Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Revolving Riviera

It's no secret that I love Rivieras. I've already posted a endearingly corny commercial linking the Riviera to la dolce vita, as well as photos of my old neighbor Richard's amazing 1963 model. Now my friend Keith has alerted me to a short video by his friend Kyle Knobel that features another vintage Riviera.


LUNCHBREAK 1: Riviera Spin from kyle knobel on Vimeo.

Here's Kyle's write-up on the project:
"This is the first video in a series of projects completed on my lunch breaks. I wanted to do some projects that were experiment based, that could be made quickly, and could work out some ideas that had been floating around in my head for a while. This piece was made using a simple point-and-shoot still camera.

"The car itself is gorgeous, and so much so of another era, especially given the prices of gas these days. I see the guy who diligently moves it each week when the street is cleaned. Long hair, beard. He looks like Greg Allman.

"I have a friend who owned a Riviera while in his early 20's. Champagne exterior with white interior. It was before I knew him. But I have heard the story where he stole away the girlfriend of a now famous musician, and drove her from LA up to the Sierras for sex in the backseat. And also of a midweek joyride from San Francisco to Yosemite Park and back in a single day. Those times too are of another era.

"Music by Thee Oh Sees. "


3 comments:

  1. Ah, the Riviera. Ours was navy blue with, if I recall correctly, cream or white interior. Excellent car, as was our Electra 225(also navy blue). Thanks for the memories.

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  2. 9th grade, fall of '62, Lowell Junior High.

    Looking out the east wall from the upper stories one could see the huge gravel staging ground and parking lot for Boutell Driveways. From here the cars were hauled to their ultimate destinations.

    Each one of the Rivieras had a cloth covering, as I remember, at least in the early fall. And the lot held hundreds -- maybe thousands -- each in its' own tan colored shroud.

    So some Riv-afficionado correct me here -- wasn't this car literally "kept under wraps" until sales release, quite unlike today.

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  3. Just in time for Christmas. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Cars-Trucks___1965-Buick-Rivera-in-wonderfull-condition_W0QQitemZ260329239673QQddnZCarsQ20Q26Q20TrucksQQddiZ2282QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_Cars_Trucks?hash=item260329239673&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=65%3A-1|39%3A1|240%3A1318

    ReplyDelete

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