Here is my ride...new mods in the work

Great story! Thanks for sharing. I took a similar trip to GA from OH and bakc about 3 years ago. Made a hard run through Deals Gap, noticing the car felt "mushy" about half way through. Sure enough, got home to find I'd snapped a stabilizer bar link. Easy fix.

Oh lord... please let this snow go away. I want to drive the Riv... I can't afford filling up the Bronco anymore. $85.00 is too much for 175 mi of driving!!!

You might have to buy a PRIUS.

Besides with your foot in the throttle of the Riv, are you doing any better on gas mileage.???

I think I have a Prius stuck in the Bronco's grill... I will have to check tomorrow.

The best I can get with the Riv is around 20 mpg which I feel is awfully good for a heavy car with that much power. Thankfully most of my trips are short.

Pull the Prius out out and get some use out if it. With a disguise of course.

Lately I been having some "issues" going on in my life and one of the ways to vent is to drive. I've parked the Bronco and have been driving the Riviera lately. Now I usually drive 90% of the time very carefully rarely above 5mph over the speed limit, turn signals always, complete stops, etc... But within the past few days, I have driven pretty agressively.

So on a road I am very familiar with, I have started pushing the limits of the Riv. It's a long mile sraight starting from a down hill run with a new two lane round-about (exiting 270* from entrance) then into two turns , first a 90* sharp left then a 90* sweeping turn. Next is another straight away about 1/4 mile long with another 90* sweeping turn to the right then a tight, right/left "S" turn.

So the first night I kept the speeds on the straights fairly low but took the turns with some gusto. During the round about, I entered slow and then hammered it all the way around. The back end came out very gently and smooth but it really went out. However it was very easy to control by applying or letting off power. The rear sway bar really tightens up the rear while there is enough weight in the front to plant some traction. It did slide about on the "S" turns a little but on the others, I was too fast on the entry speeds and felt uncomfortable taking the turns that fast.

I did go back to the round-about a couple more times and feel very confident sliding around it now. (It was just constructed so it's very smooth)

Second day I was really amped up and decided to go all out. I can't remember what I hit on the initial straight but wanted to enter the round-about in control which I nailed except for the very end when my front drivers side tire went up in smoke at the end on the way out and the car ended up sliding briefly on all fours. Nailed the first and sharpest 90* then added too much power on the exit of #3 and let off the gas letting it understeer a little too much and loosing speed. The short straight away, I hit 95mph carrying speed from the last turn but stopping soon enought before the last 90* before the "S" turns.

The end of the last "S" turn is where things went scary. I was slowing down because I was attempting to turn immediately after. After exiting the "S", I tried to turn while aggressively applying the brakes so the back end was not under any load and the the car was off center weight wise from just exiting the "S". Needless to say the front brakes locked, the rear came around, and I went for a short O-Shit ride. The Riv went completely sideways, up over a curb, and about 4' into a yard. Thankfully I missed two mailboxes with two feet to spare and other than a little grass and mud stuck in the cradle (I didn't have my lower valence on), no damage.

I have gone back to my conservative ways but now I really have a bug for going to a controled enviroment and try some autocrossing. I was extreamely pleased with how fast this thing is expecially around corners and is stable as hell if you know how to drive which I need to know how to.

Wow. That's a scary moment for sure. Hope you got the bug out. I used to drive very fast until I found the local dragstrip (New England Dragway). I still drive a little fast but save my really aggressive driving for NED.

I have been kind of bored of drag racing the Riv lately - it's not really a good drag racing platform (too light in the front) so I started looking for SCCA chapters recently to see what I could do with the Riv on a road course instead. With the addco sway bar upgrades and 255 tires I know it's drastically improved over stock handling but I want to find out just what that means!

one way to improve the handling of the riv that will have you say"WOW"! is to get rid of the stock bushings. if you can afford/figure/do it. you will be amazed how capable a heavy car like ours can be.

Quote :

With the addco sway bar upgrades and 255 tires I know it's drastically improved over stock handling

I am glad I invested in my brakes and suspension. It may be a little less comfort friendly on bumpy roads but the Riv sticks like glue and is very controlable. Now I have an autocross bug! Strips are fine but I agree the Riv's are not the best car for launching.

I'm just glad I didn't hit anything and am looking forward to some of the evens the SCCA and local clubs have going on this spring/summer...

Did you find an upgrade for the bushings in the Ranchos?

Yes I did but haven;t ordered them yet. I will post the PN tomorrow. Currently I am using a rubber bushing that seems to be doing well and is a temporary fix.

Thanks for the PN in advance.

That tail swap is what scares me about pushing the Riv too hard - well, not so much the losing control as going into the ditches that universally line the roads here, and totalling the car. I've seen it happen. Back when I was still riding the school bus, my friend's cousin had a hopped up Fiero which was pretty bad ass for the time. One day we were riding along on the bus and spotted the Fiero way down in a gulley all busted up. Don't know how the guy lived.

deekster_caddy wrote:

so I started looking for SCCA chapters recently to see what I could do with the Riv on a road course instead. With the addco sway bar upgrades and 255 tires I know it's drastically improved over stock handling but I want to find out just what that means!

Have you looked at Louden's (NHIS) schedule. They do a series of SCCA racing during the summer, I believe.

Rickw wrote:

deekster_caddy wrote:

so I started looking for SCCA chapters recently to see what I could do with the Riv on a road course instead. With the addco sway bar upgrades and 255 tires I know it's drastically improved over stock handling but I want to find out just what that means!

Have you looked at Louden's (NHIS) schedule. They do a series of SCCA racing during the summer, I believe.

Yes, and also looked at the new england SCCA website. Their 'newbie' days are few and far between, but they do have them.

Before I switched back to the Riviera I have, I had a 2000 Bonneville SLE and I was thinking about taking it on a roadtrip but I sold that one and bought the Riviera. Now Im taking the Riviera on a roadtrip this summer to North Carolina, Im getting married in August, and Im going to Kuwait or Afghanistan in September/October. So I HAVE to get it in with the Riviera!

So my the guy I am helping out backed into my car with his '87 Ford Dually when the Riv was parked on the street. Here is the damage. At first thought only the bumper skin needed to be replaced and painted but there are some deep scratches in the hood also. I didn't spend too much time looking for a dent in the hood because it made me sick to see. I am hoping my 1.5 quarts of "one of a kind" color leftover paint will cover everything... and match. Maybe put a little thought into Sqrivi's bumpers...

OUCH. :'(

Is that from a hitch?? Ugh... No good deed goes unpunished. Hate to see something like that. Just makes my eyes hurt.

edit: On the bright side (if there is one), the scratches on your hood don't appear to be too deep. I think some buffing or 2000 grit WS followed with some polish should get those out.

damn, why is everyone getting backed into? dont park on the street, i dont know how many times ive heard "my car got backed into..........on the street...." park in your yard if you have to

noo! not the wolf's riv!

Maybe just put a 3 foot steel spike in the hole welded to the bumper. Then you can be sure that someone backing into you will have the most damage.

Damn dude, that sucks. That's what happened to me....difference is they backed into me hard enough to push the bumper into the fender into the door and popped of the chrome fender moldings.....a new OEM bumper is like $350.

Man Eric, I really feel for you. I would literally drop to my knees and cry if that happened to me.

That REALLY sucks Eric!!!

wow - don't even know what to say...
That's life when it sucks.

Sorry Eric

Eric, That Sucks Out Loud.

Has business been good enough lately to consider the custom bumper's.
If anyone's car would look good with them it would be yours. Especially the intercooler peeking out of the lower bumper grill opening, or the sharks mouth.

You mentioned one off paint. You do have the paint code for more if you need it, don't you.???

First two quotes are around $1800 for the bumper and hood. I can do it for $250-$300 parts and materials included. Now I have some money to play around with. Thinking hard about sqrivi's bumpers now...