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One Owner: 1967 Buick Riviera GS

The owner of this 1967 Buick Riviera GS describes it as a pristine example, and the supplied photos suggest that this description is not far from the truth. A pampered life where it has always been garage-kept has resulted in a car that appears to want for nothing, except for a new owner willing to continue this sort of treatment. The Riviera is located in Omaha, Nebraska, and has been listed for sale here on eBay. With bidding now sitting at $20,333, the reserve hasn’t been met.

Finished in Sapphire Blue, the Buick presents extremely nicely. The owner says that the car is rust-free, and there are certainly no signs of any in what are, in reality, pretty limited photos. The paint has a nice depth of shine and consistency to it, and the owner says that it is 100% original. The external trim and chrome also look good, as does the Soft-Ray tinted glass. The wheels that are currently fitted to the car aren’t original and are actually from a 1953 Buick Skylark. They seem to suit the car nicely, but the original chrome wheels will also be included in the sale.

Careful ownership is always going to show a mile away when you start talking about a classic car that is not only more than 50-years-old, but also sports white interior trim. There is nothing that I can really fault inside the car, with all of the upholstery and trim appearing to be in nice condition. The 1967 model year saw some interior trim and seating changes, and for the first time, the Riviera was available as a true 6-seater. The owner ticked some nice boxes on the options list when he ordered this car, so it comes equipped with air conditioning, power windows, power locks, a six-way power seat, AM/FM radio with power antenna and rear speaker, along with standard features such as a tilt wheel and electric clock.

New for 1967 was the 430ci V8 engine, punching out a healthy 360hp, In addition, the GS is fitted with a 3-speed Super Turbine transmission, along with standard power steering and power brakes. The odometer shows 31,000 miles, but the owner doesn’t indicate whether these are original miles, or whether the odometer has rolled over. Certainly, the overall condition would make it conceivable that those miles are genuine, so it would be worth asking the question. The owner does state that the car is in excellent running order. The Riviera tips the scales at a rather hefty 4,365lbs, so it is no surprise that even with 360hp at its disposal, performance figures are good, but not startling. A 0-60 time of 6.5 seconds and ¼ mile time of 15.3 are reasonable, but certainly not in muscle car territory. What is impressive is the car’s average fuel consumption, which is a staggering 9.1mpg. That would make it one expensive daily driver!

The owner of this 1967 Riviera GS quotes a NADA figure of $37,500 as a high retail price, and this would seem to be about right for a pristine example. Really clean examples can fetch around the $30,000 mark, and my feeling is that this is a car that would potentially fall somewhere between those two figures. It is a clean survivor, and is well suited to the person who is looking for a classic Buick that is ready to be driven and enjoyed immediately.

Comments

  1. Avatar ccrvtt

    Arguably one of the best designs of all time. More elegant than anything from Germany or England and on a par with the best of the Italians and the French. This car deserves to be worth $30K on pedigree alone. Only drawbacks: 9.1 mpg & those wheels.

    Like 5
    • Avatar ken tilly UK Member

      “Arguably one of the best designs of all time”. Not in my book it isn’t and I’m a Buick lover. To me it’s just a great big Yank Tank, but to each his own.

      Like 2
      • Avatar FordGuy1972 Member

        The smallest Buick from the ’60s was bigger than most of the cars you guys had on your side of the pond back then, Ken. Compared to the cars you probably grew up with, our cars are all “Yank Tanks.” I get that this Riviera is probably not your cup of tea but it is a widely acknowledged milestone design, especially for the times.

        Like 4
      • Avatar ccrvtt

        I admire some of the sporting Bentleys from the ’50’s for their elegance and proportion, but they were hardly lithe and svelte. GM has historically produced some of the most daring styling ever seen. I think they compare favorably with the best from Pininfarina, Figoni et Falaschi, Giugiaro, et al. I consider the ’66-67 Rivieras the pinnacle of the Golden Age of American motoring – the 1960’s.

        Ken, you are certainly entitled to your opinion. Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but in this case I’m right.

        Like 5
      • Avatar James

        Of all the things that I love about the Brits. The police dramas, CFC (The Blues), the accents…etc. You can’t help but notice the bollocks sense of style some petrol heads have… Ken, mate show me some English-designed, engineered, and produced cars that the average bloke might own/drive. No Lotus, TVR, AM, Jaguars please. A run of the mill car will do. I’ll wait… Ta.

        Like 0
  2. Avatar stillrunners

    ccrvtt – agree….and the price seams to be showing that………

    Like 0
  3. Avatar Mark M.

    No way those rims are 1953, and every truck I drive gets 9 mpg , Ford , dodge , gas trucks, this would never be a daily driver, 9 mpg I think is not bad. For a weekend vehicle.

    Like 3
    • Avatar Haig Haleblian

      Agree with you on the wheels Mark. No way are they 53’s

      Like 0
  4. Avatar NovaTom

    What a fine American automobile – I would love to own this.

    Like 3
  5. Avatar JimmyinTEXAS

    Bid at $26,054 US,. Reserve not met. 4 days 16 hours to go.
    Nice car, I thought it might not go this high. I’m going to watch now to see how high it goes…

    Like 0
    • Avatar Ralph

      He should take that $26K and run.

      Like 1
  6. Avatar Rex Kahrs Member

    Who cares about 1/4-mile times in a car that’s 52 years old? Even back in ’67 it wasn’t a dragster, and at 52 it ain’t got nothing to prove. Nice cruiser.

    Like 8
  7. Avatar JoeNYWF64

    If i saw this exact car(or a toronado) at a car show in ’64 labeled as a concept car, i would believe it.
    I would think that HEI, a 4 speed auto, less aggressive gears in back & say a ’74 quadrajet & radial tires could bump hiway mpg up to 15.
    I remember readin a test review of a 2nd gen emissions ’70s 455 firebird getting 15mpg.

    Like 0
  8. Avatar FordGuy1972 Member

    Kudos to the original owner for his careful ownership of this Riviera, it’s a beauty. With a meager 9 mpg, I’m not surprised it only has 31,000 miles on it. Should get good money for this one, a 52 year-old car in outstanding original condition is pretty rare.

    Like 2
  9. Avatar 86_Vette_Convertible

    This was one of the models when it came out I wasn’t sure if I liked or not. Now 50+ years later, I’m still undecided if I like it or not. I’m sure it’s a good riding car but there’s something about it that just doesn’t click for me.
    Wish the seller well and the next buyer the chance to get it on the highway.

    Like 1
  10. Avatar Dave Rhodes

    too bad it doesn’t have the buckets with the floor shift

    Like 4
  11. Avatar ken tilly UK Member

    @Fordguy1972. I left UK in 1954 as a 14 year old and spent ten years in Southern Rhodesia where I obtained my licence at 16. My second car was a 1941 Chrysler Windsor followed by a 1948 Hudson Commodore 8 convertible and next a 1955 Oldsmobile Rocket 88 so BIG cars are in my blood. That was before I moved to South Africa where I had a 1967 Mustang, 68 Mustang and a 1971 Mach 1, a 1968 Chrysler New Yorker, 1957 Studebaker Silver Hawk, 1959 Stude Trans Star pickup etc. My last big car was a 1951 Buick Super that I sold before returning to live here in UK again in 2015, knowing that the roads here are stupidly narrow for the most part for a Buick. How the truckers/bus drivers manage to navigate around here I don’t know. Yank Tanks, I love ’em!

    Like 2
  12. Avatar TimM

    Not as common as the 64/65 model but that’s what I like about it!! It’s unique!!!

    Like 2
    • Avatar Rex Kahrs Member

      The 63-65 Rivs were anything but common, as Buick limited production to just 40,000 units per year. Given the normal attrition through age, wrecks, rust etc., the 63-65 Rivs are pretty rare at this point. Here’s my driveway-find ’63 Teal Mist, which this Yank loves, thank you very much.

      Like 2
  13. Avatar mark houseman

    Why are you guys saying they’re not ’53 model wheels??? My father owned a 1953 Buick Skylark convertible and it had a set of Kelsey Hayes wire wheels that looked exactly like the ones on this car. So I would say they are very likely off a ”53 model Buick.

    Like 0
  14. Avatar Keith Hall

    Had a 1968 Riv.that l bought in 74 for $300. Red w/pearl white buckets and vinyl top. Beautiful car and quick considering how heavy it was. Being in school l had two friends who had 440 Chargers 1968 and 1973 and run, same results all the time, 68 Charger 1st, Riv 2nd, 73Charger last. Great memories of that car and a hit with the ladies!

    Like 2
  15. Avatar Del

    If he can prove the mileage correct this is a Fab Find.

    Not sure I have ever seen one before

    Like 0
  16. Avatar Stevieg

    Gorgeous car. I am a fan of the Rivies, the boat tail being my favorite, but any of them before 1986 is good with me, even better before 1977.
    That being said, I never thought I would ever have seen them selling for this kind of money. I am torn on that. It means others appreciate them like I do, but that also means they me be priced out of my reach.

    Like 1
  17. Avatar Bruce F Wilson

    I have a 67 Riviera as well. If you cruise at 60mph on the highway, I have gotten 16-17 mpg…not horrible and on par with alot of todays big suvs.
    My sister’s 2006 Lexus SUV gets 15mpg at 70mpg.

    Like 0
  18. Avatar Solosolo Member

    @James. How about a MK 1,2,3 or 4 Ford Consul/Zephyr/Zodiac or even a Cortina Mk1, 2,3,4 or 5. Several MG’s including the Y Type saloon, ZA, ZB or T Type Roadster. Several Riley’s come to mind like the Pathfinder or the smaller One Point Five. Then there are the Vauxhalls like the Wyvern, Velox and Cresta. What about Wolseley and Rover? The Wolseley/Austin 699/610 or the Rover SDX with the Buick V8? All of them good family cars for the working man. I was a working man and have owned most of the above cars over the past 70 years and didn’t have much trouble with any of them, especially the electrics that Americans are always on about. And the two best of them that I have owned, and haven’t been mentioned so far, were a 1969 BMW 2002 and a 1951 Buick Super straight eight, and the only problems that I had with the Buick was the differential that lunched itself, and the starter wiring and motor. The BMW 2002 comes out tops of all of them. Keep well. Ken

    Like 0

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