copper boat tail in France... yessir

[marcball]

Hi everybody, 

I'm joining now to let y'all know I just got my hands on a 1971 Buick Riviera here in Niort, France.

I think it's shape is fantastic looking although i was not particularly fond of the copper orange respray (which was seemingly properly done by the previous owner in Bordeaux).

Anyway, now that it's nudged into my garage, i'm bewitched and I can't wait for a sunny day to take my wife and twin kids (4.5 years old boy and girl) for a "oyster run" quick trip to the West Coast (La Rochelle).

I'll probably have questions in the future about tuning the carbs, re-installing the A/C, tightening the suspension and... installing remote-controlled exhaust dumpers (naughty boy me) but for now, she runs and I know my kids will always remember this madnessmobile which is totally out-of-synch with the surrounding French middle-class political correctness - oops.

Keep on trucking !

Marc

[68RIVGS]

Welcome again to the ROA AACA forum from the frozen north ( . . . caught your intro on v8buick) !

[marcball]

2 minutes ago, 68RIVGS said:

Welcome again to the ROA AACA forum from the frozen north ( . . . caught your intro on v8buick) !

Hehe, I guess it's a small world...

I'm sort of bouncing around wondering where i'll find the nicest and most knowledgeable folks when it comes to these big boats...

Your 68 is quite dashing by the way.

 

Well, here are two quick questions (google probably knows, but i'm tossing some pretexts to get the conversation going...) : 

A. how would I know if my boat has the GS package or not ?

B. Where would you turn to, to get replacements for the 455-4 stickers on the air filter cover (I kind of like these...) 

Cheers

 

[RoadShark]

Hello Marc - I go to Paris for work every September.  Let me know if you need me to put any parts in my checked baggage!

[marcball]

Just now, RoadShark said:

Hello Marc - I go to Paris for work every September.  Let me know if you need me to put any parts in my checked baggage!

Now that is very excellent, I was just wondering how to get some original chrome bumpers back on the car... just kidding !

Yet the car runs fine for now, but I have no doubts that stuff will start falling off or giving way as we get to know each other better... we'll see.

So thanks so much, for proposing anyways, much obliged !

[68RIVGS]

Quote

 

 

4 minutes ago, marcball said:

Hehe, I guess it's a small world...

I'm sort of bouncing around wondering where i'll find the nicest and most knowledgeable folks when it comes to these big boats...

Your 68 is quite dashing by the way.

 

Well, here are two quick questions (google probably knows, but i'm tossing some pretexts to get the conversation going...) : 

A. how would I know if my boat has the GS package or not ?

B. Where would you turn to, to get replacements for the 455-4 stickers on the air filter cover (I kind of like these...) 

Cheers

 

 

Both forums are Buick related Marc, and you'll notice that there are boat tail owners and very knowledge members on both forums.

Do hope you had a chance to check out the ROA from the link in my v8buick signature, and trust you will seriously consider becoming a member of the ROA

Thanks for the compliment on the 'JEWAL' - I don't have answers for your questions, but I'm confident others will chime in.

Re: your air cleaner sticker.

All the originals were blind embossed on the reverse side, but repro stickers do not have this feature.

Same thing applies to 430 air cleaner sticker and valve cover decals. That is how I found out when searching for NOS stickers for my resto.

I managed to score an NOS 430 air cleaner sticker, and refurbished my original vale cover decals.  

[Rivman]

Welcome Marc! As Randy mentions, joining the Riviera Owners Association (ROA) has great benefits! There is a link in my signature below.

 

As for your GS question, I don't think the '71 indicated it in the VIN as the '72 did, but you might be able to tell if it is a GS by the transmission tag, or if it has the 342 posi differential.

 

And, if it is a GS, I see the chrome air cleaner lid, those did not have a 455 sticker on them, it was just the chrome lid without a sticker on it.

 

I spent some time in Istres several years ago, I never ran across a Riv while I was there, but did see a few Harley's out and about. Good luck with your new purchase! 

[PWB]

Your Copper is GORGEOUS. What color is the interior?

Stay unique!

 

Congratulations

[rodneybeauchamp]

Welcome to the forum Marc.

 

Nice to see another old Riviera out and about, especially in another country where they are sooooo rare!

 

Love your line about being out of synch with political correctness. It really should be called Political Madness.

 

Thinking your kids will always have some nice memories and some great stories about the drives they did in that old Buick.

 

Enjoy the ride.

 

 

 

 

[Schmiddy]

Bienvenue Marc! 
Your 71 looks outstanding so far, I'm looking forward to see it done! 
Salutations de ton voisin suisse 

[JZRIV]

Welcome to the forum Marc. Looks like you found a very nice example of Buicks factory custom car. I love the color. Don't they call these "yank tanks" over there?

 

Check the engine stamp code. 71 Riv GS cars had a TA code. I think its between the 3rd and 4th spark plug back on driver side on block face. Very hard to see sometimes. Also see if car has a positraction rear axle.

[Rivman]

7 minutes ago, JZRIV said:

Check the engine stamp code. 71 Riv GS cars had a TA code. I think its between the 3rd and 4th spark plug back on driver side on block face. Very hard to see sometimes. Also see if car has a positraction rear axle.

I forgot about the engine stamp. Jason is correct, the marking is on the drivers side between the back two plugs, kind of next to where the dip stick goes into the block.

 

This is what the WA looks like on a '72, as Jason says yours would be a TA if it is a GS, and the engine has not been changed of course.

 

 

To see if the VIN matches is kind of a pain on a '71, it is stamped on the block behind the P/S pump bracket, so that has to be removed to see it.

[marcball]

22 hours ago, 68RIVGS said:

 

 

Both forums are Buick related Marc, and you'll notice that there are boat tail owners and very knowledge members on both forums.

Do hope you had a chance to check out the ROA from the link in my v8buick signature, and trust you will seriously consider becoming a member of the ROA

Thanks for the compliment on the 'JEWAL' - I don't have answers for your questions, but I'm confident others will chime in.

Re: your air cleaner sticker.

All the originals were blind embossed on the reverse side, but repro stickers do not have this feature.

Same thing applies to 430 air cleaner sticker and valve cover decals. That is how I found out when searching for NOS stickers for my resto.

I managed to score an NOS 430 air cleaner sticker, and refurbished my original vale cover decals.  

Randy, I'll check th ROA and probably join in soon.

GS and air cleaners : no luck so far but I'll be diving around the forum for hints on how to improve the looks of the boiler room, the big block deserves it...

More soon...

 

 

[marcball]

20 hours ago, Rivman said:

As for your GS question, I don't think the '71 indicated it in the VIN as the '72 did, but you might be able to tell if it is a GS by the transmission tag, or if it has the 342 posi differential.

 

I spent some time in Istres several years ago, I never ran across a Riv while I was there, but did see a few Harley's out and about. Good luck with your new purchase! 

 

I like the "positraction" diff name, sounds like something from Star Trek, or rather Isaac Asimov's "positronic brain". Anyway, need to investigate what it looks like and whether I have one. Just curious, does not really matter to me.

 

Istres is where they have a large French Air Force base, did you have anything to do with that ? Nice area, anyway, the whole Provence thing, spent many family summers there in the 80s...

 

Keep on trucking !

[marcball]

20 hours ago, PWB said:

Your Copper is GORGEOUS. What color is the interior?

Stay unique!

 

Congratulations

brown interior, good condition, quite plush, I feel like a proper 1970s glam rock record executive commuting back and forth to Staten Island to try and stay away from my pimp and dope dealer friends in Mahnattan, somehow. Gotta get some music to complete the picture...  

[marcball]

17 hours ago, rodneybeauchamp said:

Welcome to the forum Marc.

Nice to see another old Riviera out and about, especially in another country where they are sooooo rare!

Love your line about being out of synch with political correctness. It really should be called Political Madness.

Thinking your kids will always have some nice memories and some great stories about the drives they did in that old Buick.

Enjoy the ride.

Thanks mate ! 

Nice to exchange with folks around the world about this unusual Riviera bunch of boatmobiles. Looking forward to more of it.

And you're right, I mainly bought it to create consensus-breaking memories in my kids, of rides to the playa together, and of doing basic woodworking and Legos in the basement with the pimpmobile in the background... like it should be in any normal family, right ?

Oh well, there are worse idiosincrazies...

[marcball]

11 hours ago, Schmiddy said:

Bienvenue Marc! 
Your 71 looks outstanding so far, I'm looking forward to see it done! 
Salutations de ton voisin suisse 

Merci !

Yours looks swell.

I'm not planning any major restoration at the moment, just want to enjoy it, strengthen it where it may be (or become) lacking, and maybe improve a few things here and there...

More soon !

[marcball]

7 hours ago, JZRIV said:

Welcome to the forum Marc. Looks like you found a very nice example of Buicks factory custom car. I love the color. Don't they call these "yank tanks" over there?

Check the engine stamp code. 71 Riv GS cars had a TA code. I think its between the 3rd and 4th spark plug back on driver side on block face. Very hard to see sometimes. Also see if car has a positraction rear axle.

"Factory custom car" ? I did not know about that (as Sobchack would say). What do you mean ? any special program beyond the Silver Arrow III ?

I also did not know about yank tanks, but then again, been away fro a long time...

No readable engine numbers that I can see at this stage (painted over it seems, more below).

Cheers

[JZRIV]

Nothing special other than the cars design itself. Factory custom is just my terminology meaning the boat tail was a radical style for the time period unlike anything else.

[marcball]

7 hours ago, Rivman said:

I forgot about the engine stamp. Jason is correct, the marking is on the drivers side between the back two plugs, kind of next to where the dip stick goes into the block.

 

This is what the WA looks like on a '72, as Jason says yours would be a TA if it is a GS, and the engine has not been changed of course.

 

 

To see if the VIN matches is kind of a pain on a '71, it is stamped on the block behind the P/S pump bracket, so that has to be removed to see it.

 

Hey thanks ! that picture was perfectly helpful, as I had been looking last night at the engine's side, between 2nd and 3rd plugs and found nothing but paint.

But now I looked harder, between 1st and 2nd, with a thin brass brush and managed to take this snapshot. 

So TR it is, basic 455 ! no problem at all, making progress getting to know the orange shrek in my basement. 

This probably means i'll get to repaint the airfilter in black and find a sweet 5 dollar 455-4 sticker to slap on it. Nice.

Thanks again and keep on trucking folks !

[marcball]

18 minutes ago, JZRIV said:

Nothing special other than the cars design itself. Factory custom is just my terminology meaning the boat tail was a radical style for the time period unlike anything else.

Yep, that's certainly how the car's look feels like to me, a massive Barbarella concept car somehow escaped from the car show compound...

[marcball]

On 19/12/2016 at 11:35 PM, 68RIVGS said:

Do hope you had a chance to check out the ROA from the link in my v8buick signature, and trust you will seriously consider becoming a member of the ROA

 

Hi Randy, I'm in : ROA member 15280 !

Thanks all y'all for the warm welcome, this is gonna be excellent !

[JZRIV]

Thanks for joining ROA Marc. I don't think you will be disappointed. I can tell from posts here and V8Buick you have a positive contagious personality with a good sense of humor! All great traits.....especially on a public forum!  Glad to have you aboard mate!

[Schmiddy]

Nobody could say it better than Jason, l'humour français quoi! ????

In ROA you will find a lot of answers for your questions, so it was for me!

Wellcome and enjoy this place buddy!

A la prochaine! ??

[Rivdrivn]

On 12/20/2016 at 4:03 PM, marcball said:

brown interior, good condition, quite plush, I feel like a proper 1970s glam rock record executive commuting back and forth to Staten Island to try and stay away from my pimp and dope dealer friends in Mahnattan, somehow. Gotta get some music to complete the picture...  

 

Got yer '70s music right here (Been in my glove box since new).

[68RIVGS]

5 hours ago, marcball said:

 

Hi Randy, I'm in : ROA member 15280 !

Thanks all y'all for the warm welcome, this is gonna be excellent !

 Just great Marc, good to know you are now an official international member of the ROA !

A positive decision, and I know you will enjoy the benefits of being a member of the ROA - it's not all about the cars, it's about the people.

. . . as Jason stated, your going to fit right in !!

[marcball]

8 hours ago, Rivdrivn said:

 

Got yer '70s music right here (Been in my glove box since new).

 

Peter Frampton ! "L'homme qui fait chanter sa guitare !" (the man who can make his guitar sing). That's what it said on the sleeve of the LP that had somehow found its way behind a convertible sofa in the guest bedroom close to the attic in the Paris suburbs house where i grew up in the 1970s. As to the other tapes, good stuff indeed, although I'm not familiar with Mrrs Nugent and Chong. Am I missing somthing ?

For my Riviera playlist, I'm mostly planning on classic ZZ top, Bruce, SRV, Waylon, Johnny Cash and maybe some acid surf music (a la Pulp Fiction) as well as some blues by our French guitar hero Paul Personne...

[RivNut]

No Edith Piaf? ?

[JZRIV]

On ‎12‎/‎20‎/‎2016 at 3:56 PM, marcball said:

Istres is where they have a large French Air Force base, did you have anything to do with that ? Nice area, anyway, the whole Provence thing, spent many family summers there in the 80s...

Keep on trucking !

I haven't heard the "keep on trucking" saying since the late 1970s! Like this

 

[marcball]

4 hours ago, RivNut said:

No Edith Piaf? ?

 

hihi, that's way before my time. Feels too dark for my taste (and I'm a fan of late-model Johnny Cash albums).

For oldies French culture, might throw in some genius Serge Gainsbourg (especially his pioneering reggae dub albums). 

But when it comes to females, i'd rather melt into some Diana Krall, or remember my teenage years and rock it with Lone Justice.

[marcball]

2 hours ago, JZRIV said:

I haven't heard the "keep on trucking" saying since the late 1970s! Like this

 

 

yessir !

[RivNut]

Just now, marcball said:

 

Diana Krall, 

Ah yes.  Popsicle Toes.  Light a fire in the fireplace, turn down the lights, and pour a little bourbon in some branch water.