1978 Buick Riviera

Discussion in 'Car & Truck Talk' started by jwdtenn, Nov 17, 2019.

  1. jwdtenn

    jwdtenn Well-Known Member

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  2. Doghead

    Doghead Well-Known Member

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    If there are no surprises, at that price, it's practically auto theft.
    It certainly does look cozy, in there. At first glance, because of the shortened wheelbase, it looks like the front clip could have interchanged with that of a Cutlass of that era. It's only this dash pic which reminded me that it's a full-sized car.
    I'd remove that hitch, though. A vintage car in this good a shape shouldn't have to be pulling trailers


    [​IMG]
     
  3. cammerjeff

    cammerjeff Longroofs Rule!

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    They are nice riding highly optioned cars, but not much to tell them apart from the other Full Size 2-door Buicks of those years. Nothing wrong with them, but they just do not look like a Riviera to my eyes, unlike the previous or later model years.

    Great looking example, priced about right IMO
     
  4. Doghead

    Doghead Well-Known Member

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    Or any other GMs of that era. That might be why he's not asking that much for it. The interior almost makes up for the boring exterior
     
  5. markfnc

    markfnc Well-Known Member

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    How much different in size was that specific car from the 2 door lesabre of that year?
     
  6. markfnc

    markfnc Well-Known Member

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    I like those dash's. Hate they had the gear selector as the center gauge. Was the red background behind the wire wheel covers standard? I don't remember that.
     
  7. ross

    ross Well-Known Member

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    None, it IS a LeSabre, gussied up a bit.
    I owned one of each, a '77 Riv "in the day" and a real nice low mile LeSabre twenty years later.
    Both of mine were quite good cars, very comfortable and better handling than the barges they succeeded.

    GM's first downsized B body, this chassis went on until the early nineties and was well regarded.
    The subject car would, I'm pretty sure, have the last Buick built V-8. (EDIT; I see it has the Olds 403) Those Buick 350s were very smooth and torquey. A much better engine than the Olds or gen 1 Chevy small blocks that were carried on.
    Both Buick V-8s were GM's most modern clean sheet designs at the time. I never could figure out why they dropped the Buicks. Cost, I suppose.
     
    Last edited: Nov 18, 2019
  8. ross

    ross Well-Known Member

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    I don't think so but both of mine had the chrome 5 spoke styled wheels
     
  9. annap01gt

    annap01gt Blue Safari

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    Seems like a very nice car for the price. GM was past its prime by 78 and we oldsters all saw the GM divisions and models starting to look alike and their mechanicals becoming more uniform and cheaper. At the time I looked down on these cars because I remembered GM in its better years when each nameplate had its own personality and an Olds engine was actually different than the one in a Buick. Today, I like this survivor a lot.
     
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  10. 60Mercman

    60Mercman Well-Known Member

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    Don’t think so. I would paint the wheels black.
     
  11. Grizz

    Grizz Are we there yet???

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    Is there overspray from a paint recent paint job on the bottom of the frame? If that were closer I’d definitely be interested. Might even sell the cp to raise the $$
     
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