The Buick Riviera has been a landmark 1960s collectible for years, yet its value among collectors has always been reasonable. In fact, the Riviera has among the strongest style/affordability quotient for decades. Our Pick of the Day is a great demonstration of what’s great about this model and what a great value it is in the collector market. This 1967 Buick Riviera is listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Apache Junction, Arizona. (Click the link to view the listing)
Everyone goes ga-ga over the 1964-65 Riviera, and for good reason: classic GM styling courtesy of Bill Mitchell and his team, classic Buick “Nailhead” engine, and an interior that played a fine supporting role to its styling. Even better, the Riviera offered performance for those who wanted it thanks to a dual-quad 425 “Wildcat 465,” something that its closest competitor, the Ford Thunderbird lacked.
While the 1963-64 flaunted its British influences, the 1966 Riviera’s design diminished those and exploited everything else that was great about General Motors styling in the mid-1960s. Underneath, the Riviera was unchanged, but the new body featured flowing, Coke-bottle styling with a semi-fastback roofline. After three years of four-place seating, the Riviera offered a luxurious bench seat and Strat-bench for the first time in addition to front buckets.
Though looking basically the same, the 1967 Riviera was powered by an engine that was an all-new design. The 430cid four-barrel offered 360 horsepower, the same as the dual-quad 425. Though not as romantic as the Nailhead, it was a thoroughly modern engine, with the Riv being better for it. It also was the forerunner of the post-1969 455 that has become part of Buick folklore. After 1967, the Riviera arguably lost its stylistic touch until the “Boattail” debuted for 1971.
This 48,084-mile 1967 Buick Riviera is painted Ivory, a pretty off-white, but what really makes this car unique is the Plum interior, which is configured with the standard bench seat with center arm rest. “Near original operating condition,” says the seller. “Sale includes original Rally rims, steel rims and hubcaps, radiator, headers, new steel brake drum set and new brake shoes, lead conditioner and octane booster.” It’s had recent mechanical work that includes the heater core, timing, rebuilt carburetor, rebuilt brake lines, new front suspension bushings, new brake lines, and much more.
“The car has its original vented, aluminum drums,” adds the seller. “All the trim is original. Bodywork and paint are nearly perfect.” For $32,500, you can have a car with high style and torque to match. Dare I say that’s a plum deal?
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.
