1963 Buick Riviera Engine Color

ZombyWoof · May 13th, 2009

I have a 63 Riviera, 401 engine. Owned it since 1981. Best I can tell, the car left the factory with a green engine block. (Numbers match.) To be more specific, it's a blue-green that has a bit of a metallic look to it...not the flat type of light green I've seen in some '65 Rivs. Legend also has it 401's were supposed to have left the factory painted silver.

a) Is it possible my engine got a colour it shouldn't have?

b) If so, does anyone know the type of green this is? When it comes time to re-paint my engine, I'd like to get this same type of green. I can post some pix later...not posting from computer with the pix.

TexRiv_63 · May 13th, 2009

No legend involved, silver is the correct color for the 63 Riv only. there has been talk about possible green engines put in by mistake since all other 63 models used the green. I suggest you post this on the ROA forum on this site, many experts can weigh in there.

Mr Riviera · May 13th, 2009

Anything is possible but unless you can document the error , Silver is the correct color.

Rivup1 · 3 Weeks Ago

My 1963 Riviera has the blue-green color engine. I had read the 401 was green and the 425 was silver. But I know that Dick Sweeney is the expert, so why is my engine blue-green?

Smartin · 3 Weeks Ago

Lots can happen in 46 years. Have you verified that the engine is the one that came with the car from the factory?

Pete Phillips · 3 Weeks Ago

As Adam says, you need to verify that you have the original engine to the car. Engine # and VIN on the driver's door/windshield post should be the same. 401s were green in the '63 LeSabre, Wildcat, and Electra, but they were silver in the '63 Rivieras, as others have noted. You might have an engine transplant from one of those cars.
Pete Phillips, BCA #7338

norb · 2 Weeks Ago

The 63 also had a large red a/c that said Wildcat on it. Also a Wildcat face on it.

Mr Riviera · 2 Weeks Ago

Both the 401 and the 425 engines in the 63 Riv was silver . My best guess is that at some point the eng. was pulled and painted green . There is a chance that the wrong engine was put in the car but I doubt it. As I said before , it should be silver unless it can be documented that the wrong engine was put in the car at the factory ??