This ’71 Riviera was at the Cohort, found in Japan by Jerome Solberg. I think it’s pretty well known that Japan is among the largest consumers of seafood, so why wouldn’t they appreciate the sea-inspired shape of the ’71-’73 Riviera?
While this Riviera is in pretty decent shape, there are some odd blemishes on the paintwork. Though from this view, you wouldn’t notice much of it.
The blemishes start to appear on the hood and are quite evident on the passenger’s side. For some reason, their color and pattern remind me somewhat of Koi fish. What’s more, the missing grille and headlight surround seem to suggest gills on this Buick.
Want more sea imagery? Our Buick happens to sit in front of a seafood restaurant.
Maybe my Koi fixation started with an uncle of mine in LA, who was infatuated with them for a short while. He spent thousands tending to them and obsessing over their patterns, which is what made them valuable – or so he told me. And in our Cohort Riviera, if the blemishes keep spreading, the Koi fish look will be complete.
Unlike fish, odd spots and blemishes don’t add much value to a car. In any case, I don’t think this Riviera has much to worry about. The Japanese love sea creatures and I’m sure this boattail is in fine company.
Further reading:
Curbside Classic: 1971 Buick Riviera – Bill Mitchell’s Pointy Dead-End
This was really an ugly car.
L0L I’m NOT a fan of this model either ravenuer! The 1963 is my fav Riviera year!
The 1965 was the best because of working headlight covers.
I really dislike those huge wheels with skinny sidewall tires, particularly when they’re on a pristine, otherwise original classic.
With that said, way too small wheels/tires are worse…
+1 for me on that comment.
Bill Mitchell and company “jumped the shark” with this one.
That’s interesting, a seemingly either abandoned or long-term yet still very publicly parked car without license plates in a suburban part of Japan.
This is (with a caveat) one of my favorite shapes of the 1970s, the sheer extravagance, especially the first year with the offset rear license plate somehow works for me. Black doesn’t particularly suit it (not does the koi “patterning” from perhaps a prior bondo repair falling off), but in a metallic blue as in The Ice Storm or a lighter earthtone it’s more harmonious. The black just accentuates the parts people find offputting and yes the custom wheels aren’t helping either.
Some factory Buick sport wheels with 235/75R15 tires would do this one a lot of good.
Yes!
Agree Rims and Tires our ridiculous looking Too small for that big of a behemoth…..don’t get me wrong I Love Full Size full frame GM car’s.Loose the rims and you’ll have Machine.
I think it’s a long-term publicity car – according to Google StreetView, it’s been parked in that lot since at least 2021, though back then it did have plates:
https://goo.gl/maps/3g6fxV57BVQyfAEd8
And I agree with you about the offset license plate – the years with the plate in the center lose a little bit of personality.
I will join Jim Klein – I have always found these cars fascinating to look at and somehow appealing because they are so over the top.
After becoming used to Tatra 87’s features of US cars in Japan, it is strange to see one in such poor shape. Or are some of the more rural folks in Japan less concerned with appearances? I suppose if you want an outlandish 70s US car on a budget, this would be the one you get.
This is such an extreme design. It’s almost impossible to believe that the largest manufacturer of American cars, actually put this into production. After five years of sleek Motorama type show cars ’66-’70, this is almost a “Kustom” George Barris product. It not only jumped the shark, it became the shark! Dramatic, yes. Unique, yes. In good taste? No. The ads for the car stressed the new Accudrive and engine improvements, but never really mentioned the styling, except referring to it as an Extraordinary car. It certainly outdid the T Bird.
Taken for what it is, I love it. I had a very nice ’71 for a few years. I loved the crazy fastback with the pointy boat tail bumper. The front end was the most aggressive front end ever, obviously a car that would eat up the road. It could scare a new Lexus. It had a profile that suggested a jungle cat ready to pounce. There wasn’t anywhere to go from here, and the design was watered down for the next two model years.
This model was not very popular, and sales reflected this. After this, Riviera left the show car era behind and entered the Brougham Era. From 1974 to 1993, the Riv took on formal styling cues for the rest of it’s run.
Then after a one year hiatus, the Riviera returned with dramatic “concept car” styling. The Riviera returned to it’s roots as a style showcase for it’s final years. I just bought a ’97, which is the fifth Riviera that I’ve owned. I think that it’s a true example of the Riviera heritage.
Interesting that they chose a slick top for an ad during the peak vinyl/PLC decade. And yellow paint.
I found this is in Shuzenji, Izu Peninsula. There is another pic in the cohort of the interior – it looks to have been driven recently, with bottled water and other accoutrements in the front seat – which is weird given it’s lack of license plate. I tend to think it is owned by someone who works for/owns the business on that corner. I never understand that particular wheel/tire choice, but you see it a lot in the states as well. Just makes the car perform worse and doesn’t do anything positive for the looks, at least to me.
This was just down the street from a Toyota Crown V Athlete, with a supercharged 6 cylinder, also with poor choice of wheels, which I also grabbed a few pics of, not as easy because it was in a garage.
Thanks for posting these pictures!
I have a 1973 Riviera for sale. It is original and immaculate, low mileage, never wrecked. Contact information attached.
The only thing better would be if this car was photographed parked next to a Mitsuoka. I wonder which one would look more surreal?
Funny, I’m actually working on one right now, just tried to remove the seats but need a different ratchet size from what I currently have. Always wanted a rivi, loved the look of it, wound up getting lucky and finding the most desirable one, a 71
Foozy. If you haven’t joined the Riviera Owners Association you should check it out. You have access to all of their technical info and every copy of their club magazine, The Riview. It’s great to be surrounded by people that “get it” about our love of the Riviera.
This car appears to have a trunk lid from the 1972 model year Rivera, while the front grill and the tail lights are from the 1971 model year. All of the all-new redesigned 1971 model year full-sized General Motors cars featured their new “Full-Flo” forced-air ventilation system which routed air from the passenger compartment out through exhaust vents that were mounted in the cars’ trunk lids. Apparently it didn’t work very well and in some situations exhaust fumes could be sucked into the car and water from rain or carwashes outside the car could get into the vents and into the trunk. The vents in the trunk lid were removed from the 1972 model year full-sized cars. The 1971 Riviera had vents in the trunk lid on either side of the raised center section. The featured car doesn’t have vents in the trunk lid. It looks like the trunk lid from the 1972 model (such as that featured Jose Delgadillo’s posted advertisement above).
The back window and trunk lid, resemble the ’63 corvette, except no split window
The ventilation exhaust vents were moved to the door striker post. The ’71s also had an early form of ABS available.
When I bought my ’71 in the mid 1990’s I went to my Folk’s house with my Wife, and in a box stored in the garage I found my copy of Road Test magazine that had featured the ’71 Riv. My Wife was amazed that I knew exactly where it was!
Yes, for the 1972 model year and afterwards, the exhaust vents were moved to the door striker post. It still doesn’t explain the trunk lid on this car. Apparently there was a mid-1971 design change on many of GM’s 1971 full-sizers where the number of vents was reduced and they were slightly smaller in an attempt to deal with the design problems, but I’m not aware of them being removed entirely on any 1971 models.
Another stand out from Generous Motors .
No, I don’t want one but I can clearly see why others would .
This is the least crowded looking place in Japan .
They’re in love with all our old cars and especially Low Riders but the jerks who tend to populate the American clubs not so much .
-Nate
When i was 17, my dad had a pale yellow 1971 Buick Riviera. Had brown interior. 455, i raced against a corvette that was a 350. I won. I loved that car, i was mad at my dad for selling it, i didnt speak to him for a week. I have such fond memories of that. I would loved to car like that again. If Japan gets tired of the car, they can ship it to me! Lol
This was probably not the greatest of the Riv models, but, it is iconic of the early 70’s…for what it is, this car is a BOAT! Quiet, comfortable and spacious. I’m more of an early to mid 60’s fan w/nailhead v8.