Tder1

Thanks Guys for the comments, They are valuable. Wow Rapom, Looks really good. Wouldn't even believe its the same car. Door Panel looks Awesome! You did a nice job turning ordinary into real Class. I wasn't sure about the Lacquer Thinner but now I'm sure to use it. I'll give it a try and see. Keep my eyes open for some OEM Parts in the meantime. Damn Red on a 73 is tough to find. They make Seat Covers in the Oddest Colors IMO but no Red ? Seems strange to me. There are plenty of Red Interiors out there. I'm trying to talk someone into making me a set but not having much luck.

Hey Guys, I can't find any resource to buy Seat Covers or anything Red for my 73 60/40's. I need to repair or send the Door Panels to be repaired but what is your opinion or experience with the New Dye Methods ? Does it hold up? Best Products to use? I hate the fact that I might have to go that route but my choices seem to be limited. If I could find em I would be happy to buy them but none out there. I always scratched my head when I see nice door panels and people tell me thats the way they were. The Armrests take a beating from opening the Doors. People always seem to push right in the wrong place and after time..... Cracks. Thanks

Need to replace my Cracked Armrests. Red, Driver side Lower Priority. Will buy full set if you have them. Thanks

Hey Guys, Looking for a set of Red Panels, Driver side lower a priority. Anybody ? or Leads. Was considering Just Dashes for repair. Usual cracks in my lower Armrests. Nobody makes Red Interiors for 73's. Anything but. Need my Front Seats done also, 60/40's Thanks

Agreed, Has to be rollover on the millage. I wouldn't worry about that. The Number is right but sight unseen is always risky. Bought an Arizona Rustfree Boattail off Bay and the pics looked great. When it showed up the Car was a mess. No Rust though. I like the 8K for a Stage 1 as long he can confirm the Engine Vin. Behind the A.C. Bracket and the XA Driver side, back of motor below Head. At the very least the XA Stamp is easy to get at under the Hood of the Car. The chances of having an XA Block with the wrong VIN should be slim. Good Luck !

Thanks, for that. I thought I saw in the TONS of Documentation I have there was ?? after the Axle Info but that was only one of the Books I have. Believe me, I have them all including the Assembly Manual. If I know it's RC I'll look. Has to be there I'm sure. I had a buddy clean and Paint the Rear so I didn't pay enough attention. But I need to know Finished Engine

Yes JZRIV, would like to know for sure, I'm afraid the only way to know for sure is for someone from the Production Line or Salesman to chime in at this point after after 40 years. 99% sure because of where my 1 Owner car came from, was unmolested and it was on the Air Lid so I am assuming it came that way. There are two different Decals and mine is the Premium Embossed. Also trying to find the Axle Code. I know it's there but is there some question as to what it was? I'm putting it back on the lift and having another look for it. Does anyone know for sure? I didn't scour the Axle when it was out and I should have, my mistake. Still working to become a Stage 1 Expert :-)

Hi There, Good Score on a Stage 1. The W in the VIN and the XA on the Block are the only ways to tell with the Car itself. Make sure the VIN is stamped on the Block which is hard to get at behind the Bracket but you must. The VIN on the Trans should also match and have a Stage 1 Badge on the Grill. Only came with Chrome Air Cleaner with the Embossed Stage 1 Decal. Any other Chrome is add on. Column Shifter is common and has no bearing on the Stage Option. My Stage 1 has a Standard 60/40 Column Interior but it also has no GS Option. IMO a pure Stage 1 with no GS is an even rarer find. The Car was ordered that way. Documentation is the the best Bonus you could have but is rare nowadays.Good Luck if you can find the Build Sheet. My Car was completely apart and I couldn't find it. Luckily I have other Docs. Value? They are pretty rare but condition and authenticity will be the decider. Wait for the right buyer. Stage 1 Cars I feel will become highly prized as time goes on. I have my Stage 1 because I was lucky and always loved and had a Boattail over the years. The Boattail Registry is the best place for info on these Cars .Happy to answer any questions. Good Luck

Thanks for all the input, interesting. Of course all the numbers match up with the proper VIN on the Block. I'll always believe the engine was destined for a Century and was restamped when it went in my Riviera. My Car was Ordered as a Stage 1 only with no GS option so thats strange to start with. Probably the only one.

Hi All, Here are the XA numbers from my 73 Stage 1 Block and notice the slight stamp of the "S" that has me a little miffed. I am aware that the Skylark GS used XS in 73. Could it be that these Blocks were used at Flint universally, or they ran short and then Stamped at the final application. I can't explain it any other way. All the Numbers, VIN and so on are correct and I have extreme Documentation on the Car. This was a one owner Car by an Older Gentleman and I know the Car was never molested in any way. Any Opinions or knowledge about this ?

Hi There, Anybody know where I can get a Kit or a good resource thats close to a 73 Tail with proper Bolts, UNuts, Speed Nuts , Assortment. Mostly for the Front End Grill and Bezel Parts Such a PITA ordering 1 at a time. Start running out of patience. You know, you always think you do a good job cataloging this stuff till you have to put it back together.

C7 is everything Good you have heard. Just an awesome Driver. Haven't been attached to a Car in a long time, beside my Boatails, but this is the one. You just Melt into the cockpit and become One! Know the Feeling? A real Steal for the $$. 87 GN? Hold on to it IMHO. Find another way.

My Non-Rivs

All Set, Thanks Tom. You know, sometimes you can't see the simplest things. Kind of a Foolish. You can spend hours and overlook the obvious, a set of fresh eyes is all you need. Tom Derwin ROA11672

My Two 73's One a Stage 1 Non GS Car, Fully apart now undergoing restoration. Tom Derwin ROA 11672

Hi Guys, My Son and I just aquired a nice 67 to add to our fleet but unfortunatly it has a few electrical issues. Have to sort them out 1 at a time. Foolish Lad who had the Car before tried to add an Alarm, Power Locks ect. My problem today, Headlights. After working on it this weekend I have a good understanding, have a set of Manuals, but I also know when to stop scratching my head and ask for help. Have no Power in the Black up wire. Relays are working, cleaned, tested. Motor tested, works fine. Both relays engage at the same time when the lights are turned on. The Black Up wire runs to the Aux Relay. Brown Down wire to Main Relay. Question, the diagram shows normally open in the Aux. Relay with switch off,and it is. The Relay is not engaged with the switch off. Power drops off the Black W/S and goes to Brown in the Main Relay as is supposed to. How does the Black wire get 12V to close the Doors with the Aux Relay off? The Black B/S wires to both relays show 12V with the switch on. I must be missing something. Go ahead and get technical on me, I'll get it. Thanks in Advance Tom Derwin ROA 11672

It seems we have really opened a can of worms on this subject. So please allow me to try and answer everyone's questions. Centurion, Yes Buick used two different cams and were building two Stage 1 engines. According to the letter and documentation that Dennis Manner sent me. The Riviera GS/Stage 1 engine and the Skylark GS Stage 1 both used 1/8" oversize intake and exhaust valves. While the Riviera GS/Stage 1 engine camshaft did have more lift, the Skylark GS/Stage 1 camshaft had significantly more duration for more top end power. I also believe you asked about the 73 Stage 1 grill badge. It would only have this if the Stage 1 engine was ordered. Brian, ED, In 73 Buick separated the GS/Stage 1 package into two separate options, there were 3,933 that had the GS handling package, but only 1,234 had the Stage 1 engine. You could order the Stage 1 engine and not the GS handling package and vice versa. Buick did require one option to get the other, they were separate. The GS or Stage 1 packages had nothing to do with the interior. You could get a GS/ Stage 1 with the standard interior or the custom. Although I have never seen any GS that had the standard interior, all the one's I've seen had the custom interior. I hope this will answer everyone's questions. ROA member Rob who is maintaing the Boattail Forum has posted a ton of information. Buick Riviera Boattail 1971 1972 1973 Bob Bonto #277 ROA Technical Advisor 71-73 Hi Guys, New to the Board, I'm sure your assessment is correct Bob, I own one of the few unmolested 1973 Stage 1 Cars and it is not a GS. Stage 1 only with a Standard Interior. Badge on the Grill and Sticker on the Chrome Air Cleaner. I consider it a very rare Car. The car was Ordered that way from Buick as A1 and still designated as a High Performance 455 though I think the Handling Option, H2 was still required with the Stage 1 Package. The H2 Handling could be ordered separate from the GS package and did not automatically make it a GS. GS did not require any other Options but I believe the A1 Stage 1 required the H2 Handling Option I assume because of the raised Horsepower and Posi Rearend. My cleaned up Sticker for info, I do have the Original.