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1973 Buick Riviera Boat Tail Up For Sale: Video

The third-generation Buick Riviera was introduced for the 1971 model year, bringing with it an overhauled exterior design characterized by long, wide, “boat tail” styling crafted by Jerry Hirshberg, with direction from Bill Mitchell. The new look was emphasized by the third-gen Riviera’s new, larger proportions, with three inches added to the wheelbase compared to the previous generation. Now, this third-gen example from the final 1973 model year is up for sale with a gorgeous triple-black color scheme.

This thing is definitely a head-turner, with a black vinyl top and ultra-glossy black paint. Draped across the third-generation Buick Riviera’s boat tail styling, this two-door is simply stunning. The corners mount 15-inch wheels wrapped in redline tires, while highly polished chrome bumpers bookend it nicely.

The black-on-black color scheme also looks fantastic inside the cabin space, with black vinyl upholstery and black carpeting throughout. There’s a set of bucket seats up front, while woodgrain trim bits can be found on the dash, center console, and door panels.

This 1973 Buick Riviera also comes with a number of comfort adders, such as a tilt steering column and power windows. Air conditioning is also equipped. Making it drive easier is power steering, power front disc brakes, and power drum rear brakes.

Speaking of driving, this triple-black Buick Riviera mounts a numbers-matching 455 cubic-inch engine, which is mated to a numbers-matching TH-400 automatic three-speed transmission. The transmission feeds a GM 12-bolt rear end and open differential.

All told, this black beauty shows 30,363 miles on the clock, and now it’s up for sale from Vanguard Motor Sales, listed at $67,900.

Where would you take this 1973 Buick Riviera Boat Tail for a cruise? Let us know in the comments, and make sure to subscribe to GM Authority for more Buick Riviera news, Buick news, and around-the-clock GM news coverage.

Source: Vanguard Motor Sales

Jonathan is an automotive journalist based out of Southern California. He loves anything and everything on four wheels.

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Comments

  1. Beautiful car, no doubt. But at that price, no thanks. I vividly recall a buddy back in high school had this exact car but in an orangish-tanish color. That thing had so much power back in the day. I remember he used to have a cut off bat stuck between the seat and console (for more than one purpose!!) that he used to pretend he was shifting the car like a manual transmission. He could leave black marks about 50 feet long and the car would chirp the tires hitting second and third gear! Oh, the days. But that thing drank gas too, yet back then it was about .75c per gallon.

    Reply
    1. I get 12 mpg on my 1973 now. Not too bad for a 47 year old car. The days of chirping tires are behind but it’ll still get up a little.

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  2. The 1973 is the least boat-tailed of the three years. The original, 1971, had a more prominent point to the back end with an offset license plate. For the ‘73, the 5-MPH bumper system was added to the back and some of the car’s character was lost.

    Nonetheless all of the boat-tailed Rivs are beautiful cars and daring in a way nobody does cars today. I think that was Mitchell’s greatest strength. He always took a risk, always pushed the envelope and the new designs weren’t evolutions of what existed today. He kept making cars look fresh. The ‘71 Riv was a totally new look compared to the ‘70. It held over nothing from its predecessor.

    The stunning ‘63-67 Corvette, as beautiful as it was, gave way to an entirely new look for ‘68 that was equally beautiful. I would think with a Corvette design so right, a person would want to keep it but not Bill. Likewise, Mitchell’s 1975-1979 Seville which spawned the GM for the next 15 years was replaced with the radically different 1980 Seville featuring a Hooper-bodied Rolls Royce inspired bustle truck. Then Mitchell retired and it all ended. The next Corvette, the ‘84, was a smoothed-out update of what had come before for instance. The Corvette is but one example of how 80s GM design evolved from the past rather than breaking molds.

    I personally think GM lost their design mojo and have never been style-setters since. Ford took the title in the 80s, then Chrysler in the ‘90s and now nobody really dares with design.

    In 1971 though when this Riviera hit the streets it was, as they say, a looker, that had people talking. It was a car that needed no nameplate. It’s stunning design told the world what it was loudly and clearly.

    Reply
  3. Very nice car however it has been completely refurbished. I own one myself and the majority of the parts on there have been repaired and replaced and painted over. Also that car does not have original paint and the chrome on there has been re-chromed.

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  4. I’m in love!!!!!!

    Reply

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