Car Stuff: Random Sighting #39

We were going to have a car this week, weren't we? Right, I have something for that, once again courtesy of A Proper Bostonian.

PB spotted this 1970 Buick Riviera several weeks ago on Beacon Hill. It definitely has some rough edges (the bumper is supposed to follow the pointed contour of the trunk lid), but it's possible this is someone's daily driver. I have always preferred this generation of Riviera without a vinyl top, but I have to admit this blue and white combination looks really good.

1970 was the final year of the second-generation Riviera design, which stretched back to 1966. That original car is one of my favorite General Motors cars, and one of my favorite car designs from the 1960s, and I have reserved a spot for one in my Fantasy Garage. As the end of the decade neared, GM tried to adapt the Riviera from more of a gentleman's sporty car to the growing trend of 'personal-luxury" cars, gradually adding more visual bulk to its styling.

I think this profile shot offers some clues as to the direction Buick would take the Riviera's styling with the 1971 redesign (the controversial "boattail" that we will discuss at some point). This is still a nice-looking car, but I prefer any of the earlier years of this design, even the 1968-69 models with their more awkward front end.