Generation Gap: Buick Riviera Edition [1963 - 1976]

"Amoore100" (amoore100) 02/24/2016 at 22:06 • Filed to: Generation Gap, Buick Riviera

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Welcome to Generation Gap where we ask you about your favorite generation of a certain multi-generational car nameplate. Then, explain why your choice is right to the rest of us uneducated folks.

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After two weeks of non-stop tests, illness, projects, homework assignments, seating auditions, concerts, lunches with friends, vacation travels, helping Grandma with yardwork, awkwardly singing, practicing driving, and sleeping, we are back with some Generation Gap! Now, this week we have one of the most legendary American personal luxury coupes of the past fifty years: the Buick Riviera. From a big RWD coupe to increasingly boxy 70's and 80's designs, this storied nameplate ended in 1999 with a curvaceous coupe. Today we cover the first sixteen years and four generations of the Riv. Which one was best?

The options:

First Generation [1963 - 1965]

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Second Generation [1966 - 1970] and facelift

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Third Generation [1971-1973]

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Fourth Generation [1974 - 1976]

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Stay tuned for some [1977 - 1999] Rivieras next week!

ranwhenparked > Amoore100 02/24/2016 at 22:18

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Forced ranking:

1. Generation 1

2. Generation 2

3. Generation 3

4. Generation 6

5. Generation 5

6. Generation 4

7. Generation 8

8. Generation 7

Amoore100 > ranwhenparked 02/24/2016 at 22:29

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Shush we’re not even supposed to get to 5-8 until next week...

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Amoore100 02/24/2016 at 22:30

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My grandpa had a 67' with the hidden headlights. It was white with a blue interior. I got to drive it once to town with him to get doughnuts and windshield wipers. What an amazing piece of americana. Huge boat like structure with a whispery smooth 430 CI V8 under the hood. And that hod was half the length of the car.

Birddog > Amoore100 02/24/2016 at 22:34

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The first generation was perfectly proportioned for it’s purpose. The beginning of the “Personal Luxury” era. My second favorite Buick ever.

The second gen got messy. The E body shell was growing and being shared between FWD and RWD variants. Only the Eldo came out a winner here.

The third Gen. Oh, what should have been! The “Boat Tail” Riv was originally designed for the A body chassis. GM forced it to be scaled up to the E chassis and that’s when things got weird. It’s still a gorgeous car but it’s awkward from certain angles.

Let’s just not talk about the fourth gen or fifth gen. The Riviera name should have been abandoned for a few years there.

lone_liberal > Amoore100 02/24/2016 at 22:38

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If the first gen was good enough for Patrick Swayze it’s good enough for me.

Blondude > Amoore100 02/24/2016 at 22:40

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If anyone votes anything other than first gen their opinion is bad and they should feel bad.

Wobbles the Mind > Amoore100 02/24/2016 at 22:51

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I don’t understand how everyone can sit here and pretend that the first Gen is the best Rivieras. The 66 and 67 were the perfection of the design form, after that, I’ll agree the Riviera began to lose that design perfection (much like how Jag builds a beautiful car then proceeds to ruin it every model year with sideskirts and spoilers).

For me, the 67 has all the perfect styling and best headlamp reveal of any car of that decade. The switch from the 425 to the 430 may seem like a downgrade since the 425 was reliable and had stupidly low peak torque, but the 430 had its peaks above 3000rpm. That means that your downshifts placed you just under the torque peak enabling the car to feel like it didn’t need to overwork to create great and solid passing on the highway (its natural habitat).

67 Riviera is bae, and the only Riviera I even check listings for. Love that car and no Eldorado or Toronado will ever touch that specific model year.

Speed > Amoore100 02/24/2016 at 23:02

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Boat tail all day err day

Roundbadge > Amoore100 02/25/2016 at 09:13

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Boattail eff tee double-ewe.

Amoore100 > Wobbles the Mind 02/25/2016 at 23:12

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Excellent take. I too agree that the second gen truly has some of the best lines of any American car, ever. More spare and flowing than the first gen but with the concealed headlights that the third gen lacks. The higher power/torque range would likely be much better although generally some would say it detracts from the land yacht mentality...

Amoore100 > Speed 02/25/2016 at 23:12

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Boat tail burnout is best tail burnout.

Amoore100 > Birddog 02/25/2016 at 23:16

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I personally appreciate the lines of the second the most, as it is sleek and elegant, lacking the edges and vents that the first and third had. Definitely concur that the third gen has some iffy viewpoints but from the rear three quarter you can’t mistake that boat tail for anything else. The fourth and fifth are just products of the era, not horrible (figuratively speaking) but definitely not excellent. On a side note, what is your favorite Buick?

Amoore100 > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 02/25/2016 at 23:18

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Great story! I really thing the second gen was one of the best American designs ever, so many perfect styling cues (like the hood rib) yet all in a cohesive, very American package. Would love to drive one myself some day.

Birddog > Amoore100 02/25/2016 at 23:37

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My all time favorite is an odd one. The 76 Century Pace Car.

C’mon! That’s NOT your typical Buick.

Amoore100 > Birddog 02/25/2016 at 23:55

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Hah! Never even heard of that edition. The GNX is my personal favorite.