The Riviera was Buick’s entry into the personal luxury car market from 1963 to 1999 (with the odd exception of 1994). Unlike later GM E-platform cars the Olds Toronado and Cadillac Eldorado, it was a conventional rear-wheel-drive automobile until 1979. This second-generation example from 1966 looks good until you start looking closely, but the interior is like new. With a great running engine transplant, this Buick is in Wilsonville, Oregon, and available here on craigslist for $8,575. Thanks for the cool tip, Matt H.!
1966 would be the best sales year for the Riviera to date. 45,348 copies left the Buick assembly lines, with just 5,718 being the Gran Sport or GS model. It was considered “the Riviera with muscles on its muscles” with the inclusion of the “Super Wildcat” version of the 425 cubic inch V8 (360 hp), a Super Turbine 400 transmission recalibrated for higher shift speeds, and a 3.42:1 axle ratio; available was a handling package that included stiffer, heavy-duty springs and shocks and faster steering. The seller’s car is one of those GS editions and is said to be one of 411 made with the combination of options this car has, though the assortment isn’t detailed nor is the source.
This Riviera has been treated to some recent maintenance and repairs, including all fluids, master brake cylinder, and rebuilt starter. The 425 “Nailhead” V8 has been replaced by another Nailhead, one that displaces 401 cubic inches and runs like a top. However, the brakes and tires are older, so the seller recommends the car be trailered to its next home, not driven. For a video of the car in action, the seller sweetens the pot with this video clip.
Exterior cosmetics is where the attention is needed as the hounds0tiith cloth interior presents well. The body is straight other than a crinkled hood that opens and closes as it should. The buyer will receive a spare hood to rectify this matter, although a new paint job will probably be needed overall. When the car changes hands, some “free parts” will go it (the seller’s terminology): A/C compressor and hardware, stock stereo, extra door panels, spare interior trim parts, NOS heater core, gear shift handle, emergency brake pull knob, plus boxes of odds and ends.
Available at extra cost, but not noted as being necessary, are a spare ST400 “Switch-Pitch” transmission, extra 401 Nailhead engine, bucket seat interior, more doors, and a bunch of other stuff that may or may not come in handy. As presented, this looks like a car you could drive while you refine it at 98,000 miles. For expenses, the seller is willing to deliver the Buick, but we’d bet there are distance limitations to that offer.
My uncle had one about 50 years ago . White with black interior and black vinyl top. Loved that car. So sexy!
CL post deleted by author.
IMO the ’66 Riv is the best looking Riv ever, and being a GS is never a bad thing. Now , I couldn’t remember a cloth upholstery for this year so I had to look it up. Apparently the cloth in the featured car is an incorrect pattern as opposed to the cloth in this similar yet much better GS https://www.mcecars.com/vehicles/515/1966-buick-riviera-gs
Still I think this was a potential decent buy even without the 425; looks like somebody has already thrown seller acceptable $ to let it go
The cloth is not correct but it does have the rare head rest option.
I remember when the ’66 Riviera was introduced, I thought it was the most beautiful car I had ever seen.
That houndstooth interior looks more like plaid to me.
The pattern on those seats looks more like a plaid pattern than houndstooth.
Yes, im another one to say that is not houndstooth is plaid.. and for Russ of all authors to say that and in the title !?, must have been a mix up.
Houndstooth was a Ford upholstery thing in those years..
As for the car, ya, those designers were artists and wow what a design !
These were such beautiful cars , not like the globs of today ! Its hard to imagine a time when cars like this were sitting new in the dealerships lot
The cheesy “landau” vinyl 1/2-top is nowhere near correct and the trim on it is totally wrong. The ’67 was a much better car with the (new for ’67) 430 Big Block instead of the antiquated 425 Nailhead. ’67-’69 were the absolute best years. The ’70 was the best performer when they upped the displacement of the 430 to 455 cubes. However, the ’70 had some funky styling that you either loved or hated. Of course, the next year brought a total re-design with the advent of the “Boattail”. ’71 was the best year for this bodystyle and the Riv quickly spiraled downward in looks and performance each year from there on out, eventually becoming just another FWD Generic Motors car that didn’t sell very well until, finally, getting the axe in the ’90’s. The only way to document a real Riviera GS is if you have factory documentation or original sales paperwork…there are a TON of fakes out there.
Now was the 430 a better engine than the Nailhead really…? It’s my understanding those late Nailheads were fairly wild considering Buick’s otherwise conservative image.
IMO the 430 looks just like any other V8 while the Nailhead has an extremely unique and appealing look to it – regardless of it being better or worse than a BBB
The rear shot of this Riv made my heart ache the instant I saw it.
That second sentence might not be clear, for the Cadillac Eldorado was also rear wheel drive through 1966.