1963 Buick Riviera

[Matt Harwood]

Look, I know there are a few non-stock additions to this ultra-clean 1963 Riv, but I like the car so much that I want a Buick friend to have it. In fact, I like it so much that I've seriously contemplated keeping it for myself. Look past the wheels and you'll find a California car with excellent bodywork and a clean, driver-grade undercarriage. The paint is fairly recent and is definitely darker than the original code H Glacier Blue and has a little more gunmetal gray in it than code F Marlin Blue, so I'm not quite sure what to call it, but it looks spectacular. You can easily see how straight it is in the photos and I can't detect any major surgery to the bodywork, either to repair rust or accidents. The chrome is probably original and in very good condition, although the Riviera emblem on the hood is pretty deteriorated and should be replaced. But overall, I'm very impressed with this car.

I believe most of the black interior is original except the carpets and the passenger's side front seat back, which is not quite the same color as the rest of the seating surfaces. Otherwise, it's remarkably well-preserved and uses funky 1960s fabric that looks really slick. Door panels and dash pad are original and the gauges look so good I want to say they've been restored, but then again, maybe it's just really well-preserved. It does have factory A/C which has been recently serviced and uses R134a refrigerant so it's maybe not quite as effective as R12 but it works just fine. The only demerits inside are a thumb-sized hole in the headliner just above the passenger's front window and what appears to be a homemade selector quadrant for the shifter, which looks like it was printed on an inkjet printer and then got wet. The trunk is not 100% correct, but the gray carpets are beautifully fitted and there's a full-sized spare with cover.

The 401 cubic inch Nailhead runs superbly. There are no internal modifications, but it has been dressed up with period finned valve covers and a valley cover, plus a chrome air cleaner lid, but beyond that it appears to be quite stock. Clean California living shows off well and the engine bay is nicely detailed and very tidy. The original Twin Turbine transmission was replaced with a newer TH350 3-speed automatic that works properly with snappy performance (I drive this car frequently). They've installed a rather throaty dual exhaust system that's a little boy racer for my tastes, but it's new and admittedly would sound killer if it was a Camaro or Corvette.The big shiny 16-inch American Racing wheels are the only visible modification, and with suitably tall tires they look right on the big Riv and if I end up keeping it, I'll be keeping them on the car because I think it looks awesome. Oh, and there are power front disc brakes hiding back there, too.

Love the car. If I had to make a list of ten cars that will be more valuable in 5 years than they are today, the 1963-65 Riviera would be on it. This one is nicer than most and if you don't like the modifications, they're easy to undo in an afternoon. For $22,900, it's a heck of a lot of car and like I said, I'm happy to keep it if you guys don't want it. It's fantastic! Thanks for looking!

Edited June 19, 2014 by Matt Harwood
Transmission type updated (see edit history)

[Matt Harwood]

PS:

I've got a red one, too. A little more modified with lowered suspension and bigger 17-inch wheels. No A/C but a brand new black interior. Too modified for this forum, but if you're interested, drop me a line. $23,900.

[smithbrother]

First time I have ever heard a used car salesman say, l like so much I might keep it. Hehehe

My father was a car salesman for 40 plus years, heard that phrase often.

Nice looking piece, and really do wish you well.

Dale in Indy

[Matt Harwood]

Well, I do tend to fall in love a lot, it's one of my weaknesses. In this job, I get to experience so many cars that I've never considered before and discover that they're really neat. I've always liked the Riviera, but like a lot of guys, I always figured they would be cheap forever and I could always get one whenever I wanted one. Well, that seems to be changing and there's a pretty wide gap between $10-12,000 projects and $30-35,000 finished cars. I really want a '65 with the clamshell lights, but when this one fell into my lap with a very reasonable price attached to it, I grabbed it even though it isn't exactly what I personally wanted. Now that I've been driving it for a few weeks, I really like it. It's not perfect, but it's a fine combination of great looks, clean bodywork, a nice color combination, and reasonable price. If it sits in inventory for the whole summer, I'm OK with that because I take it to lunch on sunny days and just like looking at it in the showroom. The red one is probably nicer, particularly with a brand new interior, but it doesn't talk to me in the same way; parked side-by-side, it's quite a bit lower than the gray one, which I'm sure is part of it. The gray one's engine is also a lot prettier.

I don't want to keep them all, but in the past when my gut said, "Keep this one," and I didn't, I've always regretted it. My HPOF-winning '41 Cadillac 60S comes to mind, which I miss desperately, as well as that '32 Buick 90 Series I had last summer. In essence, I trust my gut to tell me a car is good, both in terms of condition and in terms of price. This particular Riv talks to me and my gut is getting more insistent that I keep it and take it off the market. By the time I find another one that talks to me the same way, they'll be getting pricey.

It's not a sales gimmick, it's me trying to be honest with the friends I've made here on this message board, something I'll never compromise on because I'm part of the hobby first and foremost, and a car salesman second to that. But yes, you can take it as a vote of confidence when I say I would keep it for myself, because that's not a line, that's how I really feel.

[smithbrother]

Hey, I UNDERSTAND. My father was one of Buick's top salesman for many years, and in fact was the # 1 guy in the early 70's, I have the gold ring Buick presented him, so am fully aware of his TOOOOOOOO falling in love with cars.

I just got a KICK out of your statement, cause Dad had said the same statement so many times.

In the early 50's Dad made a comment to some folks looking at a new Buick, (they had two children), he told the kids, HOW WOULD YOU LIKE A RIDE IN A CONVERTIBLE WITH THE TOP DOWN? My father was known as (SMITTY), and he always joked around with children, this lead to his asking the first kids I just spoke of, their BIRTH DATES, so he could send then a card inviting them back for another convertible ride. From that day on, he always recorded kids birth dates, and the list grew so large that he had a girl after school keep track, and sending the cards. He gave hundreds of rides, sold cars to the parents, then years later the kids that got his cards often bought from him.

May he rest in Peace.

Dale in Indy

[1965rivgs]

Hey, I UNDERSTAND. My father was one of Buick's top salesman for many years, and in fact was the # 1 guy in the early 70's, I have the gold ring Buick presented him, so am fully aware of his TOOOOOOOO falling in love with cars.

I just got a KICK out of your statement, cause Dad had said the same statement so many times.

In the early 50's Dad made a comment to some folks looking at a new Buick, (they had two children), he told the kids, HOW WOULD YOU LIKE A RIDE IN A CONVERTIBLE WITH THE TOP DOWN? My father was known as (SMITTY), and he always joked around with children, this lead to his asking the first kids I just spoke of, their BIRTH DATES, so he could send then a card inviting them back for another convertible ride. From that day on, he always recorded kids birth dates, and the list grew so large that he had a girl after school keep track, and sending the cards. He gave hundreds of rides, sold cars to the parents, then years later the kids that got his cards often bought from him.

May he rest in Peace.

Dale in Indy

Very cool story...there`s no wonder why he was so successful,

Tom Mooney

[Matt Harwood]

Dale, your dad sounds like a first-rate guy. I've taken more than a few cues from old-timers who seemed to understand that first and foremost this is about people, not end-of-month sales reports. If I couldn't hang out with car guys as part of my job, I wouldn't do it.

Thanks for sharing an awesome story!

[lrlforfun]

OK Dale:....A "Royale Purple".

[SBRMD]

Whatever happened to your '41 Century Matt?

[60FlatTop]

I advertised my '56 Willys pickup something like 10 or 12 years ago: http://mvpimages.net/willys/show.htm

The ad read "My wife says I have to sell it. If you don't buy it I can keep it." Its gone.

Bernie

[buick5563]

Everytime I read one of your ads, it makes me want the car.

Oh yeah, advertise the modified ones too. There are more people here that enjoy them than you would suspect.