Art & Inspiration Buick Prototype Custom

I posted a sketch of a concept car that has been in my head for a long time in the Friday art show a couple weeks ago. I have given it some more thought since then and cant get it out of my head. So maybe I should build it.

Here is the premiss. Buick wanted to make a sports car like the Corvette in about 1966 so they built a concept car to gauge customer reaction and displayed it. I would include future designs that they had in mind that included the boat tail Riviera of the early 70's.

After doing some research on the boat tail riv I found an article done by the original designer of the car. The car was designed to be a smaller car but the bean counters said that it had to use an existing platform including the windshield and side windows. That is why the car looks a bit disproportionate in some areas due to stretching it out to fit the larger chassis.

My idea is to shrink it down to Corvette proportions and give it a real racy look by basically adding the fenders to the outside of the main shape of the car. The main shape of the car go's from the grill and gets wider around the cabin area then tapers out into the boat tail. The fender will be integral to the body and carry the side line that Buick is noted for.
The power would come from a 425 Buick nailhead, it would utilize a Corvette chassis including the independent rear suspension and maybe stretch the wheel base a bit and improve on the front suspension. In order to build the body I would use a wire frame buck attached to the chassis set at ride height and then form the panels to fit it like Dean Jeffries and others have done. The reason to use the wire frame is that you can visualize the whole car and get the proportions right and the ability to look at the underside of your panels to see if the are laying flat as you build them.

When I get some better drawings done I will post them on this thread in the mean time I invite commentary on the design and any suggestions for improvement. I am building my first hot rod for myself right now and after I get done with it I am thinking of pursuing this concept and bringing it to fruition.

My job building hot rods at Fosses Hot Rods and Cool Cars is coming to an end due to his wanting to retire soon. I have some other avenues of work lined up, one of them being high end exotic restoration. While restoration work is not my first choice it will get me to where I want to be (mainly where the money is) so that I create my own designs and build them.

 

Nice plan. How period correct do you plan to make this? Like an actual concept car from back then, or just to use the stying eleents you've talked about?

 

I smell what you're steppin in. Just to toss few alternative ideas out... You might want it to be closer to 64-5 as that was the heyday of the hot Nailhead. Not much change in the Vette for 66 (one of my favorite years), but it was advancing/fading out of that style by then making room for the "Mako Shark" versions, or what's referred to as C3. In the mid 50s there was a Buick "Vette" of sorts built in C1 guise. I think it was called a Wildcat II, or it may have been the early Centurion. May be of help in the styling cues to look back sometimes. I get the idea of the boat tail connection too, however a C3 version with a 455 Stage I could be a wild card as well. Arguably one of the most powerful engines of it's era, it certainly was near the top of the scrotum pole in the TQ dept. I can see a retro fit of a 64-7 rear glass into a C3 and making the later Riviera body elements play nice. A slightly bigger car although not by much, a foundation that can be had a 1/3 the price of C2 stuff, generally closer to that Riv boat tail version time period in the small bits and trim standards. This could be a winner and some of this might make sense, might not. Just throwin it out there...

 

had to check your profile - thought a 10 year old did drawing. I can not draw either but, before sticking a concept out there I would find some help first. this looks like something George Barris might have built for a Batman TV show.

 

That I one of my dilemmas on this. Do I do it period correct or go totally modern on the running gear.

 

A lot of good points to think about. Thanks

 

I can draw better than that, it was a quick sketch on an envelope. I will start to scale it and refine the lines.

 

my comment about looking like something in a Batman show is not positive. it makes no sense to me, and certainly is not something traditional to be here.

 

Here are some pics of cars that influenced me in my youth. The XNR while not totally appealing in some of its design aspects still is a cool concept and a bit ahead of its time. Old Yeller is just cool with that Buick nailhead power and the pipes exiting the side.

 

combo of a Zimmer, Duisenberg, Riviera......

 

I think it can be pulled off in a traditional factory prototype custom of the early 60's

 

Here is a picture of a Buick concept car that was incorporating the boat tail design and shows the accent trim on the side that is so Buick. I want to carry this design theme on into the 60's and see where it could have gone.

 

Came up with this, traced over a C3 Corvette, with a slightly stretched wheelbase. I left the windshield in place, just where it is on the Corvette.
It´s kind of easy to imagine how Buick might have chosen to build a more sporting "personal" car.

 

That is the idea, thanks for overlay that is nice. About how much wheelbase stretch?

 

Possibly somewhere around 8".

 

I like the side profile, with the squared off front, what are you thinking for grill headlights? Riviera?

The vette windshield, frame, roof looks right. Planning on a donor vette or remaking in steel?

Are you planning on incorporating stock glass, curved custom glass isn't easy or cheap.

I want to see more, keep the updates coming.

 

Nice work, James D !!

Ray

 

I am not sure on the grill yet. I think maybe a chrome horse collar grill or painted sheet metal with an insert. I have thought of using the hide away headlights turned horizontal as the leading edge of the front fender/wing. I want to incorporate as much Buick Riviera influence as I can.


I will most likely use the C3 Vette windshield and door glass and a C2 Vette rear window maybe a 63 split window. I will make the car out of steel most likely as I am more familiar with that but some of it might lend itself to aluminum. If I make separate quarter windows I will find a windshield with the same curvature as the side windows and cut them out of that.

I like the center ridge that the 63 Vette has running down the middle of the roof and should be able to flow the newer windshield to the tail nicely. I also like the fact that the Riviera has the tail sticking out compared to the Corvette fading in to the flat area.

 

I like it a lot. James D's work really brought it life. The stance of it reminds me of the Cheetah( I think).

 

I have done some more research on the wheel base. The C2-C3 wheelbase is 98" and the 71'-73' Riviera wheel base is a huge 122". I think that somewhere between 106" and 110" wheel base would be acceptable and also shorten the area the door and rear wheel opening. I think it would loose some of the weird stretched out area at the shoulder of the body and the quarter window. Here is a good side shot of a Riviera that shows what I am talking about. Feel free to photo chop it. I did a lousy job of it in paint but you can get the idea from it.

 

I really like the idea of the horizontal hidden headlights.

I knew the cutaway fenders and side pipes reminded me of something, and i figured out what it was.
So i guess this is what to try and avoid...

 

For sure want to avoid that look. I want to create a tasteful concept design that catches some of the styles that were tried but over the top, toning it down a bit closer to reality. some of these offer a bit but are kindof out there.

 

Looks like you need to find a old Buick and start chopping it up.

 

Don't have a pic handy, but the Corvette Cheetah or Cobra coupe versions have similar lines to like you want. I think your basic photoshop by cutting the rear of door to rear wheel distance is a main key, probably 8 inches there at least. I think a shorter door would also help, maybe 3-4 inches there since you no longer need rear seat access.

 

I like what you are thinking . Google "Revision" and see how it can be done.

 

Finish your cornbinder. First Willys, it's gonna be Awsome!

 

Thanks I forgot about that car "Rivision". I like that car and the fact that he built it himself but I want more of a personal luxury sports car. That is why I want to shrink it to about Corvette size and make it a two seat car.

 

I am working on the International and will get it done before I start on the Riviera

 

I found one on craigslist but they want $1700 for it and it is real rough. I will continue to look as I have about a year before I start on it. Any thoughts on the frame? I could use the Buick frame but shortened and narrowed or a C3 Corvette frame and lengthen it. The other option is to build my own frame. I want to run independent front and rear and could use Jaguar sedan or Corvette suspension. Any thoughts and opinions on this?

I have been thinking about the roof and was going to see about using the C3 windshield that got me to thinking that I could incorporate the T-tops as well as the side glass. I know that I want to incorporate a quarter window in this because it keeps the hip of the rear fender out of the door unlike the Corvette. I would most likely remake the T-tops out of the Riviera roof so that I can keep the backbone ridge all the way through. Plus I have no idea or desire to learn fiberglass work and am getting itchy just typing about it. Thoughts and opinions?

I am also thinking I would use the 63 split window glass in the rear because it leaves an uninterrupted backbone ridge.

 

Looking at some of the old design sketches from back then, they seemed to use a V butted windscreen quite often. That would enable you to continue the backbone ridge even further. It could probably be done by using two stock screens angled forwards at the centre.