Vehicle Description
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 amp; 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.