About that 1971 Buick Riviera boattail out on Maple Grove Road north of Bloomington …
Mystery solved.
Does anyone know the story behind this 1971 Buick Riviera I saw for sale back in May 2023?
I first wrote about the car in a January 2024 column. I had noticed it parked alongside the road the previous spring, when I slowed down to take a few photos out the window before continuing to my destination.
There was a piece of paper taped to the driver’s side window, facing the road.
“71” Buick Riviera, $4500 cash, 350/264/TH400, original bucket seats, 4 wheels, all metal ‒ no Bondo, great frame, new brakes, all chrome is stored inside, incl. spare rear glass, carpet, pans,” the words scrawled on the paper said. “Honk for info!”
A for-sale sign taped to the window provides details about this 1971 Buick Riviera.
Months later, when I decided to return and honk my horn, I couldn’t remember where I’d see that darn Riviera.
Several My Favorite Ride readers let me know they, too, had seen the eclectic Buick. “That car I believe is the one on North Maple Grove Road, down at bottom of the hill on left driving north towards the new covered bridge,” Mike Farmer wrote in an email.
I located the car, stopped, got out. No one was around and the nearby house was quiet. I went on my way and wrote an update vowing to “continue tracking down the story.”
The mystery of this roadside 1971 Buick Riviera has been solved.
Then I dropped the ball, big time, missing a Feb. 7 email from Dan Baucco that arrived after the second column.
The subject line: “Riviera owner here!”
Then this, from Baucco, who said he was “very surprised and pleased” to have seen the Riviera he had been restoring for years featured in My Favorite Ride. He wasn’t in town but said I could email questions to him.
“It is actually a nearly complete vehicle with a rebuilt engine, and I have done quite a bit of work on it including the frame restoration, brakes, bodywork and electrical,” Baucco wrote. “I have all of the chrome stored safely away inside. I’ve had it for about 10 years but haven’t been able to get it finished. I have had it running before but not driving. I look forward to hearing from you.”
This past week, nearly a year later, he heard from me. This was after Baucco’s neighbor saw a recent column about readers’ great interest in the mystery boattail and called to tell me vandals had broken the car’s windshield.
I then found, and responded to, Baucco’s February message.
“Dan, are you still out there?”
“I am here,” came the response. “Sadly the Riviera is going to a new owner soon. I’m just waiting for him to arrange transport. I’d be happy to answer your questions if they are still relevant.”
A mystery 1971 Buick Riviera seen on the side of the road in Monroe County.
Heck yes they are. “Where did the Riviera come from? How did you end up with the car? Were you seeking a Riviera boattail or did you just come across it somewhere and buy? What was the plan? Why are you selling the car? To whom? How did they find out it was for sale?”
Stay tuned next week, because I’m waiting for the answers. And hoping to track down the buyer and be there when this half-century-old classic returns to the road.
Have a story to tell about a car or truck? Contact My Favorite Ride reporter Laura Lane at llane@heraldt.com or 812-318-5967.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: What’s the story behind this 1971 Buick Riviera?