1972 Buick Rivera GS - vintage road test

MuscleCarFilms.com/

[@carkenny2]

Styling sold that car. Still looks fabulous after all these years.

[@AMCmachine]

"It's rare to get rubber with a 4,500 pound plushmobile--but we did." Gotta love THAT. Along with the cutting-edge stereo tape deck, the narrator's obligatory 60s/70s style "announcer voice" and the jazzy Herb Alpert-inspired soundtrack. Awesome--thesr road tests are a HUGE treat to watch. : )

[@landyachtfan79]

I hear Ray Conniff more than I do Herb Alpert.

[@rodmunch69]

Cruise control, a sun roof, and endless numbers of ash trays with a light brown interior - man, what a truly awesome car and presentation.

[@haleydog8]

As I remember, The smog pumps would go first, then we would put on an earlier intake manifold and carb ( carbs from 500 cu.in. Caddy motors & 455 olds Toronados were favorites) mostly from the wrecking yard. dual exhaust if it didn't have it, Headers, lighter weights in the distributor, B&M shift kits in the transmissions, sometimes we would swap earlier heads although some of the 70's heads flowed as well, then if we had the cash work the heads & up the compression, maybe a cam. The heads and cams upgrade was rare as we didn't have much money. The plan was always to get as close to a 1970 455 stage 1 as possible. We had a friend who worked at JC Penney in the auto service shop so sometimes we could get a good after hours tune and a run on the first Dyno I had ever seen. Ah the good old days.

[@FRANCIS6189]

That car is a stunner!!!! They'll never be like that again.

[@techguyMD]

My first car was a 1972 Riv GS.. I was 16 and working part time at a chicken restaurant. My dad called and asked if he could use my money to buy it at an auction. I said "If you think it's good... you know more than me about cars." It was the early 80's.... He picked me up from work that night in the green Riv... it squealed the tires as he pulled in the parking lot and pulled up... the V8 thumping... he rolled down the driver window and said "You ain't driving this home!" LOL

[@Cash2112]

This was my dad's Buick, only his was metallic green with a white vinyl top. In my formative years, I duplicated many of maneuvers shown here as well as some even more dramatic including impressive smokey donuts, crowd pleasing reverse-neutral-L1 drops and blowing the doors off many of my contemporaries' lesser grocery getters. I can also testify topping out the 120 mph speedo and the beast was still accelerating. . . Only God knows how fast we were going. . . all on Firestone white wall tires.

[@johnbeer5242]

Cash2112 😀u dog u👏👏🍻👏🍻👏🍻🍻👏🍻🍻🍻😀

[@matthewpaanotorres7309]

Your dad is lucky to have this car.

[@nicetna2010]

4500 lb vehicle doing 0-60 mph in 8.4 seconds. Axle-twisting torque with power seats, power windows, power everything. Full power, even with white wall tires and chrome wheels.

[@paktype]

Schön 0-60 in 8.4 in a car like that is almost too good to be true.

[@rodmunch69]

Back in the early 90s I have a '72 Cutlass, my friend had a '72 Chevelle and another friend had the sister of this car, a '72 Gran Prix with a 454. Me and the Chevelle would smoke the Grand Prix to about 65mph or so - then that huge beast would take off like a rocketship and fly by us until it ran out of gears around 120mph. So while 0-60 at 8.4 isn't bad, I'd love to know what the quarter is - in particular what the acceleration looks like once it gets it's fat ass moving.

[@Doobie1975]

@@paktype It's possible on a pre-1973 car of its vintage due to stronger powertrains.

[@tomwebber5094]

No smog controls meant excellent output. Later cars were just choked to death. By the mid-70's you had 400 CU with output in the 150-165 hp range with torque at 210-240 ft lbs trying to move that kind of weight.

[@Doobie1975]

@@tomwebber5094 the 1971-72 big block engine's produced by GM did have lower compression valves but still managed to have good power and drivability.

[@chargalant]

Damn....what a beautiful beast!

[@canejo6]

Boy we had so many great cars back in the day,,,

[@papocam3853]

My dad had a brand new 1 back in the day. No hole in the roof. Exact color, the G.S. was a decent handler after he put steel belted radials. Difference of night & day. Ran on low lead fuel,but of course, the higher the octane the better the performance. Firmer ride,limited slip,it was a great long distance traveler. He always loved Buick Riviera since the '60's. But, a bit disappointed on the power side in comparison. NOW,he wouldn't touch them. Not the same he says. Buick w/o a V-8, Now, even though it is just him & mom,he drives a new CADILLAC ESCALADE, simply because of the power plant. Old school.

[@senorkaboom]

In my estimation, one of the best looking cars to come from GM. The lines and that rear end definitely put this Riviera model in its own class.

[@ronnysterling7694]

senorkaboom then they wreck it with their infinite stupidity

[@mitchellpak1666]

I would like to have met the driver - this guy knew how to drive - he kept this beast on course.

[@bradparris99]

Yes he knew how to drive, but he had one trick up his sleeve when doing the test drive. He was wearing both the lap and shoulder belts, I'm sure for safety of course, but the belts held him firmly in the seat and gave him a better feeling of how the car drove and handled. As a teenager back in the early 70s that's what got me to wear both the lap and shoulder belts when it wasn't cool to do so, but those older cars just drove so much better with the belts buckled. And as I am living proof, the belts let me walk away from a head on collision with only bruises from the belts.

[@Doobie1975]

I consider 1972 to be the last good year of the classic automobiles before it really started to go downhill in the looks, styling and performance department.

[@fatpatlives1998]

True but Cadillac still had a nice run

[@cle-chi]

@@fatpatlives1998 i was jus.about to say that. I gotta 79 Coupe 425 4 barrel...duals...she hauls azz

[@BNforever2009]

My cousin Lovell, all he drove was the Buick Rivieras nothing else. That 455 4bbl Buick was a helluva motor!!! My imagine drag racing a Riviera GS on a drag strip, a/c on, tape deck playing and still eating chinese food out the box, and no mess!

[@papocam3853]

& keeping your arm around your mate!!!!!

[@bradparris99]

I would swap out the chinese take out for a pack of Winston 100's.

[@Nunofurdambiznez]

I drove a '70 Riviera with the 455 4-barrel back in the late 70s and super early 80s.. was the fastest car I've ever driven ! I could just barely touch that pedal and WHAM!! off it would go like a bullet! I sure miss that beast - I'd trade my 2019 Lincoln Nautilus for that '70 Riv any day of the week!

[@reeltoreelrules]

I wish I still had My 73 Riv. man that was a nice car

[@StephenB58]

I prefer Fords and Chryslers, ten to one over GM products, but I will admit, I think the 1971 and '72 Buick Rivieras were among the most beautiful cars ever made in this country.

[@ronnysterling7694]

Stephen Williams yer nuts too. Nothing like a GM style and dynaride quality.

[@jdmnsxr6820]

LOL u like shitty ford and shitty Chrysler over GM??? LMAO!!!!

[@MrDch1975]

my aunt and uncle had one of those. i remember seeing it being raced at the local dragstrip on the weekends... good memories

[@ravenfn831]

Great stuff! Thanks much.... from a Mopar guy. Buick's were truly the sh*t for quite a few years!

[@Next50On]

I have own a few of these Boat Tails an they handle exceptionally for the era. They GO to!

[@larryfoster4455]

In 1986, living in SoCal taking care of a friends grandmothers estate, I bought a new condition '71 GS in Emerald green, with white vinyl top, darker green dash and carpet, with the rest of the interior in white leather, had the road wheels, whitewalls (aggressive and high speed rated), HD front and rear sway bars, Koni shocks, lowered 1 1/2 inch,, full power with auto A/C and the engine pumping enough power the 0-60 was 7.2-7.5 seconds and run 140 mph (mpg was 8-12 mpg). Mine cornered more planted than the video, but the thing most don't understand, is in the car and driving it, it's under control. I've had a long series of Chrysler products, and Buicks that have so much power, on a winding road the tail tends to drift corners, but it is perfectly under control, and feels great doing it. I've drifted corners in my 1966 6000+ pound Imperial at 110 mph around a 90 degree curve with the ability to place any part of the car within one inch of where I want it. Back to the Riv, I loved the car and handling, it was a shock to realize it was just inches from the length of my earlier Electra. Unfortunately, in SoCal, these were popular to steal and use as getaway cars, which mine was, and wrecked. I still have my '64 and '65 Riv GS, as well as 2 1963 Electra convertibles, all pumped and suspension done, but I still want another 71-71 GS again.

[@terryharding7476]

One of the best, would love to have one!

[@JohnGruber-di3cw]

When you really want to utilize the awesome torque on any Buick be it with a Stage 1 or Stage 2 cam you must master the Brake Torque perfectly or you will either burn the tires completely off the rim or Torque Flex ( Twist) the drive shaft. Good tires are way too expensive to just burn up unless you're a millionaire or Billionaire!!LOL.

[@enerrivers4392]

In all the time that show existed ,I NEVER seen either a Cadillac, Lincoln, Imperials TESTED. Suspension too soft,....my dad had the same model & year brand new. I think all he replaced the tires from , J78-15 to Vogues LR70-15. It not only made the car look gr8, but, it handled much better as well as ride. He kept it 3 years trouble free for a '75. He was just dissatisfied with the lack of power. Since we lived upstate, limited slip was ALWAYS on his cars. He had relatives/pals that had cars of upgraded status, he always compared, ofcourse, the Riviera was his winner. When better cars are built, BUICK WILL BUILD THEM!!!💥🇺🇸

[@yambo59]

I agree, I still like the early ones too, the 63 & 64 - 65, had a great style and great looking dashboard and console. Loved the boat tails and on up to around '76 -- one of the first personal luxury cars. And the GS versions of these had great engines.

[@socalguy97]

No one had a way with words and metaphors like Bud.

[@cle-chi]

or Mr Paul Winfield on Tv Crime series...."City Confidental" its on you tube

[@Countryboy830]

I had one with a 455, and I can assure you that it would spin tires a lot further than what they do at the beginning of this video!

[@classic-kool]

Great looking car .... holds up today.

[@Bridging_the_Political_Divide]

"The slide was straight as an arrow." Lol. How times have changed.

[@robertortiz8540]

MaccalsntDead, Thank You for posting.

[@Adikxx]

i fell in love with this car!!! beautiful!!!!!!!

[@johnhiram1207]

They were stunning cars for sure!

[@mbreckwoldt9813]

Love it. Very iconic. I remember back in 1972 a friend of my dads bought one new in green. Loved it

[@HoopsJunkies]

my uncle had one and I was in dream heaven as a kid I played his 8track all the time

[@mbreckwoldt9813]

o yeah. the good old 8 tracks.

[@Artyfil]

what a classy car!

[@blu68caddy]

I have always loved Riviera's!!! My personal favorite's are of course the boat tell Riviera but I love the 1965 the best‼️ The 66 and 67 are a very close second. In 1964 there was a dealer option GS model which included 2x4 barrel carburetors. Then in 1965 and I believe 1966 it was a factory option. 🚀🚀 Man they were very cool cars ‼️‼️

[@erichanson3961]

Yes Factory "Super Wildcat 485" was factory in both years. It was a 425 with 360 hp and 485 pound feet of torque.

[@rafranks1410]

Would sound awesome through Magnaflows!

[@scottyperinn]

it would of been cool to live in one of those houses as a kid back then.

[@rompn4x]

I miss driving old boats like this. I know Hybrids are all the rave but it was more fun when you had almost 500ft. lbs. of torque at your right foot

[@PotatoGunsRule]

Well, I kept my mother's 1975 Pontiac Bonneville. All original, I started the 400 up just two days ago and it ran smooth as when it was new.

[@steelwheels327]

This is quite comical right down to the drive in music!!

[@texan176]

The braking is impressive for how much it weights, the tire tech then, etc.

[@mosesberkowitz3298]

What a beast!! And it looks great hustling around the track!! Wish I could afford one, let alone the gas for one.....

[@markmarshall39]

back in the day where are coupes were as big as an s-class

[@joeysixtysix]

Gorgeous, I must have one!

[@TylersNeighborhoodGarage]

Running the slalom with the A/C on...I could see the condensate running out.

[@PacificEdibleSeaweed]

I learned to drive in this car, and yes, I drove it pretty hard sometimes.

[@gregs_garage]

Stop straight as an arrow! As the car is sideways on the road. HAHAAHAHHA I also like how they lock up all 4 wheels and just slide to a stop in these tests!

[@PacificEdibleSeaweed]

+leusgs I grew up driving these old cars, and brakes were nothing like today. They were more exciting.

[@mr.butterworth4216]

+leusgs This is them letting the car do what it will during a full on stop. No pumping of brakes, or much course correction. If you wanted to keep the car from going sideways and all four wheels from locking up, there are things you could do. Not today of course because nobody knows how to drive.

[@Lucille69caddy]

No anti-lock brakes, Einstein.

[@gregs_garage]

+Dino Pace of course not in 1972 silly! Before ABS the quickest way to stop was to sense the lockup then ease off on the pedal a bit. Just keep the tires on the edge of locking up. Like human ABS. get it? Too complicated? Regardless I just love how they just lock 'em up and slide to stop! So ridiculous.

[@Lucille69caddy]

+leusgs No, we pumped the brakes a few times instead of just mashing the pedal. We also started cold carbureted cars differently by flooring the accelerator pedal once, setting the choke. We also had to kick it down when the car was warmed up or it would be running at high idle indefinitely. Totally different driving experience.

[@gunitfor]

thats smooth as liquid velvet

[@JohnSmith-if4uy]

Can't like this enough

[@mattcrooke8321]

7.5 litre engine....the stuff of dreams!!!

[@paktype]

Matt Crooke Cadillac had a 500 inch V8 in the mid 70s but it only made about 230 hp.

[@Lucille69caddy]

@@paktype That torque tho!

[@iisj13]

Beautiful!!!

[@mitchellpak1666]

He tells us that the car stayed flat through the turns and recovery time was good - and at 3:54 the car runs off the course

[@terryharding7476]

Nothing today even compares to the styling of this car, hell nothing today even compares!

[@johnmcmullen456]

Today all we seem to have is copycat crossovers and SUV's

[@coolrides]

Surprising performance! :) Jack

[@deloreanman14]

Not bad for such a big car.

[@jeremythompson9895]

Buick Riviera's were always such nice cars. I'm mostly a Mopar and Ford fan but Riv's might be my favorite luxury cars of all time besides the Chrysler 300's from the late 50s. Always liked Riv's better than a Lincoln or Cadillac though. I think in either 1965 or 66 Riviera's came with the 425 horsepower 430 ci engine with dual quads. Beautiful cars

[@paktype]

The test driver was a master.

[@nowitsabadtime]

@1:29! super-slick...

[@Conurelover1]

@ P G R...I could not agree with you more!!!

[@samiyalcas1280]

Hello. Just love it.

[@matrox]

Beeeoootiful styling.

[@Doobie1975]

There was definitely a major difference in the handling departments on the 1972 Riveria's than the 1973 Riveria's from the road tests and the 1972 Riveria seemed to have better handling and performance, they were both the GS models

[@boteenracing]

The braking "slide" was straight as an arrow. LMAO

[@emeyer6963]

Must of had some bent arrows to compare it to

[@Imnotyourdoormat]

Molnar had a Silver 1 in High School...

[@johnbeer5242]

my favorite car ! one of my favorites!🤔👏👏🍻👏🍻👏🍻🍻🍻👍😀🍻👍👏

[@itsmegp46]

Wow, look at that thing slide, roll and plow all over the place. It looked like the tires nearly rolled under and nearly riding on the front rims.

[@Doobie1975]

really like this era of the Riviera, definitely the last of the good years of the automotive industry right before the Emission Control devices and the smog pumps started to take its toll on the automotive industry along with the cars becoming heavier and slower, 1970, 1971 and 1972 were the only really good years of the automotive industry, 1973 wasn't too shabby but 1974 on was when cars went to shit

[@Dr_Xyzt]

Dang, that thing stayed flat in the corners. Awesome! I love me some sidewall flex.

[@mistacee4283]

I want one!!

[@Marc816]

No radials back then. That's why it was wallowing around corners on the sidewalls.

[@eldo59]

The old Rivs and Regals look a lot younger than the Buicks they sell today.

[@johnygrasa]

That cameraman had balls of steel. I wouldnt be anywhere near those big non-handling sleds 4:05

[@Doobie1975]

definitely a very good performance car with the detuned 455 engine despite it's 2.25 ton weight, I consider 1972 to be the last good year of the classic automobiles before they seriously started to decline.

[@haleydog8]

Didn't take much work to unleash the real potential of that 455. Back in the day we used uncork those things and man you had luxury and power. Torque was always in the 500 foot pound range. Best part was you could get most of the speed parts you needed from the junkyard cheap.

[@gregs_garage]

+haleydog8 what were the main things you did to unleash it?

[@Doobie1975]

Nice cars, 1972 was definitely one of the last of the really good years of the automotive industry before they've started putting the crappy Emission Control devices in their vehicles along with the rubber bumper guards.

[@scdevon]

You could set the cruise control at 110 mph all day long and this car wouldn't even blink. On smooth asphalt you could literally fall asleep.

[@rsattahip]

Except for waking up at every gas station, but then these old boats were so miserable to drive you might as well be sleeping.

[@che1925]

Did you have one? Cars rode way more smooth than today. I guess your Toyota is so noise proof with great handling.

[@rsattahip]

Yep, learned how to drive in an Oldsmobile Delta 88 that got 9 miles per gallon. Todays cars are the best that have ever been made.

[@che1925]

Performance wise you are correct, but you have to admit the styling is not memorable in these current cars. They are made of cheap plastic and are not built to last.

[@rsattahip]

Great, you were also riding on non-speed rated bias ply tires that were only certified for 85 MPH. S rated (112 mph) and H rated (128 mph) were not matched with the cars top speed until much later. Many people died from blow outs, especially in hot areas like Arizona.

[@mitchellpak1666]

At 1:46, the speedo reads 85 mph while the car is not moving. LOL

[@patriley5333]

That is a warning indicator that you can set to give you notice.

[@enerrivers4392]

Speed Alert. Save me many times from speeding. These cars were able to give the impression that U was driving slower than the speedometer indicated.

[@ScarlettFire341]

this GUY is a very cool announcer

[@markmarshall39]

moves like jagger

[@glasscitadel12]

The price tag on this one won"t quit... LOL!

[@emeyer6963]

+glasscitadel12 Couldn't raise the window high enough to see the total

[@glasscitadel12]

LOL!

[@glasscitadel12]

E Meyer LOL!!

[@emeyer6963]

Wonder what it would be like if Buick would recreate this car with today's mechanicals ala Dodge Challenger.Wonder if today's market would get it

[@glasscitadel12]

I wonder? It would be in order as we see these retros are HOT!

[@yambo59]

Agreed - there no style anymore, and even todays cadillacs dont have the smooth ride these old land yachts had -- no they didnt handle, but they werent meant to - they were boulevard / highway cruisers that would cruise the interstate all day long in livingroom comfort - and you had way more room in cars back then, that was part of the luxury of them. try putting six people in anything today except for a large suv or minivan. My first car was a '63 buick lesabre, loved the way it rode.

[@MaestroTJS]

This is a Buick Riviera, not a Geraldo Rivera. You are missing the "i" in your title.

[@57silver]

@quirpco I'm not sure our Rollers, Jaguars or Bentleys could do much better at the time

[@APA2Channel]

those things are fairly collectible now-a-days

[@frequencyfluxfandango8504]

Though I honestly do love classic American cars, this was one of the funniest commentaries to listen to, given that the car was all over the place. If this car had the 'GS handling package', what must that slalom course have been like otherwise ? But, if it was good enough for Robert Plant... (He owned one of these.....)

[@davidevans125]

yep and that car is still going,its in my garage !

[@Tiptoetherat]

Look at the front tire in the slalom, looks like its almost ready to pull off the rim!

[@joaoricardobicudodeoliveir8135]

Nice color!! Is this Nutmeg or Burnished Bronze?

[@RitzyTrailerII]

Burnished Bronze poly !

[@RaymondHaley-bi8lx]

These are sports cars, but they need serious work to the suspension and drivetrain then you have a real torque monster.

[@briansmith8361]

The Europeans call these Yank Tanks.....this is my favorite Yank Tank!

[@1966425]

This particular Riv is loaded. I have one but it's not a GS and doesn't have cruise or rear defrost but it's got pretty much all the other options. This one has the very rare climate control. A big heavy car that handles surprisingly well. Mine is bone stock and still has points. I also had a '72 Electra Limited and even though that's bigger than this, that car drove and handled easy. These big GM cars were built better than many people realize. I like 72's before the ugly government mandated 5 mph bumpers showed up in 1973. That killed the styling on many GM cars.

[@thadiuspennington2277]

The 72 Riviera was A Nice Car , This Guy Liked This Car , The 1969 Impala Video He Talked a lot of Plush Smack about which wasn’t fair with it only having A 2 barrel Carb what could he expect , he should Have Used A 427 with A 4 barrel Carb in 69 Impala in the other Video then as he said It would have been an entirely different animal and more of A Fair Test Run .

[@PotatoGunsRule]

I would have to agree with that. GM REALLY lost it in the body style department in 1973 and my stock 1975 Pontiac Bonneville is LAME according to my dad. We've had it since 1976 we ya, we know. :( Govt regulations forced on engines killed performance beginning about 1973.

[@LeftyStratPlayer]

This Riviera was not a production version. Back in the day, GM used what were known as "press cars" for these automotive reviews. These cars were literally hand-assembled, meticulously detailed, and fine-tuned exclusively for the automotive journalists' press. During the summer of 1972, I remember going with my dad to the local Buick dealership to look at a dark green Riviera GS with the tan cloth interior on the showroom floor. Long story short, none of the body panels or hood and trunk were even close to being correctly aligned, along with comically ridiculous panel gaps that were all over the place. The interior door panels and dash were also misaligned and looked to have been force-fit into place, and the front power seats were angled slightly inboard, and neither of them worked. To add insult to injury, a drip pan was sitting underneath the car due to a leaking transmission seal. The salesman seemed embarrassed to even show the car to my dad. He tried his best to smooth things over by guaranteeing that all the mechanical, electrical issues, body panel alignment, and interior matters would be dealt with if my dad agreed to buy it (at a substantial discount). Although my dad was sympathetic to the salesman, he politely declined the offer and held on to his '69 Wildcat for a few more years.

[@scottyperinn]

is that what that was? i saw that too.

[@jasoncarpp7742]

Sweet looking Riviera. Its performance is impressive considering that it weighs over 4ks. Even the interior is impressive. The only thing I don't like are the use of warning lights instead of analogue gauges.

[@senorkaboom]

I agree with your gauge comment. I much prefer an analog gauge than an idiot light.

[@jasoncarpp7742]

I've never understood why they used *"idiot lights"* rather than gauges. Idiot lights are a fine supplement to the gauges, but I've felt they were a poor substitute for the gauges.

[@jeffweaver5089]

+ Jason Carpp GM was working hard to reduce driver involvement in those days. The people buying these cars didn't want to be bothered and confused, and GM was willing to oblige. Gauges infer that something may go wrong, and they should be monitored, rather than just carefree operation.

[@luke4701]

front wheel drive lots of problems, but a very nice ride

[@itsmegp46]

Are you referring to this video? This car was rear wheel drive.

[@luke4701]

wow I thought it was one of the first big v8 front drives. maybe confused with torinoto

[@TeeroyHammermill]

Riviera didn't get the FWD treatment until 1979. I don't recall GM big FWD cars having many problems. They were built like tanks and the transaxle was a converted turbo 400 so it was almost bullet proof.

[@itsmegp46]

They absolutely did not have big problems. I owned several FWD Bonnevilles, each one reaching over 200,000 miles.

[@dynodon8592]

Fletch drove one just like it.

[@mosesberkowitz3298]

Good call! I'd forgotten about that!

[@PacificEdibleSeaweed]

@knipdlo It was the Imperial that was always last. This Riviera would have beat the bunch to Santa Rosita by 3 hours minimum, but that would have ruined the picture.

[@Aliendear]

70s cars were powerful.

[@knipdlo]

@PacificEdibleSeaweed We're the ones in the.. Riviera.. and we're running last?? What are you waiting for an engraved invitation?

[@atodamadre3197]

I'm actually in the middle of a 1971 purchase. Better make sure I buy a jazzy helmet like the driver in this video.

[@grillsandaxlegrease3578]

Where was this filmed?

[@scdevon]

Grand Rapids, MI most likely which is where the show was based. The track was close to auto manufacture's headquarters on purpose to ease the transportation and testing of the cars.

[@jeffweaver5089]

One episode says it's a track in Farmington Hills, on the west side of Detroit.