My '63 Riviera has a 401 from a '63 Electra. I wondered what "value" effect that has. This is somewhat of a mute point since I plan to be buried in this car but the intrinsic value is still important. In full disclosure, the car has been painted to white from metallic blue (which I plan to change back) and there have been some other small changes mainly under the hood. It will probably never be completely original but I would like to keep it as close as possible. What is your opinion?

Put a lot of paint over the engine code and VIN stampings and no one but you will ever know. If you like the car (and apparently you do or you you wouldn't be using it as your coffin) and it's in good shape, enjoy it. Those engine were identical except for color - The Riv engine should be a silver color - and the air cleaner breather is red.

I was wondering what the color was originally. Thanks that's useful information.
Paul

Here's a picture of the engine compartment of a '63 that I took at an ROA event a couple of years ago. The decals for the air cleaner are available through many dealers. To be absolutely correct, there should also be a decal with the head of a wildcat on the snorkle. The hose that runs from the air cleaner body to the valve cover is an owner added modification. Normally there would just be a breather on the valve cover.

If you're not already a member of the Riviera Owners Association, I urge you to join. It's the best restoration money you can spend.

www.rivowners.org

I agree with Ed. It's too late now for it to be a "numbers matching" car. The engines are the same. Make it look like a Riviera engine as much as you can and no one will ever know any different. Then drive it and enjoy it!

Here's another picture that shows the proper Wildcat decal placement on the hood and no "add-on" breather hose. This is a very good example of an OEM engine compartment except this picture doesn't have a good view of the Wildcat/Riviera 445 decal on the breather lid. Is this your car Jim?

Yes, that looks like my car.

In the interest of full disclosure, I will tell you, though, that I chose not to use the original wrinkle-red paint on my air cleaner housing. I did it with that paint at first (look at Ed's first photo for an example of what it looks like) and I decided I did not like it.

I stripped it all off again and painted it with a gloss red enamel that matched the red on the big disc decal on top. It's kind of hard to tell from Ed's photo, but it matches really well and makes the air cleaner housing look like it is all the same red and less like a decal.