From the beginning, the emphasis of the Buick Riviera was on styling, which further dictated how the car was to feel and drive. In the ‘60s, there was the knife-edged coupé, which in 1965 finally got the iconic clamshell headlamps as Styling Director Bill Mitchell had intended from inception. The late ‘60s saw a Riviera that was maturing, perhaps not as distinctive, but still very stylish. Then, in the early ‘70s, there was the Boattail. It was at once futuristic and retrospective, with a nod to the vee-shaped fastback design of the mid-year Corvettes, with other cues owing to Bugatti and Aston-Martin. And while far from a sports car like these, there was an almost celestial confluence of sportiness, elegance and muscle. It came at the end of an era, before the fuel crisis, when bigger was better in Detroit. And it was big—over two tons—yet the curves and proportions work so well that it seemingly needs that much mass to pull it off. Power came from a 455 cubic-inch V8 putting out 255 hp; not bad for an emissions-choked car from the early ‘70s, but it needed every bit of that. Behind the wheel, there is no doubt that something very big is at work under the hood, but there is also a sense that it could easily do more, as evidenced by Pontiac’s High Output and Super Duty 455s of the same time that were producing well over 300 hp. That said, while there was muscle under the food, the Boattail Riviera, as those that came before it, was about personal luxury. To that end, it had plush seats, power everything and a pillowy ride. Inside the car, there was little to distinguish it from Cadillac’s Eldorado, although the Buick’s split-window-like rear glass gave it more of an airy feel. Furthermore, the rear-drive layout of the Riviera gave it more of a cockpit environment over the Eldo, with the driveshaft tunnel creating some separation. As collectibility goes, there does seem to be some quiet interest in ‘71-‘73 Boattails. They have seen slow but steady growth over the last few years, despite a soft economy. Compared to the coveted ‘65s, which peaked at around $60K, then fell sharply and haven’t recovered, the Boattails are a relatively safe bet. Subsequent generations increasingly became variations of a GM platform and were eventually ubiquitous to any other G Model, at least until the final series in the late ‘90s with their jelly-bean styling. This is an excellent original 1973 Riviera that has had a single family owner, covering only 68,000 miles. It is said to have been routinely maintained and the condition of the paint and interior are indeed evidence that it has been lovingly cared for throughout its history, including a recent service. Chrome, glass and trim appear to be equally nice and fit is surprisingly good for a big ‘70s two-door out of Detroit. It looks especially good in white over saddle, evoking a sort of refined bad-assness, not unlike the glam rock of that era. It’s not hard to imagine the two going together. Find it here on Craigslist in Dublin CA for a very reasonable $8,800.
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