Why This Car Is Special

The 1964 Buick Riviera occupies a very specific place in American automotive history. When the first-generation Riviera debuted for 1963, it was Buick's answer to a question GM had been asking for years: could an American car compete with European grand tourers on design and refinement while still delivering the performance and comfort that American buyers expected? The answer was yes, and the car that delivered it was styled under the direction of Bill Mitchell and largely executed by designer Ned Nickles. The result was one of the cleanest, most purposeful shapes to come out of Detroit in the 1960s.

By 1964, Buick made meaningful updates that collectors now recognize as improvements over the debut year. The front end received a revised grille with a more refined look, and the hidden headlights — one of the Riviera's most distinctive features — were refined for smoother operation. More importantly, 1964 was the first year Buick offered the larger 425 cubic inch Wildcat 465 Nailhead V8 as the standard engine in the Riviera, replacing the 401 that had powered the 1963 model. That displacement bump, combined with the Nailhead's unusually high torque output, gave the 1964 Buick Riviera a mechanical edge that the first-year car simply did not have.

Buick produced 37,658 Rivieras for the 1964 model year, up significantly from the 40,000-unit cap that had been placed on 1963 production. Every one of them came with the 425 Nailhead as standard equipment. The car was not cheap when new — it stickered at over $4,300, placing it firmly in luxury-performance territory alongside the Cadillac Eldorado and Chrysler 300. This particular 1964 Buick Riviera has been fully restored and presents in white over a red vinyl interior, one of the most striking color combinations the car was offered in during the first-generation run.

Features List

- Buick 425ci Wildcat 465 Nailhead V8 - 340 horsepower, 465 lb-ft of torque - Super Turbine 400 3-speed automatic transmission - Air conditioning - Power steering - Power brakes - Power driver seat - Power windows - Front bucket seats - Rear bucket seats - Red vinyl interior throughout - Center console - Wood grain interior trim - Digital Dakota gauge cluster - Magnum 500 wheels - New whitewall tires - Dual exhaust - New brakes - All-new suspension - New AM/FM Bluetooth stereo - Chrome bumpers, front and rear - Clean undercarriage - Fully restored - Restored trunk

Mechanical

The Nailhead V8 was a Buick-exclusive engine family that earned its nickname from the unusually small, vertically oriented valves that resembled nailheads when viewed from above. By 1964, the engine had grown to 425 cubic inches and was offered in two states of tune. This car carries the higher-output Wildcat 465 version, rated at 340 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque. That torque figure is the number that matters in real-world driving — it arrives low in the rev range and makes the Super Turbine 400 automatic feel effortless under normal acceleration. The ST-400 was one of the better transmissions available in this period, a General Motors 3-speed automatic that was smooth, durable, and well-suited to the Nailhead's torque characteristics.

The undercarriage photos tell a clear story: this car has had a full suspension rebuild, with the frame, control arms, and related hardware coated in satin black. The brake system has been replaced as well, which is the right call on any 60-year-old car regardless of how it looks on the surface. The dual exhaust exits cleanly at the rear and has the correct look for the car. The undercarriage itself is solid and clean, with no visible rot or patch repairs — an important detail on any unibody car of this era. The Riviera used a perimeter frame rather than full unibody construction, which is part of why well-preserved examples tend to hold up structurally better than some of their contemporaries.

Interior

The 1964 Buick Riviera was designed as a four-passenger car, not a five-passenger one. Buick made that distinction deliberately. The interior was configured with four individual bucket seats — two in front, two in back — separated by a full-length center console. That console ran the length of the cabin and gave the car a cockpit character that set it apart from the bench-seat luxury barges of the era. This car retains that configuration in full, with all four red vinyl bucket seats present and looking correct to the period.

The dashboard is one of the more architecturally interesting instrument panels of the 1960s. Buick mounted the gauge cluster in a raised pod on the driver's side, angled toward the driver rather than laid flat across the dash. The passenger side features a smooth, brushed aluminum panel with the Riviera script. Wood grain trim runs across the console and dash, and the overall effect is closer to a European touring car than to a typical American land yacht of the same year. This car has had a Dakota Digital gauge cluster installed in place of the original instruments, which provides accurate modern readings for speed, RPM, temperature, oil pressure, and voltage while maintaining a period-correct visual profile within the original gauge housing. The AM/FM Bluetooth stereo has been installed in the original radio location and retains the correct chrome knob appearance, so it reads as period-correct from the driver's seat. Air conditioning controls are present in the console, and the system has been retained as part of the restoration.

Exterior

White is one of the most correct and attractive colors on a first-generation Riviera. The long, flat hood, the knife-edge body crease running the full length of the car, and the fastback-style roofline all read most clearly in a light solid color. The hidden headlights are integrated into the front grille surround and are one of the design details that gave the early Riviera a European appearance that was genuinely unusual for a domestic car in 1964. Chrome bumpers front and rear are present and in good condition. The Magnum 500 wheels are a widely recognized five-spoke steel wheel design that suits the proportions of the car well, and they are fitted here with new whitewall tires that complement the white exterior. The whitewalls are appropriately sized — not the wide bias-ply look that would be incorrect for a car of this type, but a moderate width that keeps the stance looking right.

The trunk has been restored along with the rest of the car. On a restored classic, the trunk is often the area that receives the least attention, so a finished trunk is worth noting. It indicates the restoration was taken seriously across the full car, not just the surfaces that show during a walk-around.

Conclusion

The 1964 Buick Riviera is a car that serious collectors have been tracking with increasing attention. First-generation Rivieras — 1963 through 1965 — are widely considered the purest expression of the model, before the wheelbase grew and the design was softened for 1966. Within that three-year window, the 1964 stands out because it combines the refined front-end styling update with the more powerful 425 Nailhead that wasn't available in the debut year. A fully restored example with a correct white and red color combination, a complete power option package, a clean undercarriage, and fresh mechanical components throughout is a car that can be driven confidently and shown without apology.

If you have questions about this 1964 Buick Riviera or would like to arrange a time to see it in person, call Skyway Classics at 941-254-6608. We're located in Sarasota, Florida, and are happy to assist buyers who are traveling from out of state.

Disclaimer Information found on the website is presented as given to us by the owner of the car, whether on consignment or from the owner we bought it from. Some Photos, materials for videos, descriptions and other information are provided by the consignor/seller and is deemed reliable, but Skyway Classics does not warranty or guarantee this information. Skyway Classics is not responsible for information that may incorrect or a publishing error. The decision to purchase should be based solely on the buyers personal inspection of the vehicle or by a professional inspection service prior to offer or purchase being made.