These used to be very common cars but it's been quite a few years since I've seen a non-convertible version in this nice of shape. The listing shows it as a '76 but my recollection is that the '76's had rectangular headlights -- not sure if my memory is correct on that or not.....???

Anyway, an interesting car that clearly falls into the "they don't make them like this anymore" category:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/322513480899...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

Nope, the 76 Chevy had round headlights. Buick, Olds, Cadillac, and Pontiac had rectangulars.

 

I guess the "swanky" brands got the new-fangled rectangular headlights first.....

 

That thing is a stove............

 

Lot's of engine problems due to the smog pumps back then...not quite ready for unleaded gas!! Buddy of mine had a maroon one like that and it was a nightmare!

 

I bought a '71 Buick Riviera from my Dad in 1975 like this one but without the chrome side molding. 455 engine that got about 10 mpg on a good day. Wish I would have kept it just for it's unusual boat tail look. Mile long hood with a tiny steering wheel.

 

One of my sales reps had an Impala like that. His was a cream color with the 350 V8. I doubt he ever got more than 11 MPGs with it and it wouldn't get out of its own way- a regular land slug. And the exhaust smell! If you liked the smell of rotten eggs, you were in love with that car. A MAJOR POS that should be forgotten. Hard to believe any of the crappy cars from that era are still around and haven't rotted into the ground. They were junk sitting on the showroom floor. Many from that time suffered major body damage by someone leaning on it.

 

That brings back a lot of memories. We had a '78 for a long time when I was a kid. Towards the end of it's time a jug a oil spilled on the rear floorboard. In the AR summer it would evaporate and leave everything a little bit slick.

 

Some of those early 70's Chevys had 400 cu in small blocks which are highly sought after by the hot rodders. I picked up a really clean 71 Impala 2 door with the small block 400 two barrel carb from a neighbor in the late 80's and flipped it in a few months for a few bucks extra. I originally planned to keep it but changed my mind. It had just over 100k miles on it and ran great with the exception of valve lifter noise. Probably needed a new cam and lifters. Cams wearing out prematurely was a common Chevy problem. it got 10 mpg around town. I enjoyed driving it while I had it.

 

The Riviera's from that era are gorgeous cars -- I love the subtle styling *** to the '50's era Buicks with that swooping trim piece going down the side of the car.....

 

I had a sleeper back in the early 80's - a 69 Chevy Biscayne 2 door that came from the factory with exactly ONE option - a 327 2 barrel. Didn't even have a radio. Bought it from a friend of mine. At 160k the 327 packed it in and he dropped a small block 400 in it and beefed it up - good tires, heavy duty shocks, a truck radiator, and dual exhaust. He even kept the 3 on the tree. That old beater hauled ***.

When my dad died in 1984, I drove it down to NC and sold it to a hotrodder for what I paid for it. The body was totally shot, all rusted out, the guy wanted it for the engine. Mom gave me my dad's car to drive back home, it was a 76 Maverick. It was a total slug - a 4 door with a 200 inch 6 and also a 3 on the tree.

 

I can't remember how many cars I've owned over the years...biggest sleeper was a '76 Ford LTD Brougham 4 dr yellow with a yellow vinyl top. 460 engine with a Motorcraft 4 bbl carb and factory dual exhaust. 3 yrs old when I bought it from a friend's dad...already had the converter cleaned out and was able to run leaded or unleaded premium. Only got about 10 mpg but they were fun miles! Picture looks almost like the one I had.

 

Buddy of mine bought a '70 Monte Carlo back then with the 400 engine...pretty quick car. My dad had a '76 GMC Minnie Jimmy motorhome with the 400 engine...got good service out of that engine. I had a '70 Impala 2 dr hardtop with a 350 2bbl that ran pretty good just stock. I really liked the GM engines back then when each company built there own. My mom had a '77 Olds Delta that came with a 350 Chevy engine...my brother and I caught that right off the bat. Car was replaced by GM with a 403 Olds engine and my parents got a check through a class action law suit against GM. That's when the engines became more or less generic. Easy to spot an orange Chevy engine instead of the golden Olds engine.

 

That's why they started painting ALL the engines blue around that time.

There was also a big block 400 - it was actually a 396 bored out to 402 and called a 400 in full size cars. Interestingly enough, they still called it a 396 in the smaller cars and a 402 in trucks.

 

That was probably due to the various mandates the GM brass had about maximum engine size. The original GTO was only made by hiding the 389 as an option so that it would slip pass the brass. Later on there was a 400ci max on the mid size cars. In 1970 this was changed so the 454/455 could be used in the A body.