Unsold 65 Rivieras Delivered in 66?

[Guest Mr Jones]

My car came with a big stack of paperwork and going through it all it struck me as a little odd that this car was not delivered until February 66.

According to the metal plate it was 'Built Expressly for Rose M Piper'

 

Further digging shows the vehicle was heavily discounted, by over $1000 at the time of sale.

The engraved tag threw me for a bit but I have come to the conclusion that this was probably unsold floor stock, and that the tag was probably a personal touch from the dealer.

 

Here are  the basic numbers

1965 Riviera VIN 494475H927595

Engine Number 5H927595

 

The extras listed among the sales documents include:

Somomatic Radio with Manual Antenna                     88.41

White Wall Tires 845 x 15                                              42.41

Air Conditioner                                                              437.00

Two Custom Front Seatbelts with retractors               7.37

Soft Ray Tinted Glass                                                    42.10  

Mr Piper also paid $41.44 to have the car undercoated

 

All the standard features are listed, along with Color Code L L and Trim code 604.

 

This was a trade in and they gave him $100 Trade in allowance for a 1956 Buick Special

 

The price was dropped from the list of 5125 to 4000 plus taxes.

 

Thanks for reading along as I dig through the papers

 

I wonder how many more of these were still unsold by 1966.

 

Edited August 31, 2017 by Mr Jones
More information discovered (see edit history)

[Pat Curran]

These were engraved and installed by the dealer at the time of delivery.  It is possible that this car remained on the lot after the new models came out.

[Guest Mr Jones]

14 minutes ago, Pat Curran said:

These were engraved and installed by the dealer at the time of delivery.  It is possible that this car remained on the lot after the new models came out.

 

 

Thank you Pat. After further digging - see above - I am inclined to agree.

[RivNut]

2 hours ago, Pat Curran said:

These were engraved and installed by the dealer at the time of delivery.  It is possible that this car remained on the lot after the new models came out.

Pat, 

I was led to believe that a "Built for ..." plate came with each car along with written instructions on where to send it for engraving.  Of all the original plates that I've seen, they all have the same script.  It would be unusual for every dealer across the country to be able to come up with the same script.  Other of you have views, opinions, or facts?

[Seafoam65]

                   My  recollection from when my Dad special ordered his 65 is that the dealer had him fill out a form

specifying what name to put on the plaque, then when the car came in the plaque  had already come in the mail.. As I recall the

dealer installed the plaque during the make ready. When we drove out of the dealership the plaque was on our console.

I believe that when you bought a Riviera off the lot, they would give you the form to fill out, then the dealer would call you

when the plaque came in , then they would offer to install it, or you could install it yourself if you wanted to.

[steelman]

The form was a post card pre-addressed to the Buick plant. This card came along with the other paperwork on the car. I have seen the form posted here before. I still had mine with the paperwork I got with my car. The original owner never sent off for it.

[Pat Curran]

Ed, I am not sure where the engraving was done and I wasn't implying that the actual dealer did the engraving but I believe they installed it. I have seen 2 different styles over the years with some consistency.  I have seen some that were actually engraved and I have seen some that look like a silkscreen with black letters.  I have seen both examples on original owner cars and I have owned several myself with both types.  A form (card) was included to be filled out (I have an original blank card in my collection).  I will have to dig it out to see where it is mailed to or what the dealer instructions are.

Edited August 31, 2017 by Pat Curran (see edit history)

[Riviera63]

1 hour ago, Pat Curran said:

Ed, I am not sure where the engraving was done and I wasn't implying that the actual dealer did the engraving but I believe they installed it. I have seen 2 different styles over the years with some consistency.  I have seen some that were actually engraved and I have seen some that look like a silkscreen with black letters.  I have seen both examples on original owner cars and I have owned several myself with both types.  A form (card) was included to be filled out (I have an original blank card in my collection).  I will have to dig it out to see where it is mailed to or what the dealer instructions are.

 

 

[Guest Mr Jones]

3 hours ago, Seafoam65 said:

                   My  recollection from when my Dad special ordered his 65 is that the dealer had him fill out a form

specifying what name to put on the plaque, then when the car came in the plaque  had already come in the mail.. As I recall the

dealer installed the plaque during the make ready. When we drove out of the dealership the plaque was on our console.

I believe that when you bought a Riviera off the lot, they would give you the form to fill out, then the dealer would call you

when the plaque came in , then they would offer to install it, or you could install it yourself if you wanted to.

 

 

This looks consistent with my sample.  It appears that it has never been installed, the plaque still holding a removable paper backing that would probably reveal an adhesive back.

I peeled the corner back for a look but whatever adhesive properties that were once there are long since perished..

Edited August 31, 2017 by Mr Jones (see edit history)

[Seafoam65]

           There is another interesting bit of info regarding your plaque Mr. Jones. Until seeing your uninstalled plaque, every 1965 plaque I've  seen

including my Dad's 65  says "Custom Built For" while the 63 and 64 plaques I've seen up till now say "Built Expressly For" Your plaque blows

my theory about a change starting with the 65 models right out of the water. My Dad's car was built way before yours and said "Custom Built For"

on the plaque. Now I'm wondering if Buick had two different vendors supplying them. Another possibility is that special ordered cars said  "Custom Built For" in 65 while cars bought from dealer inventory said "Built Expressly For".That would explain it. 

[1965rivgs]

11 hours ago, Mr Jones said:

My car came with a big stack of paperwork and going through it all it struck me as a little odd that this car was not delivered until February 66.

According to the metal plate it was 'Built Expressly for Rose M Piper'

 

Further digging shows the vehicle was heavily discounted, by over $1000 at the time of sale.

The engraved tag threw me for a bit but I have come to the conclusion that this was probably unsold floor stock, and that the tag was probably a personal touch from the dealer.

 

Here are  the basic numbers

1965 Riviera VIN 494475H927595

Engine Number 5H927595

 

The extras listed among the sales documents include:

Somomatic Radio with Manual Antenna                     88.41

White Wall Tires 845 x 15                                              42.41

Air Conditioner                                                              437.00

Two Custom Front Seatbelts with retractors               7.37

Soft Ray Tinted Glass                                                    42.10  

Mr Piper also paid $41.44 to have the car undercoated

 

All the standard features are listed, along with Color Code L L and Trim code 604.

 

This was a trade in and they gave him $100 Trade in allowance for a 1956 Buick Special

 

The price was dropped from the list of 5125 to 4000 plus taxes.

 

Thanks for reading along as I dig through the papers

 

I wonder how many more of these were still unsold by 1966.

 

Maybe the car was a demonstrator...is the mileage when sold listed anywhere on your paperwork? Just a possibility but upon reflection I doubt your car was a demonstrator as generally demonstrators are equipped with more optional equipment.

Tom Mooney

[Seafoam65]

Tom, according to the paperwork on my car, it was built in February 1965 and was sold to the original owner more than a year later in March 1966.

The reason my car sat around so long is that it was a special order car, and when it arrived on the transporter, the transport driver backed it off the

transporter and into a concrete base for a giant parking lot light pole, knocking the rear bumper into the quarter panel at the right rear, ruining the bumper

and requiring dent repair and repainting of the quarter panel and a new deck lid and painting of the new lid. When the person who special ordered the car found out

about all the damage, he refused to buy it and bought another Riviera out of dealer inventory. After the car was repaired, the dealer tried for many many

months to sell the car but nobody wanted it because it had been repainted in the rear and there was filler in the rear quarter panel. Finally in March 1966

the dealer agreed to sell the car to the alignment tech at the dealership for a much discounted price. The funniest thing about the damage is that was the only body damage the car has ever had in 53 years, with no other body damage ever except that the car had to be repainted in lacquer in 1975 due to the original paint being too thinly applied and thus rust coming up through the top coat. My Dad's 65 had to be repainted in the early 70's for the same reason, even though it had always been  garaged and almost never driven in the rain.

 .

[Guest Mr Jones]

7 hours ago, 1965rivgs said:

Maybe the car was a demonstrator...is the mileage when sold listed anywhere on your paperwork? Just a possibility but upon reflection I doubt your car was a demonstrator as generally demonstrators are equipped with more optional equipment.

Tom Mooney

 

 

On the sale documents the car is described as 'NEW' though I don't know any more than this.

I cannot find any place on the sales record for an odometer reading so its hard to say for sure.

 

[RivNut]

7 hours ago, Mr Jones said:

 

 

On the sale documents the car is described as 'NEW' though I don't know any more than this.

I cannot find any place on the sales record for an odometer reading so its hard to say for sure.

 

New probably meant that the car had never been titled.  

[Chimera]

Yeah, but we all know what the main thing is here.

 

The most important point of interest is that the vehicle has an LL paint code.

 

MIDNIGHT AQUA...BINGO WAS HER NAME OOoOOoOoo!!!

 

 

Edited September 2, 2017 by Chimera (see edit history)

[Guest Mr Jones]

8 hours ago, Chimera said:

Yeah, but we all know what the main thing is here.

 

The most important point of interest is that the vehicle has an LL paint code.

 

MIDNIGHT AQUA...BINGO WAS HER NAME OOoOOoOoo!!!

 

 

 

Thank you Chimera.  'fatbuick' Tony helped advise me through this purchase, and he explained this then as well.

It is a bit surprising through 2017 eyes to see this was the least popular color.

It is really striking, especially against the white interior.

Edited September 2, 2017 by Mr Jones (see edit history)

[billbuickgs]

I was 23 years old when I bought my new 65 Riviera in February , 1965 . To help with insurance cost I, put the car in

my mother's name .Sure enough , when the plate came , it built for Ann Lagna ."S##T , I never attached it to the car !!!!!!

Bill

Edited September 2, 2017 by billbuickgs (see edit history)

[1965rivgs]

8 hours ago, Mr Jones said:

 

Thank you Chimera.  'fatbuick' Tony helped advise me through this purchase, and he explained this then as well.

It is a bit surprising through 2017 eyes to see this was the least popular color.

It is really striking, especially against the white interior.

The fact this color was not popular in 1965  may be why it went unsold

  Tom

[lrlforfun]

OK Riviera People: I have a 65 originally sold in Spring of 1966. Documented by CA title stating "first sold" and licence. SJC 905. I think it could have been Mama's demo. Also, I KNOW I was in good company to realize the introduction of the 66 meant that things styling wise were going in a much different direction and it was time to carve my line in the sand.

[Mr Riviera]

When I bought my first Riv new in 65 I had to fill out the card and mail it in to the factory to  get my nameplate . It was sent to my house and I put it on . About 5 years ago I sent in another card  that I had for another Riv but never got a response ! LOL  I thought I would at least get a letter saying OUT OF STOCK !

[1965rivgs]

1 minute ago, Mr Riviera said:

When I bought my first Riv new in 65 I had to fill out the card and mail it in to the factory to  get my nameplate . It was sent to my house and I put it on . About 5 years ago I sent in another card  that I had for another Riv but never got a response ! LOL  I thought I would at least get a letter saying OUT OF STOCK !

Hi Dick,

  Did you pre-order your car or buy it from dealer stock? Thanks,

  Tom

[Mr Riviera]

Dealer stock . I was a new cop at the time and making 485.00 a month . Went to every dealer in  San Diego to find the least expensive . Still had custom interior and cruise . Didn'

t really care for Seafoam but ...................

[Guest Mr Jones]

On 03/09/2017 at 11:55 AM, 1965rivgs said:

The fact this color was not popular in 1965  may be why it went unsold

  Tom

 

 

That is a good point Tom.

 

[dr914]

On August 31, 2017 at 2:11 PM, Riviera63 said:

 

 

yup we got this form with the car when my Dad and I took delivery on may 28th 1964, he sent it in to the Buick Motor Division and it came back some weeks later with the gold engraving.  Any new owner could do it, even if the car was not ordered, but just on the lot, hence "Built Expressly for" on the 64 engraved plate did not necessarily mean it!!

[EmTee]

On 9/8/2017 at 1:48 PM, dr914 said:

Any new owner could do it, even if the car was not ordered, but just on the lot, hence "Built Expressly for" on the 64 engraved plate did not necessarily mean it!!

 

Well, if one sees the car in the showroom or dealer's lot and instantly falls in love, I'd say it's no different than if someone sat down with a salesman and checked the appropriate boxes.  In most cases, people "know what they like when they see it" and may not really have known what to order to get it...