Tag Archives: Riviera

The Harmony Deal – Buick Electra 225 Riviera

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In 1959 Buick dropped the full size premium Roadmaster and Roadmaster 75 model names in favor of the Electra and Electra 225 names. The first generation Electras were superseded in 1961 with new models with much smaller fins and cleaner squared styling.

Buick Electra 225 Riviera, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham

Today’s featured car is a 1962 6 window Electra 225 Riviera a body style shared with the 1962 Cadillacs. The 225 refers to the cars overall 225 inch length from which it derived the nick name “deuce and a quarter”.

Buick Electra 225 Riviera, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham

All 2nd Generation Electra’s shared the same 325 hp Super Thrust Wildcat 6.5 litre /401 cui V8 motors and up until 1964 all Electra’s had the same 2 speed Dynaflow Transmission.

Buick Electra 225 Riviera, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham

It was almost certainly not evident too Buick Designer Bill Mitchel at the time but the vertical adornment ahead of the rear bumper was an uncanny omen of the safety bumpers that were to appear in the 1970’s and 1980’s particularly on the Volvo 700 series vehicles first seen in 1982.

Buick Electra 225 Riviera, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham

As might be expected the premium Buick Electra came comprehensively loaded with two speed electric windscreen wipers, cigar lighter, step on parking brake, glove box light, power steering, power windows, anti glare rear view mirror, two way power seats an courtesy lights to name a few.

Buick Electra 225 Riviera, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham

A couple of years ago I came very close to taking a bus trip to Ashville NC in order to visit a friend in Brevard, unfortunately I was persuaded that my stay would inevitably be so short I may as well go and visit some other friends for a little longer. It turns out that Deal of Ashville NC was taken over by new owners Harmony Motors who operate a VW/Audi/Porsche dealership from the same site as Deal when they supplied this Electra 225 fifty one years ago.

Buick Electra 225 Riviera, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham

Last year a similar monotone 6 window Buick Electra 225 Riviera fetched a fraction over $17,000 at auction which seems like a lot of sheet metal for the money.

My thanks to Toni Burrell at Harmony Motors Asheville NC for taking the time to fill me in on what happened to Deal.

Thanks for joining me on this “The Harmony Deal” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to came back now !

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Toothbrush Not Included – Buick Roadmaster Riviera

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As some of you may have noticed I some times identify vehicles incorrectly, another misidentification came to light while I was looking into the identification of today’s featured 1950 Buick Roadmaster Riviera. It turns out that the curved ‘observation car’ windscreens on Buick Roadmaster’s were first seen in 1949 and therefore the Jetback Sedanet Coupé I looked at last April must be a 1949 model and cannot be a flat screen 1948 model. I live and learn and hope that you will bear with me while I inevitably make a few mistakes. Please do not hesitate to chip in and correct these errors as and when you see them.

Buick Roadmaster Riviera, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham

Back today’s 1950 Roadmaster Riviera which is immediately identifiable by the huge teeth in the grill unique to the 1950 model. When these cars were first seen in public one journalist is reported to have said “a toothbrush for the dentures comes extra.”

Buick Roadmaster Riviera, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham

Like all Roadmaster series Buicks the mandatory motor remained the 5247cc / 320 cui “Fireball” straight eight, it would not be until 1953 that a Nailhead V8 would become available.

Buick Roadmaster Riviera, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham

The pillarless Roadmaster Riviera coupé was one of 18 1950 Roadmaster variations which broke down into Jetback Sedanet, Tourback Sedan, Estate / Station Wagon, Convertible, Hardtop and Pillarless Coupé body styles.

Buick Roadmaster Riviera, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham

Just as the Fireball motor was standard so was the 2 speed Dynaflow transmission which was derived from a World War 2 tank transmission.

Buick Roadmaster Riviera, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham

This Roadmaster Riviera was given the 76R model code with the body code Fisher Style 4737. Fisher was a bodywork operation that was gradually absorbed into General Motors between 1926 when GM bought 60% of the stock and 1984 when the Fisher Body entity was dissolved thanks to mergers with other GM operations.

Buick Roadmaster Riviera, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham

Thanks to the popularity of the Buick Special sales of all Roadmasters fell by over 13,000 to 75,034 in 1954 representing just 12% of Buicks 1950 output.

Thanks for joining me on this “Tooth Brush Not Included” edition of “Gettin a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again for Ferrari Friday. Don’t forget to come back now.

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Colour Of The Advocado – Cadillac Eldorado

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The eight generation Cadillac Eldorado was built between 1971 and 1978 receiving face lifts in 1973 and 1975.

Cadillac Eldorado, Shakespeare County Raceway

Sharing a 126 in / 3120 mm E body platform with the Oldsmobile Tornado and Buick Riviera the Eldorado was 79.8 in / 2030 mm wide.

Cadillac Eldorado, Shakespeare County Raceway

Under the bonnet / hood of this 1973 model lurks a honking 400 hp 8.2 litre 500 cui V8, said to be the largest production V8 when it was first introduced in the 1970 Seventh Generation Eldorado.

Cadillac Eldorado, Shakespeare County Raceway

At 224 in / 5690 mm long the Eight Generation Eldorado’s matched the Sixth Generation Eldorado’s as the largest ever made though the Eight Generation were giving away over 6 inches in wheel base to the older model.

Cadillac Eldorado, Shakespeare County Raceway

One thing I did not know until preparing this blog was that like the Oldsmobile Tornado the Eldorado was front wheel drive which must lead to some interesting handling characteristics, while the Buick Riviera on the same platform was rear wheel drive.

Cadillac Eldorado, Shakespeare County Raceway

It is thought the opera window in the C panel which replaced the opening quarter window seen in earlier models was necessary to conform to roll over safety standards that came into effect in the mid 1970’s.

Cadillac Eldorado, Shakespeare County Raceway

Until I heard the Jonathon Richman song Pablo Picaso, I’d always thought of Eldorado’s as lumpy land yachts with as much appeal as a block of flats, however once I heard Jonathon’s lyric about girls turning advocado colour as Pablo Picaso drove down the street in his Eldorado, I began to see this leviathan’s in a slightly different light.

Cadillac Eldorado, Shakespeare County Raceway

In 1973 51,451 Eldorado’s were built just over 15% of Cadillacs total production for the year.

Thanks for joining me on this ‘Colour Of The Advocado’ edition of ‘Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres’, I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to came back now !

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