Marketed to the yachting set and the fur-wearing rich, Buick’s flagship Riviera offers luxury and power for those accustomed to both. This 1965 Buick Riviera in Lincoln, California comes to market in running condition after an eight-year highway hiatus. What might be the world’s most unique and iconic hidden headlights adds to the cult following of the ’65 Riviera. A rebuilt 401 cid V8 swallowed up a host of Gran Sport-spec parts that should give it about 35 more ponies than the stock 325. Bidding here on eBay has risen above $6000 without meeting the seller’s Reserve.
Keep your grubby kids somewhere else, because this Buick transports two VIPs up front and two more in the back. The giant console sets this high-rolling coupe above your typical bench-seat family cars of the day, and continues rearward to divide the rear passengers as well. Wood panels and plenty of knobs and levers dress things up. Tilt wheel and other features cater to the private jet set.
Though not unattractive, the Buick’s rear lacks the impact of other angles. Nifty bumper-integrated brake light panels add some character. “Gran Sport” badges likely came from the same prior owner who upgraded the engine. Buick’s now-legendary “GS” or “Gran Sport” moniker began with the 1965 models.
Known for prodigious torque, the “nail head” 401 makes horsepower as well, though I’d give up a few to nix that ridiculous mesh air cleaner.
Luxury features on this Buick include air conditioning, power windows, and power seats. The seats could pass for leather, or maybe they are genuine. Pictures from underneath show mostly solid metal, and the seller outlines some areas that will need attention. There’s definitely a ’65 Riviera in my Dream Garage, along with its contemporary, a ’66 Thunderbird. What’s your high bid on this powerful luxury coupe?
Terrific design by Buick…timeless.
This car needs a good cleaning and detailing but it may turn out very sharp.
It looks to have been cared for all of its life.
This car will turn heads wherever it is driven.
Top 5 favorite cars, a timeless classic for sure. Thing is, put your foot in it and these are good for 9-10 gallons per mile!
The switch pitch turbo hydramatic is a vast improvement over the twin turbine Dynaflow in the ‘63.
Well, if I did the math correctly, your average jetliner consumes around 500 gph, so we have some room here…
Jetliner? I’m sorry, but only if flying in the first class seats. Try a Beech Baron. Reasonably fast with much better comfort and better fuel consumption than the jetliner. Or, if you really wanted to go fast, the Lear 23. Now that is a plane that can a) go fast, and b) burn LOTS of fuel for it’s size.
It may be nit-picking but the 2×4 setup was never installed on the (for ’65) base 401, it would be for the Super Wildcat 425. The majority of these would be installed in GS Rivs but not exclusively.
Being such a ground-breaking design when new and such a timeless one today it’s somehow surprising that 1st gen Rivs can still be found for reasonable $. It’s an exceptionally sweet design, however I actually find the ’66 to be a tad nicer…!
I had one in the 70s in the UK. Was a true 65 with the 425 and dual quads and the finned valve covers. Previous owner swapped out the duals for a single Holley. Mine was not a GS but was all but. Had all the bling available and even had the rare option of power wing windows, but not the GS wood wheel or the Rostyle wheels. As it was imported to the UK, it was not optioned with a/c. I would love another one, one of the best driving cars I ever had.
What a way to go to Old Town! I remember owning and building the model
kit that AMT sold of this car in the mid ’60s. Bought it for $2.50 at my local Sears store. I painted mine gold with a
black leather interior. I also added the
Astro slot mags that were in the kit too.
And man, was that thing sharp! Always
wanted one but never able to afford one.
Still can’t now! Great car.
My buddies used to tease me that my Riv was a “land yacht”, weighing in at about 3900 pounds. I reminded them that the 2019 Mustang comes in at 3825. If you put two people in that Mustang, it weighs more than me and my Riviera!
Beautiful car Rex. Great color. And in my opinion the ’63-’64 with the exposed headlights and non-integrated taillights were better looking than the ’65s if only because the headlight covers on the later cars never seemed to close fully.
As iconic as the 1st Riv is, I have to agree with local sheriff that the ’66-’67 is a tad prettier.
Yikes; another one?! I feared it’d be considered close to blasphemy to claim anything like that in gear head circles…? 😄
’66-’67 Rivs are almost identical, however I tend to prefer the details on the ’66 like the bold hood lettering and last appearance for the iconic Nailhead
Overall a good looking car, like the range of these Riviera’s. Personally I like the front of the clamshell headlight ones but I think the rear on the others.
One thing on this one, what gives with the spaghettis wiring under the hood? Looks like Bubba had a field day with a few spools of wiring.
American Badass
Todd: “Known for prodigious torque, the “nail head” 401 makes horsepower as well, though I’d give up a few to nix that ridiculous mesh air cleaner.”
The one on the engine, or the one on the dash?
madbrit: Can you name one English car that had Rostyle wheels before these iconic Buick sport wheels? Didn’t these come first?
Yes, I think the Buick Rostyles came first but the UK ones are a little different. Were the USA versions called Rostyles? I remember them appearing on lots of UK vehicles about the same time. Such as Midgets, MGB, Fords, etc.
Shame the Buick here has had a pretty naff respray, not that the pale blue original color was my favorite, but a bad black paint job is the worst thing one can do to a car.
Mine was that Midnight Blue metalic, looked amazing. Loved the switch-pitch torque converter too, got that massive weight off the line real quick.
timeless classic but if you want a show car be prepared to spend large $s
Dalton would approve.
I think the P5 Rover 3500 might have been the first British car with Rostyle wheels. Not sure though. 65 is my favorite year of Riv.
I have a 64 with 425. It will burn rubber as long as I keep it to the floor. Love the 65, agree with a comments. I know where a 64 is in a wrecking yard near Tyler, Texas that could be rebuilt. I like the tail lights on the 64 better, but I’ve always like the clam shells. I think it would be cool to put a front clip from a 65 on a 64.
God bless America
Rex Kahrs, That’s a a really nice Riviera. What’s that on the dash? Is it a headlight dimmer? That’s the one thing I wish mine had. I don’t drive it at night, but I just like those gadgets.
God bless America
Hi John, no headlight dimmer on my car, and the black car appears to have the air cleaner cover sitting on it’s dashboard.
A friend here in Tampa has a ’64 Riv, and he put a grille on the thing that looks like the ’65 (got it from California I think). THEN, he put these special LED lights in the fenders that are so bright, they shine through the turn signal grills, and are apparently bright enough to use at night.
Personally, I prefer the ’63 and ’64 front and rear ends, but I do like the effect of “stacked” headlights when the ’65 clamshells are in the open position.
My favorite year the grill looks so clean when the lights are closed!! The interior in these cars are nicer than most living room furniture in people’s houses!! The nailhead motor was a great power plant!! Would love to own this!!
The one and only Riviera I would own. Gran Sport and a 4-Speed. Black, dark green or dark blue. They went like a scaled dog. I had a 65 GS Skylark years ago. Damn, … what a car !
To me, any Riviera up through 1973 is beautiful, and I would love to have another. One day, once I get settled in Arizona, I will find another. If not, a deuce and a quarter would work too, maybe a Wildcat. The Riv is my first choice though.
I agree, although some are better than others. Some a LOT better than others ! U.S. auto design was going downhill in a bad way towards huge and shapeless through the good Riviera years. The Riviera fared better than others, but also went from lean-and-clean to large and …. well, you know.
Unlike the edgy 1st Gen Rivs, I thought the 66-69 design to be underwhelming, but decent looking cars. The 70 version is a bucket load of bloated and ugly. WTF were they thinking ? But the 71-73 cars got back on track, even if they were big.
Yeah, the 1970 is the one I wasn’t thinking of when I said I want any from ’63 to ’73. We can leave the ’70 off that list. Same with the Electra & Wildcat, because that grill doesn’t appeal to me either. I like the 1969 a lot better. Only 1970 Buick that appeals to me is the Skylark.
Of course from 1971-1973, it would be the Centurian instead of the Wildcat.
I love the taillight treatments, along with the rooflines of the 1966-1969 Rivieras. Not a big fan of the headlights of the 1966 or 1967, but I could live with them. They are just too close, but I could deal with them.picky & very subjective, I know lol.
When you aren’t named Leno, you likely have limited funds and garage space, so being picky is a natural evolution of making the most of one’s limited resources. I have four old cars and my daily driver. ALL are owned because of hard decisions and determination to find very specific cars that are exactly what I want. Why own an “almost what I want” car ??? How bothersome would that be? Every time you looked at it, you’d be wishing it was something else !
Were I to own a Riviera, it would be the specific car I mentioned above. But honestly, I would prefer a 65 GS Skylark, so that kinda takes the Riv off the list altogether. I will enjoy Rivieras as an observer. I only have so much garage space and $$ to keep my cars up.
True, except I like the others almost as much, but for different reasons.
I grew up in a boat tail Riviera. But the earlier ones, I feel, adjust as beautiful.
I love convertibles, and I like the Electra & Wildcat as much as the non boattail Riviera, because just as luxurious & flashy, but in different ways. Plus, they can have tops that go down.
I owned a couple 1971 & 1972 Electra coupes in the past, and would love to find another.when Mom had the 1973 Riviera, Dad had a 1972 Centurian for a while.
LeSabres are a little plain for my taste, that’s why they don’t do it for me.