Award-Winning 1964 Buick Riviera

Description

The 1964 Buick Riviera marked the second year of Buick’s dramatic personal luxury coupe, a model conceived to challenge Ford’s Thunderbird with a more athletic, European-influenced design. Styled under the direction of GM Design chief Bill Mitchell, the Riviera featured crisp, knife-edge lines which Mitchell called “the London look,” a long hood, and a distinctive Coke bottle profile that set it apart from every other American car of its time. Sergio Pininfarina, the famous Italian automotive designer, called the original Riviera, “One of the most beautiful American cars ever built.”

Buick’s 425-cubic inch “Wildcat” V8 became available, delivering impressive power and enhancing the Riviera’s grand touring character. Inside, the car maintained its luxurious bucket seat interior, aircraft-inspired center console, and upscale materials.

Buick built 37,958 Rivieras for 1964, but this Surf Green example stands apart. It is said to be the pre-production dealer demonstrator car assembled for George B. Wallace, owner of Wallace Buick in Portland, Oregon—one of the West Coast’s largest Buick dealerships. Large dealers could order their dealer demo car and get one Riviera prior to customer production starting. According to Buick’s archives, production and deliveries began in August for regular customers, where this car is the 201st 1964 Riviera and was built the fourth week of July 1963. Even the Body by Fisher tag is from 1963 since the ’64 tags were not yet available.

The Riviera was equipped with 35 of 38 possible factory options and has been dressed up with many period dealer accessories. Buick Nationals concours judge Andy Starr calls it, “the most optioned 1964 Riviera built.” Those options include the 340hp “Wildcat” 425ci V8 single 4bbl carburetor and the new-for-1964 Super Turbine 400 automatic transmission. Originally finished in Arctic White, it received a frame-on restoration under prior and current ownership and is now finished in Surf Green with contrasting White Vinyl interior. Under current ownership, this Riviera is said to have been driven rather than trailered over 30,000 miles to many concours events, and has earned numerous prestigious awards.

This 1964 Buick Riviera is represented by a Broad Arrow Specialist and is now offered with a rare accessory Riviera portable picnic table and umbrellas, various awards it has collected, and a clean New York title in the current owner's name.

Highlights

• Equipped with 35 of 38 possible factory options and dealer accessories

• Prominent national awards include:

• 2024 Buick Club of America National 1st Place

• 2023 Greenwich Concours d’Elegance Tour “Chief Judge’s Award”

• 2023 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance Buick 120th Anniversary Class “Special Award”

• 2020 AACA Senior Grand National Champion

• 2019 Riviera Owners Association International Meet “Best of Show”

• Wildcat 425ci V8 rated at 340 hp with single 4bbl carburetor

• Super Turbine 400 automatic transmission

• Refinished in Code J Surf Green

• White Vinyl (624) interior

Factory Equipment

• Bias-ply tires

• Factory options on this Riviera include:

  • B1 Front Seat Belts w/ Retractors – Custom

  • B4 Rear Seat Belts

  • D4 Wonder Bar Radio w/ Electric Antenna

  • E4 Carpet Savers Front Handy Mats – Rear

  • E6 Rear Seat Speaker

  • H1 Electrico-Cruise Control

  • H2 Corner Lights

  • I6 Soft-Ray Tinted Glass

  • J2 Power Seat – 4-Way Tilt Adjuster – Bucket Seat

  • K5 Rear Seat Center Armrest

  • L1 Tilt Steering Wheel

  • L2 Rear Window Defroster

  • M7 Wire Super Deluxe Wheel Covers

  • N2 Air Conditioning

  • O7 Four-Note Horn

  • S7 Remote Control Mirror

  • S8 Standard Mirror

  • T2 7.60 Whitewall Tires

  • U7 Power Windows

  • X1 Guidematic

  • Y6 Positive Traction Differential

  • Z4 Automatic Trunk Release

  • ** Custom Trim Bucket Seats – Extra Heavy Vinyl

• Dealer-installed accessories include:

  • Tissue Dispenser

  • Visor Vanity Mirror (2)

  • Purse Hook

  • Reverberation Unit

  • Retractable Trouble Lights (2)

  • Trunk Mat

  • Spot Light

  • Umbrella

  • Steering Wheel Mount Flashlight

  • Four-Way Emergency Flasher

  • Locking Gas Cap

• The chassis number (7K1001202) decodes as:

  • 7 – Riviera

  • K – 1964 Model Year

  • 1 – Flint, Michigan, final assembly plant

  • 001202 – Plant production number starting with 001001

Modifications

• Aluminum “Super Wildcat” valve covers

Known Imperfections

• Air conditioning is inoperable

• Heater core delete

• Inaccurate fuel gauge

Ownership History

The late owner of this 1964 Buick Riviera stated, “I purchased the car in British Columbia in 2016 after a six-year frame-up restoration by its third owner. I continued the restoration to include rebuilding or replacing 35 of 38 factory options and dealer accessories to new and working order. This car has been driven over 30,000 miles to Concours events and has never been trailered.”

This 1964 Buick Riviera was invited to the 2023 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance Buick 120th Anniversary by event founder Bill Warner (see photos in gallery).

Awards include:

• 2024 Buick Club of America National 1st Place with 398 points out of 400 and the Driving Award

• 2024 Westbury Gardens Concours 1st Place

• 2023 Cobble Beach Concours d’Elegance Tour “McLaughlin Legacy Award” presented by General Motors for the Buick that best represents the 1st 120 years of design & innovation

• 2023 Concours on the Palisades “Best American Car”

• 2023 Greenwich Concours d’Elegance Tour “Chief Judge’s Award”

• 2023 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance Buick 120th Anniversary Class “Special Award”

• 2023 6th AACA Touring Award

• 2022 Audrain Concours and Tour d’Elegance

• 2022 New York City Concours d’Elegance 2nd Place both “people’s Choice and Curator’s Award”

• 2022 VRS Concours “Best American Post War”

• 2021 Repeat Finalist AACA “National Award”

• 2021 Lime Rock “Best in Class”

• 2020 AACA Senior Grand National Champion

• 2020 Greenbrier Concours d’Elegance “Springhouse Award”

• 2019 The Boston Cup “Chairman’s Award”

• 2019 Buick Heritage Alliance National Best Riviera

• 2019 Hemmings Concourse d’Elegance “Class Award”

• 2019 Riviera Owners Association International Meet “Best of Show”

• 2019 Radnor Concours d’Elegance “Radnor Award”

• 2019 Greenwich Concours d’Elegance American Postwar “Best in Class”

• 2018 AACA Grand National Champion

• 2018 New Jersey Concours d’Elegance “Class Award”

• 2017 Buick Club of America National First Place and Senior Medal Winner

• Eight Local & Regional “Best of Show” Awards

Included Items

• Accessory Riviera portable picnic table and umbrellas

• Various car show awards

• 1964 New York license plates

• 1964 Riveria shop manuals

Additional Information

A Broad Arrow Specialist is working as an agent on behalf of the seller of this listing. As such, the purchase transaction will be facilitated by Broad Arrow, including vehicle payment, applicable taxes required to be collected by the seller or Broad Arrow, and title/ownership reassignment. Broad Arrow is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hagerty.

Contact: Ramsey Potts Phone: 912.508.4096 Email: rpotts@hagerty.com