Frame Off Built Riviera 409 Dual Quad 590 HP V8 3 Speed Automatic Shock Wave A/C

Looking to kick the summer off in a super sharp cruiser that you can parade down Main Street and park at local cruise nights? Looking for a cool piece of Americana that'll turn heads anywhere it goes? If you're in the market for some vintage metal that's stylish, powerful and has lots of history, who says you have to buy a stuffy, high maintenance trailer queen? Just pick up the phone, call your friends at RK Motors Charlotte and we'll hook you up with a great car like this awesome Buick! Backing 409 cubic inches of Chevrolet big block with a clean restoration and impressive customization, this fully sorted weekender draws big crowds and big compliments. And if you're one of the many enthusiasts looking for a fun classic that's unrelentingly cool, it's your ticket to car guy nirvana!

BODYWORK/TRIM

A rust-free 'personal luxury coupe' that was restored by a dedicated enthusiast over a series of long nights and busy weekends, this Buick wears a clean coat of pale yellow 2-stage that's both smooth and fitting. At the front of the car, bold stainless grilles hide small parking lamps and bright halogen headlights behind a broad bumper, a monochromatic tri-shield emblem and a custom valance. At the top of the car, a smoothed cowl founds chrome vents between fresh glass, a custom hood and straight stainless trim. At the sides of the car, fresh rocker spears combine with fresh wheel moldings to parallel stylish fender louvers, traditional door handles and a polished driver's mirror. And at the back of the car, a second grille cages LED tail lamps between a custom decklid and a second custom valance.

ENGINE

In the early days of America's horsepower wars, Chevy's stalwart 409 was the go-to choice for most racers. There was simply nothing else on the road that could touch its street-ruling horsepower. So it seems pretty natural that the bowtie brand's most exclusive big block would be the choice engine for a same era custom like this sculpted Riv. At the top of the vivid mill, small air cleaners force oxygen in to polished Edelbrock carburetors, which are fed through a series of braided fuel lines. Those proven 4-barrels top a polished Edelbrock intake, which wedges a polished water neck and chrome oil filler between color-keyed valve covers and Edelbrock Performer RPM heads. Those heads send spent gases in to coated Edelbrock headers, which ride beneath MSD Super Conductor plug wires that are sequenced to an MSD coil and an MSD distributor. Those electronics get charged by polished Billet Specialties Truetrac components, which spin a polished Powermaster alternator, a polished AC compressor and a fresh Edelbrock water pump behind corrugated hoses, a polished AFCO radiator and a large puller fan. And every aspect of the car's custom, Charcoal Gray engine compartment, from its polished reservoir tanks and Stef's Fabrication oil pan to its polished breather and trick dipsticks, is nicely detailed and ready for show.

DRIVETRAIN/SUSPENSION

When the big block jumps to life, it spins torque through a proven Turbo-Hydramatic 350 3-speed, which twists what appears to be a Ford 9-inch axle. That proven pumpkin pushes a 4-bar rear-half, which, along with the car's double a-arm front-clip, is wired to Ridetech ShockWave air ride. At the corners of that skeleton, a combination of Wilwood and Delco calipers squeeze a combination of vented and drilled and slotted rotors. At the front of those binders, power rack-and-pinion steering makes low-speed navigation a cinch. Woven between the car's Flat Black floors and Satin Black frame is 3-inch, Mandrel-bent exhaust pipes, which shuttle spent gases through welded, dual-chamber mufflers. And everything rolls on Billet Specialties Vintecs, which lap 26x8.00R18 Mickey Thompsons in front of 31x18.00R20 Mickey Thompsons.

INTERIOR

Inside this Buick, a custom cockpit adds style and convenience. Yellow-stitched buckets feature full power adjustment for the car's driver. A custom metal dash complements full Auto Meter Pro-Comp telemetry and Vintage Air climate control with fresh American Autowire wiring. A custom metal console frames a slick B&M shifter in front of modern Alpine audio. A polished rearview mirror reflects a tight headliner, which melts into custom, yellow-stitched door panels that are dotted with billet handles. Beneath those doors, textured carpet floats color-keyed floor mats around billet foot pedals. The driver holds a polished, half-wrapped steering wheel above a polished, tilting column. And the passengers stash valuables in a custom upholstered trunk.

This heavily massaged hardtop is one of the coolest cruisers on the planet! As it sits, the car offers the best of both worlds: a fully restored classic, and a unique hot rod that sets itself apart from virtual acres of brightly colored pony cars and overwrought land yachts. We don't often feature Rivieras, and given the attention this Riv draws in our showroom, it probably won't last long!

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SUMMARY

* Ground-up restoration completed in 2010
* 409 cubic inch Chevrolet V8 / Dual-quad carburetion
* Turbo-Hydramatic 350 3-speed automatic transmission
* Custom interior / Vintage Air conditioning / Modern audio
* Upgraded suspension / Ridetech ShockWave air ride
* Modified all-steel body
* 18 and 20-inch Billet Specialties Vintec wheels
* Power rack-and-pinion steering
* 4-wheel disc brakes
* 3-inch Mandrel-bent exhaust