This 1968 Buick Riviera Sport Coupe was a Gentleman's Muscle Car and Looked Better than the Eldorado
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ก.ย. 2024
- Ford was having tremendous success with the Thunderbird - so much so, GM needed to respond, and quickly. A concept car was quickly penned based on Bill Mitchell's (GM's Design Chief) trip to London where he spied a Rolls-Royce with knife-edged fenders. Cadillac was the first choice to make the car, but couldn't find a way to fit it in their already busy assembly lines. Chevy also passed. That left a competition between Pontiac, Oldsmobile, and Buick for the project. Buick needed a car like this very badly, and pulled out all the stops to get it - what won the day for them was the promise to build it as close to the original concept as possible.
So the Riviera was born, and it was good. Buick focused heavily on the engineering, and the result was a very well handling car with lots of beef under the hood that was loved by the automotive press. It was nimble for a big car, had a potent V8 under the hood, and the lines were drop dead gorgeous.
Rivieras were made over several generations from 1963 through 1999, skipping only the 1994 model year. Hopefully, it's a name GM will resurrect in the future.
Full review and test drive by Bill. Car is for sale at Autohaus of Naples - www.AutohausNaples.com, or at (239) 263-8500.
As a kid @ 10 yrs. old,i remember my uncle Bob driving this exact car from Alabama to Cleveland for a visit. He was my dads brother and was the 'cool relative'. He looked like a young Jack Nicholson and that car was like it was from Mars. He took us kids to McDonalds for lunch and at that age,it was all..,wwwwooooowwwww !!!
I was ten years old when my grandmother arrived from Oklahoma with her 1968 Buick Riviera, which became mine in 1978. It looked like nothing else we'd ever seen; it made our 1963 Pontiac Star Chief look dated and stodgy. The Riviera was olive gold and had a champagne colored vinyl roof, champagne damask and vinyl seats, the same color jute carpeting, seat belts, olive green padded dash, power windows and front seats, and an 8 track tape player. I spent hours polishing those chrome wheels and bumpers. I helped my father put in a new oil sump pump which he had to make himself as they did not have one anywhere. The Rivvies were special, and perhaps among the most beautiful cars ever built. In 1980, I acquired a 1973 boattail for $200.00, which had to be practically rebuilt and repainted, so ill-treated it had been. The two Rivvies sitting side by side were wonders to see, and much commented on by friends and neighbors. I wish I could have kept them.
Absolutely beautiful car. Back when design was design and that is all that mattered.
Those people on the highway must have looked at that Riv and been like wow, that's when car design was an art form.
Bill. 68 & 69 are both my favorites, I have an 84 but my fav has always been the 68, 69. Beautiful!
Fabulous fabulous fabulous. Yes, truly a classic in line and length, power and appointment.
I love it. It's one of my favourite cars
Is this the same Riviera that is being auctioned at Mecum Indy tomorrow? It is Lot W58. Looks like the exact same 68 Riviera. So there still is a chance, gang, to snag this gorgeous car!
This looks like it was just off the assembly line. Pity that the fuel consumption would bankrupt me here in Europe :(
What's that on the road at around 19:43? 😂😂 At the lower left corner.
Was this Riviera front wheel drive?
🤣🤣🤣
Nothing better than the sound of an old school big block and the smell of coffee. God bless America!
I personally think the Studebaker 289 cid V8 is both the best sounding V8 and the best V8 for regular driving.
It would be hard to choose between this Riviera and the Toronado.
You just "Triggered" Me...I'm having 455 Withdrawal right now....my machine is still stuck in storage...60 degrees today....I need bad....The cup of hot coffee to slurp on while it's warming up in the spring....run until you start to smell the heater warming a bit...put down the cup....drive...ahhh....
i guess Im kind of randomly asking but does anyone know a good website to stream new series online ?
@Ahmir Mekhi i use Flixzone. You can find it by googling =)
What an absolutely gorgeous car.
There is nothing in the new showrooms of today that comes close.
Stunning car. Built back when General Motors still built great automobiles.
General motors can still make good cars. A little bit more hit and miss though.
Bill that is a 69 not a 68. You can tell by the grille design.
Es un 68 con parrilla de 1969. El 68 tienes las luces de retroceso en el bumper como esté. El 69 tiene las luces de retroceso en el mismo faro trasero. Mi papá tuvo en Venezuela un Riviera 66,68 69 y 70. Eran tremendos carros para la epoca. Lujosos y deportivo a la vez.@@terryrobertson111
Riv's are so underrated and unappreciated. Ahead of their time futuristic styling.
" Designed to Cruise the Interstates at 75 to 100 mph "
nice ..
Imagine yourself behind the wheel of this fine automobile!!!
The presence it has is a bit like you could be on a road full of slow Priuses in a traffic jam and your day would still be great.
$24k cash money! Try going to a bank for a loan and they'll laugh at you. Good thing, the guys can put you in touch with some long term finance co's for like 82% interest
Lucky me.. I don’t have to imagine...
what a fantastic ride!
Got my driver's license in moms 68 rivera.
When I took my drivers exam in moms riv traffic stopped, and I turned hard left while smoking the tires around the wreck, and at the dmv office the examiner smiled, and wrote, reactions to hazards, excellent!
Beautiful, Beautiful car I love the Riveras from 1963 thru 1972. Most of today's new cars are bland. This car represents the best of Buick and GM when Buicks were Buicks and not Chevrolets.
I think it resembles my dads 1970 novas shape.
I so agree!
Right! The new Buicks are ugly 💩
1973
I graduated high school in 1995. A kid in my class drove his Dad’s ‘67 Riv GS to school in nice weather. Same body style...... he was quiet but the most popular kid in school!!
I graduated in 1995 as well. Unfortunately, I had a 1986 Buick Century. Not the same!!
@@robertworkman1419 I graduated in 93 and had a 68 Riviera as my first car.
Thank you for finally giving the story behind the Canadians!!! 😂 I’d accepted that it would forever be a mystery.
Oh my God! I'm glad I saw this comment before watching so I can keep my ears at complete attention!
edit: HA! Perfect accent, too! I have had MANY encounters with Canadians due to my proximity to the border, and Bill not only has their accent, but their effing cheapness down pat. Bunch of chipper bastards!
Finally, the Canadian mystique revealed. I feel better now. Good night
I can finally sleep well at night!
"Not as bad as the Germans..."
@@bermudarun3903 Canada must indeed seem mystical to you: a land where health care and education are available to all; where the murder rate is among the lowest in the world, as opposed to the highest; where two halves of the country do not despise each other; where 400 families do not own as much as the bottom half of the entire population; where those 400 families pay virtually no taxes; where hate is not a family value.
Yes, to an American who is among the population of aging failures doomed to living in Florida trailer parks, Canada must feel almost like heaven,. Oh, and up there the pandemic is under control. For that reason, no Americans are permitted to enter Canada, including YOU.
God those slow gates would drive me nuts if I lived there. I thought you were going to show us those headlights dropped down.
I didn't care to hear you mindlessly ramble on and on and on and on....blaa blaa blaa......
These Riveras were often mistaken as the counter part to the Cadillac Eldorado or Oldsmobile Toronado, but unlike the 2 previous mentioned vehicles, the Rivera was a rear wheel drive car, not front wheel drive.
WTF, Bill doesn't go to McDonalds and Shit on you for putting too much salt on his fries.
Didn't your mother ever tell you " If you have nothing good to say, say nothing at all."
Feel free to hit the back button when something on the internet is not to your liking because there is a huge chance that the other people could not give a fuck about your opinion
What a sexy gorgeous muscle car. Makes me wish I was born in the 50’s. Muscle cars are way cooler than any SUV
That Riviera is a gorgeous classic automobile. Thanks for doing a video on a classic car. Truly a Sunday cruise car only.
Bill, you're the man! The only highlight of this pandemic for me has been your videos. Your personality, insights, and reviewing style are all second to none. Thank you!
Yeah the first bits is fine but US coffee is like pig's piss lol.
You want triple shot espresso followed by another - that does the job. Like gentleman's nitrous.
Agreed
If you haven't seen the BMW i3 Hipster Toaster mobile, you will love it! I've watched it 5x for shits and giggles.
@@kriscarmelo my all time favourite hands down! Pure gold start to finish.
@@tristanmackid4953 At work the guys and I love to do the BILL "ughssighhh"
Bill you have the best speaking voice. Love your car reviews, personable, informative, and very funny. Keep up the great work!
Also, Bill is funny as hell.
He does have a great voice/personality, he actually sounds just like conservative commentator Dick Morris.
Yes...Bill doesn't seem to be a BS'er like most people who sell cars. He does sound like Dick Morris alright.He does have the kind of personality that I would buy a car from.
I currently own a 70 GSX Stage 1 QQ and a 69 Buick A body convertible. Beautiful car Mr. Bill.
People should not be disliking your videos. They are extremely wonderful.
My Granddad, Dad, and Uncle used to flip these cars in the 80's...the Rivie is probably the most underrated Classic Car, ever...
If we're talking about underrated 1960s American cars here, I believe both Studebaker's Avanti and GT Hawk would be better suited for that title.
@@jakekaywell5972 I won't argue your logic, but rather what an Avanti would sell at auction versus a Rivie...Nothing or double says the Avanti will always fetch more...
@@Iluvbisquits Maybe. I've seen that the last few big auctions (Mecum, Barrett-Jackson, etc.) have sold a few 1963 Rivieras and Avantis. 1963 was the first model year for both cars, and it seems to me that the average Avanti was sold for $30,000 whereas the average Riviera was sold for $5-10,000 more.
@@jakekaywell5972 ......From what I remember seeing all of those personal luxury GMs could be undervalued. Back in the day they were some of the sharpest looking cars on the road!. Pontiac Grand Prixs Oldsmobile Tornadoes Buick Rivieras even the first front wheel drive El Dorado ofcourse you might want to throw in the 70 to 72 Chevrolet Monte carlo as well even though I know its a shorter wheel base and a differant body!.This was back when GM really was GM!.
my first car was a 63 Hawk, it's Rolls-Royce like Grill and Bentley dashboard, made that the perfect car for me!
I now own a 1984 Rolls-Royce Silver Spur... retro-thinking makes me understand why it jumped out at me!
It’s amazing, you can really see where real car people were running General Motors and where the accountants took over. My God ,GM at one time was a fantastic car company.
Look! A REAL CAR !
That's a 69 grill.
1968-69 Rivieras had the same grille both years, just a slightly different texture of the grille inserts from one year to the next.
The 68 and 69 grilles were / are completely different. The 68 has an eggcrate design, the 69 has a sweeping 3 row grille, with chrome leading edges, as this grille, which is a 69, has.
@@alphonseg5912 Yes your correct, the 68 Riviera was factory equipped with an egg crate grille section, not the 69 horizontal bar grille section that this particular car has. I suspect that this car was involved in a front end collision sometime earlier in it's history, or during the previous owner's last repaint, he replaced the original grille section because it was damaged, and he could not locate an eggcrate grille section for the car, and substituted the 69 model's horizontal bar grille section because it was all that was available.
I've always thought this car was a high point of GM style.
OMG Bill! The headlights. Now I not be able to sleep.
Agreed! :(
Too much of the whiskey therapy.
Stunning is too weak an adjective. We need style to be back in fashion.
How do you define "style" though? It's continuously fluid and as such no one standard can ever be adhered to.
If only it was a console/buckets car... I converted my bench/column shift 1971 Boattail.
I love that Riviera. I would buy it from you if I could, and the green and chrome exterior is fantastic. I wish cars were still that unique.
Ha ha, even the closed captions say "Cadamac" or "Cadimac". So it is NOT my ears.
This is a '68 with a '69 front grill insert.
Nice
Hmm...good catch.
Couldn't afford it ,but opted for the 68 mach 1, mustang.
There went a quarter of a tank on that kick down!
I had a 69 Olds 98 the same color combo. But with Black interior.
Lansing vs Flint
I have several canadian friends....lol..they are taxed way higher then we are is why they are such low ballers....and their dollars don't go as far here... We do well up there if they ever let us back in..lol
Yeah but we have really good Healthcare from a system that treats all Canadians with respect.
Badass Riviera from better times for the USA the world was still admiring US instead of hating.
'66/'67 is more valuable and among the prettiest cars GM ever produced, and they are also color-sensitive. Green looks great on this one.
On the Riviera..1968 my grandma's boyfriend who was a ww1 pilot veteran had one...it was awesome a light blue
The real deal.🇺🇸
You can take that car any where. All Buicks from that year were absolutely beautiful. My parents had a 1968 Electra 225. This Interior is somewhat different so there still was a difference. Press the accelerator one or two times to set the automatic choke. Do not press while cranking. That is how you had to crank ours. I learned to drive on my parents Buick. good memories.
Bill Mitchell adhered to function following form. Bless him for that.
I agree about that first statement, but disagree with his philosophy. Function should follow form whenever possible.
That is one beautiful automobile!
This car looks just like the aircraft carrier i was stationed on. We landed planes on it too. Just like this hood.
Oh I love that Buick, glad you finally got it on here, btw you have the perfect weather down there year round!
had one of these with that 430 it could knock down a brick wall
Yes!...likely the best V8 of all GM cars in that era!
My father almost bought a 1969. So sweet. Thanks, Bill! Loved that Lincoln too!
I bought a '69 model in 1975. It handled like a dream but parts were outrageous! Mufflers were $65 each, not counting the resonators. The best fuel economy I ever got was 12-13 mpg., but that 430 engine (better than the 455) would "stroll."
my parents bought a 1969 brand new in olive beige. The only thing that was downmarket were the manual windows. Otherwise seat belts. AM/FM radio. Electric automatic radio antenna. A/C and heating. Disappearing headlamps. But no cruise control.
1967 was the last year for the switch pitch torque converter on Buick's Super Turbine 400 and 300. Too bad, that switch pitch really gave these cars an extra kick in the ass.
I know!...My dad bought his first new car--a 1967 Buick Wildcat, with that honkin' 430ci, 360hp V8...that car weighed at least two tons, but that drive train really hustled the vehicle down the road!...that car was well-taken care of, and responded by lasting 320,000 miles. No major work required, although it did go thru two sets of U-joints...Buicks were just awesome back then!
If I had the money, I'd buy this and have it shipped to my house in Idaho! I love classic Buicks. Every bit the quality of a Cadillac.
Base price in 68 was $4615, adjusted for inflation that’s $35,218 in today’s dollars.
When I was 4 My father had a '68 Riviera (New) at the time I believe that it was a GS It had a Black vinyl top and was a Dark brown body color . Beautiful ❤️ car and absolutely beautiful and spectacular even today.
Got to say this about our Canadian snowbird neighbors tighter than a clams a-s!. They bring there wine instead of going to ABC !
Haha that is true! But you need to realize that we Canadians pay twice as much for almost everything through our lives, higher taxes, no mortgage tax write-offs, so in the end don't have as much money to survive on.
@J K But don't get sick in the US
Canadians know the difference between their and there, probably the school system.
@@bc5299 Right on, eh! lol :)
@J K jesus lets not talk about leaders haha
At 38yo, I love a LOT of older automobiles, especially ones I rode in during my childhood but admit that Riviera is definitely one of the most gorgeous as far as aesthetics I’ve seen - inside & out, a true beauty! Thanks for gracing TH-cam with that one!
I think Bill forgot to show us the headlights...
Was waiting for someone to mention it, I noticed the same thing.
yes he did forget he would of had to set up a tripod and then get back in the car and operate the head lite switch
Love your videos. I want to buy every car you profile. As a Canadian, I just love that story. So now you have to give a Canadian rating 1 to 10 for the back seat. Don't forget, a LOT of retired Canadians live down there during the winter. Love from Toronto.
What a beauty!
Such an underrated Buick. It has "The Stance". It needs a 455 Stage 1, 4 spd and badges.
simply Wow, a work of art
I got 2 of them one is a GS i installed a 455 in both cars
@@AlexRamirez-lf1wj My uncle had a 70 GS Stage 1 4sp, I was 15 at the time, and I loved it when my Aunt would take me out for a spin. It was nicknamed "The Beast".
This stunning ‘68 Riviera has a ‘69 grille. The front turn signals are ‘69 as well, so I’m thinking the front bumper assembly has been replaced. Not exactly a gem mint 10.
I have 4 68 rivs, they did not have a rear disc option, it does have the master and pedal pad for front discs,one major issue as far as appearance it has the wrong front grille, that is 1969 only. Finding a 68 grille can be very hard , so most of thimes if they are wrecked or have grille damage a junkyard 69 is used .
What a great color for this car! This would look awesome in my driveway parked next to my 68 Wildcat.
I would like to see Bill feature a Buick Wildcat.
Thank God you and me were around when cars were cars, not the crap they make today.
OOOOH!!!!! Thank you, Bill! Nice set of wheels! And UNMOLESTED and "proper" (in Bill lexicon) without donk wheels, lowrider stance, gaudy paint jobs, etc. I get that these cars reached a nadir of price and were then bought cheap to be converted into pimpmobiles, but unfortunately for those of us who like our cars stone-cold bone stock, the few that remain get picked up and raped with all this awful bling. Frank Sinatra, Jr. had one of these cars in an understated black or charcoal gray, I seem to recall.
My favorite are the 1963 and 1964 models, but I have truly grown to appreciate the later models as they have become as sparse as hens teeth. I have had the distinct pleasure of seeing late 1960's Electra sedans and convertibles in my region during the Summer months, and I always give the thumbs up and / or ask questions. Indeed Buicks were Doctor's cars, and as a physician, my Dad swore by them, and I distinctly recall one of his colleagues having a similar model year Electra. Very fond memories (although were those times really that great, or does my memory just want it to be that way?!!!) Hahaha, regardless, thanks!!!!
I love your observations about this car, and others like it. I too like cars that are bone stock in apperance.... don't mess around with perfection, the designers knew what they were doing!
Bought my 68 last year and I love it. Needs a little work here and there, but it's an absolute joy to drive!
As an actual real life Canadian I have to say that is one beautiful car!
You and a couple of your friends should fit in the trunk just fine.
Beautiful car Bill!!! Thanks for your review! It’s a joy to hear each car’s history!
The 72' Rivera is my favorite car on the Planet. This is a fine close second. I just bought a 2002 Lexus SC430 for my 60th birthday. Bill called it a Rivera🤷🏽♂️😎
I got one this year too! How many miles and what color?
@J K 1970s and elegance don't normally mix, but I'd say that those cars that were were almost always were carried over from prior decades. As for me, I believe the Rover P6 to be tops in the elegance category for that era.
@@labornurse 111,500 when I purchased back in May 2020. Now it's around 125,000. NO problems. We call her "The Baby Car".
@@labornurse Oh, she's Pearl White, Cream white interior.
I had a 68 GS Rivi, , great car.
Now we are getting to my kind of cruiser
Had a 67 in high-school thanks Bill
Central California Watching
The 1968 Oldsmobile Toronado was definitely a peer and maybe the best of all.
Best upgrade for that car is a GM 4 speed auto with lockup converter. 15 mpg instead of 8mpg worth it and improves driveability also.
Yeah, with no cruise control and you're screaming at 4000 rpm to go 75. You need a hand on the knee to keep that gas pedal down.
A daily dose of Bill is awesome. Two days in a row......awesome.
I so love these as well as their Oldsmobile stable mates. Those were the days. Except here in New Zealand where had were forced to buy Australian Holdens or Fords. American cars were becoming increasingly expensive to import back then.
Too funny you had to explain the rear seat...lmao..totally got it prior but whatever...no covid meds today? Seemed awfully sober lol x 2
As always, great review! Which drives better this old RWD '68 or your old FWD '85? I know there is no contest between the old and new motors though.
My husband who is an owner of this 68' Riviera, loves classic cars especially those in 60's. He bought the car from Canada 7yrs ago as soon as he found it on the internet. On the very first day he was driving it (in humid Japan!), once he stopped the engine, it never started. Since then it's happened quite a number of times, and I got soooooooooo used to call for repair, waiting a few hours in the middle of the road with a little baby boy👶!!!!!!
But still we cherish this gorgeous car that represents the good old America in 60's.
Absolutely beautiful, I'd love to own that car! Thanks Bill!
Great car! It would have been nice to see it with all the windows down to show off the hardtop styling,
Beautiful car with craftsmanship. A head of it's time.
Come on Bill be a santa and send me the car ....live the colour the shape it reminds me of the oldsmobil. ...don't know if you remember the old joke how can you fit four elephants in a mini ..have a blessed Christmas cheers
A truly gorgeous car Bill but I personally don't like the beige ill fitting carpeting i think it looks cheap and after market .I think a professionally fitted grey or even black plush type carpeting would look much better and more befitting of such a great restoration and well worth the extra expense.
I had my 430 overhauled by a old mechanic. I can still recall him marveling about how beefy the biuld of that motor was. 365 stock hp.
I have read that many dragstrip dudes back in the day, coveted the 430V8....the engine was indeed built in a heavy-duty manner, and could be easily modified to extract even more HP!
and them Canadians don’t know how to tip either!!!
What’s the difference between a Canadian and a canoe?
A canoe will tip 😂 😆 😝
I miss the days of the ability to deploy headlights
I’d love to know where you find all of these gems. Also do you guys have to put work into them or are they normally good to go?
A friend of our family had a maroon 67 Riv with the roller speedo really cool car as is this one they were really stylish
I always wanted to know what you meant by the Canadian back seat comments!!!! I was confused everytime!
"Badass Buick American Heavy Metal"
Canadians can pack a small car with a lot of people like no one else he's ever known,......he must've met a Mexican or two sometime ago, I mean C'mon man.
He reminds me of "Bugs Bunny", when where he's trying to escape from the mad scientists laboratory/Castle,....."and he's giving the big red monster a makeover!" LOL
Back in the late 1970s I had owned a 1969 Buick Riviera GS. Verde green with a black interior
That's quite skill you have to be able to accurately judge all Canadians after seeing one group stuffed into a Mini and getting low-balled by one couple.
You remind me of a guy I met in Houston. He was from Baton Rouge. He said he knew nothing about nothing north of the Mason-Dixon and he liked it that way. Ignorance is contagious, unfortunately.
GM absolutely nailed the exterior styling on this one!
LOL check the trunk Bill there's more friends stuffed in there, especially on the way to the drive- inn theatre. We Canadians love a good deal :) LOve the Riv -- tnx for sharing
Love the fact that such a powerful car was owned by “ a old lady “ I would have liked to have known her !
Never know on that, Growing up Irma, the older grandma next door lived to drive and drive fast, very good at it too. They had a 68 Lincoln and a 77 t bird. Fast land yahts lol
The concept of Canadians stuffing the biggest people in the back seat was for better traction in the snow in the old rear wheel drive cars. Obviously that's not going to work in a FWD Mini Cooper but I guess old traditions die hard.
Because of this car I always wanted a Riviera, but didn't purchase one till 1990 and it was great. Awm
In my top 3 of 60s American design. Without a doubt.
What would be your other two though? For me, both of the others come from Studebaker. GT Hawk and Avanti!
In addition to the stunning Studebaker Avanti debuting in 1963, the Buick Riviera was also introduced the same year. I was in lust with those cars then, and still am today. When the 1968 model was introduced I was 15, and still riding my bicycle to get around, I wouldn't be licensed for another long year. But I was still in love with the Riviera, despite the "refresh" they completed that year of the 2nd Generation Riviera introduced in 1966, 1968 was the first year of federally mandated safety standards, which included energy absorbing steering columns, padded dashboards, & visors, enhanced safety latches on all doors, front seat back latching mechanisms were installed on all 2dr models, seatbelts were made mandatory for all passengers, front & rear, and separate shoulder belts for both the driver, & right front passenger were.anchored to the roof, and clipped to the edges of the headliner. Side marker lights, front & rear, made their debut the same year hence the red roundel with the Buick Tri-Shield embossed on it, mounted on the rear quarter panel of this car. This was a nice touch that lasted one year, Buick converted to a standard square lense, with no Tri-Shield embossment in 1969 to save money. Pontiac, and Oldsmobile did the same with their one year only Arrowhead, and Rocket emblem designs. Wheelcovers with "spinner" center caps, such as wire wheel discs, were also banned.
The 1968 "refresh" also included new front & rear bumpers, a new grille design, new turn signal/parking lamp assemblies up front, and taillight/backup lamp assemblies in the rear. Lastly, I believe federally mandated emissions standards began with both PCV valves, and EGR cannisters installed under hood that year.
1968 was also the first year that CA imposed stricter emission standards than the other 49 states.
Yes, you're so right, they did to reduce carbon dioxide exhaust emissions, and prevent the formation of atmospheric smog.