![]() In 1953, with the move from the Fireball straight-eight to the more compact Fireball V8 engine, the Roadmaster and Super four-door Riviera sedans became the same length. The 1951–52 Buick Super four-door Riviera sedan is still 0.75 inches (19 mm) shorter in wheelbase and length than the regular Buick Roadmaster and 4.75 inches (121 mm) shorter than the Roadmaster four-door Riviera sedan. The 1951–53 Buick Roadmaster and Super four-door Riviera sedans feature more standard features, more plush interior trim, and a wheelbase (and overall length) that is 4.0 inches (102 mm) longer than a regular Buick Roadmaster or Super four-door sedan. Buick added a two-door Riviera hardtop to the Super the following year, the Special in 1951, and the Century upon its return, after a 12-year absence, in 1954.įrom 1951 to 1953 the Riviera designation was given to the existing long-wheelbase versions of the four-door Buick Roadmaster and Super sedans. The Buick Roadmaster Riviera coupe (along with the Cadillac Coupe de Ville and Oldsmobile 98 Holiday coupe) constituted the first mass production use of this body style, which was to become popular over the next 30 years. ![]() It first entered the Buick line in 1949, as the designation for the new two-door pillarless hardtop, described in advertising as "stunningly smart". The name Riviera, Italian for coastline, was chosen to evoke the allure and affluence of the French Riviera. ![]() Origins The Riviera name 1949 Buick Roadmaster Riviera (one of the first hardtops) 1959 Buick Electra 225 Riviera ![]() The Riviera name was resurrected for two concept cars that were displayed at auto shows in 2007 and in 2013. A total of 1,127,261 Rivieras were produced. While the early models stayed close to their original form, eight subsequent generations varied substantially in size and styling. Unlike its subsequent GM E platform stablemates, the Oldsmobile Toronado and Cadillac Eldorado, the Riviera was initially a front engine/rear-wheel drive platform, switching to front-wheel drive starting with the 1979 model year. It was a ground-up design on a new GM E platform debuting for the 1963 model year and was also Buick's first unique Riviera model. The top offer at the time of writing is $5,000, but of course, there’s a chance it’ll go higher as we approach the last hours of the bidding wars.The Buick Riviera is a personal luxury car that was marketed by Buick from 1963 to 1999, with the exception of the 1994 model year.Īs General Motors' first entry into the personal luxury car market segment, the Riviera was highly praised by automotive journalists upon its high-profile debut. There’s no rust on this barn find, and this is clearly good news for someone planning a full restoration, especially given the car has been sitting for so long.Īs for the price, this is something we’ll find out in about 6 days when the auction comes to an end. The odometer indicates about 37,000 miles (59,500 km), and the seller says this is fully accurate. This Thunderbird is also unrestored, so everything you find inside and outside is exactly the way Ford wanted it to back in 1961 when the vehicle rolled off the assembly lines.Īnd last but not least, the mileage is impressively low as well, which kind of makes sense given the car has been sitting for a long time in a barn. This means both the engine and the transmission are still there, and while the car drives, it should still be towed because the radiator leaks. Then, it’s complete, as no parts seem to be missing. ![]() Of course, a visual inspection is definitely recommended to sort this out and determine what was the original color of the car. eBay seller shelbob originally said the black finish you see in the photos is fully original, though, on the other hand, they claim there are signs the Thunderbird actually left the factory in lavender. But the 1961 Ford Thunderbird convertible that we have here appears to be ticking pretty much all the boxes that you can have on a list for a restoration candidate.įirst of all, it’s fully original with one unclear exception: the paint. ![]()
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