82-85 Riviera Convertibles

[bigjoe]

I'm looking for any information and/or web sites about the convertibles of 82-85. Specifications, original prices, manufacturing numbers etc.

Any help would be appreciated. Also, any info if you know of one for sale.

Thanks,

Joe Ferrante

[Guest Ranger]

Joe,

For some of the information, go to the upper right corner of this page, click on "Participating Clubs", at the bottom of the pull-down is the Riviera Owners Association, click on that and it will bring you to the ROA home page. On the left side of the page is a list of items, go to "Riviera Features from the Riview", from that, click on subtitle "Production Figures", feel free to browse this site. The Association's magazine contains ads for cars for sale, you may want to join, the membership information is also on the website.

Good luck,

Jim

[bigjoe]

Jim,

Thanks for getting back to me.

I'm a member of the ROA and am contacting the heck out of every Buick site there is hoping to getting lucky and finding a really nice 82-85 Riv convertible.

I'll be doing the homework part of today's postings and the ROA is on my list.

Best regards,

Joe Ferrante

69 Riv

77 Jag XJ6C

[Guest BJM]

Joe,

I saw 2 on ebay this weekend while browsing. I don't know if that is your "cup of tea" but it is another option. Dead of winter is a great time to go convertible shopping.

[BadgerRivFan]

Joe:

You've probably seen this already, but in case you haven't - here's what appears to be a very nice '83 with low mileage on eBay. The "buy it now" price is almost too good to be true so be a bit skeptical, but if the mileage is accurate this appears to be a good buy...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1983-Buic...1QQcmdZViewItem

<img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

[RivNut]

Joe,

The ebay auction that Al sent to you looks like a really good deal. I sold an '84 convertible last summer for about $2,000 more than this buy it now price. Mine had about 96,000 miles on it. I had completely gone through the interior and put a new top on it. Mine had the optional T-type rally wheels, but I added them. Two things I notice: 1) The radio is on the low side of the options. GM has a really nice AM/FM Cassette with a built in 5 band equalizer; it has a great sound; that would be a easy swap. 2) It's not mentioned in the ad, but the car is also equipped with an electric rear window defogger; the switch is on the dash just to the right of the climate contorl. Perhaps nothing was said about it because it doesn't work, or the rear glass was replaced and didn't come with the grids. The one thing to be sure to ask about on cars equipped with the automatic climate control is "Does it work?" If not, they're a bugger to fix. I'd make sure the a/c works too. Still, it's a really nice looking car for what's being asked. My two cents worth. If this car is as nice as it looks, I'd have been money ahead buying it rather than buying the one I did and then sinking some more into it.

[bigjoe]

Al and Ed,

Notice that nobody is bidding on the red convertible. I emailed the seller and got somewhat of a cryptic email back from her that just doesn't seem kosher. (Asking for my Ebay login and password.)

I sent her back an email asking for an address and telephone number so I can send an Inspector/appraisor to check out the car for me before I buy it. As of this writing, I haven't heard back from her. I also can't find an address or telephone number for this person in the state she suposedly lives.

Now, I'm not the brightest bulb in the chandelier, but this listing doesn't smell so good. Actually, I think it out-in-out stinks!

I'll keep you guys posted.

Joe Ferrante, NJ

[Dales90]

Hi Guys,

Regarding the most recent reply here, that ebay auction was BOGUS!!!!!

To give you an idea, you may have recently seen the 64 bronze Riv on ebay said to be in a Chicago suburb. It was pulled early, and the perfect car had a buy it now of $2990, right.......

Well, several days after the auction, as I had previously emailed the seller to give me his phone so we could talk about a visit and buy it now, he sent an email avoiding my request, sent another email supposedly from Ebay Motors to PAY THEM AT THE LINKED BANK ACCOUNT....(AS IF EBAY COLLECTS THE PAYMENT....)

I emailed him, one Patrick Izzo, to tell him I saw through his scam.

I then did a search for his name in the Illinois city, and got a number I did call. Patrick, said he had no such car, had not just emailed me, knew of none of his relatives with the same first name, and I told him to be alert, thanking him for his time.

Then............the Riv convert comes up on ebay, same selected bidders only junk, and I email the seller, and supposedly a Beatrice Rosmilo in Davenport, Ia, sent me a reply, amazingly like the Patrick Izzo one.

I knew the drill by now, and contacted Ebay suggesting possible fraud.

To add to the fun, I replied to the Beatrice email, "Hi Patrick" and an immediate reply came back, "Hi, how are you doing?"

So, it's buyer beware, and both cars were eventully offered to me at the buy it now price INCLUDING SHIPPING ANYWHERE IN THE US.....

It makes me wonder how many othere makes on ebay they misrepresent and are successful a having someone enter their bank account info in the bogus link.....

Dale

[bigjoe]

Dale,

You might want to send your email to the General Discussion Group if you already haven't.

Also, I think these bogus people's "M.O." (Motis Operandi, watching too many cop shows) should be periodically posted on all club sites either through AACA and/or Hemmings Car Clubs list. Keeping the uninformed troops up-to-date on these people is a great service to all.

Best regards,

Joe Ferrante

[NTX5467]

By observation, the market for these cars has been depressed for quite some time, meaning they are really good values compared to prior times when the prices were higher. I'm not sure why the market went away unless it was more of a focus on "things expensive" at Barrett-Jackson or similar. End result is that they kind of got forgotten in the marketplace as driveable collector cars. Probably similar for the similar Toronado convertible conversions.

As I recall, the Automatic Climate Control system (other than the basic HVAC module itself) were somewhat unique to Buick. This can (as mentioned) raise the cost factor for repair parts. I don't recall the equalizer radio mentioned, but (basically) all of the Delco radios back then would interchange mechanically (i.e., speaker wiring, control shaft spacing, and such) but with carline-specific face plates and graphics. If there is a repair issue, there can still (possibly) be some of the older Delco Radio Repair Stations that have evolved into servicing the newer radios that might still have the schematics and such on the earlier radios (without having to go into a "restoration" radio facility as such).

One of the things I've noticed on these conversions is a fine line that can develop at the windshield header where they chopped the coupe's top and added the plug for the front of the convertible top to attach to when closed. I don't know how much of an issue that can be, but I've seen it there (even on low mileage vehicles). There might also be similar lines where the top of the quarter panel sections meet the "middle panel" below the back window area.

Engine choice was the Olds 307 V-8 or a Buick V-6. Your judgment call on that, but the Olds V-8 tended to be very gutless in factory configuration, but with pretty good fuel economy on the highway. End result, it'll be a "profiler" rather than more of a performance vehicle in any configuration. By the same token, an incognito engine upgrade to an Olds 350 might make it a better all-around performer.

I personally suspect that the market on these cars will increase in the future--IF and when our economy finally gets totally/comprehensively back on track and growing. Yet these were somewhat "unknown-about" cars when new and seem to be moreso now.

Some of the prior cars were probably kept nice by their first or second owners, who most probably ended up selling them to owners who used them as a normal, but distinctive, vehicle. If I was going to look for one, I'd look for integrity to the factory leather interior and other chassis/mechanical issues as possible major expenses to deal with. Cosmetics can be a toss-up as you might expect anything of that age to possibly need a repaint or touch-up thereof. I'm not aware of the availability of a made-up convertible top, though, or the cost of getting the fabric replaced--which would be something else to look at, plus the top mechanism itself.

Just depends upon your financial situation as to what you can afford to buy and restore/repair . . . but the investment potential would be either "flat" (drive it and get your money out of it) to "high", I suspect.

Just some thoughts,

NTX5467

[bigjoe]

Hi,

I'm sorry I didn't respone earlier to your informative post, but have not been to the board for a few days.

Just want to thank you so much for such an in depth overview of these cars. I really appreciate the time and thoughts that you put into it and hope everyone reading these gets a little something that they previoulsy didn't know.

FYI, I almost bought a low mileage red '83 convertible last week but the owner went whacky on me after I sent him a deposit and had the car inspected, he decided not to sell. Well that's his story.

The search continues .......

Regards,

Joe