I’m usually very focused on trying to get a good night’s sleep on Sunday night in preparation for the work week ahead. I’m pretty robotic in the way I like to have the lights out by 9:00 PM. However, on a few occasions, I’ve seen fit to break my own rules. One particular October night in 2011, I was so glad I did.
Two close friends of mine and one of my favorite couples, a rowing coach and a dancer, rent a house in my neighborhood, which is maybe a ten to fifteen minute walk from my condo building. They have a nice, big backyard behind their giant house which was very likely a single-family dwelling in the 1940’s. Occasionally, they’ll invite some folks over to chill in their backyard, and we’ll exchange stories about our latest adventures over a beer and some downtempo music. It’s a slice of heaven. Their house is also one block away from White Castle, so I’ll normally stop there on my walk home for a slider or two.
On this particular night, a bunch of us were sitting around on some chairs in the backyard when I heard what sounded like the low, burbling, rumble of a big V8 and the sound of crunching gravel building slowly in the alley behind the house. You know the moment I’m talking about. The one where you hear the sweet, glorious music of a basso exhaust note building to a crescendo and know something awesome is about to happen. Yet unseen, this car was giving me four hundred fifty-five (cubic-inched) reasons to shut up and listen for a moment.
Then as if out of a dream, this thing pulled up into the outer edge of the backyard. I remember my friend Trish’s face as she laughed at my loud gasp in reaction to seeing this car. This Riviera didn’t so much park as moor back here, easing slowly into this spot gracefully. Trish introduced me to her friend, Dave, who owned and got out of this car. I’ve loved cars as far back as my oldest memories and I feel like I have Havoline running through my blood, but not enough so as to have been able to decode the VIN to see if this car originated from the same place as me, Flint, Michigan. (As it turns out, all 1971 – ’73 Rivieras rolled off the line in the Vehicle City.)
Despite never having been behind the wheel of one of these boat-tail Rivs before, when I slid onto the driver’s seat, it felt instantly familiar. The upholstery had a nubby, tactile texture, and the simulation woodgrain on the dashboard, though not very convincing, reminded me a little of the wood paneling in the basement of my first house. It looked like it had just been dusted with Pledge.
The driver’s side door was heavy and creaked loudly when I pulled it open. The rocker switches for the power windows felt solid and tension-filled, like I’d really need to use the strength in my index finger to get some outside air. And the interior had that wonderful, 1970’s “GM smell” shared by other cars of this vintage. (My 1976 Chevrolet Malibu Classic had it.) Mixed with the ambient scent of the crisp, Chicago autumn night air, it was intoxicating. The fonts on the dash and switchgear made me think of the designers who had chosen them out of many possibilities.
Sitting in this car had such a soothing effect on me, I didn’t want to get out. But Dave was standing there waiting and I had probably lingered a bit too long, so I rejoined our friends and hostesses in our informal circle, stealing a few more adoring glances back at the bronze Riv that had all too briefly cradled me in its early-’70s personal luxury.
After saying bye-for-now to everyone for the night, I made my usual stop into White Castle for a few sliders to go, still smiling from this whole experience. I got maybe six hours of sleep that night in advance of the start of my work week, but it didn’t matter. This Sunday night proved that it can pay to break your own rules once in a while.
All photos are as taken by the author in Edgewater, Chicago, Illinois.
Sunday, October 9, 2011.
Related reading:
Curbside Saturday Night: 1971 Buick Riviera – Papa Was A Rolling Stone
Curbside Classic: 1972 Buick Riviera Boattail – Swan Song Or Big Ugly Duck?
Good job!
Exceptionally well written.
I felt like I was in that back yard too.
+1
This certainly prompted a flood of memories. In about 1993 or 1994, I drove a ’72 Riviera I found on a used car lot near Ft. Leonard Wood. It was a light green color with a dark green interior with only 60,000 miles on the odometer, its condition leading me to believe that was the first time the meter had shown those numbers. That Riviera was unbelievably comfortable and handled quite well for what it was – none of the wallowing, floaty, turbulent output it would seem.
Thanks for bringing this back. A few times I’ve wondered what became of this $4500 Riviera.
Joseph what fantastic pictures of such an evocative car. Just seeing that first picture, I immediately thought of teens sneaking out for a night of fun. The way that early seventies bronze color played in the porchlight in front of the older slightly seedy appearing apartment complex. The long, low car that calls out loudly 455 without needing fender callouts. What a perfect car for a night of fun, of course including a stop at White Castle.
When I was young this was a still common car to see around. Believe it or not, at the time, I did not like them. That crazy roofline on such a large car. I actually thought the 74 with the normal roofline but still cool taillights actually fixed the design. How wrong I was.
For those few who had the guts to wear a flamboyant suit as their everyday car, what a treat Buick made for them. Imagine the first owner, worrying and pacing on a Sunday night about the workweek ahead. Finally needing a break he goes to Whitecastle. He walks into the parking deck under his condo in the sky and sees this Riviera waiting for him. The sights, sounds, smells, and tastes are as you described. Your next week will turn out fine.
Well done! I could hear the crunching gravel and the lovely sound of that engine! There is nothing quite like having a really cool car unexpectedly come to you. What a great evening. You must, however, accept the blame for my wanting a slider even though it is only 8:30 in the morning. A pox on you. 🙂
Thank you, sir! And now I also have a jones for some White Castle. I wish it wasn’t a 10-15 minute walk from my house!
White Castle is always good , 24/7 , no excuses ! (said the man who no longer lives where they exist) .
That’s a sweet Buick , wonderful photos and well written prose .
Thanx ! .
-Nate
Great writing! A boat-tail Riv is on my wish list but I prefer the 71-72s with their more sculpted rear end.
Lyle from Dallas !
Cool story. I was admiring a boat-tail Riv at a car show this past Saturday. it was a black GS with the 455.
Thanks for taking me there with you.
I’ve had my 71 since ’97 when I was still a teenager. It was my daily driver for 5 years. Now it’s a show car. But those early years as a driver were special. People would mention seeing me driving on freeways all throughout Los Angeles. The car stood out so much! It made me think we must pass people we know all the time but we don’t know because their cars are so plain.
I probably had 50 different individuals take a ride with me over those years. It’s great to have a driver and share the experience. Thanks for the write up and memories.
I like the ’73 better than the 1971-72, mainly because of their grille and rear bumper. Strangely, I don’t like the other 1973 full size Buicks as much as the 1971-72 or even the 1974-76 (also because of their grilles and rear bumpers).
I didn’t know that 1973 Rivieras weren’t all assembled at the Flint plant. I thought all pre-1977 Rivieras and Electras came from Flint. I don’t recall seeing one without the “H” in the serial number (and I haven’t looked much at the post-1976 models).
I used to think all Rivs were built in Flint, but then I saw on Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buick_Riviera#Third_generation_.281971.E2.80.931973.29) that they were also built at Linden Assembly. In my subsequent internet research, I couldn’t find anything that refuted that they were built in both Linden and Flint.
Can a few Riviera experts confirm? I’ll gladly amend the text.
I also like the ’73s the best of the three years. I always found the asymmetrical license plate placement on the ’71s and ’72s slightly offputting, but I still like their overall look.
Great write-up Mr. Dennis! The ’71 – ’73 Rivieras were built at the Flint Plant exclusively. I enjoyed a Bamboo Cream (yuk) ’71 for years & got a kick out of the positive attention it drew. There’s a Green-gold ’73 sitting in the barn waiting for some attention now.
Yes!!! Thanks for confirming, Junqueboi, as this is what I had wanted to believe that night. I’ll fix it, and thanks for the props.
Your cars sound(ed) awesome by the way. I think the Riv in this picture: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jhdennis/7893372840/ is the Bamboo Cream color you mentioned. I hope your ’73 sees new life.
Nice car, I’m surprised it’s a 1973 Riviera because the bumpers look more similar to the 1971-72 Riviera’s, I thought the bumpers on the 1973 Riviera look so much better than many cars built in that year, I agree that the 1973 Buick front grille’s don’t look as good as the 1971-72 front grille’s.
This reminds me of the Buick in Thunderbolt & Lightfoot.
Good story and good storytelling. Fortunately, I am not a White Castle addict . . . 🙂
Wonderfully written, it felt like an amazing dream! Haven’t we all had a dream where an unexpected car appears and we drool over it?
read the story for the top 5 fantasy picks and the first on the list was a 72 Riviera gs based on the one my aunts boyfriend bought new.
next story..this!!
thx for turning me back into a drooling 10 yr old remembering the first time auntie and the b/f pulled into a family gathering. I fully get your reaction!
Nice feature. I know what you mean about the smell of the interior plastic and vinyl. Blind fold me and put me into an old car and I will probably guess correctly the make of the vehicle. Just the make…
Thanks, everyone. This feature was especially fun to write. My two friends with the big house enjoyed it also. 🙂
Great write-up, Joseph. I felt like I was sitting in that car too! A close friend of mine has a 1973 Riviera that his grandmother, the original owner, left to him. It only has 36,000 original miles. It is a cream color with the same color interior as the featured car, and the GM smell is so ever present in that car too! For such a large car, they handle quite well. I recall him tellling me the gas mileage was in the 7-8 MPG range, but who cares – when you are cruising around in such a unique vehicle it is worth every penny!
Your wonderful Lemon Pledge reference took me way back. My grandfather used it on the leather seats of his old Caddy. It was great fun for us kids to go sliding across the back seat when he took a turn.
Cadillacs had their own smell which was the regular GM smell mixed with leather and “sweetness”. You’re right it’s intoxicating. I was very happy to find that my ’86 had the exact same smell inside as granddad’s ’70 and ’78. The same Clark Street suppliers all those years. I wonder if the Texas built Broughams seemed different inside.
Great find and great write up.
‘Moored’. +1
I had a friend who had a dark green one of these.
I marvel at how nice styling was during the late 50’s to early 70’s.
And then the Government started mandating idiocy and design went away.