With 52,872 sold, the 1969 model was one of the most popular model years in the Buick Riviera’s colorful history. It also celebrated the fourth year of the beautiful second-generation design, one that would continue for one more go-round with some arguably unpopular styling updates in 1970. Regardless, the ’69 rounded out the decade in good style, and they’re still relatively affordable, although they’ve been following the trend of all sixties Rivieras upward. This one offers a chance to buy a solid looking example that “needs TLC.” Resident Buick Finder T.J. spotted it on Marketplace in Frederick, Maryland, with an asking price of $8,000. It hasn’t run in “approximately 15 years,” so there will be some risk involved, but it appears that it will definitely clean up nicely.

The 1969 models had one available engine, the 430-cubic-inch Buick big-block with 360 horsepower. Motor Trend tested one and found that it would accelerate from zero-to-sixty in 9.2 seconds, on its way to a quarter-mile time of 16.1 seconds at 87.5 miles per hour, not bad for a car with a curb weight of over 4,300 pounds. The seller of this example says that it hasn’t run in years, and it needs a “battery and [a] possible fuel pump.” If it’s the fuel pump, you might as well get a tank, because it will most likely need to be cleaned anyway; additionally, the 1969-70 Rivieras used an in-tank electric pump. Some owners upgrade their cars with an electric pump from an ’80s Ford truck, but it’s also possible that one could use a mechanical pump and fuel tank sending unit from an earlier Riviera. Basically, it’s going to require some homework, and you might want to begin your journey with an auxiliary pump and fuel supply to check the engine’s health out first.

The Riviera’s interior was updated with woodgrain dashboard trim and a new steering wheel for 1969. Interestingly, although this one has an air conditioning compressor under the hood, it does not have power windows. The bench seat was a standard feature; the days of the Riviera being a bucket-seats-and-console-car only were long gone. The interior does look clean and tear-free, although the long slumber has certainly done nothing good for the interior’s smell.

With a nice Burgundy Mist paint color and black vinyl top (84.9 percent of Rivieras had them in 1969), you’ll look great next summer out on the road if you can get the engine running without too many problems. The big-block Buick has decent parts availability, and the Riviera Owners Association has a great magazine and many enthusiastic members with parts stashes, so you’ll be in good shape should you decide that Buick’s longtime halo car is for you.