Vintage Photos: Buick Rivieras On The Road In The 1960s

Text by Patrick Bell.

Our feature today is Rivieras on the road in the sixties with one from the seventies for good measure.  The Riviera was GM’s answer to the successful Ford Thunderbird in a segment that became known as the personal luxury car.  The early editions were popular in the used car market when I was in that business in the early to mid seventies.  By that time they were six to eight years old and many of them were pretty well used up.  They impressed me and have grown on me more as time has passed.  Let’s take a look at a few samples.

The first photo for today is located in a small town with a touristy vibe on a warm summer day.  Front and center is a ’63 model in silver from New York with a couple of youngsters inside.  The production numbers were 40,000 during this first year, while the Thunderbird did over 63,000 with four body styles/trim levels.  In front of it is a ’58 Cadillac, and further up are two dark red Volkswagens; a Type 3 Squareback and a Type 2 Transporter.  Across the street is another red Volkswagen, a ’66 or ’67 Type 1.  Further up is a light blue ’61 Ford Falcon Deluxe Tudor Sedan, light green ’57 Studebaker Champion Custom or Commander Custom 4 door sedan, black ’63 or ’64 Chevrolet Chevy II 4 door sedan, and a dark blue ’65 Plymouth Fury III wagon.

Here we have another representative from the ’63 model year and also from New York.  This time we are on a residential street possibly in the spring. Across the street on the right is a ’57 Cadillac, and further up on the left a ’60 Rambler Classic.

A gentleman posing with a ’63 or ’64 model that looks nice and clean.  He looks like the young professional type of buyer that Buick was aiming for. Production figures dropped to about 37,650 for ’64, which was a year the Thunderbird had a complete restyle.

Silver was a popular color, and this ’63 or ’64 from California is also dressed up with the optional wire wheel covers.  It looks new or close to new, is clean and shiny and posing with its windows down.

White looks good as well, as this ’63 or ’64 can attest to.  The stylish lady in this waterfront location fits right in with the car.

A rear view of a restyled ’66 model equipped with the Super Deluxe wheel covers and an Arizona license plate.  Production for ’66 was over 45,000 and down a bit in ’67 to about 42,800.  Meanwhile, Thunderbird did just over 69,000 for ’66 and in ’67 they replaced the convertible with a four door and a restyle and those figures increased to almost 78,000.

Someone was so proud of this ’67 model from Ohio that they took two different views.  It is equipped with a vinyl roof and those classic Buick Road Wheels, with aftermarket wheel ‘spinner’ type center caps and a trailer hitch.  The ’66 restyle boosted production up to over 45,000, while the ’67’s settled back down to nearly 43,000.  In front of it is a ’62 Pontiac Bonneville.

This lady looks like she was caught laughing while posing with a ’67 GS from Michigan.  In the background from the left is a ’55 Ford Customline Fordor Sedan, ’62 Pontiac 4 door sedan with some rear end damage, ’64 Plymouth Valiant V-100 2 door sedan, ’65 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu Super Sport convertible, and a ’63 Mercury full size.

Let’s swing through New York City and visit the Little Italy area.  Pulling out and turning left is a ’68 or ’69 model. To the left is a GMC School Bus and to the right a ’68 International Travelall.

Green was a popular color in the late sixties and early seventies and this ’69 model from California wears it well along with the popular road wheels and vinyl roof.  Thunderbird production dropped for some reason to just over 49,000 and made it the only year (while they were direct competitors) that the Riviera came out on top with nearly 53,000 units. A casually dressed lady is posing with it in a residential neighborhood.

Another California car, this one a ’68 model in silver or light gray again with the road wheels and a vinyl roof.  A pair of couples look like they are about to go for a ride.  Production numbers increased with this restyle to just over 49,000, but the Thunderbird still came out ahead with nearly 65,000.  To the right is a ’67 Oldsmobile Cutlass.

We have one representative from the boattail era with this final year ’73 model with the still popular road wheels.  Production dropped into the mid to low 30s after ’69 and the ’73 was the best of the boattails with just over 34,000 units.  This one is the dirtiest of the day in this winter shot and still has some leftover snow on it.  On the left a ’74 or ’75 AMC Gremlin with Michigan plates and in the center a ’72 Chevrolet Impala Custom Coupe with fender skirts.

Thanks for riding with us on our Riviera grand tour!

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