A Riviera really isn't proper until it has a stance. Before a liberal drop, these cars have a somewhat stodgy profile. But as soon as you get the center of gravity where it belongs, the sharked front end and hippy rear quarters start to shout at you ... <BR><BR>To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.
It may not be so bad with a slight forward rake as long as it isn't extreme. but it does look good the way that it sets.
If anything, I'd prefer a reverse rake over a forward rake on Rivieras... But really, I think they should sit dead level. A lot of that is because of the seemingly optical illusion the rockers create... In these pictures, the car looks like it has a slight forward rake. It doesn't according to the tape measure. Regardless, I like how it sits now... The pictures don't portray this well, but in person the car looks pretty damned low. The tops of the front fenders land about midway on my thigh. Which is good, because the positioning of the front cross member of these cars don't let you get them much lower than it sits right now...
Nice car. Looks like a great road trip machine. Or to the movies with a special gal. Funny, In the pictures it looks like the nose is up a hair.
Looks damn fine! I was immediately reminded of Morty's Riv that I was just reading about over the weekend in the latest Rodder's Journal. Malcolm
Looks great, Ryan. You've got an attorney that also helps you work on your car? Cool! Imagining a guy in a white shirt and tie, working on your rear suspension...lol.
buick needs to re- release the Riviera and take a note out of Dodge's book on the modern retro styling of the Challenger....a "New" Riviera could be cool if they did it right....
The ride is more stiff for sure, but I wouldn't call it harsh. It just feels more confident if that makes sense. It handles 100% better. I pretty much rebuilt and rebushed the entire front end, so I'm sure that helped as well. Morty's car is gorgeous... In every picture I've ever seen of the car it looks blue. It's actually a green car. How about that? He bagged his which is something I didn't consider. I'm really striving for simplicity on this one and I like the idea of a static height that is LOW, but still very drivable. So far, I'm happy.
Thank you sir. No... I'd take it out there and park it in the preferred lot, but I got too much stuff going on to worry about it.
Dude... a story... So, I got the front end all jacked up ready to go to work, right? Not long after getting in the air, I noticed (in absolute horror) that the driver's side outer tie rod end was lacking a nut... of any kind... So, I drove 2200 miles at some considerable speed with no kind of apparatus responsible for keeping the car going in a straight line. I became even more spooked when I went to break the tie rod end loose from the spindle. It took one tap from my hammer. Good god - I should be dead!
I agree with you Ryan; those cars look bitchin sitting dead level. The architecture has a built-in aggressive look to it already. Dead level brings that to the forefront, in my eye. By the way, that car is fucking gorgeous. Love love love the color.
From time to time over the last half century or so,.... I have succumb to different,... "Brain Farts" that I normally don't share with others. Due to the fact I have no desire to be "committed" to institutions I can not leave freely...... With that said I feel a need to share one of said "Brain Farts" here..... I feel like a mouse trying to extract the cheese from the trap without getting "Tinged" as some of this deals with a forbidden O/T car,..... And do it right in front of "Da Boss" !... So here it goes.... A friend of mine had a 1964 Riv. He had just repainted black, back in the 1980's .... I went over to visit him in my latest $350.00 "Winter Beater" 1971 Rivera ( I told you this was dangerous ) which was also Black..... I was telling him how I loved the look of the 64 overall, and what a killer looking car it was..... And we both agreed that the roof of the 71 boattail was just sexy!, in a 63' split kind of way And just kidding around I said.... ( I might regret this............) "You know what would be cool ?????..... Grafting a 71' boattail roof and part of the trunk lid to a 64' Riv !" ( No I didn't use drugs,... and even tho those were my drinking days, I hadn't touched a drop ,... I swear !)...... And as uncomfortable as it is to admit it..... I have thought about it several times over the last 30 some years..... So there you have it,..... Oh and just in time,... here comes Nurse Rachett with my meds !
Looking good! I've got 3 inch lowering springs for mine as well---actually shooting for just the slightest forward rake. Marcy
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