As time passes it’s getting harder and harder to find those vehicles we care about in their natural habitat; in the street and unrestored. And in the case of the Riviera, it’s rare to find one like this posted by canadiancatgreen at the Cohort; looking worn, far from pristine, but still quite together. Yes, there’s some good rust in there, but I have a feeling sooner or later someone will revive this Riviera for good.
Far easier to find are those ’90s cars no one seems to care about, like the Sable in front of the Riviera. Rust probably won’t be its demise, but rather some expensive malfunctioning electronic doodad and it will be off to the junker. Not much love for these I presume, and survival ultimately will depend on that; love. Will it be that in 15 years or so from now, there will be more surviving Rivieras than Sables in the world?
the Continental in the Driveway likely has a better chance than the sable of surviving into “old Iron” status. It is indeed rare to see a 1st Gen Riviera in unrestored condition Along with many vehicles form the 60, and even the 70s. 80s vehicles are now approaching if not already passed the 40 year mark, and for all the palaver about malaise, some have proven collectible. A lot of folks consider the 25 year mark as the opening for a vehicle to move from old car or beater status to collectible. However, a lot of variables exist, one being value. Are such cars of the early 90s, like the Chrysler cab forward sedans and the first gen Sebring convertible worthy of such a future? the 25 year mark is up to the 2000 model year with the release of 2024 models. Feelin. old, yet?
My mom & Dad had all kinds of 60s,70s cars when I was growing up but I only remember having one Riviera like this one most likely a 67, I remember many Monte Carlos GTOs Lemans ect,it was our first Cadillac that really tooky breath,it was a hunter green 72 Coupe DeVille wow what a beautiful luxury car,
Just FYi, that’s a ’65. It doesn’t have the side trim from the earlier models and the rear bumper is different.
Exactly, people that don’t know the year should not post guessing. 1965 for sure.
Noted. It’s updated now.
Nah I think rust will be the Sable’s undoing too, it’s already quite bubbly around the wheelwell, and lord knows what the rocker panels look like under the decorative plastic trim. There aren’t too many electronic doodads that will send a 90s Ford product to the wrecker.
Transmissions, on the other hand, . . . .
Ah, JP, all one ever needed to do is change their transmission fluid on a regular basis for one like every 60,000 miles. That actually holds true for even the old C4 and C6. The next thing that goes wrong is the input shaft has it teeth worn down. Of course either the engine of transmission must come out.
The Sable wagon below has been in the garage since 2016 with a rod knock as far as I can tell at 208,000 miles. By early 2024 it will have a new heart as I build a completely new short block for the car. Started the process yesterday weighing all the components so I can balance them. Once in this 98 will go another 20 years and the input shaft will get replaced. Story in 2024.
One thing about them is that they have great interiors as far as the quality and durability of the material.
I do like the Riviera just as much as I like the Thunderbirds between 61-66. Only drawback is both can be hard to work on mechanically along with correct parts.
Friends had a dark blue 💙 63 Riviera. When they traded for a downsized 85 Olds 98, I couldn’t believe it. Those Rivieras were fabulous lookers. 👌 Decision to fix or sell is often difficult. 78 Town Coupe, 89 Signature Limited and 89 Brougham deElegance are three that circumstances forced me to let go. Not sure if the Lincoln is a Continental or a Town Car. But I am sure that my current 2007 Signature Limited will NOT get away. 16 years, 72,000mi, and still going strong.
The 25 year milestone is just a suggestion. Many cars such as the original 1940’s Lincoln Continental, two seat Thunderbird, Chrysler letter cars, 60’s Corvettes, Mustangs, and more, were popular and considered worth holding onto ever since they were new. Not that every example was saved, but enthusiasts have valued them since they were “just” used cars.
My ’96 Mustang is now 27 years old and it’s holding up quite well. Though it is not that valuable or desirable in collecting circles, these cars were the Mustangs that many younger people had grown up with, and they are still viable practical cars for everyday use.
The challenge for any old car is to make it past the period where it’s just considered to be suitable to be used as an old beater, and run into the ground. It also calls for a sympathetic owner. My Generation considered plain four door sedans from the ’50’s and ’60’s to be disposable organ donors for the more desirable coupes and convertibles.
I was surprised then, Ford didn’t realize before production, how ungainly the styling was on the 1996 Taurus/Sable. Compared, to more attractive competitor’s designs. Just among domestic cars, exterior design on the Chrysler LH cars and the Olds Aurora, worked so much better. Even if the Olds, was not a direct competitor.
Ford got drunk on success. So drunk that the 96 Taurus/Sable looked good to them. This coming from a former owner of a 97 Taurus. It was a good car. Ugly car, but a good car.
A nice old Riviera .
-Nate
Hmm. There was a Riviera of that vintage in west-central Edmonton. And some other interesting curbside classics a couple of houses down the street.
The Riviera is certainly legendary for Buick. A thumbs up for the Sable. One of the best used cars our family has owned. Well optioned and very reliable, it was picked off the lot by my wife after turning in a Windstar she leased. Now and then I’ll see a Sable on the streets along with the occasional 90’s or 2000’s Taurus. The odd one in decent shape. Our Sable served us and well and was sold to a young couple for a very good price.
I had a nice 69 Rivera. It was white and all red inside. I wish I never sold it.
Outside of museums, how many cars long survive the generation that saw them on the streets? They’re all one with Nineveh and Tire.
I own a 65 Rivera and it runs like a charm just needs a paint job I bought it for 500 dollars back in 1991 I’ll had a sable and now its at a junkyard so if can get a Buick Riviera hold on to it