…Rather Have a Buick?” was one of Buick Motor Division’s memorable advertising slogans. A question posed to me about Buick’s desirability was: John’s looking for a home for his 1963 Riviera, are you interested?
John was the father of my boss, himself a valued associate and close friend, both Buick lifetimers. When I commenced employment with their company, the elder’s automobile was a brand new double-burgundy Park Avenue. One could never predict what model or year of Buick his son would be driving to the shop; he admired and dabbled in every era of, and all things related to that marque, also enthusiastically participating in a club for owners of classics Buicks.
I started working for the family-run corporation as a part time graphic designer in 1985. Being around their cars, the daughter with a handsome Skylark, I felt at home. My own family had a history of Buick love; as a newborn, I arrived home from the hospital in what was probably my parents’ all-time favorite car, a black 1950 Super sedan.
Soon after reporting for my new position, there was discussion about a contract to produce the mechanical artwork for printing a world-wide Buick periodical. Combining passions for automobiles and publication design? Sounds great, bring it on. A layout proposal was executed using sketches of our family’s 1972 Centurion, which I helped spec for production as a senior in high school, as the subject car,
Sure enough, the job was ours. For many years we prepared the magazine for the out-of-town printer, until also being awarded that contract; not having to allow for transit time of the pre-digital-age layouts afforded us a couple of days leeway on deadlines, always welcome in the world of printing periodicals. The circulation hovered around 10,000 copies per month, with every club member around the world receiving their own personal issue.
Buick Motor Division (BMD) always purchased the outside back cover for a full-color display ad, submitted by McCann-Ericson, it’s highly capable and renown advertising agency. There were other connections between the club membership and Buick, such as being invited to preview new cars before being introduced to the general public and attending private BMD promotional events.
A special edition of the magazine covered the club’s annual meet-up. The editor would furnish photographs of incredible cars and raw editorial content for us to assemble into the much-anticipated issue about the popular event. My friend and I would go to work, drooling over the photos while spreading them out on the floor, as no table was large enough, to view, sort and organize. His expertise was tapped for selecting a good representation of models, years, rarities, and the award winners, mine for getting all the components into one creative, cohesive format, ready to print.
Designing and manufacturing the national meet issue was a mammoth undertaking with lots of moving parts, yet, required meeting the same strict deadline as standard editions. Brimming with colorful photos of magnificent Buicks amidst stories about members and their cars, producing the commemorative edition was a blast, and thoroughly rewarding.
At the time, I was driving an old VW; my friend and I would sometimes trade cars when I’d be making deliveries on the way home that were too large to fit in the bug. A couple of his cars remembered were a 1962 Skylark, and a 1969 Wildcat. He also enjoyed Volkswagens, seeming to enjoy the chance to drive my faithful, rusty, high-mileage Type I.
One fascinating event we were given the opportunity to attend was the technical feasibility demonstration for driverless cars in southern California, in which General Motors participated, a program of the National Automated Highway System Consortium. In the Wildcat, we arrived at the event, being staged on a carpool lane’s overpass that was otherwise closed to traffic, the din of rush hour below. On a multi-mile-long stretch of the high occupancy vehicle lane, magnets/sensors had been imbedded into the pavement every couple of yards. The premise was that a platoon of specially equipped LeSabres, in a tight, single file formation, traveling at high speeds, would be guided electronically by their on-board computers, allowing hands-free, foot-free commuting.
As BMD prepared to launch the Reatta in 1988, we received notice that a pre-production prototype was at our local Buick dealership. Of course, we played hooky from work, and after almost giving up searching, found the Reatta, loaded with test equipment in the rear of it’s cockpit, along the fence at the back of the lot. When Reatta print ads hit, I clearly remember my cohort in crime leafing through a car magazine, coming upon facing page advertisements, one for the Reatta, the other the newly introduced Mazda Miata, a discouraged expression reflective of which of the two he anticipated would achieve sales success.
Another memorable occasion was when the Buick Riviera, amid fanfare, was being introduced for the 1995 model year. This generation was slated to bring the Riviera back as Buick’s halo car after a one-year hiatus. The all-new iteration would be revealed during the locally hosted Buick Open golf tournament, to which a BMD promotions director had extended invitations. Then, when press cars became available, it was pretty cool to have access to a production model; driving the car out to lunch one day, it was noticed and admired. From certain angles, the car sure looked nice.
A sharp Regal Gran Sport was offered one weekend, providing a good opportunity to travel out of town for adventure. The spirited, capable car handled nicely, smooth on the highway and entertaining on twisting back roads; it confirmed that Buick still had the chops to build an understated, luxurious, performance sedan.
Somewhere along the way, the subject car, the family’s ’63 Riv, was offered, no strings attached. John had won it, already decades old, in some sort of club-related contest. The car was in good shape, perfectly drivable, after being fueled with a fresh tank of premium. The Riv, confidently accelerating up to cruising speed on the highway, was reminded of it’s intended mission: a sporty-looking, plush and powerful American personal luxury car responding to the success of Ford’s Thunderbird. Generally driven to work on Fridays, when approaching the car, it seemed like an apparition. Was this uniquely attractive automobile really mine? Hot damn.
The first real exposure to the modern Riviera brand was around 1968; a best friend’s family owned a drop-dead gorgeous ’66, in which I rode several times. Although our family sedan was no slouch, and probably just a few hundred dollars separated the sticker prices of our two cars, his car was miles ahead in luxury and exclusivity: a brash, voluptuously-curved hardtop fastback coupe, with concealed headlamps, wide glamorous tail lamps, ventless side windows, an innovative rotating drum speedometer within a sweeping instrument panel, bucket seats, floor console with shift selector, and power conveniences; a distinctive, desirable, automobile. In case you were wondering, yes, I was green with envy.
GM stylist Ned Nickles, under the direction of Bill Mitchell, penned the 1963 Riviera, a resounding success. Yet, viewed individually, some of the body components were somewhat unusual:
Sharp-edged roof on a curvy body
Bloated pontoon fenders with oversize end-cap louvres.
High front fender line and tall, jutting front.
Fake air intakes
Narrow front grille.
Undersized tail lamps, puffy rear fender blades
Ahhh, but put them all together in the hands of an astonishingly talented design team… The Whole is Greater Than the Sum of its Parts (Aristotle).
Referencing Riviera literature for the 1963 model year, there is no mention of an available vinyl roof, or pinstripes, as seen on my car; it was white with a silver, custom-trim, bucket seat interior, and in addition to the standard Riviera luxuries, was generously optioned with power windows, power seat, Sonomatic radio with power antenna, cornering lights, which were cleverly hidden within the under-bumper section of the front fender louvres, remote outside mirror, tinted windshield and tilt steering wheel. And, oh, those spectacular road wheels.
In 1963, if someone would have said to the car crazy me: One day you will own a Buick Riviera, they would have been faced with a smile of intrigue. The car was enjoyed for a few years, but, parked on the street, and like most classics requiring special attention and resources, it deserved more care than was possible for me to give. It was advertised for sale through the club and purchased by a Canadian member, who flew to southern California to take it home.
A genuinely stunning car, I look back, grateful to have owned what some may consider to have been a pinnacle of mid-century American automotive design. Thanks, John.
Specifications: 401 displacement V8, 325 horsepower @ 4400 rpm, maximum torque 445 @ 2800 rpm, compression ratio 10.25 to 1. Four barrel carburetor, dual exhaust, automatic Turbine Drive. All images, except those of my white Riviera, and our family’s 1950 Super and 1972 Centurion, taken from the internet.
I do recall that gorgeous “man contemplating ’63 Rivera” advertisement from grade school, featured in my Mother’s huge (for my 8 year old hands) from my “Life” magazine.
It mesmerized me. I would sit and stare it for the longest time, my already “Car Fever” infused soul burning with desire.
Even then, I wanted to be that man and own that car.
A new ’63 Riviera was not a car often seen in northern Illinois. But there was a very nice Corgi toy model released about the same time as the car and that was my introduction to Riviera. This was a pretty accurate scale model from a time when most little die cast cars were not so crisp.
Thanks for the Buick memories. I’ve been a member of the BCA over the years and have owned ’72, ’82 and ’97 Rivieras.
I still have that Corgi Riviera … mine is blue like on the box. Quite the worse for wear after 50+ years, though it’s been in a box for the last 45 of those. A real one might not have been so abused.
Great read!
The 1st gen Riviera certainly deserves to be in the top five prettiest US cars ever. Just a gorgeous machine!
Yup! The automotive “Venus Di Milo” of the early 1960’s.
Was the Buick publication you wrote for part of some kind of club for new Buick owners? I remember when my Dad bought a new 1983 Riviera that we got a Buick magazine for a couple of years afterwards, and I distinctly remember the Buick ads in the back. I saved the Regal ones for a long time, including one for the Grand National in 1984 or ’85.
I remember when C&D covered the Reatta in 1988. Even my 14 year old self knew that car was a mess.
Yes, I would really rather have a Buick, but it would have to be a ’49 Roadmaster, a ’63 Riviera, a ’70 GS455 or an ’87 Grand National and not any of the piles of crap they have now.
So far you have owned two of my favorite cars in the Sport Wagon and the Riviera, so yeah, I’m loving your series JJ, can’t wait for the next one!
Thanks LT Dan. The magazine for which I was Art Director was a different one than for owners of new Buicks, it was a perk for being a member of an international club that was dedicated to classic Buicks, The Buick Club of America. Totally agree with you about the current line-up of Buicks. Best of luck getting hold of your dream cars.
Oh goodness. My extended family has a love-affair with Rivieras, and has had several, including the final eighth-generation G-Body.
But the original was the prettiest. If there’s one classic car I desire to own, it’s that one. I myself am green with envy.
I think I was brought home in my grandmother’s car, a 1985 Buick Riviera (307 V8) that I later affectionately dubbed “the brown car.” It was the first car i’d ever paid attention to, and the car that got me into cars.
IMO: As I have owned several Rivieras; I believe that the ’71 Gran Sport Riviera was the most satisfying driving (acceleration, suspension, brakes) Riv; but the original ’63 was always the most attractive model.
Yeah I often really rather would have a Buick and being w/o a driver Buick, and w/o a driver convertible and an itch for a new toy, I seriously considered calling on the 75 LeSabre Convertible that was recently on the local list of Craig. The ad said it needed a top though and the repaint didn’t look that good in the pictures. Being too big for any of my garages and the cost of a top for those cars kept me away. I did pick up a new toy, but my Mercury and Panther love won out in the end.
Beautiful car and an amazing gift. Both the vinyl roof and road wheels became available in ’65, so my guess is a previous owner decided to make his ’63 look a bit more current around that time. Minus the hidden headlamps, those changes would pretty much do the trick.
It was Buick that eventually replaced Pontiac in my Parent’s garage. First was when my Father brought home new 68 Skylark for an overnight “Take the puppy home” trial, but dad, took it back to the Buick Pontiac dealer the next morning and came home in a new Bonneville. Pontiac was safe, until 72 Dad decided to he would rather have a Buick and brought home an ice Blue 72 Centurion 2 dr. Hardtop, with a slightly darker Blue interior and vinyl top, Mom stayed with Pontiac and her beloved Grand Prixs until the autumn of 77, I showed her a magazine advert with a full color pic of the new 78 Regal, in Burgundy. She studied that pic for some time.. and a few weeks later, her 76 GP was traded on a sky nlue Rrgal HT with white interior, white landau roof and the gorgeous Buick Sport wheels. A very feminine looking car. Buicks thereafter filled the parents garage. Dad in Leasbre Sport coupes and Mom in Regals. Essentially the same look as with the Bonneviles and Grand Prixs, but now featuring the tri-Shield in place of Arrowheads. Up until the end. I guess they did do the sloan ladder thing. but jumped over Olds directly to Buick and eschewing Cadillac as too ostentatious. I have the love of buick gene, I suppose as my first old car restoration was a 62 Skylark Hardtop, folloed by a 70 Skylark, before moving into Lincolns and Thunderbirds, But I came back to Buick and my fave old iron today is my 87 Lesabre T-Type.
Your family had terrific cars, Jason W. Bonneville, Centurion, Grand Prix, Regal, LeSabre T-Type. Nice! The Buick friend mentioned in the story always drove classics, but, one time drove up to the shop in a brand new demonstrator Buick LeSabre T-Type, a car that he had always admired. The one in the photo you posted is spectacular.
How dramatic the changes were in automotive styling in the early 1960s! Look at the ’59 Electra 225 Riviera, then look at this. Amazing what happened in a mere 4 years. (Don’t shoot me. I know the ’59 and ’63 were related in name only. I’m just thinking about how automotive styling changed in general over the period.)
Depending on your point of view, the credit or blame for this change all goes back to Engel’s ’61 Continental. Like it or not, that was the game-changer in luxury cars.
I find the first (and the second as well) generation of the Riviera to be among the most attractive cars produced. The first ones hit the road about the time I started junior high school and became even more attuned to cars than before. I suppose because they were relatively expensive Rivieras of any vintage have always been fairly rare in and around my home town. My only seat time in a Riviera was when I was in high school; there was an “older” woman (she was probably 22 or 23) who worked at the same Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant as me and she would occasionally give me a ride home after work. Ruby was only in town for a few months, living with her in-laws while her husband was overseas with the military. I never knew for sure but I always thought the Riviera belonged to her mother-in-law. In any case I enjoyed my few minutes in the passenger seat of the 1964 Riviera. I wonder if Ruby knew how much of a crush the tongue-tied teenage me had on her, I know that she never learned of it from me:-)
Way back in Jr High School Mr King, the biology teacher, had a 63 (64?) Riv. Word was that he was independently wealthy and taught because he loved it. Must have been as a Riv was out of the reach of most teachers back in the 60’s. What a drop dead gorgeous car. No, that wasn’t a car it was an automobile. And the interior was even better than the exterior. Buckets, console, flowing design, and just enough chrome. Yes, THAT was the Buick I’d rather have.
We visited my grandparents in the mid-60’s, when I was about 10. At a family get-together, my great-aunt arrived in a white ’63 Riviera.
I was only beginning to pay attention to automotive design, and I don’t recall many details about the event itself, but I’ve never forgotten that car.
Cool great aunt and awesome car, Dan. I also had an aunt that always had the most amazing car in our family.
The ’63 Riviera was instrumental in accelerating the growth of the Personal Luxury Coupe movement. If you disregard the original Thunderbird for a moment, sporty special cars were all variants of full sized models. The El Dorado, the Olds Fiesta, The Chrysler 300 or the Dodge Adventurer. There had been a couple of American sports type cars, the Corvette along with the Nash Healey and of course that original T Bird. These cars sold in small numbers because they were just not adaptable to the life style of most potential buyers. When Ford introduced the four seat “squarebird” they found that there were plenty of buyers that wanted a flashy, powerful car that made the driver look sporty and well off, but could still hold the Wife and two kids for those weekend trips. The Wife could even enjoy driving a plush car like that with power steering and automatic transmission. Much easier to sell the spouse on a car like that than a top less, drafty, noisy riding, cramped foreign sports job.
As the Mustang became a hit there were still those a little more mature and affluent who would like a little more status in their vehicle. The growth of the muscle car influenced the development also. Higher powered models offered almost muscle car performance combined with luxury and style. The first gen Riviera was well received and reviewed even by the European press. When the Riviera got too big and cushy GM rolled out the Grand Prix and then the Monte Carlo. My ’66 Riviera was the perfect combination of style, performance, and luxury.
Wow, that shot of the Bullet Bird and Riv reminds me of a neighbor who had a similar pair parked in their driveway, about 1969. I guess that’s where my love affair with both began. Make mine a midnight blue iridescent metallic 1965-GS with antique white leather buckets those hidden head lights are trick!
Easy to understand your interest in nice cars beginning with your neighbor’s T-Bird and Riv, Tom C. Your dream 1965 Riviera GS in midnight blue with ivory leather interior sounds mighty nice! Regarding the 1st generation Riviera’s headlamps, research uncovered that all along, the big front fender louvres were supposed to conceal the headlamps. Mechanical issue delayed introducing the hidden headlamps until the 1965 model year. Worth the wait, awesome feature, right?
‘Course none of us will ever be as cool as Leonard “Mr. Spock” Limoy leaning on the hood of his ’63 Buick Riviera.
Being cooler than Mr. Spock is totally illogical.
But highly desirable.
I love me my Thunderbirds, but will join the concensus that the Gen1 Riviera was a masterful design.
My GM-centric family was all about Oldsmobiles then so Buicks were always a little exotic to me. A 63-4 Riv was one of the first Motorific toys I got as a kid.