The boattail Riviera represents the difficult ending of an era, and a passing of the baton. What started as a revolutionary concept with the 1958 Thunderbird, the four-passenger luxury coupe became the standard bearers for American design innovation in the sixties. And although late to respond, GM elevated the class to timeless elegance in the 1963 Riviera, as well as the Grand Prix, Starfire, Toronado and Eldorado. Now the magic seemed to slip away, but not without a final struggle to regain its former glory. But the times were changing away from the bold, brash Mitchell look, and the Lincoln Mark III had already defined the genre’s new faux-classic look for the seventies. Although the boattail made quite a splash in the automotive pond, its ripples quickly died away, and GM had to pass the baton back to Ford. The boattail Riviera: the swansong of the GM Golden Era, or just a big, ugly duckling?
The 1971 Riviera was a bold effort by GM styling head Bill Mitchell to recapture the magic that seemed to permeate GM so effortlessly in the sixties. The result was controversial and flawed, but its hulking and brash shape has certainly enriched our streets. For me, CC is about the visual thrill of rediscovering the unique shapes and designs of the past, no matter how imperfect, and the boattail Riviera certainly does that as well or better than any other car in my collection. It’s certainly a car worth stopping for.
Bill Mitchell’s younger days and early career was steeped in the classic cars of the twenties and thirties. And he endlessly looked to them for inspiration. The crisp and sharp lines of the ’63 Riviera, and the awkward 1980 Seville were inspired by the razor-edge lines of the British coach-builder Hooper. And of course, the boattail speedsters of the classic era informed the 1963 Corvette Sting Ray’s tail. With this new Riviera, Mitchell again reached to the past, including his own earlier designs.
To understand the ’71 Riviera’s design and execution challenges in greater detail, Ate Up With Motor has a fine article on its tortured birth. The ’71 Riviera was originally planned to join the Grand Prix and Monte Carlo on the smaller A-Special platform. And the first sketches by John Houlihan (above) were based on that assumption. But when Buick’s new General Manager Lee Mays saw what was planned, he refused to spend the money on the new body shell, forcing the boattail design to be upscaled to share as much of the body of 1971 full-sized LeSabre/Centurion as possible. The final design was largely the work of Jerry Hirshberg.
Clearly, and understandably, something of the original scale and intent got lost in the translation, from the prow-like beak, to the compromise of using the LeSabre’s front greenhouse, and the challenge in blending it with the tapered rear end. The way it came out, there are certain inconsistencies in transitions as well as some awkward angles, especially the transition from the low rear window back, and the rear hips from certain angles are just all wrong. This is a car like many movie stars: it begs to be shot from certain angles, and not others. This one is not the good one.
Although the front end may have come out a bit flatter than originally conceived, I do find it to be a very handsome face nevertheless. It just screams Bill Mitchell era, and in the best way possible. It looks most like the ’71 Cadillac, which is a bit ironic, since the first ’63 Riviera was intended to be a Cadillac/LaSalle. It evokes a number of GM designs during the golden era, and as much as anything about this car, it represents a swan song: by 1973, five mph bumpers ruined it forever, and that whole era of beautiful faces. This face is saying: take a good look, because you’ll never see anything quite like it again.
The side sweep that starts at the front fenders and carries down across the sides was a Buick trademark for ages. But its use here is questionable, given the difficult transition it has to make into those exaggerated hips.
The new Riviera was not greeted enthusiastically. Sales actually dropped from its dull and boring predecessor. Within a couple of years, the boat tail was gone, replaced by perhaps one of the dreariest Rivieras ever, still using the same front end, but with a very conventional roof and a decidedly conventional but ugly rear end.
The Riviera was a huge car for being a “personal coupe”. The ’73 version with its new bumper stretched just shy of the 225 inches that the giant Electra used to crow about. And it weighed around 5,000 lbs when equipped in the usual fashion. One of the more disappointing aspects of this generation was the ever declining loss of interior quality. While the ’63 had an interior to drool over, this Riviera shares the ever-cheaper interior of its LeSabre/Centurion stablemates. Nothing to make one feel special sitting in here, except perhaps the view out the back window.
Let’s just take in a few more angles; each of them has plenty of visual interest.
From this direction, it’s clear that a fair amount of the originally intended prow made it into the final design. And under that expanse of hood sat Buick’s biggest and best 455 cubic inch V8, rated at 330 hp (gross) in 1971, and 250 hp (net) for ’72 and ’73. The GS package included a slightly higher rating on the big V8; 345 gross/270 net. Plenty of torque for the job at hand, but don’t even ask about fuel economy. These were the rock-bottom years, when single digits were the norm, and anything in the teens was something to brag about.
This angle again is an awkward one for the big boattail: those hips look fine in profile, but in conjunction with the narrowing tail, they stick out in a way that only a true lover of these cars or big-hipped women can appreciate. And there are plenty of those (in both categories). Boattails have an enthusiastic fan club, and thanks to them, we can look forward to seeing these around for a long time to come.
It was a bittersweet ending to GM’s big car golden era. And although Ford had quite a run with its popular big Lincoln Marks, they really weren’t stylistically significant, except for ushering in the vulgar baroque blow-out of the mid seventies and the ghastly Super-Fly/Bugazzi era. The Riviera struggled along in several stages of mediocrity, until it found a reasonably happy mid-life in the fairly handsome downsized 1979-1985 incarnation. By 1986, it was a shrunken shadow of its former self, headed for its inevitable axe. All things must end.
I don’t really care that it looks awkward from certain angles, it has such enormous presence. It is unapologetic in a way seldom or never seen since. It says: “I am what I am, take it or leave it”. It is simply so self assured it makes it possible to forgive its other sins. Some scoundrels are always forgiven, no matter how much philandering is going on, they simply walk on air. People like Bill Clinton or Charlie Sheen are given leeway, while others are caught in the threshold. We forgive them their sins because they have that special something. And the boattail Riviera has that kind of charm. If Bob Lutz had been a car, this would be it. Big, bold, slightly flawed, and with an otherworldly presence and charm.
Ingvar, you have nailed it. Most of us do not live large, loud, brash lives, but we can quietly admire some of those who do, at least on certain levels. That is what this car is, and why I kind of like it.
I had a 1972 years ago, and was fortunate to find my current ’72. It has a rebuilt 455, Edelbrock intake w/ weber carb. Also it has the GS interior complete with custom corduroy cloth, bucket seats and floor shift option complete with Max Trac. The previous owner had it painted glossy gold on top and flat black on the bottom half. I am adding the sebring type fuel filler on the left rear fender, and since it has american racing wheels on 245×60 15’s, I am mounting custon wheel centers made by a friend of mine with the riviera emblem machined into the cap. I have pulled a lot of interior trim parts for the headliner from my old one, but not sure if I will add the sunroof. In 1972, I had driven a 1971 with the factory sunroof which was electric and vinyl. I have never seen another one. The 71 I drove also had the GS interior.
nice commentary Ingvar – spot on.
+1
What he said. I like and appreciate them, but my wife (who is also a gearhead-think I’ll keep her) absolutely LOVES these. A boattail Riv is on our short list of cars to own some day.
+1 – couldn’t put it better myself. I love these big unapologetic brutes.
I have very mixed feelings about this car. Count me as a fan of the brash in-your-face styling. Big fastbacks always have some unflattering angles, but there is just something about this big boattail that I like.
But the big negative for me is the fact that the car shares that horrid GM structure for the big 71-76 cars. Cheap, easily cracked plastics everywhere, and the loose shuddering, juddering structure just ruin the car for me. On the other hand, it is hard to gripe about the last of the big Buick V8s mated to the Turbo HydraMatic. I think that about 9 to 13 mpg was its fuel economy range.
I guess it is a good car to admire while allowing someone else to own and feed it.
“I guess it is a good car to admire while allowing someone else to own and feed it.”
BINGO!
(Let it be noticed I didn’t mention anything about its certain – (ahem) – greenhouse qualities!)
I own a 1973, and I’m glad I do. I waited 43 years for this. I get 10 to 12 mpg, but the comments and admiring stares are appreciated and definitely worth it.
These things are simply stunning in Black on Black with the Buick “Road Wheels”
As poorly as it has aged, the design certainly is expressive! What was the price difference between this and the Eldo or Mark III?
It turns head, that’s for sure! Very interesting shape, though probably very bad for many practical purposes. Weren’t there versions with brake lights on the front edge of the trunk opening as well? That was truly novel and interesting.
The blue exterior and brown interior is a big fail though. Such a mismatch of colors!
I have to wonder if this car was originally blue or was repainted from a color that better matched the interior. I’m pretty sure a blue interior was still on the options list. I know it was on later cars.
The 1971-78 Toronados had brake lights above the trunk lid, that may be the one you’re thinking of.
The 1974-76 Rivieras did indeed have the brake lights below the rear window, above the edge of the trunk lid.
I totally forgot the ’74-76 Rivs had them! And I do like the ‘squared-off’ 74-76, but the boattails definitely have more presence.
I was thinking the same thing. The car was definitely offered in blue, but would most likely have been ordered with a blue or maybe black or white interior in that case. Many, many of these were shades of brown and gold, and this car probably started out in one of those and was repainted.
Allow me to go on record as saying, I LOVE the boattail Riviera. Definately one of the Buicks I would want to own and I will humbly say one of the few automotive designs I actually think is enhanced by side pipe exhausts. To sum it up it is one automotive designs that says “FU*K YEAH, AMERICA!”
Despite their controversial and polarizing styling cues, and their less-than-stellar build quality, I’ve always liked these simply because they’re so wickedly different. Only the Lincoln Mark IV can match these in terms of brashness and sheer over-the-top showboatiness. 455 cubic inches of Buick torque certainly doesn’t hurt either 🙂 .
That being said, these cars look way better when shorn of their vinyl roofs and chrome side moldings.
There happens to be one of these sitting idle in the residents’ parking area of a retirement community not far from my home. Perhaps one day I’ll leave a note under the wiper blade.
LUUUUUUUUUVVVV this car . To quote the immortal Spinal Tap ‘ I cannot leave this behind’. Those hips, that beautiful butt….. I better stop!!!!
I will forever kick myself in the ass for I had the opportunity to snap up a fine example of this car in black/black. It was nearly 15 years ago she was sitting in a dodgy Used Car lot (can you say money laundering?) —it had just been offered for sale by the original owner. It had 68k original miles and was owned by the proverbial ‘little old lady’. —- according for the greasy mafiosi selling it.
It was a Friday night and I was returning home from some cold ones w/ co-workers. I made arrangements to return for a test drive as it was late and the car was parked behind 5-10 other vehicles…. anyway, I dragged my feet and when I finally returned to test it w/ my dad (the real boattail fan and the possible co-owner) it had been snapped up. That night, I lit the torch that i’ve been carrying all these years…..
My tastes have changed a bit in the last 15 yrs…. If i had my druthers it would be a 66 Riv, Toro or Cutlass i’d be bringing home now. BUt the biggest regret is that my Dad and I didn’t get a chance at co-owning a car… we’re already close, but nothing beats the experience of loving a car ‘together’ if you get me.
Count me in as a big fan of the 71-2 Riv. The 63-4 is a better looking car for sure. To me the Boat tail is the ultimate Personal Luxury car from GM in the 70’s.
In fact in my own personal project/parts car graveyard I’ve got a 72. It’s 455 is very tired having survived the abuse of 2 of my younger brothers. The first in the family to drive it used it for most of high school and for some “unknown” reason it went through rear tires at an alarming rate. The second brother was known for killing cars, most would last him 6 months or so. I do have my low mile 75 Limited, a victim of a hit and run, to donate it’s 455.
BTW Sir, given the posts you done here and at TTAC, you’ve lead a very interesting automotive life.
My Uncle Tim had a boattail (in the late 70s) which he wrecked by running it into a very inconvienently located pole at a gas station. How did he run into said pole in broad daylight on a warm calm day? He was “rubber-necking” looking at a hot chick walking down the street wearing very little. Apparently he hit the pole dead center with that front prow and the insurance company totalled it out.
I absolutely HATED the ’71 Rivera; it was the complete opposite from the original 1963-65 which were absolute classics.
In terms of overall size the originals were excellent and the exterior styling and interiors were wonderfully understated. I especially liked the 1965 Rivs when all the Bill Mitchell gingerbread; the fake vents were dispensed with emphasizing their very clean shape. Unfortunately the next year the Rivera got larger along with a Batmobile restyle job and I lost interest in it. Then came the 1971 Rivera–the thing looks like a Corvette Sting Ray restyled by Salvador Dali! Buick was never able to recapture the understated elegance of the original Rivera, every model after that was simply a parody-or worse.
I love Dali’s works, and that’s why I am now the proud owner of a 1973 Colonial yellow Batman Riviera…. lol.
You could turn your television dial all you wanted in 1971-72 and you would not find a show called “Pimp My Ride.” That’s because we didn’t need to pimp our own rides back then. All we had to do was go down to our friendly neighborhood Buick dealer and ask for one of these. That’s a compliment. The only thing wrong with these cars was the interior. I almost would rather that GM used the basic structure of the LeSabre dash but replaced the cluster with a nice full set of round gauges, and built all of them with the console. Also, the prevalence of vinyl in these interiors is an abomination, especially given all the pimptastic velours and brocades available on any early 70’s Electra.
Velour seats didn’t really become vogue until about ’73 on. Broadcloth, vinyl-weaved fabrics with “panty” material and “leather look” vinyl/naugahyde were still the ‘in thing’ through ’72 and ’73.
Also remember that Cadillac division did not like Olds (and especially Buick) infringing upon it’s luxury turf. Inter-corporate protesting made Buick and Olds ‘dial back’ their luxury and performance appointments lest they tread on Cadillac hallowed luxury ground.
In other words, you wouldn’t be seeing leather or at least full-leather seats on an Olds or Buick anymore. Upholstery fabrics, although premium offerings on the “C” body Olds/Buicks of the sixites and early 70s would not be quite as smooth or posh as on Cadillac (I’m not talking the plaid bedspread Calais interiors of ’74-’76 either!).
Examples: Pre-war Buick Limited, the ’58 Buick Limited – the ’65 and ’66 Olds 98 LS – examples of where the less-prestigious GM divisions outdid Cadillac in terms of ammenities, and in the case of Olds, performance.
The ’65 Oldsmobile 98 Luxury Sedan brochure features many of the same interior ammenities and touches of the Cadillac Fleetwood!
Sometime around 1966-67, no Olds or Buick was going to have a bigger engine or nicer interior than a Cadillac. (side note: perhaps Chevrolet Divison and Pontiac didn’t get this message as check out the same vintage Caprice and Bonneville Brougham/Pontiac Executive interiors!).
Here for your viewing pleasure is a pimped boat-tail Riviera – done up in the 70’s. Personally I found the hip line interesting but the window hideous back in the 80’s when these were still around in relatively larger numbers. The picture is from Season 5 of the Rockford Files – The Battle Axe and the Exploding Cigar.
A 1963 Corvette on steroids! That’s the first thought that enters my mind today. When they came out, I saw my first one on my air force base parked next to the credit union. I was stunned! Although I was against the boats of the era and knew I would never own one, from a design standpoint, these were rolling works of art!
Also, I have always found the Buick flowing side spear extremely attractive, too – even on the 1990’s Skylark!
Fnially they got to build the 61 Pontiac XP-758
I’ve read that Mitchell’s inspiration for the Riviera was for GM to offer a four-seater Corvette Stingray. If so, then might the Riviera’s design have looked better on the Camaro platform? That’s a particularly interesting comparison because the early-70s Camaro was such a beautiful design.
The Riviera’s lines might have looked somewhat better proportioned on the Camaro platform, but the overall affect would still have been inordinately gaudy — particularly in comparison to the Camaro. Now if they had thrown away the “Darrin dip” profile, the w-shaped rear and the tall shark-nosed front, GM could have come up with a reasonably worthy heir to the original Stingray. But that would have required a very different approach.
This mental exercise illustrates how GM tended to design its smaller cars with a dramatically different sensibility than its larger ones. The former usually adopted clean, European-informed lines whereas the latter were loaded down with glitz.
That may have looked like a boat tailed Monaro which shared the camaro platform not an unpleasant idea though.
As some others have said: I like looking at this car; but I’d hate to have to feed it.
And as someone who’s the polar opposite – coarse and utilitarian – I’d never buy it.
It’s an interesting smidgeon of automotive history; but has been shown, it was an evolutionary dead end. It was the swan song of an immensely-talented but aging designer, trying once more to recover the magic.
And as sales showed, there were not many to whom that design spoke.
The way that foreign collectors seem to salivate over these, it’s likely that anyone who has either a restored or well-preserved original example for sale is probably laughing all the way to the bank.
The ones I’ve seen over here have been a lot cheaper than a good Camaro
I have always wanted one of these, done up street rod style… Matte black, red interior, air bags dropping it to the ground and ghost flames down the side. This car has attitude.
If there was ever a car that didn’t need flames, it was this one. Although I do have to wonder what one would look like in that wild paint that looks green from some angles, purple from others.
That is pretty much the plan, other than the red interior, I have for the one in my long term storage yard.
Of this body style, I actually like the ’73 the best. Despite the 5 mph bumpers, I like the license plate better in the center than on the left side of the rear bumper.
I’m not certain of which year, but it may well have been a 71 or 72 boattail since I think the rear license plate was on one side, rather than in the center as the den leader of my cub scout troupe had one, I think it was a dark metallic gray with black interior but it could’ve been the black on black and have ridden it it as a 4th grader with other members of my troupe, including her son Todd.
I have to agree, they are beautiful cars in their own, brash way.
BTW, that was many, many, many moons go when the car was pretty new too.
Great work as always, Paul. But:
“they stick out in a way that only a true lover of these cars or big-hipped women can appreciate.”
Big-hipped women tend to carry their curves in a proportionate way. (Don’t tell my wife I posted this comment…no male is allowed to call even a pretty lady “big.”.) A boattail Riv is more implant-laden, an artificial injection of silicone backing up an otherwise pretty face.
True they do have to carry their curves well and it does need to be proportional. (Says the guy who got drawn in by a girl who can only wear pants designed to be curvy.) But I have never really thought the lines of the Riviera were disjointed.
So…. are you saying that Boattail lovers=assmen???
Anyway, say what you will about this piece of art, it has already drawn 30+ comments which reflects upon the reactions it elicits, no?
You’s a big fine woman if you back that thang up… “Juvenile”
Wide hips on the Buick helps to “hug” the road!
I love these cars from an over the top standpoint, just doing such a design takes a lot of guts, fortitude GM has lacked ever since. I admire cars that have style. I either want it in your face or totally anonymous; in your face for slow cars and anonymous for sleepers which have power. This Riveria had a 455 but having driven many Buicks of the era with 455 power, said power was nothing to right home about. The weight of the behemoths simply negated the Caterpillar torque and the horrid body structure nixed any kind of aggressive driving.
By way, does anyone else see the resemblance on the Riveria’s rear to the snout of a 1970 Pontiac?
These Buicks say personal tank far better than Fords square barge continental these have style and cannot be mistaken for anything else.
The amount of gas one of these can graze thru is way beyond me so yeah feeding a Buick must be left to others but I like seeing them on the odd occasions I do.
Back in the day I really really wanted a ’71, but the last 10 years my interest has shifted quite a bit from styling to engineering. Sadly, these are a horrible fail from an engineering perspective. I still admire the lines, but will never own one. Other than the Eldo/Toro twins, the ’71-’76 full-size GM cars were terrible. Odd they didn’t just switch the Riv to FWD in ’71 and continue sharing structure with the Eldo/Toro, as that might have resulted in a far more interesting and unique car as well as being reasonably cost-effective…
I picture a boattailed, wasp-waisted, pointy-nosed variant of the ’71 Toro — now that would have been extremely cool. If I were a photoshop wiz, I’d produce a few CCs That Might Have Been. 🙂
Personally I was never that impressed with the period Eldo/Toro and prefer the Buck version of the standard full size by far. The Eldo/Toro were much more like piloting a boat than the RWD models. I had a 76 Eldo and a still have a 75 Limited that will donate some parts to my 72 Riv that admittedly I’ve only drove from my brothers to my storage yard. .
Creating shock and awe among the horde long before the term preempted by reporters covering foreign affairs and seeking a term not used by the lengthy Nam fracas.
@ Fastback – no question, it’s entertaining and I’d love to bump into one. (A boattail…I’m talking about the car here, I think. 😉 ) And the back does look like a front – I was thinking 70 T-bird.
Imagine if they kept the exaggerated fenderline but didn’t taper the greenhouse – just let two big parallel c-pillars flow. Would have been a handsome car, but maybe too much like the previous model?
A young lady I dated in high school had one of these – painted that sort of slightly-golden-brown color (the car, not the girl)… The car, of course, was huge – the girl was 4′-11″, so it was an interesting juxtaposition…
The first few times I rode with her (me in the passenger seat), I kept feeling like she was going to run off the road into the ditch, she was hugging the side of the road so closely. I finally commented on same, and she pointed out that the wheels were probably a foot inboard of the fenders and that she still had plenty of room left!
I like these (and liked them when new) , but I just have a better appreciation of the evolutionary 1975-76 iteration of this car. I am probably the only person on earth that thinks that the rectangular headlamps made the front end look better on this model.
But I agree with Ingvar up there, the designers sure didn’t ruin this look by committee.
I had a physics prof in college in the early 70s who had either a ’71 or ’72 Riviera. He wasn’t particularly good looking but he seemed to have the ability to catch the eye of women students, or so I was told. Maybe the car was the attraction?
Ironic also that the Dean of Arts and Sciences had the oldest car in the science building faculty parking lot — a 1955 or ’56 Pontiac wagon. My freshman math prof had the second oldest car — a 1957 Oldsmobile, which we used to laugh at.
I used to watch The series “Due South” for its depiction of a Chicago detective and hisl ove for his boat-tailed Riv. I always thought these looked better than the Eldosarus or Toronado that bowed in 1971. Those carsl ooked like vehicular representations of an American bison.
I for one found the ’71-’73 boatails attractive. When Pop went wagon shopping in the late summer of ’71, one of our trips was to the Buick Dealer (Don Collins, of San Rafael, Cal.). I gravitated not to a Skylark GS out on the lot, but to the green (sans vinyl top) green ’71 Riviera on the showroom floor. I thought it was pretty wicked although the crescent shaped ‘ribbon’ style speedo surrounded by engine-turned dash was a little “strange”. I remember that one (the Don Collins showroom ’71) had the standard wheel covers – not the GS wheels.
I thought it was a pretty sharp car. Still do.
I never knew until reading this post on the ‘Riv that the ’71 was supposed to have been built on the Monte Carlo/Grand Prix of the time. I don’t think upgrading to LeSabre size was all that bad . . .
This story sounds like the Rambler Tarpon super-sized to Marlin . . . but in the case of the Buick getting growth hormones, the boatail ‘Rivs came out better looking. The ’74 through ’76 “slice off” nose/ass lift unfortunately, IMHO, made the Rivieras more like a bloated Regal with lipstick. Not bad for the malaise period – somewhat attractive – but nothing special. Again – a Regal or Century in a slutty dress.
I also remember going to the Buick dealership with my parents as a small kid in 1971. They went to buy an Electra, but I vividly recall drooling over an Opel GT and the big Riviera. I thought it was always a great looking car, if a bit flawed. My mom had a very flashy friend who had one, rust with white top and white leather…feels like yesterday.
Don’t forget Fletch drove this car!
“as well as the Grand Prix, Starfire…”
These were merely tarted up versions of regular full sized coupes. I don’t get why some car fans think the 62-68 GP had ‘special styling’. Was a customized Catalina coupe . The other 60’s big Pontiacs were just as nice looking.
Anyway, I love, love the boatail Rivs! They took a risk, and not every older car has to be ‘super popular’ like 69 Camaro or 65 Mustang, etc.
Reminds me of the new Camaro. An exaggerated caricature of things that were once grand.
I always loved these cars and I just got me a 72 riviera. Needs floors and a little bit of body work here and there but I saw it for 1500 dollars and had to have it so I sold my honda passport and went and picked it up. The majority of my friends think I’m crazy but I love my buick.I now I gotta get her cleaned up for summer time….p.s. its my daily driver and does have a hefty appetite for fuel.
I know that this model represented a retreat from the ambitious engineering of previous Rivieras, but it’s just absolutely gorgeous. It sent GM’s era of styling excellence out with a bang. I’ve wanted one since my teens.
What I love about these cars is that they’re so €~#% uncompromising and quirky while still having a semi-professional ambiance about them.
The Boattail Riviera has a certain class of it’s own, imho. and as this reply facility allows for a website inclusion I’m sticking one in here. I know of a good few other people, around the world, who owner and/ or greatly admire these Rivieras too.
Any one looking to buy a 1972 Buick riviera call me 7403919403
I have read that the 71 Riviera was designed for the Grand Prix body size elsewhere. The 71-76 Riviera’s were all E-bodies, not Buick B-bodies. I think keeping the Riviera on the E-body reduced the cost of the Toronado and Eldorado, where moving the Riviera to the Grand Prix body probably would not have done much for cost of the Grand Prix and Monte Carlo, or even the Riviera. The 77 Riviera did move to the B-body until 1979.
The first time I saw a boattail Riviera was during Mardi Gras in 1972. From the plates, it appeared that the young couple had driven all the way from New York for the festivities. As a young kid, it make me wonder if only the folks from the North had real money.
In New Orleans, people could barely afford a Chevy or Ford or Dodge. The only Cadillacs in town were for special occasions (weddings and funerals)!!
Eventually I made my way up to the Hudson Valley, NYC, and Long Island. By this time, BMWs, Audis, & MBs were the desired vehicle. However, you would still see a few old Rivieras rolling around the Long Island expressway. I wonder if it was the same people I saw years earlier during Mardi Gras…
I owned a 71 Riviera and wished I had never sold it. Everyone says that they had such poor mileage. My car had the 455 400HP HO engine with the Turbo 400 and with 4 people in it ad 70 or 80 mph I got 19 miles per gallon with the air condition on, on the highway and 15 in town.
The design of this Riviera is just a w e s o m e! The front, the rear – delicious