1969 Buick Riviera |

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1969 Buick Riviera

This vehicle has now been sold - click ‘Register Similar’ below to get notified when we consign a similar vehicle.

Sold Price

£10,070

Mileage~14,500
TransmissionAutomatic
Engine7.0L
LocationPurfleet

SOLD

1969 Buick Riviera

I WANT ONE

Introduction

Jon Dixon

Professional Consigner

All American, V8 muscle powered with sophisticated luxury styling, and enough room to seat six!

The Buick Riviera is a luxury car manufactured from 1963 until 1999. Eight generations of the Riviera were produced, this example being a 2nd generation model, redesigned with a new curvaceous body. This desirable model comes with stacked headlamps concealed in the 'fender pods' which electrically rotate out.

Undeniably the Riviera is a real head-turner wherever you travel, these big American V8's always capture peoples attention and imagination. This example has had a whole host of mechanical work carried out by Back to Life Cars (Vintage ford mustang and classic American vehicle specialists) under Cyril's ownership. It's now in a position for the next owner to take the car on and continue the renovation.

This auction listing was written from information supplied by Jon after meeting Cyril the owner, and having visited and photographed the vehicle.

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Secure Auctions

We verify all our sellers and buyers to keep our community safe whilst also providing the highest levels of website security.

Full Transparency

8 out of 10 people that buy cars via our service don’t feel the need to visit due to the transparency and thoroughness of our listings.

Vehicle Delivery

We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Meet the owner

Mechanically restored to a high standard, this Riviera is such a pleasure to drive.

Cyril purchased this car last September, it was a project which needed some TLC to bring it to the working condition you see it in today. Straight away Cyril handed the car over this his friends at Back to Life cars, where they carried out an extensive mechanical restoration, replacing many corroded and broken parts with a full engine tune as well.

The car was imported to the UK in 2000 and has had three previous UK owners. With other commitments, Cyril isn't able to continue the renovation on this car and so is looking for a new owner to continue the improvements. He will be more than happy to answer any of your questions in the comments below.

Cyril

Vehicle Owner

Cyril saved £1,800* when they
sold their Buick with us.

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EXTERIOR VIDEO

Exterior

An elegant long body, the Riviera was a hit with automotive journalists when launched.

Wheels and Tyres

The chrome wheels look great on this low rider. When getting really close we did notice very minor corrosion around the wheel bolts, what should be an easy cosmetic fix if desired.

Sitting on premium Vitour Galaxy tyres, which are all presented in excellent condition with lots of tread as they were fitted during the restoration in October 2020.

Bodywork

The bodywork appears smart and in good condition on this Riviera. We didn't really spot any corrosion to the bodywork on the visit, a similar on the underside too.

We noticed some cracking along the drivers door, and with the vast panel size and age of the car, some adjustment to the doors and bonnet would help improve the finish. Please take a look at the photos and videos for a detailed view of the exterior.

Paint

The green paint reveals a very good lustre. The colour is consistent and looks even across each panel as you can see in the media.

With the age of the car though, it's picked up lots of nicks and scratches, with small marks having been touched up over time. You'll see these mainly on areas like the door shuts/leading edges of the panels. Take a look at the photographs to have a look at the paintwork.

Glass and Trim

The glass appears in great condition, free from any cracks, chips or discolouration.

The chrome trim looks good from afar, but it is showing signs of age with pitting visible and would benefit from a refurbishment.

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INTERIOR VIDEO

Interior

A proper cabin space, with enough room for 6 adults to cruise in luxury.

Seats and Carpets

The seats within the Buick look really good, and incredibly comfortable to sit in. The button-pressed seats are in great condition and are in line with the mileage of this car, with no major wear or tear observed.

The carpets reflect the condition of the rest of the car; in good condition, and luxurious by design.

Dashboard

A retro interior with a range of rectangular-shaped clocks and dials with wood veneer that still looks great today. Cyril reports everything is working as it should.

Steering Wheel / Gear Stick

The steering wheel and gearstick are in great and original condition.

We really like the look of the three-spoked steering wheel with an automatic gear selector for the 3-speed TH400 gearbox.

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'ON THE ROAD' VIDEO

Mechanics

7.0L of V8 power under the hood, outputting a mighty 360BHP to the rear wheels.

Engine and Gearbox

A 7.0L 430 cubic inches engine fills the engine bay of this luxurious American cruiser, coupled to the 3-speed TH400 automatic gearstick, expect silky smooth road trips.

Cyril reports a smooth drive within the Riveria and mentions the car was mechanically restored to a good standard last October, with a full engine tune-up, new spark plugs, ignition leads, points, condenser, distributor cap, rotor arm, and ignition coil. In addition to this the car has had a new head gasket fitted along with manifolds this year.

Watch the cold start video to see the car spring into life and tick along with ease on idle.

Suspension and Brakes

A classic American suspension set up with twin wishbones, coil springs at the front and live rear axel with twin trailing arms, and a lateral track bar and coils at the rear too.

Cyril reports suspension and brakes work very well, mentioning a soft ride with on-demand braking performance as required. During the work in October, significant parts were replaced and fixed as necessary across the suspension and brakes, take a look at the breakdown below.

The Drive

Comfortable seats await you inside the cabin, the interior shows more European styling touches than most American muscle cars of the era. The Riviera holds the road extremely well for a heavy car, the power steering is reported to be light without being lifeless.

Electrics and Other

Cyril operated the hideaway electrically operated headlights to show them working without fault - a novel feature of the era. He reports all the switches, lights, and buttons work as they should.

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History and Paperwork

A V8 powered American classic, this example has had some significant expenditure on the running gear.

Back To Life Cars, a specialist in classic American cars carried out extensive work on this Buick Riviera for Cyril last October, costing just shy of £6,000.

The extensive work carried out is as followed:
New radiator support panel bushes, 4 wheel cylinders, front brake shoes, all brake hoses, brake master cylinder, front strut rod bushes, front anti-roll bar D bushes, front anti-roll bar end links, power steering box, transmission oil pan gasket and filter, transmission tail housing gasket, shifter shaft seal and output shaft seal. Repaired propshaft support bearing, new exhaust downpipe gaskets. Re-faced exhaust manifold gasket face then re-fitted exhaust manifold with new gaskets. Split apart exhaust-sleeved joints and re-sealed. Replaced all 6 exhaust hangers. 4 new tyres, 1-inch wheel spacers on all 4 wheels. Replaced spark plugs, ignition leads, points and condenser, distributor cap, rotor arm and ignition coil. New brake servo hose. Carried out a full engine tune-up. Replaced the passenger door rubber seal. Replaced the glove box catch/lock assembly. Stripped down driver's door. Stripped down passenger. Repaired the wiring connector for the switch on the passenger rear window. Repaired the wiring in the driver's door shut for the driver's door. Replaced alternator. Carried out rear light conversion to UK specification. Repaired the wiring for the front sidelights. Adjusted the throttle linkage. Replaced starter motor. Replaced valve cover gaskets. Replaced coolant bypass hose and hose clips. Replaced both front wiper blades. Heater core fixed.

Cyril will be more than happy to answer any of your questions in the comments below.

We've actioned checks on; Seller ID, V5, HPi clear from a theft/insurance write-off perspective. There is finance outstanding on the vehicle that will need to be settled.

Service History

Date	Type	Mileage
03.05.2018	MOT	14,571
01.11.2012	MOT	14,571
10.10.2011	MOT	14,532
21.10.2010	MOT	14,323
20.10.2009	MOT	14,306
01.11.2008	MOT	14,157
12.05.2007	MOT	14,152
13.05.2006	MOT	13,676

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Key Details

ModelRiviera
TransmissionAutomatic
Reg. Date23.02.2000 (UK)
CC7,000
Mileage~14,500
HistoryPresent
ColourGreen
Interior ColourBlack
Interior TrimLeather
Chassis #494879H912311
RestoredYes. 10.2020
MOTNo. Exp - 02.05.2019
MOT ExemptYes
Road Tax ExemptYes
HPi ClearYes
Former Keepers3
LHD or RHDLHD
VisitedYes
Sale TypePrivate
Owned7 months
Key FeatureClassic American V8

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All Images

History and Paperwork

All Videos

Vehicle Sold

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Ask Questions

Seller : Cyril B Sale Date 20.05.2021

Post a comment or ask the owner a question about the car.

9 Comments

redlehmann

3 years ago

Hi Cyril
Is there a dent on the passenger side wing ?
As the heater matrix has been bypassed does that mean the car has no heater ?
Thanks

Cyril

redlehmann

3 years ago

Heater matrix is not bypassed.

Fitted and In working order.

Car has heating.

Yes, there is a slight dent on the fender, barely noticeable.

Adam Purrier - Trade Classics

Admin

3 years ago

Last car of the evening and what a great looking one it is too.

Live every day like you’ve just stepped out of a film scene but you’ve spent less money than a used Corsa 😉

redlehmann

3 years ago

Hello.

Please clarify further mechanical work the car may require ?
Clarify extent of any corrosion to body work, panels or subframe.For example the doors bottoms ?
Gearbox mechanically sound and changes sweetly ?
All electrics working, including windows front and back ?
All gauges functional ?
What work would you consider is left to complete the car ? What would you progress to next if you were keeping it ?
Does the car run well over long periods without overheating ? What is the longest trip you have made ?
What history does the car have,and is there any paperwork to support ?
Regards outstanding finance,how will this be settled.Who will be liable ?
Thanks
John.

Cyril

redlehmann

3 years ago

Corrosion

None visible and rust free under carriage confirmed at Back to Life Motors

Door bottoms are firm and not corroded as shown on video but discoloured

Gearbox

All gears change smoothly without issue.

Electrics

All power window wires newly fitted with each window working perfectly thanks to Back to Life.

Guages
Speedometer, temp gauge, water temp, volts and ambient light all in working order. Clock does not work.

What is left

I would work on a new paint job to get it to show standard and dress up the engine bay to get to show standard.

Overheating and long journeys

Longest drive time is 2.5 hours with steady temperature. Head gasket and manifolds recently changed.

History

No History to share, besides mine and information posted.

Finance

Paid off after winning BID confirmed, proof will be provided of payment.

Thanks for the questions Jon. Hope I have answered all of them.

redlehmann

Cyril

3 years ago

Is a spare wheel available ?
Are there watermarks along the inside top of the rear screen indicating water ingress ?
Did the car originally have a/c,and if so has it been removed ?
Many thanks.

Cyril

redlehmann

3 years ago

No spare wheel

No watermarks on top or rear windscreen

Yes, had AC, removed by previous owner.

Thank you for the questions.

Neil

3 years ago

Dear Cyril,

Please advise the amount of outstanding finance on the car that will need to be settled in addition to the auction value.

Regards,

Neil.

Cyril

Neil

3 years ago

Hello Neil, the finance will be fully settled and proof provided upon final bid to the buyer.

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