(first posted 4/13/2015) Westbound afternoon rush hour traffic on Jackson Blvd. in the Loop can move very slowly. The glacial pace of traffic enabled me to catch up to this glacier-blue 1969 Buick Riviera as it glided slowly forward. It looked like royalty among the nondescript boxes inching along next to it. This car’s a star.
Model year 1968 was likely the year many fans of the Buick Riviera (and related Oldsmobile Toronado) probably said, “Dang it.” Compared to the suave and swoopy 1966 & ’67 models, the frontal styling of the 1968 & ’69 Rivieras looks almost Muppet-esque when their headlamps are exposed. I can’t be the only one who sees closely-set eyes flanking a prominent beak when looking at the front of this car.
Buyers clearly liked it, though, with the ’69 models racking up 52,872 sales – a high-water mark that remained unsurpassed until ’84, when 57,863 were sold, all-up. Only the ’85s sold in bigger numbers than these two model years, with Buick moving 65,305 units prior to the big shrink of ’86. (Production figures are courtesy of the Encyclopedia of American Cars from the Auto Editors of Consumer Guide.) Even with its slightly cartoonish face, this car has a regal quality amid the surrounding traffic – not unlike an aging-but-still-gorgeous film star among the sidewalk shoppers and tourists on Michigan Avenue. I could only imagine the quiet purr of the Buick 430 c.i. V8 burbling as this car idled slowly forward against the sonic backdrop of the Loop.
I always wonder what it’s like to drive a car this large in city traffic, especially in a place like Chicago. Streets in the Loop are almost exclusively one-way, and there are areas of Lake Shore Drive off Lake Michigan with lanes that seem narrow even for a Toyota Camry or Ford Fusion taxi cab, let alone a full-figured beauty like this Riv. The pretty gals piloting this car, however, seemed completely at ease (save for noticing the lunatic on the sidewalk following them and snapping pictures). There’s a certain knowing look of acknowledgement from one car enthusiast to another – a look that says, “You get it”, and we did exchange those glances. (Or maybe their glances were asking, “Are you done with the pictures yet?” It was hard to tell in the midst of my enthusiasm.)
I’ve always been partial to the Buick variant of GM’s E-Body platform, as many were built in my hometown of Flint, Michigan, also the former home of Buick World Headquarters. As such, the Riviera was our halo car – the one of which many of us were the most proud. True automotive royalty. If it had been a possibility, I’d have loved to get this star car’s autograph, if only to pay it some reverence.
Downtown, The Loop, Chicago, Illinois.
Thursday, June 13, 2013.
Related reading:
Curbside Classic: 1968 Buick Riviera – Riding The Curve
Cohort Outtake: 1969 Oldsmobile Toronado – Crystal Blue Persuasion
One of the major question in my life is this: If a really good deal on a ’68 or ’69 Riv manifested itself, would I buy it? I love ’63-’67s unabashedly, but am just slightly reserved on this redesign.
Overall, it’s great.
I share your reservation and also appreciation of the overall shape. However, I’d take a No. 3 condition 1969 model over a No. 2-shape ’70 edition. (I’ve tried to like the ’70. Really, really tried.)
For me, peak Riviera is a 1965 GS. Only 3,354 were produced.
With the headlamps hidden, I still think these are incredibly beautiful cars (though the 68’s more subtle eggcrate wins out over the “beaky” ’69 design.) With the headlamps exposed–there is a definite cartoonish element. All other things being equal it’s not quite the equal of the earlier cars, but it still has presence in spades. Nice job capturing this one!
Thank you, kind sir. Speaking of “beaky”, this is what this Riv looks like to me from the front with the headlights exposed:
One of my favorite muppets. And so true…as they say, what has been seen…cannot be un-seen!
How can there not be a market for cars like this? While these cars were not cheap they were never that expensive compared to Cads and Lincolns. I will give MBZ and BMW credit for still building several coupe models. Unfortunately American manufacturers can’t seem to do this. Driving these big cars in traffic is not that hard. Look at that BIG Ford truck next to the Riv in the first picture. Trucks bigger than that negotiate every street of America. Ever seen a big rig going down a narrow alley?
You’re right – it probably wouldn’t take that long to get used to driving a car this size in the city. The largest thing I’ve ever driven was an early-80’s Olds Ninety-Eight Regency four-door, a 2013 Honda Odyssey, or a early-90’s Chevy 1500 work truck. I got used to all of them without too much trouble. Like you, I miss well-executed personal luxury coupes.
I think for Ford, the dead end of personal luxury coupes came at the MN12 Tbird, and they tried to cycle back for 02-05 but failed. Lincoln had a mysterious dead end at Mark VIII most probably in favor of Navigator and sales of Mark VIII near the end is at the same level as Navigator now. Buick had a good finish at the last Riviera and Oldsmobile seemed to end with a 4-dr Aurora ( then the market was tried again by Mercedes CLS and VW CC ) Cadillac had an Eldorado as 50% personal luxury coupe with the most successful sales among all them and they tried this again with CTS. Monte Carlo lasted the longest with distinctive badge and bodyshell until the last two years in a much cheaper package. But it’s still mysterious why this market just disappeared.
The question is how many of those coupes are BMW and Mercedes selling? I can’t remember the last time I saw one outside of an auto show, aside from a BMW 3-Series coupe.
Cadillac does offer an ATS coupe. It doesn’t sell all that well, although the ATS in general has had a tough time finding customers.
I’ve found that driving big cars in the city is pretty easy… it’s the parking that gets you!
Is this fwd or rwd ? It looks like an olds Toronado.
The 66-onward Riviera was on the same FWD E-body as the Toronado and Eldorado.
I believe the Riv adopted FWD for MY ’79, but the other two E-bodies were FWD from the get go.
The Riviera, Toronado and Eldorado shared bodies but underneath the Toronado and Eldorado were FWD while the Riviera remainedl RWD through 78.
In 1979 all E bodies….Riviera, Toronado and the Eldorado all shared FWD layout.
More research into the subject confirms that yes, the Buick was RWD despite being on the same body as the Olds and Caddy. You learn something new every day!
The E-Body shared the same body shell, but rode on totally different frames. The Eldo and Toro shared a perimeter frame, and of course had the Toro’s FWD and unique suspension. The Riviera sat on the last version of an X-Frame, and used Buick-spec suspension. Essentially, the ’66-70 Riviera used a somewhat modified version of what it had sat on in ’63-’65, which in turn was a shortened version of the big Buick X frame and suspension. So in essence, the ’66-’70 Riviera underpinnings were the last hurrah of the early 60s X-frame cars. Which of course means that even though the E Bodies shared the major structural elements of the same basic inner body shells, the Riviera’s had reinforced sills and some other reinforcements to work with the X Frame.
Amazing the things GM could afford to do back in those days! Also amazing what they would save money on. One body shared over two different mechanical layouts, yet they kept the old X-frame just for this car. I’m always surprised they didn’t put this generation of Riviera on a lengthened intermediate frame, for more commonality of parts.
Go back 40 years and everything on this street was this size. It’s all in what you get used to.
You have an amazing ability to find all kinds of good stuff – in motion, no less – around Chicago. I spent three days there a while back and saw very little of consequence. I even waxed nostalgic for a minute when I saw a Crown Vic cab, a true lone ranger among all the hybrid mid-sizers.
Thanks, Jason! To be clear, I’m working with years of photos (and I choose the ones I think are the most interesting to write up), but now that it’s spring, and if you make it back to Chicago before summer ends, I guarantee you’ll see at least two or three classic cars downtown on a Saturday. My biggest challenge is with my reflexes to bust out my camera before such a car gets away.
My being there in January likely didn’t help matters!
That said, have you seen the 1924 Buick, under the Green Line at the intersection of Ogden, across from Lyon and Healy Harp Company? I would love to know the story on that car.
I haven’t (and I remember you mentioning this car in one of your posts), but now I have to get out there and see it for myself. How cool.
I’ve always assumed that it’s there to promote the Italian restaurant across the street. My mechanic is a block away from there, so I walk past it every so often on the way to/from the el.
I’ll second that you’re finding great stuff in the loop! I work a block away from where that Riv was shot and can’t remember the last time I saw a good CC around there during the week.
Looking at the rear 3/4 view of this car, I see something for the first time ever. This looks like the view that inspired the 1977-79 LeBaron and Diplomat coupes. The greenhouse, the flow of the bodyside lines and the decklid that ends in a little point, all straight from this Riviera (but adapted to a boxier age.)
I see it. Brilliant discovery.
How utterly fabulous.
If I had to choose it would be the 67 over all. I don’t care for the revised dash and steering wheel design for 68. But, I really like these Riviera’s and would buy a 67 GS in a second if I could find the right color and options.
What a find in today’s traffic. Even in SoCal I see very few Rivieras of this generation on the streets. Back in the day I had friends who traded their 67 Grand Prix for a new 70 Riviera, an unfortunate choice, I thought. I hated the changes for 70 – the car looked so ungainly compared to the 66-69.
Aaron Severson’s article on these cars is terrific:
http://ateupwithmotor.com/model-histories/buick-riviera-1966-1970/2/
I don’t understand the hatred people have for the 1970 Buick Riviera/Oldsmobile Toronado’s, I’ve thought they were nice looking cars and I’ll gladly take the 1970 models over the 1974-78 models (which I’ve never liked), for some odd reason the headlights on the 1969 Riviera looks very cross eyed, I think the reason why I like the 1970 Buick Riviera/Oldsmobile Toronado so much is because it still comes with the high compression big V8 engine which I’m a sucker for.
I think the first generation Riviera was best for style. The 66-67 Riviera’s are OK but I think the 68-69 bumpers and radiator grill is not that great, but the hidden headlights help. The 70 Riviera’s exposed headlights don’t really help and then I think rear fender skirts were a factory option, which don’t really help either. The 68 through 70 Riviera’s are not bad looking, but not quite a good as the 66-67 model years. The Toronado’s front bumper also goes through similar changes that I think do not help the styling.
When it comes to early Rivs my pick for the best looking is the 65. Hiding the headlamps behind the fender pods is absolutetly Motorama cool. The first three model years were a unique body shell as there were no E-bodies yet. The interior was also special and the 66 and up replacements really don’t measure up. I had a couple of 66 models and really loved the fluidity of the lines, really a factory custom car. I have to agree with the comments about the headlights. Luckily they were only down at night. Still they looked a lot better than those on a Porsche 928. Can you say “bull frog?”.
I agree, the 63 to 65 interiors are excellent and reminiscent of classic Buick dash design. The 66 to 67 interiors were complimenting a modern linear look. Those straight lines everywhere and rounded edge rectangular gauges really stand out as unique. Maybe not always a good thing, but compare those to the 68 generic dash, which was used for other models (Electra, Lesabre etc…) the 68-70 just doesn’t measure up. I think after 67, they loose something until 71. But that’s another story. Still beautiful cars all the same.
Agreed as well. My biggest gripe with the ’68-’70 Rivs is the cheapened interior. The plastic, dull corporate Buick dash, busier upholstery, lack of a leather option, de-emphasis of buckets & consoles, unimaginative door panels, and no rear center armrest really betray what the Riv is all about. The uplevel T-Birds ruled the roost and had so much more interior atmosphere with their automated cocktail lounge theme and nicer materials.
The ’68 exterior refresh is less problematic, only failing in some of the clumsy details. While I find the crosseyed face weird and wonderful, the ’66/’67 face is just about perfect. And clean parking lamps would looks worlds better than the fussy gunsight versions. Out back, the round rear side marker lights clash with the sleek rear fenders. The ’66/’67 rear bumper and lamps were about as perfect as the front, and ’69 triple-element treatment is nice but ordinary. GM really seemed to be mailing this one in.
The standard interiors of 68-70 with plain bench seat or buckets weren’t all that great – in fact not much more than you’d find in a LeSabre Custom or Wildcat. But most had the optional Custom interior with cloth or vinyl Strato bench with armrest or all-vinyl Strato buckets plus upgraded door panels with larger armrests and custom steering wheel – definitely worth the extra dollars spent. Also, when power windows were ordered on the standard interior, the switches were flat on the door panels while the Custom interiors had armrest extensions housing the window controls. Toronados weren’t much different when it came to base standard interiors much like a Delta 88 – here, almost all again had the optional Custom interior with Ninety-Eight like appointments. Thunderbird interiors, however, were first cabin all the way even in standard form and well above and beyond that of an LTD.
I just took a look at some pictures of the Riv’s Custom interior with buckets and console, and it’s nicer than I remembered. The biscuit pattern upholstery is attractive and a bit T-Birdish, and the door panels match and are nicely tailored. And that arched shifter in the console is a beautiful piece of work. I wonder who designed it? Unfortunately, no amount of options box checking could eliminate that cheap dash. And I just can’t get past that vinyl 2-spoke steering wheel.
Always loved this gen Riv. I remember as a little kid thinking how different and interesting the rectangular headlights were and how cool it was that no other car on the road had them. I guess it took a while for me to finally see one at night and obviously I hadn’t yet learned about SAE and DOT. If I had one now I think I’d make a concerted effort to make sure those lights stayed tucked up where they’re supposed to be during the day.
This! The styling dept. tried to fool us into thinking that this car had those weird square European style square headlights which weren’t even legal here in the U.S.. The real headlights which were compliant to the stupid laws of the time dropped down over the grill. What other car did that? So cool, and when the sun came up the car looked so exotic with its headlights retracted into their hiding place. The trouble was that the systems didn’t age well. As these Riv’s got older the headlights were often exposed all of the time making them look like the previously mentioned Muppet.
I seem to recall for the 1970 model year and sometime afterwards GM had a corporate ban on hidden headlights except for the Corvette. This further compromised styling I believe.
Those “pretty gals” wouldn’t know the difference between a Riviera and a Vega. They probably cried when their rich dad gave them this Riv instead of a lowered Scion with 20-inch wheels.
So you know them? Awesome…ask them if I can talk with them about their car!
There are a bunch of narrow parkways around the New York City Metro Area and I have seen vehicles slap body panels and mirrors. I just drive the Minivan on the far right so I can use the curve as a reference point since the white lines are not always obvious.
Quite the styling disappointment after the lithe, stylish and graceful first generation Riviera.
Rear View of the first gen:
Yes, but isn’t EVERY car (or SUV/CUV/BLT) a bit of a letdown after that first Riviera?
It’d be like being the first man on the moon and then coming home to Raquel Welch naked on a big pile of money. Then ice cream.
After that everything is just, well, okay.
I agree with TheMann.
I can’t remember the term for it, but the wide shelf under the C pillar and side windows on this and other 60’s cars make it look dated, particularly in comparison with the handsome profile–and I became car-obsessed in the mid 60’s, so I should be used to it. Now the tall side windows of most 70-80’s cars look ungainly, too.
Urf. I just cannot get onside with this one. Those smushed-together headlamps…just no.
The headlights *should* retract when turned off, so they’re typically hidden above the grille.
Agree with Daniel Stern !
“Urf” you say?
Such language, young man. 😰
I kind of agree with you on the headlights, actually.
With the headlights exposed, this reminds me of a ’67-8 Firebird with great slabs of shiny alongside the grille. Looks much better with them hidden.
Should I be surprised that having headlights this far inboard of the vehicle sides was apparently legal?
The Federal requirement at the time was that the headlamps be “as far apart as practicable”. That is still the requirement today. The determination of practicability is left up to the maker.
Had the same question, seems like from Daniel’s post they were, subject to a very liberal interpretation of the rule.
My related question is what kind of road coverage did you get. And with no cornering lights, these must have been fun to come up against on narrow twisty roads at night.
There’s not a huge lot of difference in road coverage. We can do some back-of-the-napkin quick calculation: a quick search says the ’69 Riv was 78.8″ wide. Seems likely the widest part of the car was not at the front, but let’s use that figure anyhow. The outboard (low beam) headlamps look to be about…I’m guessing at over a foot in from the outboard edge; let’s call it 16″. If we put the headlamps where the turn signals are, now they’re about 5″ from the outboard edge, so now the lamps are 22 inches further apart than before. And that’s how much additional beam coverage (width) you’d have: a little under two additional feet. Not much. Still, though, it might’ve counted for something; the headlamps of that time did not put out a very wide beam pattern.
And yes, the lax US “as practicable” regulations (headlamps and tail lamps “as far apart as practicable”, side markers “as close to the front and rear as practicable”, etc) have facilitated some very imaginative definitions of practicability over the years, as I described here. NHTSA’s stated policy is that they will not challenge a maker or importer’s assertion of compliance unless it is “clearly erroneous”, which means whatever NHTSA decides it means in any given case.
I never much cared for this Riviera. I was, however, impressed with one I saw on the road in Berlin, Germany a few years ago. The styling contrast and size vs all the cars around it were striking.
I appraised a 68 Riv last year.
Originally owned by a prominent Edmonton family, the car had just over 31,000 miles. A picture doesn’t do the car justice. I’d agree it doesn’t have the presence of the earlier generation Riviera and the interior doesn’t seem as plush as I would expect for this class of car. But still, mighty fine.
There’s a nice 1969 Riviera who did a cameo in the movie “Harold & Maude”.
https://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_6264-Buick-Riviera-49487-1969.html
I adore that movie, and I loved that scene.
I just cannot unsee a 1/2 scale 1968 Firebird trying to escape through the front of that car.