Ian F wrote:Woody wrote: I will tell you this: In the past two years, I have seen approximately one of those in the US.There are quite a few on Hemmings right now. Most asking prices are in the mid-teens.
Really? Teens as in 11-19 thousands of dollars?
To me it's just a big 70s boat that I saw throughout my childhood. Not exactly pretty, ill handling, poor braking. I don't get it.
amg_rx7 wrote:Ian F wrote:Really? Teens as in 11-19 thousands of dollars? To me it's just a big 70s boat that I saw throughout my childhood. Not exactly pretty, ill handling, poor braking. I don't get it.Woody wrote: I will tell you this: In the past two years, I have seen approximately one of those in the US.There are quite a few on Hemmings right now. Most asking prices are in the mid-teens.
A lot of the older non-muscle cars are coming up in value. Over the last several years the 65 Rivieras, which are arguably the most sought after of the line, have really come on strong. Most old cars are ill handling and braking by todays standards. Do you lose your mind when you see something like an original big block chevelle go for 100k?
In reply to Cotton:
Yep. And styling-wise, I'd rather have a '72 boat-tail Riv than a big block Chevelle.
Ian F wrote: In reply to Cotton: Yep. And styling-wise, I'd rather have a '72 boat-tail Riv than a big block Chevelle.
The Riv is nicer to look at from the outside but the interior is ten pounds of WTF. And a big block Chevelle (hell, any Chevelle) is a nicer driving experience...
Ian F wrote: In reply to Cotton: Yep. And styling-wise, I'd rather have a '72 boat-tail Riv than a big block Chevelle.
I have a 65 Riv and a 71 Chevelle 454SS. I like the design of the Riviera better, but the Chevelle is a lot more fun to hoon, so I've got to pick both.
Nice Rivs of the boattail era pull some money when they're in good shape. I've seen a few change hands where the center is removed from the front bumper, a nice look IMO. I prefer the '71 for its flow-through vents on the trunk and more pronounced "beak" at the back of the tail, but a '72 is better than the later iterations, which gained bumper due to safety regs and lost some character in the process. It's basically a LeSabre or Electra underneath, and any A-body chassis improvements such as exist should be possible with a Riv as well. I'll post a few pics tonight to show what's possible if you want to restomod one.
Also, the 67 and even 68 are a cheaper alternative to the 65 if you prefer that generation. Not as knife-edged but still handsome and more likely to have air, power discs, etc.than a 63-65.
I have a thing for Rivieras, all of them, even the early 80's version. I had an '85 for a little while when I was 17 and loved it for what it was. I can not possibly even imagine anyone ever considering a classic like a boat tail Riv to be anything other than a work of art.
I'm looking directly at you MR. so called amg so called rx7
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Cotton wrote:amg_rx7 wrote:A lot of the older non-muscle cars are coming up in value. Over the last several years the 65 Rivieras, which are arguably the most sought after of the line, have really come on strong. Most old cars are ill handling and braking by todays standards. Do you lose your mind when you see something like an original big block chevelle go for 100k?Ian F wrote:Really? Teens as in 11-19 thousands of dollars? To me it's just a big 70s boat that I saw throughout my childhood. Not exactly pretty, ill handling, poor braking. I don't get it.Woody wrote: I will tell you this: In the past two years, I have seen approximately one of those in the US.There are quite a few on Hemmings right now. Most asking prices are in the mid-teens.
Don't lose my mind but I don't really get that either. A car is not worth much to me personally if I don't enjoy driving it
Ian F wrote: In reply to Cotton: Yep. And styling-wise, I'd rather have a '72 boat-tail Riv than a big block Chevelle.
Agreed.
A guy in my town owned the Barris Villa Riveria for a few years. I used to see it all the time. It was dark blue with a white landau top by then. It was really, really nice.
amg_rx7 wrote: Don't lose my mind but I don't really get that either. A car is not worth much to me personally if I don't enjoy driving it
Hence why all E30's are worth $500 to me... well... except mine...I'd like to get 10x that much... until after I sell it... then it'll be worth $500... 
Anyway... sometimes the romanticism over-rules the driving experience... I desperately want a '69 Charger right now... although I've driven one and know they are really terrible cars. Which is sort of why I hope to find more of a project with a small block - so I won't be castrated for resto-modding it with a modern drivetrain and uprated/aftermarket front suspension & K-frame.
Ian F wrote: Anyway... sometimes the romanticism over-rules the driving experience... I desperately want a '69 Charger right now... although I've driven one and know they are really terrible cars.
Oddly enough, I find most cars of the era to be greatly overrated, but I was pleasantly surprised by a stock '68 383/727 Charger. It even didn't have the typical Chrysler wondersteer.
This is a lot of where my anti-manual ideas come in. I've never driven a 4-speed car from the era that left a good taste in my mouth, while driving a similar car with an automatic is usually much better. Something about driving a car with an engine with 75lb of rotating mass, a close ratio transmission, and gears that either have first gear good for 60, or fourth gear way too short for an engine with that much compression braking.
In reply to Knurled:
That's pretty much what I drove: '69 383/727... basically stock other than a General Lee paint job. I don't recall the steering feel being terrible (this was some 23 years ago), but I do remember it being very boosted and when I went to turn around in a parking lot at the same speed I would normally do in my '82 Subaru, the tires squealed like crazy. Holy crap it was fast, tho... moderate gas application going up a hwy ramp and I was doing 70 before I got to the hwy. And it wasn't like I was trying. At 20 years old, I would have killed myself in that car. 
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