What Is The Best 63 Riviera Color?

[Guest BJM]

What's the consensus on the best colors exterior / interior for the 63 Buicks?

What's the rarest exterior color?

I have always been partial to black exterior and silver leather. I think the 63 Riviera (and 64-65) looks best in darker shades but white really pops as well.

[Guest Lowrider70]

Yes, a Black exterior/Silver interior does look nice... whether its on a 1st, 2nd or 3rd Generation Riv. Not sure if this was an available option, but even the other way round wouldn't look bad either: Silver exterior/Black interior. Whether you're doing a 2 or 3 tone paint arrangement to the bodywork, or choosing a colour for your upholstery... I believe Black is your safe choice. Its versatile and will go with almost any other colour. But I also do agree that darker shades of other colours do suit the 1st Gen Rivs much better than paler shades.

[michel88]

I like the darker colors for the first generation Rivs, but I think that white with a blue interior looks great. I am a little bit prejudiced because that is the colors of my 63. I think the 63 to 65's look good in all the stock colors. My least favorite color for them is red.

[Guest Lowrider70]

White exterior/Blue interior... sounds pretty cool. And no, Red isn't a great colour for 1st Gen Rivs, unless its in a nice, dark Candy Apple!

[Patrick91914]

Go to Color Chip Selection. Rose Mist over silver leather. I've never seen it, but if I had a '63, that's one combo that I'd consider.

My '65 was painted burgundy mist and once it was painted, I hated it. Today car is in pieces as I transform it to Turquoise Mist over black cloth with a black vinyl top.

[Guest ZombyWoof]

Personal ownership bias, but white with blue interior for me, too.

[RivNut]

I'll have to go with a color combo that I've seen only once. I saw it on a '63 Riv in Sept or Oct of '62 in the back of a dealership where my dad had worked. It was under a car cover and was awaiting the opening night event where all car dealerships in Hutchinson, KS stayed open late one Friday night and unveiled all the new models to the public in a grand event. (In Hutch, all the dealers were located on West 2nd street, so you could literally walk down the street and see everything.) I was 15 at the time and the sighting of that car is what turned me into the RivNut that I am today. Six months later, I bought a 1/25th scale model of the '63 (still have it) and painted it like the one I had seen earlier. The '63 I now own is my second choice in color - Black with white leather. The color combo that sticks out most in my mind is color code E - Spruce Green, with trim code 728* - Silver Leather.

Ed

[Guest REX STALLION]

Arctic white/ red interior or Granada red/ black interior. I`m not partial to some of the interior colors but most of the exterior colors work for me

[Guest BJM]

I like the darker colors for the first generation Rivs, but I think that white with a blue interior looks great. I am a little bit prejudiced because that is the colors of my 63.

Woody,

I agree white with what appears to me to be a blue some call a "Wedgewood Blue" is a nice set up.

[Patrick91914]

The color combo that sticks out most in my mind is color code E - Spruce Green, with trim code 728* - Silver Leather.

Ed

For '63, I think any color with that silver leather is the best.

I don't know if the cloth was available in '63, but for '65, the cloth/vinyl interiors make me foam at the mouth. I've ripped my car apart to change from black vinyl to black cloth. It's more money but well worth it.

[John]

My 63 Riv is white exterior, midnight blue leather interior, which works for me. One of the nicest I've seen was a 64 with diplomat blue exterior and white vinyl interior. One of the rarest was a coral exterior with silver interior.

John

[RivNut]

Patrick,

In '63, you could get cloth interiors in blue, sandalwood, and black. I think that black with black cloth would be stunning.

One thing that makes the cloth interior in the '65 so nice is the way the seats are stitched. The beefier bolsters in the '65 custom interior helps as well.

Ed

[lrlforfun]

OK Riviera People: E-Z P-Z

Burgundy with White leather. Mitch

[Guest Gee_Rydes]

Black and Saddle (leather though). The one I am building will be that color. Follow along with my frame up

1965 Buick Riviera | Facebook

[Patrick91914]

Patrick,

In '63, you could get cloth interiors in blue, sandalwood, and black. I think that black with black cloth would be stunning.

One thing that makes the cloth interior in the '65 so nice is the way the seats are stitched. The beefier bolsters in the '65 custom interior helps as well.

Ed

I considered black, with black cloth, with a vinyl top, but the Turquoise Mist kept calling me. Another favorite of mine is Seafoam Green over green cloth. . . . perhaps my next Riviera if I can ever finish the one that I have.

[Guest kaycee]

My favorite was my first '63 Riv.: Silver with silver leather deluxe interior, with the silver engine of course. Second favorite: Dark blue , blue standard interior. I also had a red '65, black interior, and a silver with black interior that I liked, but the all silver '63 was my definate number one.

kaycee

[cjp69]

I don't know if this was available in 63, but I have seen it in 64 and like it, silver with a red interior, and I am currently looking at one to possibly purchase.

I also like the silver interior with most any exterior color.

[Guest musclecarfan65]

i'll stick to the colors of mine ... white exterior with black deluxe custom interior. but black on black presumably also looks cool

[RivNut]

Chris,

Yes. In '63, color code D - Silver Cloud - could have been ordered with trim code 778 - red leather. That would be an outstanding color combo; like the early Mercedes Gullwings. I have seen one or two at different ROA events, so they're out there. One I saw had chrome window moldings above the side windows and around the back glass rather than moldings painted to match the interior.

Ed

[Guest Rivup1]

I own 1963 Riviera finished in silver cloud with black interior. It's like a metallic light bronze. The black interior is the combo leather with jaquard(sp?) upholstry. My car also has a black vinyl top (which I know wasnt available until 1965) but itlooks awesome. It really sets off the color scheme. If I had my choice on a second Riv or another classic, I'd choose black for sure.

[Dales90]

My Buddy in El Paso back in the day, had a white with white leather, and it looked so plush and clean...

Hard to beat in my mind

Dale

[pyntre]

I am wondering if anyone has ever seen a 65 Riviera that was painted Black with a deluxe gold cloth interior ? I am about to start the paint process and the interior is factory gold which I really like ...but would it look good in a Black car ? Any one have a picture of that combo they would share if they have it ? Thanks in anvance !!

[RivNut]

There wasn't a "factory gold" interior in '65. You either have something that someone has redone or a saddle interior that is sun bleached. If you're an ROA member, there's a complete list of exterior and interior color codes on their website in the "Articles from the Riview section."

Black with saddle is a good color combo.

[pyntre]

I guess I should have been more specifc on the color , I presently have the 613 Fawn Beaumonde Fabric interior in my 65 and really like it . Just wonder how it would look against a black car. I think there would be an awful lot to redo and paint for a whole interior color change. Did think I would put a black carpet in it though just for wearability and dirt hiding ...Any thoughts.... sort of a Hurst color combo of sorts ?!

[64R]

Mine is black with the blue interior, I especially like the color of the interior. The black exterior is nice but I think I'll be spraying it a midnight blue metallic, not a stock combo but I think it would look amazing with that combo

[dship]

Rob -

Midnight Blue Metallic is the factory stock color of my 92 Riv. It is pictured at the bottom right-hand corner of the ROA website Welcome to the Riviera Owners Association Homepage. (last car at the bottom).

[64R]

Very nice, I didn't know they came in that color. Unfortunately they didn't back in 64, I love that color and with my blue interior I think it would look perfect, ignore the dirty mats, that's the way I got it, I have nice ones now

[dship]

The GM codes for Midnight Blue Metallic are "28" and "8743". It was available in at least the 8th generation Rivieras (86-93) and probably other Buicks and GM cars. Attached is a picture of the leather interior of my 92...a little darker than yours.

[RivNut]

Paint code W is called Diplomat Blue. It's a very, very dark blue, almost black. In '63/64 is was a factory color for Rivieras. It's not a metallic.

Check it out on the attached website. Lower right hand corner. As I said, it's difficult to tell it from black, especially on a very sunny day when black cars are reflecting a blue sky.

1963 Buick Paint Charts and Codes

Diplomat Blue with the blue interior that you currently have was a very desirable color combination. Best of Show at the Denver ROA meet was won by a Diplomat blue '64 with the blue vinyl interior. Send me a picture of your Fisher Body data plate, I'd like to know what other options you have on your car. It's really nice to see a '64 with standard interior that's so well kept. Rarely to you see the black vinyl on the console of a '64. It's really nice for a change to see that.

Ed

Edited September 14, 2010 by RivNut (see edit history)

[Paul K.]

Everyone has an opinion, that is one nice thing about this forum. I think we are all partial to our car's colors. However, I have a professional opinion which was spoken by the famous industrial and automotive designer Raymond Loewy. He said the best color to paint a car to see all of its lines and curves is a metallic color with a silver base such as silver, light blue, champagne. I think that makes sense. I also think that similar 1st gen Riv silver based colors like Silver Cloud, Wedgewood blue (ice blue) and the light green colors all show off the Riv's sharp lines with blended curves and also accent the chrome.

[dship]

I've seen Ed Raner's car w/ the Diplomat Blue....great color....very very dark blue.

I guess it all depends whether or not Rob wants to stay true to the colors offered for that generation Riv. I too like metallic paints...I just had my 2000 Eldorado changed from boring Sable Black to Pearl Black (it has silver and blue metalflakes mixed in). Although its not a stock Cadillac color it is a GM one.

[64R]

There's a blue I found that I think would look like a million bucks on the outside, metallic and quite dark but not nearly as dark as the diplomat blue, I saw the color chit on that and thought it was black. I'm not stuck on staying true to the original colors but we'll see. I'm only doing the engine for now and will worry about the paint once I finish a few other projects I have on the go. The blue interior does look great with the black and maybe diplomat blue would also be a good choice.

I'll send you a pic of the fisher body data plate as soon as I take a pic of it Ed, is it one of the ones under the hood or is it on the door jamb?

[RivNut]

Data plate: The one under the hood above the brake booster.

The Riviera that Dave saw in Pennsylvania is my '85. It's painted a (forgive my language) a Ford color. It's an '08 "Dark Blue Ink:" it is metalic and looks very close to black. I chose it over black because I thought it blended better with the blue interior.

Here are a couple of pictures. They don't really do the metalic justice, but it's in there.

Edited September 14, 2010 by RivNut (see edit history)

[64R]

Before I start, my most humble apologies to Jake for totally hijacking his thread

Well oddly enough the color I really like is also a Ford color but in my defense a very rare one, odds are you've never seen it, specific to a very rare car. I do actually think black with that lighter blue interior looks great so I may keep it that way but who knows, I'm about as decisive as Charlie Brown

Here's a pic of the tag Ed, it doesn't have AC but other than that I don't really know what options it's missing other than maybe a fancier interior? I had a 63 about 20 or more years ago and I think it had AC but otherwise it seems about the same? That one was white with red interior.

Here's a shot of the back seat, I truly love this color, too bad you never see this color anymore

[RivNut]

The data tag on your car decodes like this

05B - built 5th week of February

64-4747 - 1964 - Riviera

FB - Flint, MI assembly plant

28059 - out of 37,XXX built

AA - Regal black lacquer

601 - blue vinyl

W = Tinted windshield

X = power windows (but I see crank handles on the panels?????)

T = power seats

5W = seat belts w/ retractors

The data plate only shows options for which Fisher body made modifications to a basic body for these options. Other options such as tilt wheel, power antenna, four note horns, cornering lights could be added by installing them as the car moved along the line. No body modifications were needed for these. This car doesn't have a reat seat speaker does it?

Standard interior w/ power seats and power windows is a rare combo. The window switches are on the door panel rather than the arm rest, and the seat switch is on the side of the seat rather than on the arm rest.

Nice car. IMHO, Black w/ that blue vinyl would make an outstanding color combination, especially considering how well the interior has been maintained.

Ed

Edited September 15, 2010 by RivNut (see edit history)

[64R]

Thanks for decoding that Ed!

It has power windows, the crank you see is for the vent window. No I don't think it has a rear speaker, I'm pretty sure that's a solid plate, I assume it would be there between the seats if it had it. The radio doesn't work. It didn't come with a tilt columnn but it has one now, the former owner found a correct one and installed it so that's a bonus. He also had the front seats recoverd, the rest of the interior is original

The balck on blue is a great combination, the first time I ever saw that combo was in a mid 50's Cadillac and I loved it. Odds are I'll keep it this color.

[RivNut]

Well DUH on my eyesight. What I looked at as the window crank is the exact switch that I said would be on a standard interior. The rear seat speaker was optional, the main speaker is a 4x10 that's centered in the dash right over the radio. There are threads on this forum that have the names of reliable shops that can go through your OE radio and have it sounding like new. 'course I don't know that sounding like a new '64 radio is what any of us would really want now. I have front and rear speakers on my '64 with the am/fm radio. I pulled a reverberator off a parts car some years ago but have never hooked it up. It's definitely a weird sound.

Ed

[64R]

There's a guy up around here that takes your stock radio and turns into a modern style FM radio while totally maintaining the stock look. I may do that some time but then you are still limited to what you can put in there for speakers using the original locations. If I could find the optional rear speaker I wouldn't mind getting that, currently I'm quite enjoying the quiet when I drive.

[BadgerRivFan]

The data tag on your car decodes like this

05B - built 5th week of February

Ed

It is rare that I would disagree with any technical information provided by RivNut, but I'm gonna go with the second week of May as the build date for this car...

[Guest Fred_S]

Best color for a '63 Riv? the one I let get away, marlin blue with white leather, new owner painted it black...