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We are dedicated to the History and Registry of the 1982 through 1985 Buick Riviera Convertible.

This site is designed to display, register, and share information about these very special automobiles. Contained on this site are pictures of my 1985 Buick Rivera Turbo Convertible, seldom seen documents, in-period Press Releases, Pictures, Technical Data, Production Figures and the Official Registry. There were 3898 Convertibles produced over a 4 year period between 1982 and 1985.
We hope to identify and locate as many of the remaining 1982 - 1985 Buick Rivera Convertibles as possible.

Please help us achieve this goal by sending me the information on your car and about any others you may know of.

To fully enjoy and navigate this site, please use the clickable links at the top of each page for more pictures and information.

If you own or have owned one of these fine Buick automobiles you know what an exciting, luxurious car they are. The Convertible was based on a new Body Style for Riviera, introduced in 1979. Changed little over the next seven years, this Body Style has gone down as the best selling Riviera of all time. By 1982 GM Brass was feeling pretty good about this car and decided to introduce a Convertible version in the spring of 1982. This being the first for Buick since 1975 and the first Convertible of any kind to come out of GM since the “The Last Of A Breed” 1976 Cadillac Eldorado was axed. See; www.bicentennialeldorado.com This was a big step, it was 1982 and times were tough for the American auto industry.

On February 25, 1982, a press release was sent out to all dealers. The all new, limited production, Buick Riviera Convertible is to debut in the spring, mid April 1982. Available in two colors only; White or Red Firemist with a Maple / Claret Leather Interior with a White Vinyl Top. Most never made it to dealer’s lot before mid to late July of that year and all featured the new updated 1983 Riviera Grill. This was a very well appointed automobile by 1982 standards and the price reflected it.

Consider this, a brand new 1982 Buick Riviera hardtop, a best seller for Buick, cost $14,898.45 base price with freight. Not a cheap car by any standard. The 1982 Buick Riviera Convertible, a new untested car for Buick, cost $24,494.25 base price with freight. Add some options and this car could top out at over $27,500.00. This was the highest priced automobile GM sold, and that counted the entire brand, including Cadillac.

In 1982 only 1248 were produced. Not a bad number for a newly introduced, limited production, high end automobile.

While all of the cars began life as a hardtop at the Linden, New Jersey assembly plant, they were soon on their way to American Sun Roof (ASC) in Lansing, Michigan. Here they would have the top removed, the structure strengthened and the final assembly of the convertible top mechanism, rear seat and interior appointments. It should be noted that the rear seat assembly is unique to the convertible alone and will not interchange with the hardtop. After completion here at ASC it was off to the Dealer or Buick Zone Warehouse and Distribution Center in Flint, Michigan.

A lot of these cars were actually driven by GM Executives, Zone Managers and other Officials within all ranks of GM. It was not uncommon to have ‘Higher Ups’ from Cadillac tooling around in a Buick Convertible as their division had been neutered of Convertibles a few years back. Cadillac liked this car so much that they actually got their own version in the form of the 1984 and 1985 Cadillac Eldorado.

If 1982 was good, 1983 had to be better and was, sort of. As Buick and ASC ramped up production, they ended up producing 1750 for the 1983 model year. Prices jumped to $25,702.00 base price with freight up from 1982 by a bit over $1200.00. As it ended up 1983 was not as kind to the Riviera Convertible as the last year had been. While more had been built, most languished, unsold on Dealer lots. Seems the new idea was a short lived one in the minds of the purchasing public. It was a lot of money to spend on a car.

Styling was mostly unchanged from 1982. Options remained about the same, the 4.1 V6 was still the standard engine with the 5.0 V8 being the most chosen as an option. Like in 1982, you still could not get the Turbo V6 or 5.7 V8 Diesel engine options. This was the last year for the 8-track tape player, but the CB Radio option would live on for 2 more years. Locking Wire Wheel Covers was standard equipment again this year with the Chrome Plated Road Wheels as an option, coming with a $40 credit if ordered. 4 wheel disc brakes were still standard on the 1983’s, just as they had been on the 1982's but became optional on the 1984 and 1985 model year Convertibles.

If 1982 and 1983 were banner years with high production numbers, 1984 and 1985, being the last two years, were the other end of the stick. Only 500 Convertibles were built in 1984, but you did not have a problem finding a 1983, as Dealers still had a record number of them for sale. Prices jumped yet again, now bringing the base with freight to $26,332.00 a $630 increase.

New for 1984 was the grill, tail lights and interior. The car now got a headliner covering all the convertible top mechanisms. This made the car look more complete and helped to quiet down the interior as well as keep it warmer in the winter. Gone was the 8-track tape, new to debut was the Bose Music System, but, it was not available on the Convertible, so you still had to talk to your good buddy on the CB. The big news was the engine options. For the first time you could order the much ballyhooed 3.8 Liter Sequential-port Fuel Injected Turbocharged V-6. This was a much needed option for this luxury sport coupe convertible. But as with the Diesel engines of the day it sold poorly, only 47 Riviera Convertibles received this engine. Price was another problem since it was a $900.00 option.

1985 was the last year for the Ole Gal. She was getting a little long in the tooth as the body style had been around now for 7 years. It was by far the most beautiful of all later year Riviera’s to come out of Detroit as the 1986 was anything but. 1985 was mainly carry over, not much changed. This last year also saw a decrease in production, with only 400 Convertibles being built. Prices increased to $27,835.00 base with freight, a $1503.00 increase. The standard engine now, for the first time, was the 5.0 V8, as the 4.1 V6 was dropped from the Riviera line. Still available was the 3.8 Liter Sequential-port Fuel Injected Turbocharged V-6 engine option, while lower priced at $735.00, it still sold poorly and only 49 Riviera Convertibles received this engine.

If you were to order a 1985 Buick Riviera Convertible loaded with all the options including the 3.8 Liter Sequential-port Fuel Injected Turbocharged V-6 engine, it would set you back a whopping $31,247.00! Not little money back in 1985, heck it isn’t little money today. One thing all these Riviera Convertibles had in common was this; they were only available in 2 colors, White or Red Firemist, all came with a white vinyl top, 84 and 85 being the only years they were lined and all had the Maple (name used only in early 1982) or Claret Leather Interior. These two names were mostly the same color, very dark red, but the latter two years, 1984 and 1985 were a bit darker as GM changed its vendor that supplied the leather.

How many are left??? That is what we are going to attempt to find out. Right now I still do not have a numbering system to count these cars. So for now I am going to collect the following information to register the car and owner; I will need your Name, City / State, Mileage, Color and VIN. When / if I can come up with the numbering system that ASC used I will get back in touch with everyone, but for now that is how we will start.

I am looking for any info on these cars from Buick or ASC employees that may have been involved during the time period these were being produced. I need documentation and contacts. Copies of your cars build sheet are very helpful. These are easy to find if it is there. Under the passenger front seat and sometimes the drivers, is the build sheet. It is easiest removed by taking out the seat. See the pictures provided below (click on the image to see a larger view).

Pictured above is the Build Sheet under the passenger seat of my Turbo Convertible. The seat is pictured out of the car on its back to show you what to look for. The Build Sheet is pictured below.

1985 Turbo Convertible Build Sheet / VIN 1G4EZ6796FE429198 / Is it yours?

This Build Sheet was found behind the back seat of Jim Carter's 1985 Riviera Coupe. Jim, a member of the ROA, is from Lee's Summit, MO and graciously donated it to this site. I thank him for his contribution.