Bye Bye Boattail - The Story of the 1974-76 & 1977-78 Buick Rivieras: their design and philosophy
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 ต.ค. 2024
- Learn more about the 1974-76 and 1977-78 Rivieras and their design and development from then-Buick chief designer Wayne Kady.
Link to Wayne Kady interview on 76-79 Seville:
1976-79 Cadillac Seville: Its Design, Development, & The People Behind It
• 1976-79 Cadillac Sevil... - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
Adam, you are doing such a great job with these interviews with Wayne, John Manoogian, and Bob Lutz. It feels like I am sitting right across the table from good friends reminiscing about old times. This has to be my favorite TH-cam channel.
Thx!
Wayne's account of the interaction between him and Mitchell, and between Mitchell and Elges, is just hilarious. Probably not a whole lot different from similar huge corporations back in that era, and it makes you wonder how they ever had success with all the internal stuff that went on. It's hard to understand why Elges would tell a group of dealers that he didn't like something he expected them to sell. But designers and creative types seem not to mix very well with steely-eyed finance people at times. :) Wayne is simply a gem with his memories of GM in that era. Thanks for this, Adam.
Thanks to Mr. Kady for coming back! I don't think the salesforce at Buick exactly had their fingers on the pulse of the buying public, since sales for the '74-'78 Riviera took a nosedive. Mr. Kady's vision was vastly superior. I thoroughly enjoy his stories and the superb artwork allows us to watch history unfold. More, please!
Wayne’s stories are priceless! Someone ought to make a feature film out of them. Thanks, Adam.
Really enjoy Mr. Kady's interviews! He states what I've always thought.. the '74 Riviera might as well been a LeSabre.
And the 77-78 essentially was a Lesabre, sharing that newly downsized B-body platform.
I think they paced the Indy 500 in 77.77 things had definitely wound down performance wise but that Rivi-Lessabre was not the least bit sporty looking.
@@richardmorris7063 Olds paced the race in '77. It was a highly modified Delta 88. Highly modified Olds 403. A large portion of the roof was cut off (targa top.) Pretty much a one-of-a-kind custom.
Wayne is a wonderful man. I had the pleasure of meeting him a couple of years back at the Cadillac and LaSalle Club of America Fall Classic in Michigan. What gentleman and humble genius.
I enjoyed this interview. The thing I can say is... it makes sense now about getting away from the boat tail. That concept that got him in trouble looks like a 1979-1985 Buick Riviera. You can see that car in that proposal. I thought it was interesting hearing about what was going on at GM from the inside. I had heard stories about Bill Mitchell from others before. GM ran a tight design studio. He is right about if you do not produce, you are gone. I heard that from others before as well. Some have paid with their careers in the industry over the years. I know those Ford people got in trouble for the 1989 Ford Thunderbird. I hope you will bring him back again. I enjoy hearing his experiences and his sense of humor is quite funny. It is nice to know what they were thinking at the time of design for many models. Thank you once again Adam. I must admit I like hearing these designers mention Oldsmobile in their stories and the different models.
I was so disappointed in the fall of 1973 when the 1974 Riviera debuted. I remember being told by a Buick salesman that the boat tail had run it’s course and buyers were clamoring for something new. Like the Hudson, when you come up with a radical design, it’s very difficult to facelift it much. When the 1977 debuted I was left totally cold. I was working at a Buick/Oldsmobile dealership at the time and when GM held the dealership preview in August, nobody came back with much enthusiasm for the car.
I came really close, at the time, to buying a 2-door LeSabre in 1978. That Riviera wasn't ugly so much as plain boring with a bordello interior, so far removed from the '63.
@@loveisall5520
I had a 1966, 1969 & 1971 Riviera’s. The 1966 & 1969 had such style. The 1971 had style and I liked it a lot. After 1973 I saw no reason why anyone would spend the additional money for one.
As a kid I always assumed everyone loved the 71-73 Riviera as much as I did!!
Adam, you're a lucky guy to be able to spend time with a gentleman like Wayne Kady. I could think of a million questions to ask him. As a long time Riviera fan, I was enrapt by his recounting of how things came to be. I was always a boattail fan and owned a few. A 1976 Riviera was my first brand new car, msrp was $9700! It was Revere Red (bright fire engine red) with a white landau roof, white leather interior and chrome road wheels. It was a great looking car. I wasn't offended at all by the rear design and liked the high level stop and turn lights. It had a large trunk as well. I later ordered a new '78 Riviera that took months and months to arrive. When it did show up, it was a mess. The paint was mismatched from the front fender to the door, it wouldn't start, and there were just lots of issues. I had already given my '76 to the dealer when I placed the order, so I declined the ordered Riviera and had to buy something else. I agree that the 77 thru 79 models were less dramatic than the 71-73, but their design was more cohesive than the 74-76 in my opinion. They were not a bad looking car. I later owned a used 78 Riviera and it was a good car, plenty of room and a good quiet road experience. You have to remember that this was in the malaise era when there just wasn't a lot of interesting stuff out there. I was waiting for Wayne to say that the 77-78 was a stop gap measure to get them to the new front drive platform that appeared in 79, but I never heard that, maybe I missed it. Bill Mitchell must have been something to deal with! Thanks for this episode.
I am a Rapid Riv fan, owned several; I always Dug 74-76z always wanted one...what was S/R variant about?!?😮😂❤❤❤
Dear Wayne, Thank you for coming back and sharing these stories. Thank you for navigating and surviving GM's corporate culture and creating these amazing automobiles.
It's great to see Mr. Kady back with more juicy stories. Always fascinating and revealing.
Of all the interviews with Mr Kady to this point, this is far and away the best. It’s an absolute treasure, and Wayne Kady is a real gem. Top marks!
I just love these stories and insights into the interactions between the stylists vs. the "managers".
Had the stylists had their way, we might not have referred to this time as the malaise era...
Thanks Adam and your guests for these inside stories that help to explain so much.
I remember shaking my head in disgust as the designs of the late 70s devolved. I now have a much clearer picture of why...
Another wonderfully insightful interview/discussion. Us car guys just never get this content anywhere else but this channel.
Bravo Adam and Wayne. Certainly, once again, documenting GM's design history that will never again be done in such a manner.
That interview is gold. Wayne is so humble and gracious. I really enjoy hearing his stories.
What a story, hysterical. And real. This is the stuff most of us can relate to in one way or another in our own lives. Makes you think about these designs even more on human terms
Loved this conversation with Wayne Kady. It seems that he had really enjoyed your previous discussions and was now more relaxed and animated in this discussion. I hope you get to have more discussions with Mr. Kady, as the two of you are much fun to listen to.
Could listen to him tell these stories all day. Great interview, can't wait for more.
Great episode thanks to Wayne for participating
I am one of the few whose favorite Riviera is the 77 and 78. I just like boxy styling, like the A, C/H bodies, Chrysler's K-Car, the Fox body Fairmont and Granada, etc.
Yeah, I'm surprised that neither Adam nor Wayne here mentions that the 77-78 was conforming to the leading design trend of the time, what Adam refers to as "the shear look," that angular, boxy style first popularized by the Cadillac Seville. The 77-78 was also promoted as one of GM's new downsized vehicles, since it was circa five inches shorter than the previous generation Riviera and it shared the newly downsized GM B-body platform of the Lesabre.
@@colibri1 I think the '77/'78 was let down because it resembled existing B-body cars too much. If the front end had a bit more "plan view" as Wayne calls it, the rear end/taillights were a bit more striking, if they had hidden the B-pillar to make it look less like a 2-door sedan, and had given it a dashboard that didn't look like every other B/C body Buick of the time, it might have done better.
The 1977-78 Rivieras were, I think, very good looking; and with ample room even in the back, practical too. Yet they don't have much of a following among Buick fans today. Under-appreciated cars are more affordable to collect!
I did NOT particularly like the looks of that car - to me it appeared like a LeSabre - a model down from an Electra. Because I never owned a Buick (it's got to be the ONLY domestic brand I never owned) I never paid much attention to them, but I always got confused on the full-size models as above.
I have a 1977 LeSabre Sport Coupe and I think they’re really unappreciated too, yet they were actually a very well made car and look great. The shape is reminiscent of a simple 60s Buick coupe actually.
And they make for a great sleeper muscle car, they handle better than any American car of that time, not boaty.
Wayne is treasure. Thanks for bringing him to us.
I personally think the boat tail was a very good looking car. Unforgettable. My Dad, a GM engineer, owned one.
Thank you so much for bringing us these oral histories.
Great interview! Interesting how significant elements of Kady's Riviera proposal found life in the 1979-85 Riv: the upright backlight, the beveled trunk lid, the wheel well shapes, the long nose. Poetic justice, especially since the FWD Riv is widely admired as a classic today.
Mr. Kady great designer and has sense of humor. Love those Bill Mitchell stories, what a personality he had.
Love Wayne’s proposal for the 77-78 Riviera! It seems Bill still got the last laugh on the Buick General Manager though. Look at the 79-85 Riviera. Those cars look veeerrry inspired by Wayne’s proposal.
Wonderful history from the horse's mouth! Wayne is one of the greats of our automobile design history. Thank you so much, Adam, for bringing him to us and preserving his legacy. God bless!
Adam, I personally think the 1977-78 Rivieras are beautiful cars. Always enjoy the talks with Mr. Kady.
Another incredible episode with Kady and the history, insight, and stories. Loved it. Nowhere else but this channel can you get this fabulous content. Wayne has such a sharp memory and story telling ability. I just love to hear him tell the stories. Looking forward to more!
You know, i see some themes from Wayne’s stillborn Riviera design in the 1979 Riviera, particularly in the rear roofline/backlight treatment and in the sweep of the rear fender lines from the doors back to the rear of the trunk. The wheel arch lines are similar also. I think Wayne was just ahead of his time with that design.
Would love to hear all of Mr Kady's recollections. What a privilege to hear from the gentlemen who designed greatness.
Perhaps your best in the series. I think it shows the complexities of the car business and that the obvious decision wasn’t always obvious.
Excellent interview. I picture Bill Mitchell as an eccentric George Steinbrenner-like character, as portrayed in Seinfeld. These vids are so enjoyable and American automotive history seemed so rich in the twentieth century 👍🏼
These are really great interviews!! Some of the most interesting people that no one else is interviewing, but should be!!
Wow! I really enjoyed this interview and the one I happen to just get lucky enough to see awhile ago. It was about the about the 71 to 74 Eldorado's styling. Thanks again, they do not make men like Mr. Katy anymore who took pride in their life's work and stuck it out to the end of a great lifetime career. And also to men like you who take pride in collecting the quality cars we used to drive and enjoy. Again, Thank you.
Thanks for this picture the personalities of GM Design. This story is an absolute treasure and thanks for sharing.
Adam , this was such a great video. You get to hear what went on back in the days. Wayne had me laughing as well about Mitchell. My favorite Rivera was 71-72. I loved the dash board as well. I didn’t mind the 74 Rivera look.
I'm a British subscriber with a passion for American 1960s / 70s cars. I grew up watching US TV in the late 70s and 80s. I enjoyed The Dukes drive the General Lee, Starskey and Hutch in the Torino, even Michael Knight in KITT, and The Fall Guy was a favourite too. But although they are all iconic desirable cars, I much prefer watching Columbo from the 1970s, picking out all the standard cars in those shows. This is a terrifically informative channel. Keep up the great work you do.
I dream of one day owning a big old 70s American gas gussler, even if I can't afford to run it, I'd just spend my time admiring it. 🇬🇧
What a great interview!! Mr. Kady is one very cool man. What a hoot to hear, first hand, how much was required of Mr. William Mitchell to get the best designs of the 60s and 70s pushed into production. The designs he managed to get past those corporate fools will forever be cherished. Imagine being so full of yourself that you are going to tell the guy that brought to light the Stingray, the First generation Rivs, the 68 Eldorado, the first generation Toronado, the Pontiac Firebirds and on and on. Fifty years from now his impact and importance will still be taught in every decent design school in the world. I just loved his comment that the fool couldn’t even figure out how to dress himself.
Absolute gold.
Another enjoyable and informative video. You can always tell a designer's home by the furnishings.... usually modern and timeless.
Wonderful story, please keep them coming! Thank you Wayne and Adam.
What a wonderful conversation and bit of Riviera history! Thank you both.
The 1978 is the best car ever made. I had one and I got over 500000 miles. It's very beautiful and a dream to drive. I miss mine which was a LXXV Anniversary model. I will have one again sometime.
Adam, We all welcome back Wayne! I have no problem accepting a more 'conventional' and 'ordinary' full size Riviera. It looks better than 99% of the cars on the road today
That ain't saying much! :-)
@@UberLummoxthat’s really funny 😂
Thank you for this excellent content. Simply marvelous and my favorite channel now. I hope someone from the Smithsonian, Ford Museum, and/or Peterson’s is on the ball and archiving this content. 🙏🏽
Wayne is great. Always a good conversation.
Always appreciate these interviews!!
You guys are so good together...... When the boat tail came out, I hated it, I was a fan of the 65 Riviera. Now years later I love the boat tail for being "out of the box" styling, but I still like the 65 a bit better. Please keep this friendship you two have going.....
'71 Riviera: to me a symphony of integration; one of my all-time faves, a rare-ish opinion. ('74 - to me lumpy.) "Forgettable" redesign for '77 - indeed! Lots of agreement there.
That dude( Wayne) is so much fun to have on the channel. We're lucky to have him aboard.
Adam, please thank Mr. Kady for his recollections of the work he did at GM. I could listen to it all day. If he wrote a book, I'd buy it.
I had a 74 Riviera and loved it. Wish I still had it but it was wrecked by a non caring owner. Love listening to Wayne and thanks for designing such cool cars.
I find the 1977-78 Buick Riviera to be a very underrated car and could never understand why they weren't a bigger seller, they kind of remind me of a 1976-77 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme.
Another great video! I was always baffled by the '74 Riviera rear but this explains it well. The backstory as told by Wayne Kady is also quite entertaining. It would be great to do a whole episode focused on the Bill Mitchell era. He must have been quite a character but many of GM's finest designs were done during his time as design VP.
I could listen to Mr Kady all day long !!!
Thank you another great interview. I really appreciate you taking the time to document this history and the people that are part of it
That was pure gold! What great stories. It was fun to see Wayne crack up at the memory.
Been looking for a video post boat tail. Wayne’s last clay design looks oddly familiar to the 1979 riviera. Well done
Now that was truly priceless, thank you. I loved all these personal luxury cars. Don't care what any one else thinks, loved the boat tail then, love it today. Thanks for your great channel!
Thank you Adam & Wayne Kady! My dad was a Riviera lover. He had a new '74 and a new '78. We always thought the '78 - while a nice car - was kind of a "rush job" as far as the design, as it was nothing more than a LeSabre with a different rear quarter and some trim. Now we know the REAL story and the fact that the eventual production car probably was a last minute rush. Too bad about Wayne's proposal being shot down by George Elges. If you squint at the photo of Wayne's clay model though - Mitchell finally got his way with the next generation FWD Riviera. That clay has the same overall proportions, severe backlight angle, broad sail panels and wheel well treatment as the '79 production car. (Dad went on to own several of that generation.)
Great job, Adam. Where else can we get this stuff? Keep up the great work!
Wow! This is great stuff! I wonder if either Wayne or John know any design history on GM's downsized G-body and B-body cars. I say those were the best designs GM made during the late '70s and '80s. I owned an '85 Regal and still have an '81 Regal and love them both.
Love these stories that Wayne tells, just really adds color to the history, thanks!
Thanks Wayne, great stuff! RCC&AH bringing back an automotive era one video at a time. Adam's got the gusto!
Hey Adam, thanks for having Mr Kady as a guest. His stories are always so interesting!!! I agree that the 77 - 78 Riviera was forgettable!! 👍👍
I not only enjoy Wayne's first hand historical perspective, I also enjoy his dry sense of humor.
I really enjoyed this interview with Mr. Kady, thanks. I appreciate his candor and the behind the scenes look into GM operations. He made a good point about finding the balance between doing the right thing and making sure the company was profitable. This made me curious, so I looked up the production figures for the Riviera* and noticed that it really fell off through all of the 70’s. It only came back in the 80’s with the change to the smaller front drive cars. I guess the “romance” faded after the peak years in 60’s when it had peak aesthetic perfection in 1967.
*Riviera Owners Association - Production Numbers
Interesting and very well done interview (golden rule for the interviewer is to let the interviewee do the talking!).
Never was a fan per say about the boat tails but always respected the originality and presence. The 74-76 wasn’t ugly but it had no personality, you could slap almost any name badge on it.
The 78 was more of the same, but without the presence because of its diminished size. A deluxe lesabre is a good description.
The 79-85 model was a home run, classic style and excellent proportions. The riviera was clearly the best executed of the three (vs toronado and Eldorado).
I wonder why of the three E bodies in 77 only the riviera was shifted to the new Downsized B bodies while the Eldo and toro lame ducked for 77-78 on the old big E platform.
A very informative video Adam thank you for posting it!
It's funny, my mom bought a 77 simply because she liked my sister's 73 so much. While the 77 lacked the panache of the73, it was still an excellent road car.The interior was very nice, in that mid-seventies style, with 50/50 split button tufted velour seats with individual armrests. These two cars are the reason I owned at least one of every generation Riviera (including my sister's former car) thereafter.
Adam, i really enjoy your knowledge. I wish you many more years of excellent content bc i have thoroughly enjoyed this past year. You have the real deals on and you are one yourself and it's entertaining to see! Kudos!
Thx!
Wayne is hilarious as always and is a great addition. That design that they didn't go with reminds me of a Grand Prix from the 80s
Adam thank you for ushering me down memory lane on so many occasions. Have owned a fair number of these rides. Must confess 72 mark iv was one of my favorites. And this comes from a staunch g.m. fan boy.
Love the boat tail.
i agree its the best
Hey Adam, Very good interview that answers a question I had for years: what happened in '74 to the Riviera? By '77, the car was a thinly disguised LeSabre. Interesting to get that story from the inside. Keep it going!
I think it's a very good looking Riviera, a friend of mine really splurged and ordered a new 74 navy blue Riviera with a white top. He said he loved it.
Riviera up through 78 had a 2 to 3 year design run and they sold reasonably well
The boat tails were either loved or hated and never sold quite like the previous Rivieras did
Though sort of out of step with the times, those early seventies boattail Rivieras did gain almost a cult following pretty quickly. I remember in the early eighties that UK heavy metal band Girlschool featured a head-on view of the back of a '72 boattail Riviera as the central image of their big-selling 1981 album "Hit and Run," with the bandmembers almost overshadowed in the background.
Very distinctive style with that boat-tail. I think you either like it or you don’t. I like the clean lines of the ‘74.
I agree, ok for a bean counter. Really cool that you’re able to document this stuff. Really like that design at 4:50.
Fascinating and awesome listening to Wayne's behind the scene stories and experiences! 🤘 I've honestly never been that much of a fan of the Riviera itself, especially the boat tail model. The '77 and '78 to me, really look just like an upgraded LeSabre, I mean they're elegant and luxurious, but don't look that distinctively different than the other models, in my opinion. The sketch of Wayne's proposed model, looks like the '79 model to me. I agree also that the post war Buick, especially the '48 and '49, were distinctively beautiful models.
I owned a 1975 Riviera from 79-85 , it was light brown with dark brown landau top and medium brown leather interior . It had the 455 4-barrel and turbo 400 trans, that car drove like a dream . Sorry I ever sold it .
Also enjoying Wayne's mid century decor.
Boattail Riviera is one of my favorite car designs ever, but i also think 1974 Riviera looks great.
Loved the history story on the Riviera. Please do some history lessons on Pontiac’s!
A high school friend of mine had a '71 Riviera. Color was tan but possibly repainted. Like the '80-'85 Seville I loved the Riviera's unique design. Beautiful car.
I'd love to see more of Wayne's good taste in furnishings and those awesome horn speakers lurking in the corner behind you Adam!
You’ve gotten me very interested in the Rivs. One of my first collected brochures was the 74 Buick. Though it was plain I loved both the 74-76 Rivs and the 77-78s. I think I still want one of them.
Adam, dude. I love this..I’m a little late seeing this one, but it’s just absolutely priceless. Thanks!
Great interview! I was wondering if he know GM designer Bob Marshall, I think that was his name. Met him in Queen Valley Arizona, enjoyed speaking with him in his garage, and seeing his cars, such as his 1964 Corvette, and his Cameo pick up . I have great respect for designers like this man. When I was a boy, I had aspirations of being a car designer myself. I wonder if this man knew Jamie Townes. I met him in a discount store and told him that he was a Richard Pryor look-a-like. He worked on the first GM airbag Oldsmobiles in the mid 1970's at GM's proving grounds in Mesa, Arizona. I really enjoyed this, thanks for posting this!
Adam has the best guests.
And the best channel.
My how his channel has developed!
1977-78 Rivs always seemed like basically nicer Regals. They pretty much looked exactly like Regals at the time.
Thank you so much for this, Adam and Wayne. The 1974-76 Riviera has always been a favoite of mine, sort of a proto bustle back. I think it would have been well-liked if it didn’t have such a tough act to follow in the boat tail. The 77-78 Riviera is one of my least favorites, it’s so cool to see what could have been. All I can say is that thank goodness that Elges had been moved out of Cadillac by that time, no longer able to ruin that name by taking pennies out of the interiors and grilles. I suppose Kennard wasn’t much better, but the relentless tarnishing of the name was at least stopped.
The clay model that was to be the next Riviera looks like what you saw on the 79-85 version!!
Adam, would ♥️ a vid on the history of the W body. Everything you read about its development says it was a disaster, yet they were great cars. They were the first gm fwd unibody platform that didnt look like badge engineering. Ive had 2 in my family, owned 1, and they were extremely reliable, efficent, and had good performance.
But the W body sold poorly.
@@eth39232 at launch yes cuz it was released as coupes first. The sedans sold extremely well up till the end of production of the w body impala just recently.
@@Henry_Jones GM spent $7 billion developing the W body and planned for sales of 1.75 million. The cars sold only a fraction of that amount. GM lost about $2600/car on that platform.
@@eth39232 i find that loss figure hard to believe given the platforms longevity and high sales in the 90s. Grand Prix, Regals, Luminas, Impalas were everywhere. But that first part, 7 billion in 80s $ to develop is why im interested in its story.
I like his design and wish they had put it into production.
I think the Boat tail is one of the most beautiful designs.
I was always a big fan of this version. That photo at 9:59 is the best angle, looking clean yet elegant to me.
Great video on an, in my opinion, unjustly overlooked phase of Riviera history. I’ve always liked the 1974-76 Riviera, even if it wasn’t as iconic or successful as the boattail.
One thing to note: The 1974 Riviera front end didn’t really lose any “plan view” relative to the ‘73. It was the *facelifted 1975* model, with its more Lincoln-like stand-up grille and quad rectangular headlights that lost the boattail Riv’s front “plan view.” That look carried through 1976 with only slight detail changes. So the 1974 model was something of a transition period. It even continued to use the 71-73 boattail Riv’s instrument panel before the 1975-76 model switched to the standard full-size Buick panel.
Some other notable aspects of the 74-76 Rivieras were that Max Trac carried through to 1974, which was also the first year for the availability of airbags. So in 1974, it had a trifecta of available safety features (traction control, dual airbags, and high-mounted stoplights) that, taken together, wouldn’t really become common sights on cars until the 1990s.
The 1974 Riviera also marked the last year of the GS 455 Stage 1 package. The GS trim level continued in ‘75 without the Stage 1 treatment available, and then would eventually give way to an extremely mildly sporty “S/R” trim in ‘76.
Also, I wonder how much of the actual 77-78 final production Riviera design came down to the knowledge it was to be a stopgap model and its lack of planned life meant that unique components had to be limited. So it ended up sharing pretty much everything but soft trim with the ‘77 LeSabre coupe.
Do you or did Mr. Kady have any insight on that aspect?
i have no idea why but this is my most favourite generation of riviera