It’s sitting in a shed just waiting for the right person to bring it out into the light of day and enjoy the luxury and performance that is the hallmark of a 1964 Buick Riviera. The Riviera is said to be completely original, and it could be yours for $20,000 OBO. Located in Fort Worth, Texas, you will find the Riviera listed for sale here on Craigslist.
The owner makes a couple of claims about the Riviera. The first is that the car has covered a genuine 77,000 miles, although he doesn’t indicate whether he has any documentary evidence to back this claim. The second claim is that the Bronze Mist paint is completely original. If this is true, then it has held up extremely well. The car has a lustrous shine to it, with no real marks or defects visible. The panels look straight and true, while the panel gaps look nice and consistent. The appearance of the Riviera has a real sense of style and elegance, and for those who have seen photos of the Cadillac XP-715 concept car, it is not hard to see that many of the styling queues, especially around the nose of the Riviera, were taken largely unchanged from that car.
The Riviera wasn’t all about looks or luxury, because it possessed performance to back these two qualities. This Riviera is fitted with the optional 425ci Nailhead V8, with power then fed to the rear wheels via the Super Turbine 400 automatic transmission. Being a luxury car, it is no surprise that the Riviera also features power steering, power brakes, and air conditioning. The engine is also said to be original, and while it doesn’t currently run, the owner states that it will need a new battery, fresh gasoline, and some basic maintenance work to bring it back to life. Performance from the Riviera is impressive for a luxury car of the era. The car was capable of accelerating from 0-60mph in around 8 seconds and could cover the standing ¼ mile in around 16 seconds. This isn’t bad when you are being transported in the lap of luxury, and these times actually still stand up well by today’s standards.
As with so much of this car, the interior presentation of the Riviera is very impressive. It’s hard to find fault here, but it is also interesting to reflect on the trim and equipment choices made by the original owner. When the Riviera was introduced in 1963, buyers could choose seats upholstered in vinyl, a combination of vinyl and cloth, or full leather. For 1964, Buick dropped the leather option, and a large number of cars were ordered with the vinyl/cloth option. The original owner of this car chose to go down the all vinyl road, which is a little bit different. Power windows were also a common option that was chosen by Riviera buyers, but this car doesn’t feature these either. However, what it does feature are items like the superbly comfortable bucket seats and a floor console that houses the shifter and all of the heater and A/C controls. The location of those controls was a change from the 1963 model and made them easier to operate for both the driver and for the front passenger.
If this 1964 Riviera is as solid and original as the owner claims, then it would seem to represent an extremely good buy. It is certainly possible to buy a Riviera for under $20,000, but the vast majority of these cars will need a fair amount of work to bring them up to the standard of this vehicle. The owner makes claims that good cars are fetching between $30,000 and $40,000, and this is actually pretty close to the mark. Therefore, if this completely original and unrestored Riviera is that good, then I suspect that it will be going to a new home very soon.
Wow. I’d have another few thousand highway miles on that thing within a few months of getting all the little things sorted out. What a luxury cruiser. If I run a classic car rental place, I’m all over this one.
Gorgeous example from the start of the personal luxury coupe movement.
Tough call to pick this or a Toronado or an Eldorado but if smoky rear tire burnouts are desired it becomes an easy choice
Well poseur, if you like this year and style there is NO OTHER. Plus the Toronado was not out for a couple years and was fwd. As for the Eldo. Skip it. Stay with CLASS. And Go FAST !
Am I the only one so far who has looked at the photos of the interior?
Look at the carpet and kick panels in the front seat foot-wells. And then try to convince me that this car has not had body and paintwork. All original? Hardly. Based on the floors, may have even been flooded a time or two. Get underside shots before even considering this one.
My Curmudgeon Comment of the Day. (CCD)
Sparkly, very sparkly, as Rainman said. But I agree, those front carpets are a hot mess and from the right side door card there is the suggestion of severe water damage. The left floor well is indescribable. Looks almost like it was burned. While the engine compartment looks clean and possibly original, as if 77K was for real, close inspection required. And why not get it running if $30K-40K is possible? I love the 63-65 Rivieras and this car glitters, but what’s that saying about all that glitters is not gold. Notice the other 58s in his shop. Must like Buicks.
DayDreamBeliever makes a good point there regarding the interior. I won’t feel so bad about not buying this beauty that is the exact car and color I have admired for the past fifty years. Coupled with fact that I am twenty years older than the car and suffering long term but incurable Cancer, I will pass and just imagine it in my garage!
One of my favorite cars. Has to be one of the finest automobile designs ever created IMO.
GLWTS.
20,000 is a little to much for a car that won’t run. To bad it did’nt have hidden headlights!
$20K? That is an absolute steal for this!!! It may not be highly optioned, but how can you fault anything on this jewell? Just try to find another one like it–you won’t. (Not one that hasn’t been touched anyway) When the heading here says, “All original” that is a VERY VERY accurate claim indeed!!! I bet it’s gone before Saturday.
Will,
I have the opinion that his car HAS been “touched”, an quite a lot.
Caveat Emptor!
It just blows my mind why this seller didn’t try to start this car…he has a shop, so I assume he could at least do the basic battery, gas and basic tune up to get this car running…what happens if it’s got a rod knock…beautiful car, but buyer beware!!!
Love it. Only to make it better IIRC would be it be a 65 with the flip out headlights.
Gorgeous car……Too bad about the color…Gold…Bummer..Otherwise looks like a “real one”. Still would not buy it without having it running and driving it. Buyer always beware!
I know it’s the internet and at the risk of sounding like a kook..I have to wonder why if the seller bought it from the original owner and drove it into the garage, it is now on skates and obviously only moved around that way. Whats up with that? Did he ever drive it?
Second, if you want to sell a car to someone, why not go to the trouble to change the oil, start the engine, bleed the brakes and attend to the obvious so that a potential buyer willing to fork over twenty grand knows what they’re getting?
I wonder if sellers of cars have always been so odd. Perhaps its just the internet and our ability to see cars for sale at long distance and sellers always have done weird stuff when selling cars.
Be that as it may, they’re only original once.
As a collector, but seller of vintage classics. I can answer your question about us being odd . Yeah we might be odd, and a little off our rocker, maybe,even eccentric or even a piece crazy. Now let me ask you a question, who is holding a real bankroll in their pockets? You or us? Have a great day!
Wong Way- I take it to are implicitly defending “flippers”?
I wasn’t referring to people who buy cars merely to resell them. Which appears to be what you are admitting to, I guess. Good for you.
After all we all sell cars when we want to move them along. It was a general question about the universe of any car seller now revealed to all of us thought the internet.
I personally think that buying a car, never to drive it and just ‘stockpiling’ is not what I would do. But then I’m not a “flipper”
As for bankrolls. I’m a billionaire. Have a great day.
the 425 cu in engine was not an option ….it was the standard and only engine available
I believe you could opt for the “super wildcat” engine in 1964…same displacement, but you got dual carbs and some other go fast goodys…
Super Wildcat 465 425 cid dual carb was optional for 64.Same torque rating as the stock Wildcat 465 but 360hp rather than 340hp.
It’s strange the regular 401 Nailhead was available in 63, skipped in 64 and then reintroduced for the 65 model year. The first year of the 2nd gen Riviera (’66) the 401 was skipped again!
I wonder whats the story on the 1958 Buick right next to this car ?
No dual quads—-No thanks!!!!!
My mom had a 63 with leather and I believe the console wood was real. It was our first car with a stereo radio. The funny thing was GM’s concept on stereo then – one speaker in front and one between the back seats. I guess they forgot where our ears were. I remember borrowing it for a road trip to Mid Ohio, going to a drive-through a beer place, remotely popping open the trunk, and telling the guy to fill it up with Strohs.
Hey Mountain Woody my bro in my imagination LOL my response may have sounded a little harsh. I did not mean for it to come off that way that night I was doing speech to text and it sucks! As far as bankrolls if you only knew who I really am! LMAO you have a great day back at you.
Is Ivanka yelling for you?
No worries. I try to keep things light. If only I knew who I am!
I think you get the point I inarticulately made about keeping a car and selling it in the fashion it is represented.
But as my Dad said…opinions are like certain body parts..we all have ’em :)
Am I the only one that thinks a billionaire could dish out a few dollar’s to become a member? All the billionaire’s that I know already have.
How do you think I became a billionaire? Let me ask my conservator/nurse if its ok.
I thank you for trying, I know gas price’s have went up around .50 per gallon around here in the last three weeks. It’s going to be 15 below zero tonight, so there goes more cash for heating the place. On the bright side, I think we will be able to have snowball fights on our fourth of July party.