Vehicle Description
Clean, well-maintained Riviera convertible. Everything works,
optional wheels, beautiful leather interior. Recent service, runs
and drives well. Very clean throughout, new exhaust, ready to
enjoy!This 1982 Riviera convertible retains all its handsome good
looks and the angular styling, introduced in 1979, has aged quite
well and remains one of the best designs of the era. The Riviera
convertibles were available in two colors, Red Firemist and the
White seen on this example, which is arguably the more desirable
choice. This is not a show car but it has apparently always been
treated as a special machine, which, being the most expensive car
GM sold in 1982, shouldn't be a surprise. It wears all its original
sheetmetal and trim and we believe it has been repainted once in
the past, the work was good enough to blend invisibly with the
original enamel. As a result, the car has a very correct, OEM look
that Riviera fans should appreciate. There are a few signs of age,
of course, but fortunately the bumper fillers have been replaced so
that's one thing you don't have to worry about. This is not a rusty
car and has not been a daily driver for decades so it retains good
gaps all around, the big doors fit well, and both the hood and
trunk lid close without a major slam. A red pinstripe highlights
the Riv's curvaceous fender lines and there's plenty of brightwork
to illustrate conclusively that this is a high-end luxury car. Is
it perfect? No. But on a summer day from behind the wheel with the
sky above you, none of the small defects will bother you one
bit.Only one interior option was available on the Riviera
convertibles, an attractive leather that GM called 'Maple/Claret.'
Whatever the name, it's burgundy and it shows quite well. Yes,
there are some signs of use and age, but there are no splits or
tears in the seating surfaces, the foam underneath remains firm,
and for a car with a red interior that spent a lot of time in the
sun, there's remarkably little fading. The Riviera convertible came
only one way-loaded-so you get such niceties as power windows,
locks, mirrors, and seats, automatic climate control (converted to
R134a and fully functional), a tilt steering column, and a
decent-sounding AM/FM/cassette stereo. There's a matching burgundy
boot for the top and the trunk is upholstered in typical GM mouse
fur and it includes a space-saver spare and jack assembly.The
standard engine in the Riviera convertibles was a 4.1 liter V6, but
this one carries the optional and much more desirable 5.0 liter V8.
It's a 307 cubic inch unit that's smooth and torquey and was
actually the best choice, out-powering even the Eldorado
convertible's 4.1 liter V8, and this one continues to run superbly.
It starts easily with a turn of the key and idles smoothly even
when it's cold. It's tidy and clean under the hood and shows none
of the typical issues that a rust-belt car might demonstrate and
the driving experience is quite contemporary. The only transmission
was a 4-speed automatic overdrive powering the front wheels. With
the deep overdrive and 2.73 gears in the final-drive, it's a
superlative highway cruiser that pulls down decent fuel economy, so
plan a trip to next year's Buick national meet in this car. The
chassis is not detailed for show, of course, but it's quite clean
and there are no signs of rot or structural issues. The single
exhaust is recent from the cat back, so it has a nice V8 sound
that's appropriately muted. CV joints are in good shape and it
offers a fully independent suspension so it has that traditional
American luxury car ride. There are also disc brakes at all four
corners and a fat roll bar at each end, so this Riv has the
hardware to be competent when you want to do a little spirited
driving. 205/75/15 whitewall radials are fitted to unusual and
attractive Buick road wheels.Extras include the original window
sticker, manuals, promotional materials, and a spare front
grille.This is not a show car, but it's nicely maintained and ready
to enjoy this summer. It's also quite affordable and you won't find
many solid, functional, loaded convertibles for less. Give this
attractive Riviera a second look and you'll find that there's a lot
to like. Call today!Harwood Motors always recommends and welcomes
personal or professional inspections of any vehicle in our
inventory prior to purchase.
