West Coast Classics present a rare original southern California owner's 1963 Buick Riviera coupe with its original and highly desirable matching #'s 401/325HP 4 barrel 'JT' code 'Wildcat' engine and boasting it's original California 'Black License Plates'. The car car was purchased by it's original southern California owners at 'Moench Davis Buick' of Los Angeles, CA on 8/24/1963 and will be sold with it's original dealer stamped owners manual.
It has an older repaint in it's original 'Glacier Blue' factory color and has a matching 'Blue' leather front and rear bucket seats interior with a center console and console mounted transmission with a twin turbine Dynaflow automatic transmission, heater and defroster, power steering, power brakes, electric clock, map light, automatic trunk light, lined luggage compartment, deep pile carpeting, dual exhausts, dual speed wipers with washers, deluxe steering wheel, deluxe wheel covers, backup lights and loaded with virtually every conceivable factory option; with air conditioning ($430), soft-ray tinted glass ($43), tilt wheel, power windows ($108), power 6-way driver's seat ($97), very rare factory AM radio with power antenna ($90) and the very desirable remote trunk release ($10)! This is one mighty rare example with virtually every possible factory available options except power vent windows, cruise control & the rear window defroster! Please note that the car has an after market CD player professionally installed and hidden in the glove box and 4 after market 'Cragar' performance wheels with 4 new steel radial tires.
This should be considered a good project car with definite needs but which drives and runs very well. It has an older repaint in it's original 'Glacier Blue' factory color paint and please note that there are some obvious paint imperfections and that the paint should be considered only of driver quality. The car drives well and the original matching #'s engine is strong and all 4 power windows work well but the AC is not working. We have had the carburetor rebuilt and adjusted to specs, we have drained the fuel tank and replaced it and the car has a new starter, radiator, water pump, fan clutch, new front brake pads and all the fluids and oil have been changed. The car has reupholstered front leather seats, a new headliner and trunk carpet. Overall the car should be considered as a great running and driving project needing restoring and a car which will definitely need some TLC. As previously stated, this particular example boasts its original matching numbers 401/325HP JT code engine and transmission. The floor boards, trunk and all the typical rust-prone areas are solid and rust-free and the car has no signs of any major accidents.
This was one of the outstanding GM designs of the sixties, reflecting the styling supremo of Bill Mitchell with a masterful blend of curves and razor-edges, dubbed the anti-Thunderbird and respected by an army of industrial designers as an architectural landmark of the U.S industry and which has high repute amongst collectors for both it's beautiful lines and smooth fast performance for a luxury coupe. "One of the most beautiful cars America ever built" as stated by none other than Sergio Pininfarina of Ferrari design fame at it's debut at the Paris auto show in 1963. This landmark design would continue for only two years until 1964 before a hidden headlight change in 1965, making these two particular years of 1963/4 the most collectible and desirable and with the original early '63 models holding the lead in collector preference amongst most enthusiasts, but with all these 63-65 model cars boasting 'Milestone Car' status.
All 1963 models were unique being the only year that the heater/defroster and optional air conditioning controls would be suspended under the center of the instrument panel pad. The design created a somewhat confusing array of push and pull control levers to direct air flow where desired and a simpler design appeared for 1964/5. Also it is of note that Buick pioneered another industry first with the Riviera in 1963 - flush glass! This was a unique new design in which the windscreen and rear window were sealed directly to the body allowing the glass to fit flush and thereby eliminating the bulky metal and rubber framework required on other automobiles!
Performance was an important consideration in the personal luxury car market in the early sixties and the Riviera's power source was the 401 cubic inch 'Wildcat 445' V8 engine with 325 horsepower at 4400 rpm. It developed 445 lbs of torque at 2800 rpm, hence the '455' Wildcat script on the air cleaner. An optional engine bored out 425 cubic inch 'Wildcat 465' produced an impressive 340 horses at 4400 rpm and 465 lbs ft of torque at 2800 rpm.
This is a great opportunity to purchase a very fine example of an early and fully loaded Riviera with the optional 325HP V8 engine and with only one southern California family owner since new and still boasting it's original and rare California 'Black License Plates'. A great car to simply enjoy as it is or for the enthusiast to take to the next level cosmetically.
