Buick came out swinging with the Riviera, then put a Wildcat engine in this cat.
Before there was the Hellcat, there was the Wildcat. We’re just kidding, the cars have nothing to do with each other, except maybe offering as much luxury as a performance car can for a good price. This car came from an era when personal luxury meant a lot to car buyers, and GM had sunk its teeth into the niche with several models, including the Riviera to go head-to-head with the Ford Thunderbird.
Initially introduced two years prior to this particular model, the Riviera was built on a full-sized Buick Electra frame that was modified to accommodate the shorter, 117-inch wheelbase of the Riviera. Like the Thunderbird, the Riviera had an interior with four bucket seats, a center console, and a floor-mounted shifter.
This particular example is equipped with the 401 cubic-inch Nailhead V8 Wildcat option engine that made a hearty 325-horsepower - or a lot of horsepower for 1965. It received a completed frame-off restoration about six years ago and comes with a photo album detailing the build.
While the list of restoration parts and work is a mile long, there has been nothing but the most upmost detail applied in this restoration. This Wildcat has been re-chromed, restored, rebuilt, and cared for at every corner so it is worthy of finding a home in the finest collections.
Bidding is available online. Please click here to register to bid for our Sioux Falls sale on July 31st.
