63?-64 riv on ebay-california

[tenugent]

This riv has two swithches on drivers door panel for vents -was this the way non delux interior were built-wondering for future reference.T.Nugent roa 12969...

[RivNut]

Tim,

Definately a rare car, Standard interior w/ power vents. It's a '64, you can tell by the a/c controls.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Buick-Riviera-Hard-top-2-door-1963-buick-riviera-base-hardtop-2-door-6-6-l-/321308839130?forcerrptr=true&hash=item4acf7fccda&item=321308839130&pt=US_Cars_Trucks#ht_122wt_764

Ed

[Guest Kaber]

And the Riviera emblem on the decklid. Thanks for the link Ed!

Tim

[Guest Marcisdave]

Couple things....

Seller states "complete car". If so, how does one expect to steer this "complete car" with no steering column or steering wheel ? That being said, under hood looks to be untouched and all there.

A question I have for everyone: Emblems on the taillight lenses of 63 and 64's. Do both years have the tri-shield emblem ? Or does one year have the tri shield and the other have a stylized "R" emblem ? Any evidence of early or late production cars having emblems that would normally be deemed incorrect for that year ?

Edited January 29, 2014 by Marcisdave
spelling error (see edit history)

[JanZverina]

Only the'63s have the Buick tri-shield emblems on the rear taillights.

[Guest Marcisdave]

Thanks Jan. By looking at the close up pics on the Ebay listing, this car has tri-shield emblems on the taillights, and on the door panels. So that makes it a 63, correct ?

Besides the tri-shield emblems, any other exterior or interior differences between the two years ?

[JanZverina]

If this is the Riv that Ed provided a link to, I agree with him that it's probably a '64 -- mostly because of the HVAC controls, as well as the wiper and headlight switch placements. Also, '64s have the small stand-up 'R' hood ornament instead of the 63's flat tri-shield emblem, and '64s have the 'Riviera' script on the right side of the deck lid, while '63s say B-U-I-C-K across the trailing edge of the deck lid. Both those two things could have been easily swapped throughout the years, less likely the HVAC controls, IMO. I really don't know how hard it would be to swap out an entire instrument panel between 63 and 64. One could always ask for an image of the firewall data plate...

[Guest Marcisdave]

Thanks Jan for the info. It's also possible this is a very early production 64, and those tri-shield items I spoke of were just leftover 63 items that the factory installed to use up existing stock.

I own a unmolested extremely early production 1974 Monte Carlo (built Aug. 1973). It has a dash A/C vent that only 1973 MC's used, so Chevrolet was in the habit of using up existing parts inventory. I imagine Buick did the same. Both in the 60s and 70s.

Once again, thanks for the info. It sounds like the easiest way to tell the exterior is the stand up hood ornament on 64's, and the B U I C K letters on the deck lid of 63s.

[RivNut]

Definitely a "FrankenRiv" The door panels are '63, the emblems are tri-shields. The rear speaker has what appears to be the center cap for a wheel cover in it. Seats are from a '63, different panel stiching - '63 "biscuits" go all the way up; '64 has a long panel across the top. '64 trunk lid, '63 tail light lenses. Under the hood, it's all '64 a/c controls. No '63 vacuum tank. Wheel covers in back seat are for neither year. Just a parts car, unless you have a '64 parts car for all the wrong parts.

Buick is NOT Chevrolet - no short cuts to get a car off the line; they had no "left over" '63 parts. They produced the 40,000 units they were limited to. They had plenty of down time to make tooling changes for '64. I'm guessing that some previous owner wanted leather interior for his '64 and pulling the seats and matching panels from a '63 was the easiest way to do this. A look at the data plate would give us even better clues. Like a stamped 64-4747 :-) or a VIN.

Addendum: I went back to the ebay listing to look at the VIN. Here's what I found, copied and pasted.

Vehicle Title: Rebuilt, Rebuildable & Reconstructed

Edited January 30, 2014 by RivNut
Addendum (see edit history)

[lrlforfun]

Definitely a "FrankenRiv" The door panels are '63, the emblems are tri-shields. The rear speaker has what appears to be the center cap for a wheel cover in it. Seats are from a '63, different panel stiching - '63 "biscuits" go all the way up; '64 has a long panel across the top. '64 trunk lid, '63 tail light lenses. Under the hood, it's all '64 a/c controls. No '63 vacuum tank. Wheel covers in back seat are for neither year. Just a parts car, unless you have a '64 parts car for all the wrong parts.

Buick is NOT Chevrolet - no short cuts to get a car off the line; they had no "left over" '63 parts. They produced the 40,000 units they were limited to. They had plenty of down time to make tooling changes for '64. I'm guessing that some previous owner wanted leather interior for his '64 and pulling the seats and matching panels from a '63 was the easiest way to do this. A look at the data plate would give us even better clues. Like a stamped 64-4747 :-) or a VIN.

Addendum: I went back to the ebay listing to look at the VIN. Here's what I found, copied and pasted.

Vehicle Title: Rebuilt, Rebuildable & Reconstructed

OK Ed: A few things here. First, I couldn't even drive this car with a vice grips and that might hurt it's value. Second, power vents are really rare w/ standard interiors. I wonder if the owners were cig smokers and wanted the p-veez. My question is, what is the difference between the 63 and 64 standard door panels? Mitch

[Eric's.64.Superwildcat]

Also, the sellers states that the engine is a 401, which is incorrect for a '64. This is definitely a FrankenRiv as Ed stated. This cars greatest value is as a part out.

[RivNut]

I sent a message via eBay to the seller asking him about all of the discrepancies and if he still had the '63 from which some of the parts were taken.

Typically, no response.

Ed