Riviera. I found an Electra frame and it was relatively easy to cut the factory welds, shorten the middle third, reattach the Electra rear third, and reuse the Riviera front third. LOTS of triple checking measurements before cutting apart and again before welding together again, but it worked great. What did you end up doing?
@crazyjackcsa closer than AZ -- might be more of what you have? https://westernmass.craigslist.org/pts/d/buicki-riviera-gs-parts-car-1971/6792716179.html
