Don't drive one of these.........

[jframe]

..........unless you LOVE attention. I knew when I bought my 65 in February that it would attract attention in my small area, which is four small towns totaling MAYBE

50,000 people. However, I never thought it would draw as much as it has. I had a group of teenagers in the Wal Mart parking lot flock it one night, because they had no idea what it was, lol. I had a local policeman stop me in a park the other day just to LOOK at it. People slow down and hold up traffic just to stare. When I drove it home the first time, and came thru Memphis, I had dozens of folks on the freeway honking and giving me the thumbs up. These are terrific cars, in more ways than one. I really like all the positive

attention it gets, and a lot of older people love it because they either owned one, or knew some banker that did! I traded a really nice 99 Corvette for this car, and, while I still love Corvettes, you couldn't give me SIX of them for one of these.  I just don't think there were a lot of these cars around this area when they were new. I know a lot of you guys say they aren't rare, but I beg to differ, at least in my neck of the woods. Just a great driving experience.

[alini]

We have had alot of attention lately because no one saw the car before.  So being on the road alot of honks, waves, thumbs up.  And then when we get to the cruise ins people have a tendency to linger around ours longer admiring it cause its new to them.

[RockinRiviDad]

…I can't wait haha…I'm almost there with my build 

[Schmiddy]

I'm the only one in the capital and probably one of a few in whole Switzerland... I can tell you, I got a looooot of intention everywhere I drive, specially on US car meetings ... there are some 63 Rivs too but the 65, surprisingly, is less frequently than all the other Rivs. That's such a good feeling to have more intention than Ferraris, Porches, Jaguars or any kind of these super sport cars *hehehe* (needles to say that 63/65 Rivs got so much more style than this sport bullets) 

[Bill Stoneberg]

I have a 64 that looks rough but goes like a scalded dog.  I get lots of attention, the latest when I got stopped for going 100 mph on the freeway. Luckily the limit was 85 so I just got a warning. Only in Texas.

[Seafoam65]

                           My Dad special ordered a 65 Riviera in July of 1964 and it was one of the few built before the GM strike in September

of 1964. The car caused a riot everywhere it went all the way up into the late 80's when he sold it.  The day my family took delivery of the car me and my Dad pulled in to a gas station to buy gas on the way home from the dealership and it stopped traffic on Highway 90

outside of New Orleans, with people pulling off the road to look at it. Everybody wanted to see how the clamshell headlights worked.

As stated above, if you don't like being the center of attention, don't own a 1965 Riviera!

[Guest onedesertdog]

Out here in Podunk, Az., my 65 rarely generates much interest. Even at the local get togethers, or cruising around, most everything is ratrods, mods, etc. I think it's because its a small poor town. Pop. 40,000. 

 In the winter we get about 20,000 snowbirds from Mich. Iowa, Midwest, etc. They know the car...

  Last winter a older man from Mich. talked to me while we were at the car wash. Told me he retired from the flint plant and that he helped build the 65. He went on an on about it. I asked him if he would like to go for a ride. It just lit up. Made my day, and his too.

  I drive mine for me.....

 

Buddy

[lrlforfun]

OK Riviera People: I have been driving my light gold 65 Riv for some time now that it's complete.  I am in the San Francisco East Bay, an area extremely wealthy in old cars. I get a thumbs up in it once in a while but NOT 10% as much as much as my shiny black and white 60 Le Sabre coupe.  Those people can't  leave me alone.  They beep from nowhere and it scares the daylights outta me, they're constantly giving me a "seal of approval" gesture in some form or another. I have seen many take out their phones and snap a picture of the car.  I don't mind. Just don't honk because it's a distraction.

 

Back in the day when I drove my original 65 Riv I was the one on cloud 9. A black/saddle GS, Custom, power windows and a/c. In 1976 I thought I died and went to heaven with my 11 year old childhood dream car. I am a professional auto detailer and it was black, and it was always detailed to perfection....yet never a second look.

 

Go figure?  Mitch

[Guest Kaber]

On 8/21/2016 at 2:07 AM, lrlforfun said:

OK Riviera People: I have been driving my light gold 65 Riv for some time now that it's complete.  I am in the San Francisco East Bay, an area extremely wealthy in old cars. I get a thumbs up in it once in a while but NOT 10% as much as much as my shiny black and white 60 Le Sabre coupe.  Those people can't  leave me alone.  They beep from nowhere and it scares the daylights outta me, they're constantly giving me a "seal of approval" gesture in some form or another. I have seen many take out their phones and snap a picture of the car.  I don't mind. Just don't honk because it's a distraction.

 

Back in the day when I drove my original 65 Riv I was the one on cloud 9. A black/saddle GS, Custom, power windows and a/c. In 1976 I thought I died and went to heaven with my 11 year old childhood dream car. I am a professional auto detailer and it was black, and it was always detailed to perfection....yet never a second look.

 

Go figure?  Mitch

I agree Mitch! I have a couple of old cars myself including riding in my Son's Riviera alot. It seems more recently there are alot more people honking, and you are right it is startling and distracting. I don't know if I made a driving error or if someone is trying to tell me there is something wrong with the car. I don't mind the thumbs up or nods but lay off the horns!

[rocky5517]

With my 2nd gen ( 67) what amazes me is that in North Jersey even though there are a lot of gearheads, you'd be surprised at how many people at cruise nites, who know cars, have no idea what year it is. They are surprised when I tell them that around 44,000 were built.

[jframe]

I had an oil changer at the dealership I work at think it was a Rolls Royce, because of the "R" hood ornament and center caps, lol. I told him these were better built cars than a Rolls. I think folks born after 1980 get confused, because it sure as hell doesn't LOOK like a Buick, at least not in the traditional sense.

[RivNut]

Check out the TH400 used in the Rolls Corniche.  Does the bell housing look familiar?

[jframe]

8 hours ago, RivNut said:

Check out the TH400 used in the Rolls Corniche.  Does the bell housing look familiar?

Wow, never realized that, lol.

[RoadShark]

TH400 was used by AM General in military trucks, Avanti, Excalibur, Ferrari, Holden, Jaguar, Jeep, Rolls-Royce, and Volvo truck.  It was too good...

[lowslow64]

I think the 65 gets a certain type of attention that's positive and inquisitive.  There's also the people who know the car: like the ones who walked up today at cars n coffee with comments like "nice! it has the deluxe interior" or "I remember _____ who got one brand new" (the blank space invariably filled by the wealthy folk on the block).  It's also interesting though that so many people are stricken by it yet dont know at all what it is.  I assume they're trying to decide if it's a muscle car or a luxury car or a lowrider, or who knows.  It's nice telling them its a Buick.