63 Riviera - New Owner

So I was at the Mecum auction this weekend in Anaheim and I purchased a 63 Riviera on a total whim. I really know nothing about the car but just loved the styling and well now I'm the proud new owner. The car was advertised as matching numbers and was hoping someone could help me decipher the data plate info. as follows:

05E

Style 63-4747 FB34595 Body

Trim 716J2 FF Paint

ACC. D S7 I7 N2 U7 Z4

This car equipped with magic mirror acrylic lacquer

Body by Fisher

I also found this tag: Buick 7J1106155 and this number was stamped in the engine between the spark plugs: B1196914J

Thanks in advance

Welcome and congratulations. The number cast (not stamped) between the spark plugs is the casting number for the head - 1959 - 1966, 364, 401 and 425 cubic inch engines. The 7J number is the VIN and should match the title. That VIN should be stamped into the block on the surface where the valley covers sits. It's on the right hand (driver's side), at the front. To the left on the same surface will be either a JT or a JW. T = 401, W = 425 (J = 1963 just like in the VIN)

ACC - accessories

716 = blue vinyl

J2 = power seat.

63-4747 = 1963 Buick Riviera

FF - Marlin Blue

D - equipped for a radio

S7 - remote mirror

I7 - tinted glass

N2 - a/c

U7 - power windows

Z4 - remote trunk release.

The FB number is the sequential production number out of 40,000 for 1963

All Buicks in '63 were painted with lacquer.

Check out the Riviera Owners Assn. in the link in my signature.

Welcome aboard!

05E = build date 5th week of May 1963

Welcome and congratulations. The number cast (not stamped) between the spark plugs is the casting number for the head - 1959 - 1966, 364, 401 and 425 cubic inch engines. The 7J number is the VIN and should match the title. That VIN should be stamped into the block on the surface where the valley covers sits. It's on the right hand (driver's side), at the front. To the left on the same surface will be either a JT or a JW. T = 401, W = 425 (J = 1963 just like in the VIN)

ACC - accessories

716 = blue vinyl

J2 = power seat.

63-4747 = 1963 Buick Riviera

FF - Willow mist paint

D - equipped for a radio

S7 - remote mirror

I7 - tinted glass

N2 - a/c

U7 - power windows

Z4 - remote trunk release.

The FB number is the sequential production number out of 40,000 for 1963

All Buicks in '63 were painted with lacquer.

Check out the Riviera Owners Assn. in the link in my signature.

Ed, your formula for the FB number doesn't jive on my 65 Riviera. It was built in February 1965 and the

FB number on the body plate is 88412. Since there were only 34,586 Rivieras built that year, 88412 cannot be the sequential number of Rivieras built, so I assume it is the sequential body number of every car built in the plant, not

just Rivieras? What gives?

Is this the car? Are those Camaro wheels?

https://www.mecum.com/lot-detail.cfm?lot_id=AN1114-197645

Kaber out

Ed, your formula for the FB number doesn't jive on my 65 Riviera. It was built in February 1965 and the

FB number on the body plate is 88412. Since there were only 34,586 Rivieras built that year, 88412 cannot be the sequential number of Rivieras built, so I assume it is the sequential body number of every car built in the plant, not

just Rivieras? What gives?

Ed's description is correct for the 1963 Riviera. This guy just bought a really nice car built in May 1963, near the end of that model year. As Ed says, it is Riviera body number 34,595 out of 40,000 to leave the Fisher Body plant.

The data plate on a '65 is not numbered this way. There are many small differences between the '63, '64, and '65 Rivieras. People tend to lump them all together because they look a lot alike and share a number of common elements. But they are different.

Ed's description is correct for the 1963 Riviera. This guy just bought a really nice car built in May 1963, near the end of that model year. As Ed says, it is Riviera body number 34,595 out of 40,000 to leave the Fisher Body plant.

The data plate on a '65 is not numbered this way. There are many small differences between the '63, '64, and '65 Rivieras. People tend to lump them all together because they look a lot alike and share a number of common elements. But they are different.

That being the case, what does the FB number on my car represent, the total number of bodies built at that plant including other Buicks as well as Rivieras?

Ed, your formula for the FB number doesn't jive on my 65 Riviera. It was built in February 1965 and the

FB number on the body plate is 88412. Since there were only 34,586 Rivieras built that year, 88412 cannot be the sequential number of Rivieras built, so I assume it is the sequential body number of every car built in the plant, not

just Rivieras? What gives?

The FB number on a '65 is the sequence number out of the entire Buick line.

Welcome aboard!

05E = build date 5th week of May 1963

Just in case you're trying to decode another Riviera, the number is the month and the letter is the week. The 5th week of the 5th month could be confusing if you used them them in opposition to decode a different car. My '63 was built 02E, the 5th week of February, not the 2nd week of May.

The FB number on a '65 is the sequence number out of the entire Buick line.

Thanks, Ed for the clarification.......by the way how was it done on the 64 Rivieras?

Thanks, Ed for the clarification.......by the way how was it done on the 64 Rivieras?

Same as in '63.

I just went back and edited my first post in this thread. I did that post very quickly this morning and had the J2 in my mind when I looked at the color code. The color is FF, Marlin Blue, not JJ Willow Mist. When I first posted that I thought to myself "what a weird color combo, how did anyone pull that one off?"

Sorry. All's well that ends well.

Marcus J. FYI, all of the codes listed on the data plate are only for the back half of the car, the part that was built in Flint before being sent to final assembly. Other options such as tilt wheel, cornering lights, cruise, four note horns, etc., which could be added without any further attention from Fisher Body were just installed on the line but do not appear on the Fisher Data Plate. You can probably find out what other options you have just by reading old posts. Or, you can compare what you have with the full list of available options that appear on the ROA's website.

Ed

So I was at the Mecum auction this weekend in Anaheim and I purchased a 63 Riviera on a total whim. I really know nothing about the car but just loved the styling and well now I'm the proud new owner. The car was advertised as matching numbers and was hoping someone could help me decipher the data plate info. as follows:

05E

Style 63-4747 FB34595 Body

Trim 716J2 FF Paint

ACC. D S7 I7 N2 U7 Z4

This car equipped with magic mirror acrylic lacquer

Body by Fisher

I also found this tag: Buick 7J1106155 and this number was stamped in the engine between the spark plugs: B1196914J

Thanks in advance

That's a really nice car, Marcus! Welcome to the club!

My recommendation is to reverse the battery in the car. Get the positive post over next to the radiator, away from the fender. Easy to do with the battery you have. Some people think it is bad to cross the two heavy battery cables. It might be... but not as bad as that positive post on that battery grounding out on the underside of the hood!

I am the '63 Riv Technical Advisor for the ROA. Feel free to contact me any time with questions. I will look you up the next time I am in the LA area.

Marcus,

Jim is right , that is a really nice car! Does it still have the drum brakes? Its hard to tell in the photos.

Kaber

That is an extremely nice car!

Congratulations!

While some might opt for more period correct wheels, there seems to be nothing that is needed, except turning the key!

Someone put a lot of work and money into making that car for you!

Enjoy it!

Many thanks to all for the responses and advise, the car is in great condition as you can see from the Mecum photo's that were posted. I found a couple of other numbers on the engine block, one was 7J1106155 (matches the car number so that's good) and the other is JW719, the 9 could be a q.

The car does have the original drum brakes, when I figure out how to do it I'll post a few more pictures. I'm probably going to change the wheels, I like the look but they are too big (20's) and rub. I'll stick to an open wheel because the drums have been powder coated or painted silver and they look pretty cool. I'm thinking 17" on the tire size but opinions would be appreciated. I'm so glad to have discovered the series 1 Rivieras, awesome looking cars.

If the 7Jxxxxxx number on the block matches the VIN, then you've got a numbers matching car. The JW indicates that the engine is a 425, only about 2800 out of 40,000 came with the 425 in '63. The other three numbers are nothing (in that no one to date can tell anyone what they mean - they have nothing to do with displacement, h.p., or anything else that's pertinent to the car/engine.)

To be totally correct for '63, the engine should be painted silver. It should have a red air cleaner with a decal on it that says "Riviera Wildcat 465" and there should be a small silver on black circular decal of a wildcat on the snorkel of the air cleaner. Now, first things first, as Jim Cannon states, get that battery turned around so the positive cable is away from the hood brace and fender. :eek:

Ed

Thanks Ed, you certainly know your stuff regarding these cars. I do have the red air cleaner and decal (nothing on the snorkel). It looks like new so its either been painted and a new sticker applied or aftermarket or NOS. The engine is painted a light blue color so not correct. Anyway I'm really pleased about the matching numbers. Reversing the battery is at the top of my "to do" list...!!

When you get comfortable and can get away from the car for a while, search the forum for previous threads on what comes to your mind. I know that within the last month there's been a lot of discussion about 'correct' silver for the engine. In the upper right hand corner at the top of the forum, there's a link to do an 'Advanced Search.' Open that link, select the single category search tab, type in your key words (1963 riviera engine color for example,) then find the window that displays the forums and limit it to this Riviera Owners Forum. If you type in too much for a key word search, you'll not get many hits. If you type in too little, you'll get more than you can handle. It's a give and take experience that you'll eventually get the hang of. If you don't limit your searches to the Riviera Owners forum you could be getting information from all sorts of odd places that will have no bearing on the specifics that you want.

Ed

Welcome to the forum and congratulations on your purchase Marcus. I thought the same thing as others when I viewed the pictures of your 63. Its in beautiful condition. Best of luck. You will find these are great driving cars especially with a more practical aftermarket wheel size which you are pursuing. You'll want to get a chassis service manual for it also.