This is the tuned car.

This is the tuned car.

My friends have been outpacing me drastically with the automotive finds and today is no different! Robin of Omaha recently stumbled upon a brace of beautiful Buicks:

This is a 1966 Buick Riviera in what seems to be an aftermarket two-tone graphite over black with a fearsome red stripe dividing the colors. The reason we know this is a '66 as opposed to the almost-identical '67 is the fact that those angled square lenses on the sides do not have a horizontal bar going down the middle of them. Even though they're large those are just the turn signals on the sides. This ride has 4 headlights hidden concealed in the grill. When they're open they look a bit crowded in there to me.

This ride is largely the same as the Cadillac Eldorado and Oldsmobile Toronado of the same year. However unlike the others the Riviera is a traditional rear wheel drive car. This is the final year for the venerable Buick Nailhead motor, this one a 425 V8.

Obviously the lines on this ride are fantastic and dramatic! The rear roofline swooping down to frame the trunk makes this beast seem like it's moving while standing still.
*Notice the lack of little vent windows! This is the first year since the '30s that a Buick didn't have them.

This is an evil ride with the black bumpers (something I usually frown upon). The vents beneath the back window are where the air exits the cabin as a part of the fresh air system.

Right next to the '66 is this 1967 Riviera with its tell tale horizontal turn signal bars. This is a mild custom like its brethren so the chrome hood trim has been shaved. 

I couldn't find any proof of two-tone Rivieras from the factory but this is a pretty common restoration choice. The mirrors on this ride are later replacements (the other ride has the correct driver-only chrome unit). 

I dig this roofline without the vinyl roof too. The wheels on both rides work really well. Both of these have the optional bucket seat interior essentially making them 4 seaters.

Somebody added a little pin striping to this ride.

1967 saw a new engine for Buick; the 430 V8 good for 360 horsepower and a whopping 475lbs of torque! Even at a weight of over 2 tons it was enough to move this beast around with alacrity. 

Buick (and indeed all of GM) was riding high through the '60s and they were understandably proud of the Riviera. It was touted as the "Tuned car" in their literature. In fact the entire opening paragraph is so assured that I'm going to close it out with this quote:
"We regret to destroy (again) the old theory that great road machines always come from Europe. But this one comes from exotic, far away Flint, Michigan - home of Buick, home of the Tuned car."

Almost the Heartbeat of America

ALMOST THE HEARTBEAT OF AMERICA

I was walking around some area of Brooklyn that looks like the pics below (Dyker Heights? Bensonhurst? My own beloved Bay Ridge?) when this '80s Bro-mobile presented itself:

Yeah Bro!
This is a 1983-1985 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS in White.
I know this car well because I went to high school in Carmel, New York from the late '80s through the early '90s. The Monte Carlo was ubiquitous with the gold-chain-over-your-black-sweater crowd. 

The Super Sport got this nifty aerodynamic front that incorporated the bumper and grill/headlight surrounds as one piece. The standard Monte had a chrome bumper below a stand-up grill and headlights set flush into the facade as opposed to these inset ones.

This shape is familiar to anyone who drove a Buick Regal, Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, or Monte Carlo from 1978-1988. This is the G-Body platform (though from '78-'82 they referred to it as the A-Body even though it is the same). The G-Body cars were some of the final front engine, rear wheel drive domestic rides produced en masse. Sure the Taxi & Police stalwarts like the Crown Vic, Caprice, and luxury 4 door sleds from Buick & Cadillac continued through the '90s, but the nameplates that used the G-Body all went front wheel drive after '88.

The Chevy Bow Tie emblem sitting above the trunk lock is nicely understated. Our feature Monte was built moments before the Heartbeat of America ad campaign came out (which ran from '86-'93). While I couldn't locate a commercial for this exact car I did find a vintage Motor Trend review that surprisingly extolls the high performance capabilities of the '83 SS! Never mind that a basic Honda can outperform everything but the top speed these days. *Bonus campy faux moonshiner acting really makes it a groaner to watch.
That little spoiler/wing didn't do much but it was standard with the SS. Dual exhaust was also a part of the SS option package, as was a special "race-blue" interior (according to their brochure).

Since I'm featuring a car for sale I figure I ought to include the number in case a Monte Carlo fan is looking for a clean '80s SS. Those 6x9 speakers on the back deck could only be made more period correct if there was a Bazooka tube in the trunk hooked up to an Alpine deck.

For a while in the early '80s you could get bizarre combinations in your Monte Carlo. Diesel engines were available from '78-'84 (there were only 168 diesel Montes built in that final year!). Both 3 and 4 speed manual transmissions were optional from '78-'80. The Buick turbocharged V6 was a rare option in '80 which actually became a 1 year only model in '81 called the Monte Carlo Turbo. The famous Buick Grand National was essentially a G-Body Regal with that turbo motor and it was briefly the fastest American production car available, even beating out the Corvette!

From the side this thing looks capable and mean with its aerodynamic front and rear spoilers. This body style was very effective in Nascar during the late '70s. To try and retake some checkered flags in in 1987 they introducing the Monte Carlo Aerocoupe. The main difference between the regular and the Aerocoupe was that the back window was angled from the roofline to the rear of the trunk for greater aerodynamics. It is rare today (the Pontiac version was called the 2+2 and is even rarer).
Well that's that for this G-Body ride. My very first car was an '83 Cutlass Supreme Brougham that looked just like this (except for my sweet burgundy landau roof). When I was in my teenage years and people around me were getting their licenses these were some of the most common cars around. If I had a parking space I would consider another as a daily driver. If you like to work on your car this is the last gasp for old-school technology so they're easy and simple. If you do pick one up do yourself a favor and acquire some Z Cavaricci gear so you can come correct!  

Antique Buick in Antique Gold

ANTIQUE BUICK IN ANTIQUE GOLD

I had a rare bout of insomnia recently and decided to bike out to Brighton Beach at dawn. On the way back I took 86th Street past the Dyker Beach Golf Course. Look what I found waiting to tee up!

This is a 1969 Buick Electra 225 in Antique Gold Poly. Talk about stage presence! With a wheelbase 1" larger than the behemoths that preceded it the '69 Electra is large and in charge. From the front the lines are straight as an arrow. Rarely do you see a raised middle section of a hood that doesn't open up towards the windshield in a V shape.

The wipers are concealed below the hood adding to the clean look. The split grill is housed within a double loop bumper that pretty much incorporates the entire front of the car.

That swooping accent line going down the side was a Buick hallmark for '69 that can also be seen on the Skylark (the Riviera was the lone holdout). Above the front wheels you can see the now stylized Buick portholes. The portholes were officially named Cruiser-Line Ventiports when they were introduced on 1949 Buick. Back then they were functional in taking heat away from the engine. They became synonymous for Buick and were added in one form or another to most of their cars for decades.

This old girl's resting on semi deflated tires. The paint is faded completely and surface rust is emerging but for the most part this thing looks solid.

That Sweep Spear (as that swooping body line is known) really helps to keep this massive brick dynamic.

I love how unforgiving the rear end of these land yachts are. The '65-'67 taillights spanned the full width of the car and just look incredible. Starting in '68 we see this treatment with the license plate in the middle but the overall look is still substantial.

Of course the trunk is as big as you can imagine. Even a full size spare does nothing to take away from the truly colossal square footage inside this beast.

While you could specify a plain metal roof for your Electra we know this one had vinyl at one time. The chrome line running from the rear quarter window under the back window is the clue. This owner was smart to remove it because anything less than totally dry and pristine means the metal underneath will rot out.

It was a quiet block with nobody around so I didn't want to get right up to the window. Looking at it now I think this thing is unlocked though; watch out people!
The interior can ferry 6 well fed adults in ocean liner comfort. There were no manual transmissions available for this car; that wasn't the point!

Beneath this mighty hood lies the 430 V8 rated at 360 horsepower! Don't worry about the gas mileage. Feel confident in the fact that you can tow a large boat or camper, pull stumps out of the east, or simply lay strips until your tires dissolve. 

I found a commercial for the 1967 Electra that sums up the ride quality so well that I thought I'd include it here even though the year is different. The thought of combining glasses of wine and a car speaks to a simpler, more naive time!

Well at this point the sun was just coming up and I needed to head home for coffee. There seem to be a decent amount of these full size Buick sprinkled about Brooklyn, 2nd only to vintage Cadillacs. Speaking of Cadillac this ride is very similar, sharing the underpinnings with the Coupe DeVille. If you love big American iron and want a classic to use daily I highly recommend an old Buick. 

Where are the real New Yorkers these days? Bay Ridge!

BAY RIDGE NEW YORKER

Having moved to my new neighborhood last week I've been pleasantly surprised by the great old iron scattered about the streets. Here is my first installment but there are several waiting in the wings:

This is a 1968 Chrysler New Yorker in a nicely faded coat of original Frost Green Poly. It is totally awesome. I love this car!
This is a big old pointy-grilled Detroit ride looking ready for action even though it's got its battle scars. The sides are so flat that they've surpassed flatness and gone straight to concavity for the length of the car.

They literally gave this car the same simple tape treatment that a boxer gets between rounds. 3 measly rivets and an obviously trimmed to length piece of generic metal is all this prizefighter gets while it's screaming "PUT ME BACK IN THE RING COACH!"
This car is badass. The bumper survived whatever tore the beejezus out of the fender. By the way check out that tiny light on the bumper.

Despite the dented front and rot chewing its way around the fender skirt this ride has great lines. Chrysler already had a history of breaking away from the pack with its unique and daring designs but by this point they were really going for it. The chrome lower body treatment is excellent. Those are the original hubcaps though there's an interloper on the other side.

This beast is pretty dirty but the green is pleasing even in this state.

Dig those taillights hidden into a mock grill. The front and rear have a lot in common. The Chrysler 300 from this year had hidden headlights that made the front grill look like this. I like every single car they made in 1968. 

100% NRA! AMERICA!

The script is very elegant for a fire breathing brute like this. The only engine choice for this car was the massive 7.2 liter 440 V8. Not only is that a colossal power plant but it was free breathing without any emissions equipment choking the horsepower. These things are big but fast!

The rust seems to be from resting under wet leaves more than anything. The fender skirts both have issues but the quarter panel looks mostly solid.

The top is in remarkable condition. Once moisture finds its way underneath it's curtains for the roof.

This fastback body style was only introduced in '67 and after '68 the entire lineup was changed dramatically. The 1966 and earlier New Yorkers had a formal upright squared off roofline.

This thing is outfitted with huge bucket seats. Of course somebody can ride in the middle but for the most part this is a personal luxury hot rod. If you look closely you'll see the massive ashtray is pulled out from under the dash. There's a central lighter and then each side has its own ashtray!
The radios in these rides are amazing. The knobs are dials built sideways into the dash that scroll up and down.

There's an old aftermarket 8 track player mounted under the dash! Awesome to see one still in place. Some were removable to take on picnics but I can't tell from this angle.

That's the mouth of the New York Harbor through the trees. The Verrazano Narrows bridge is just off stage left.

Well that's where I'll leave this sweet rig. Sales were great for Chrysler in 1968 so there are some of these around if you keep your eyes open. Unfortunately many of these have had their engines yanked out of them over the years but if you can find one intact it will be quite the fun beast to drive around in. 

Crazed Robot Falcon from outer space!

SAM THE EAGLE AS A CAR

My last post was a Grand Prix so I figured I'd feature 2 more GPs as a follow-up. Here's the first; cover your eyes!

What we have here is a 1967 Pontiac Grand Prix that at one point in its life was the color Champagne Poly. Those days are long gone! Rust and filth have ravaged this wreck. However I love the design this year so dearly that I want to feature it regardless.

First of all dig these covered headlights! Every other Pontiac had exposed stacked headlights in '67 except for the GP. The turn signals are awesomely subtle behind those three horizontal slits above the headlight door.

That Pontiac beak had never been so prominent! I always think of these pointy-nosed cars as birds. Check out the resemblance:

Sam the Eagle has never been more needed than today!

This ride is so thoroughly rusted that it seems to be made out of powdered cocoa. Somehow the chrome remains proud and lovely.
The engine choices for this car when new were few and mighty. The standard was a 400 V8 good for 350 horsepower. Optional was a crushingly powerful 428 V8 good for either 360 or 376 hp for the high output version. All GPs had a 4 barrel carb and dual exhaust. With no emissions regulations and the muscle car craze still ramping up these are free breathing healthy engines.

This is the ultimate F.U. of towing; just drag the dead car up onto the flatbed with a winch regardless of if the wheel is jammed up. For whatever reason they dragged this beast up on the truck and parked both where I found them.
You can see the more pronounced for 1967 Coke Bottle styling in this pic.

Zero chrome on the sides and just this one raised style line running the length of the car made for a very clean look. This is a huge car and they weren't trying to hide that fact back then.

These wide horizontal taillights were 1967 only and mimic those on the Firebird. On the lower right corner you can see the now-standard reverse light.

Why is the back panel black? Who knows? What I can tell you is that the *"You've got a friend in Pennsylvania" license plate was issued between 1983-1985. However it was legal to keep this plate on your car while updating your little registration sticker through 2001. Regardless this thing hasn't moved under it's own power in 16 years at the bare minimum and most likely more than that.
*Wikipedia calls this slogan out for being grammatically incorrect.

All these little holes perplexed me when I snapped this pic. At first I thought it was the result of some quick and dirty bodywork where you drill small holes to pull out a dent. Recently I saw detailed photos of a '67 GP restoration and the freshly painted car had the exact same pattern. It turns out that this is where the two emblems spelling GRAND PRIX were mounted.

As with the earlier '60s GPs the rear window was concave while the rest of the Pontiac lineup wasn't.

Anyone attempting to restore this is a maniac.
It was a beautiful Pennsylvania Summer day when I pulled over to ask some gruff mechanics if they minded if I snapped a couple pics. After too long a silence one of them uttered "go ahead" and they turned their backs on me. Thanks bros.
I've always love this year GP and as I detailed in my last post the one-yer-only '67 convertible was my One That Got Away. Some day I'll have one hopefully.