Is your HHR a magnet?
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: 08-03-2010
Posts: 3,564
From: Lake Ronkonkoma, N.Y.
Deceased
Joined: 06-30-2010
Posts: 25,739
From: Kannapolis NC
Back when my late Father finally "made it" in the world of academia, he bought himself the first in a series of Buick Riviera's.
It was a 1983 Riviera Turbo V-6 convertible that GM was having made in limited quantities by ASC out in California.
That car was a looker, Onyx Black with a white leather interior and matching white top, and Dad went out and bought a set of traffic cones to put around it wherever he parked it.
His students at UNC always got a kick out of seeing "Professor Mac" setting up his cones every morning when he docked the Buick, you didn't drive that car do much as you "sailed it". With three tons of car to move, even the 190hp Sequentially Injected Turbo 3.8 struggled to get the Riv up to highway speeds, but it was a sharp car.
Here's the brochure pic, I'll have to find some pics of Dad's Riv and scan them into the 'puter.
It was a 1983 Riviera Turbo V-6 convertible that GM was having made in limited quantities by ASC out in California.
That car was a looker, Onyx Black with a white leather interior and matching white top, and Dad went out and bought a set of traffic cones to put around it wherever he parked it.
His students at UNC always got a kick out of seeing "Professor Mac" setting up his cones every morning when he docked the Buick, you didn't drive that car do much as you "sailed it". With three tons of car to move, even the 190hp Sequentially Injected Turbo 3.8 struggled to get the Riv up to highway speeds, but it was a sharp car.
Here's the brochure pic, I'll have to find some pics of Dad's Riv and scan them into the 'puter.
Deceased
Joined: 03-22-2012
Posts: 1,012
From: Rogers City, Michigan
I remember those.
I helped build them starting in 1965. What an automobile. I think a loaded 1965 Riviera was less than $4000.00 out the door!Boydie
Back when my late Father finally "made it" in the world of academia, he bought himself the first in a series of Buick Riviera's.
It was a 1983 Riviera Turbo V-6 convertible that GM was having made in limited quantities by ASC out in California.
That car was a looker, Onyx Black with a white leather interior and matching white top, and Dad went out and bought a set of traffic cones to put around it wherever he parked it.
His students at UNC always got a kick out of seeing "Professor Mac" setting up his cones every morning when he docked the Buick, you didn't drive that car do much as you "sailed it". With three tons of car to move, even the 190hp Sequentially Injected Turbo 3.8 struggled to get the Riv up to highway speeds, but it was a sharp car.
Here's the brochure pic, I'll have to find some pics of Dad's Riv and scan them into the 'puter.
It was a 1983 Riviera Turbo V-6 convertible that GM was having made in limited quantities by ASC out in California.
That car was a looker, Onyx Black with a white leather interior and matching white top, and Dad went out and bought a set of traffic cones to put around it wherever he parked it.
His students at UNC always got a kick out of seeing "Professor Mac" setting up his cones every morning when he docked the Buick, you didn't drive that car do much as you "sailed it". With three tons of car to move, even the 190hp Sequentially Injected Turbo 3.8 struggled to get the Riv up to highway speeds, but it was a sharp car.
Here's the brochure pic, I'll have to find some pics of Dad's Riv and scan them into the 'puter.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: 08-03-2010
Posts: 3,564
From: Lake Ronkonkoma, N.Y.
Deceased
Joined: 06-30-2010
Posts: 25,739
From: Kannapolis NC
Dad's '83 Riviera had a sticker price of $25,702.95, which works out to $61,837.71 in 2015 dollars.
The only car sold by GM in 1983 that cost more was the '83 Eldorado Convertible.
The "1984" Corvettes were comparative bargains starting at $21,800.
Unfortunately, even though ASC used "computer designed" additional bracing, the Riviera Convertibles never let you forget that they started out life as two door coupes, before being subjected to the sabre saws and cutting torches.
You didn't park on an uneven surface if you wanted to do something silly like open or close a door.
And the cowl shake was incredible, if you hit a bump at a "fair rate on knots", the dashboard and steering wheel went one way...and the seats went another.
The only car sold by GM in 1983 that cost more was the '83 Eldorado Convertible.
The "1984" Corvettes were comparative bargains starting at $21,800.
Unfortunately, even though ASC used "computer designed" additional bracing, the Riviera Convertibles never let you forget that they started out life as two door coupes, before being subjected to the sabre saws and cutting torches.
You didn't park on an uneven surface if you wanted to do something silly like open or close a door.
And the cowl shake was incredible, if you hit a bump at a "fair rate on knots", the dashboard and steering wheel went one way...and the seats went another.
Senior Member
Joined: 06-20-2011
Posts: 737
From: Savanna Illinois
For me for most of my life it did not matter what I was driving. I could park as far away from everyone else as the parking lot would allow and by the time I'd come out again there would be a dozen or so cars all around me.
I could almost understand it when I would drive the T bucket or the '69 Mustang with the 428 Cobra Jet and functional ram air {with the shaker hood}. Those were worth getting close to so you could look at them, but some of the vehicles I drove were not all that awesome.
I could almost understand it when I would drive the T bucket or the '69 Mustang with the 428 Cobra Jet and functional ram air {with the shaker hood}. Those were worth getting close to so you could look at them, but some of the vehicles I drove were not all that awesome.
Premium Member
Joined: 08-26-2009
Posts: 237
From: Kansas
I get it both ways. The cluster theory and the rest like me. Patchwork parking. A full space between every car with other owners that avoid door dings and respect you. The kid I still can't relate to was the skinny banger in his Escalade writing me a message with his key. He only got 2 inches started before his lookout saw me coming.
Deceased
Joined: 06-30-2010
Posts: 25,739
From: Kannapolis NC
If only folks would respect Patchwork Parking, a great term by the way BlindLizard, but there's always some twit who'll take that empty space and then park off center so they're six inches from your doors.
Now the punk with the Caddy, his life would have ended after two inches if I'd have been in your shoes.
Now the punk with the Caddy, his life would have ended after two inches if I'd have been in your shoes.
