The Buick Riviera was GM’s first attempt to enter the personal luxury car market. The Ford Thunderbird had been the industry benchmark in this segment for 5 years, but the new ground-up styling made the ’63 Riviera stand out for its style and elegance. This example is in Jackson, Georgia, and is available here on Facebook Marketplace for $3,500. The only question is whether this is a restorable classic or a parts car for your existing early Riviera project. Thanks to Moparman for the tip!
The upside is the venerable Buick 401 “nailhead” engine. This V8 powerhouse produced a hefty 325 hp at 4,400 RPM and a massive 445 lb-ft of torque at 2,800 RPM. The transmission is an Automatic, and the rear is a Posi-traction unit. Power steering, power brakes, and air conditioning are all optioned.
In looking at the body, it seems as though it has seen much better days. Much of the work on this project will be centered here. The seller does admit, “It does have rust issues”! The original wheels and all chrome are present, though.
Unfortunately, despite the body pictures, there are no pics of the frame or interior. The car is red with a gray interior, and the posting admits it hasn’t been driven in years, so it is unclear whether it is a driver right now. Buick fans looking for a first-year Riv to restore can pick this up for a pretty low price, considering the average sale price for drivers in good shape is around $27,709.
This car is a mess. Returning rust through where there were previous repairs, not running for years, who knows what the interior looks like, but lack of pictures suggests it’s no better than the rest of the car.
Inclusion of prices for decent drivers will help put in perspective what a budget should look like and might make the “every car should be restored” see how that statement stands up to reality.
Steve R