Cheap, Canadian Big Block Regal Wagon

[pontiacgp]

How hard would it have been to get the speedometer working?

Say what you want, but I would have left the Riv in tact and got an engine for the wagon somewhere else.

From the looks of it the Riviera was in good shape and the engine that was taken out of it looked clean so the rebuild must have been fairly recent. If the Riviera was worth having the engine rebuilt the car must been solid.

 

[MC96]

Would that be a "boat tail" riv?

 

[pontiacgp]

Would that be a "boat tail" riv?

unfortunately not, the boat tails were about 3 years before the 76....here's the rear of a 76

 

[Local Hero]

Yeah, those years, they're not the prettiest body style compared to the earlier years. But definitely unique.

 

[ck80]

Yeah, those years, they're not the prettiest body style compared to the earlier years. But definitely unique.

That's kind of like saying "she's a 'nice' girl"... or maybe that car just had a great personality?

 

[clean8485]

If the wagon still has the original rear axle in it, I'd be curious to see how long it lasts.

 

[online170]

If he has the original tires, probably forever.

 

[MrSony]

that video is 9 years old. I sifted through his videos, he blew it up and sold it. I wonder how...
Plus if that motor did have it's original heads, the 75-76 heads are garbage compared to the 70-74 heads. They aren't outright terrible, but by comparison they're trash. I would've gotten a set of AL heads from TA, DP intake, and painted it GM blue. Lighter than a SBC. BBB torque. Ultimate sleeper.

 

[454GrandPrix]

That is scary when someone takes a 30 year old car, does no upgrades on the chassis, brakes or suspension nor change any control arm or body bushings and they stick an engine with gobs of torque in it.

Wait--I thought that was how we were supposed to build our G-bodies. That's how I did it, anyway.

... at first. 😉

 

[454GrandPrix]

Now that I actually watched the video, I'm less impressed by his handiwork. He mats the gas pedal at 2000 rpm and the thing doesn't even downshift? Really???

My car isn't all that--not by a long stretch--but if I'm creeping along at 2000 rpm in 1st, 2nd or even 3rd gear and I suddenly mat the throttle, my passengers had best be holding onto something... because sh*t is about to get real in a hurry.