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Buick Riviera, 1965

Buick Riviera

Buick Riviera
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Chassis No.: 494475H942852

Auction: Monterey 2026

Auction date: August 15, 2026

Lot No.: R3

  • Engine: V-8
  • Transmission: Automatic
  • Exterior: Black
  • Interior: Red
  • Estimated 10,000 hours invested in custom build
  • Chevrolet 540 CI V-8 engine
  • 671 Weiand supercharger
  • Dual 750 CFM Demon carburetors
  • Comp Cams roller camshaft
  • Eagle heads
  • Custom-built headers
  • Twin cooling fans
  • MSD distributor with 6A box and boost controller
  • 700R automatic transmission with 2700 RPM stall converter
  • Transmission cooler with fan mounted in the belly of the car
  • Ford 9-inch rear end with 3.55 gears, Positraction and 31-spline axles
  • CCP 4-wheel disc brakes
  • 4-link with 4-inch tubs
  • Adjustable front and rear Shockwaves
  • AccuAir E-level ride control with Bluetooth connectivity
  • Flaming River rack and pinion
  • Full belly pans from rear to front
  • 16-gallon fuel cell with in-tank pump
  • House of Kolor Jet Black paint
  • Roof chopped 1.5 inches
  • Drip Rail moldings removed and molded into the body
  • Custom trim
  • 1-piece front and rear window glass
  • Wing windows removed with custom mirrors
  • Shaved door handles
  • Handmade custom cowl hood tilts forward
  • Opening clamshell lights re-engineered with open/close actuators
  • Font valance remolded with a smaller grille added
  • Rear bumper molded into body
  • Quarter panels extended
  • Exhaust runs out of the lower rocker panels
  • Vintage Air
  • Custom shifter in console
  • Leather interior
  • Custom leather trunk
  • Intro one-off custom poweder-coated wheels with laser-cut Riviera logos, 19×8 front and 20×12 rear
  • Nitto 245/35 R19 front and 305/35 R20 rear

Painted in House of Kolor Jet Black, this 1965 Buick Riviera is a study in details. Looking first at the body, the most obvious, which is also deceptively subtle, is the roof. With the drip rails removed, the roof was chopped a full 1.5 inches, giving the car a cleaner, lower overall profile. The rear bumper has been painted black and molded into the body, while the front bumper has been removed and a custom valance installed. The brightwork has been polished to stand out beautifully, and the lacking front bumper gives the famous clamshells a lot of presence.

The handmade cowl hood tilts forward rather than how Buick delivered it, the quarter panels have been extended, and the clamshells have been reengineered with open-close actuators. The door handles have been shaved and custom sideview mirrors have been installed in the place of the wind-wing windows, making way for single-piece glass.

Underneath, the entire belly pan has been replaced from front to rear, and the chassis has been built with 4-links with 4-inch tubs, adjustable front and rear Shockwaves, AccuAir E-level ride control with Bluetooth connectivity, a Flaming River rack-and-pinion steering system, CCP 4-wheel disc brakes, and a Ford 9-inch rear end with 3.55 gears, Positraction and 31-spline axles. Under the hood is a Chevrolet 540 CI V-8 engine topped by a 6-71 Weiand supercharger and dual 750 CFM Demon carburetors.

The engine is built with a Comp Camp roller camshaft, Eagle heads, custom headers and an MSD ignition system, while a 700R automatic transmission with a 2,700 RPM stall converter and a transmission cooler channels the power. Inside, passengers are coddled by a full leather interior with bucket seats, a center console, Vintage Air, custom gauges and a sparkling display of unique silvery trim that is sustained throughout the car—on the wheels, on the custom gear knob, on the engine and more. With an estimated 10,000 hours invested, virtually no detail has been left unattended with this custom-built Buick.

https://www.mecum.com/lots/1171634/1965-buick-riviera


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