Buick different models

[john compono]

does anyone know what the difference is between a 1955 Buick century 2 door hardtop and the Buick century riviera ? looks the same to me.

[NTX5467]

"Riviera" was the Buick nomenclature for "Hardtop", whether two door or four door.  Chrysler had similar names, as did Mercury, for their "flashy" hardtop models, back then.  Although in the Buick realm of things, those names tended to linger longer in the sales literature than in the competitors'.  Other car lines might have had similar hardtop models, but ONLY BUICK had a "Riviera", back then.  By about the later 1950s, almost everybody understood "hardtop, I suspect.

 

Enjoy!

NTX5467

[bkyrd_wrench]

My first time contributing. My understanding is that "Riviera" prior to 1962 was part of an Option package. the evidence being 'no "B" pillar' hardware. When you dropped the windows, there is one clean flowing opening so as to give you that "Riviera" feeling. Buick finally made Riviera an actual model later. But for any reference prior, it was the 'no B pillar' option.

 

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

Wow!  OK. Heads up.

 

  1949 , the first 2 door hardtop was called a Riviera,  as the Roadmaster Riviera Hardtop Coupe, Mod 76-R

  1950 , the Super got the 2 door hardtop as well,   along with the Roadmaster and Super getting the  Riviera Sedan,  still a 4 door WITH post, just stretched 3 in. 

 1951 saw the Special Deluxe Riviera Coupe, a 2 door hard top added. This carried through 1954, I believe'

  1955, only the 2 door hardtop sported the Riviere moniker.

   1956 and after , until I am not sure when, the 2 and 4 door hardtop alone carried the Riviera name, as in Riviera Coupe or Riviera Sedan.

 

  Ben

[Rusty Heaps]

Riviera, not Riviera , both Special 

[Y-JobFan]

On 2/27/2023 at 1:26 PM, bkyrd_wrench said:

My first time contributing. My understanding is that "Riviera" prior to 1962 was part of an Option package. the evidence being 'no "B" pillar' hardware. When you dropped the windows, there is one clean flowing opening so as to give you that "Riviera" feeling. Buick finally made Riviera an actual model later. But for any reference prior, it was the 'no B pillar' option.

 

The Riviera hardtop models were a totally different model, not an option on a model 

[Sonomatic]

Rusty Heaps, I agree, both are special.  I'd own either one.  I've seen pictures of that hard top before.  Also, I am amazed how good the late Buick wheels look on the early '50s Buicks.  Not sure why that is, but they seem to blend in nicely.  I would be hesitant to use them.  Not sure if they are centered with the hub, as are the originals, or, rely on the lug nuts, which I'm not a fan of.

[avgwarhawk]

Look here at Hometown Buick for each model.   Riviera models also had standard equipment were lesser models it was a option. 

 

 1954 Buick Models - Hometown Buick

[NTX5467]

For ANY mag-style wheel, they can be "hub-centered", whether from what's inside the wheel's center area, but ONLY on the front only.  No hub to center on in the rear, which are "lug stud centered".

 

Think of all of the rear wheels that mag-style factory wheels have been on over the years, many high-performance cars, too.  As long as the cones in the lug nuts match the similar cones on the wheel, the lug nuts are tightened in normal increasing torque fashion, all should be well with any wheel, by observation.  I've put over 700K miles on my '77 Camaro with factory steel Z/28 wheels on it, with no wheel issues during that time, fwiw.  But I always tightened the lug nuts with a torque wrench in sequence.  Others' experiences might vary.

 

NTX5467