1964 BUICK RIVERIA

1964 BUICK RIVERIA.
The Buick Riviera is a personal luxury car that was marketed by Buick from 1963 to 1999.
As General Motors' first entry into the personal luxury car market segment, the Riviera was highly praised by automotive journalists upon its high-profile debut. It was a ground-up design on a new GM E platform debuting for the 1963 model year and was also Buick's first unique Riviera model.
While the early models stayed close to their original form, eight subsequent generations varied substantially in size and styling. A total of 1,127,261 Rivieras were produced.
First generation (1963-1965)
The production Riviera was introduced on October 4, 1962, as a 1963 model, its distinctive bodyshell was unique to the marque, unusual for a GM product. The design was substantially the same as the original, less expensively hidden headlights concealed in the fender grilles. The elegant ground-up styling sported the new "Coke bottle look" introduced the year before on the arresting Studebaker Avanti, with a tapered midsection surrounded by flaring fenders. There was no trace of the "Sweepspear" used on beltlines of earlier Buicks with the Riviera package.
It rode a cruciform frame similar to the standard Buick frame, but shorter and narrower track. Its wheelbase and overall length were shorter, than a Buick LeSabre, but slightly longer than a contemporary Thunderbird. At 3,998lb (1,813kg), it was lighter than either. It shared the standard Buick V8 engines, with a displacement of either 401 ci (6.57L) or 425 ci (6.96L), and the unique continuously variable design twin turbine automatic transmission. Power brakes were standard, using Buick's massive "Al-Fin" (aluminum finned) drums. Power steering was standard.
The Riviera's suspension used Buick's standard design, with double wishbones in the front and a live axle located by trailing arms and a lateral track bar in the rear, but the roll centers were lowered to reduce body lean. Although its coil springs were actually slightly softer than other Buicks, the Riviera's lighter weight made its ride somewhat firmer. While still biased towards understeer, contemporary testers considered it one of the most driveable American cars, with an excellent balance of comfort and agility.
Buick's 325hp (242kW) 401 ci (6.6L) "Nailhead" V8 was initially the only available engine, fitted with dual exhaust as standard equipment, and the turbine drive the only transmission.  Buick announced an optional 340 hp (254 kW) 425 ci (7.0L) version of the Nailhead in December 1962. Total production was deliberately limited to 40,000 vehicles to emphasize the Riviera's exclusivity and to increase demand; only 2,601 were delivered with the delayed availability larger engine in the 1963 model year.
With the same power as the bigger Buicks and less weight, the Riviera had improved all-around performance: , the standing quarter mile in about 16 seconds, and an observed top speed of 115 miles per hour (185km/h). Fuel economy was a 13.2 miles per US gallon (17.8L/100 km; 15.9 mpg). Front leg room was 40.1 inches.
Inside, the Riviera featured a luxurious four-place cabin with front bucket seats and bucket-style seats in the rear. A center console with a floor shifter and storage compartment built into the instrument panel divided the front. Upholstery choices included all-vinyl, cloth and vinyl, or optional leather. A deluxe interior option included real walnut inserts on the doors and below the rear side windows. Extra-cost options included a tilt steering wheel, power windows, power driver's seat, air conditioning, a remote-controlled side-view mirror, and white sidewall tires.
Minimal trim and mechanical changes were made for 1964, with the most identifiable distinguishing features being a raised stylized "R" hood emblem and "R" emblems replacing the Buick crests in the taillight lenses. The interior is distinguished by moving the heater controls from controls under the dashboard eyebrow to slide controls in the forward fairing of the center console. Leather was dropped as an option, and the Dynaflow twin-turbine transmission was replaced by a new three-speed Super Turbine 400. This was a GM Turbo Hydra-Matic. It used a two-speed "D" and 'L" selector, but could automatically downshift from third to second until the car reached a suitable speed to downshift to first. This was the first year of the stylized "R" emblem, a trademark that would continue throughout the remainder of Riviera's 36-year production run. The engine was upgraded to the previously optional 340 hp (254 kW) 425 ci (7.0L) V8. A 360 hp (268 kW) 'Super Wildcat' version was available, with dual Carter AFB four-barrel carburetors.
CC rating: 6,964cc 425 ci (7.0L) Nailhead V8
NZ First Registration: 20-Oct-2020
Registered previously in: USA

[@jasoncarpp7742]

Beautiful looking car. 1963 and 1964 are my favourite years for the Buick Riviera. 🙂