1966 Buick Riviera Green Two Door

1966 Buick 2-Door

To many of us, a car becomes much more than sheet metal, an engine and tires. It becomes a part of you. It can become a part of the family and sometimes if you are lucky it becomes the stuff of legends. We never doubted that dad loved mom, but the 66 …. She was as close to second as anyone or anything would ever come.

 Mom had a 56 red corvette that her father purchased for her as her first car. She loved it, and dad loved it. But eventually our small family outgrew it. In 1966 dad purchased the right off the showroom floor of Bill Buick in fornia. Now, this is not a real GS. Dad always said the difference between this and a GS was the bucket seats and the shifter location. Mom and dad opted for the bench seats, it sat more people, and you could sit next to your sweetheart. 

 One of the first things dad did when he got the riviera was to remove the seatbelts. In his opinion, you did not want to be strapped into the car. They have of course been replaced since. Mom fondly recalls one of the first adventures they took in the car was to a ski resort in fornia. It wasn’t much of a resort, as she recalls. It was a big open space with an outhouse. After they spent the day mucking about in the snow, they came back to the parking lot to find the Ravioli as they had taken to calling it buried under the snow. Once they finally got the snow cleaned off, they had to get the help of four strong men to push it out of the parking lot. That was the end of taking the Ravioli on snow trips. 

Since the day dad drove out of the showroom up until he passed in late 2023 he always loved this car. It really has been a part of the family. This is a true one owner . We made a ouTube video that includes a cold start, family photos with the Ravioli and a story from mom about a back road race involving a brand new T bird. It also includes one of my favorite childhood stories of riding in the package tray and watching out for flying speed traps. 

Mom and dad moved to h in 1. I included pictures of the trophy he won right after it was repainted. He probably stopped in at the paint shop 4 or 5 times a week to check on the progress for the entire time they had the car. 

Even after dad could no longer drive the Buick, he would make frequent trips to the garage and with the help of my mother lift the massive hood. He would start it and run it and reminisce about the old times with it as much as he could. 

 I remember when I was a kid, and he would have to take it in for service. He would wake me up very early in the morning and have me drive it over to the repair shop by following him. This was long before I was old enough to drive. The only way I could see was by peering through the massive steering wheel and over the dash. I hated getting up early, but it was worth it for a chance to drive the .

Dad collected repair manuals, contact and catalogs to keep the car in tip-top shape as best as he could. It was always his pride and joy. The manual and even some spare parts will be included in the sale of the vehicle. It is hard to part ways with this piece of family history. wever, moms daily driver (not the Buick) is no longer as reliable as it once was. We are finally parting ways with this one owner Buick to help buy her a more reliable vehicle.

I took the to a local shop that works on classic cars to get an idea of what shape it is in. The miles on the car are unknown at this point. But I can tell you the engine is strong and it is the original. The body and frame is as solid as they come. Dad always kept it looking clean and nice as possible, and ever since the ski trip avoided snow at all costs. The body and paint I would describe as a solid nine. The interior is in about the same condition as well. It’s all original, with the biggest restoration project being the paint job. 

 It is in need of steering and suspension work. The upper control arm bushings are worn and need to be replaced. It needs new shocks front and rear. The upper ball joints have some play to them. The strut rod bushings are dry and cracking. The driveshaft needs to be rebuilt as both double cardan joints are loose. The steering gear box has a large leak. The pump and hoses have small leaks. 
 The radiator is leaking trans fluid at the fitting. It will possibly need a new radiator to correct that issue. The lower radiator hose is hard and seeping. It needs new accessory belts. The tires clean up beautifully, but are date from 2005 and should be replaced due to age. It has factory air, but it is not functional at this time. The washer pump is not functional at this time. The right rear shock mount has some damage to it that will probably require welding and flat plate to repair. The passenger side rear window does not currently go down.  That is the list of what we know it needs. I said, the engine is strong and original to the car. I have taken it on a few short trips locally. With some maintenance and light repairs, she could be a road warrior again if you wished.

The VIN is 43 and decodes as follows.
4 = Buick 94 = 87 = Sport Coupe Top, 2 Door 6 = 66 H = , Michigan sembly Plant. The last six digits are production numbers 952943. 
 The air cleaner is badged d Cat 465. The 465 is a reference to the 465 lb-ft of torque produced by the big block. It is a 425 cubic inch engine, or in modern terms a 7 liter. This single carb setup produces 360 HP. In 1966 Buick produced 45,348 s. While we can not be certain how many of them are still around. It would be fair to say finding a one owner like this in 2024 is rare. We look forward to talking with you and hope you have enjoyed learning some of the family history of Joe’s 1966 . We hope it ends up with someone who enjoys it just as much as Joe did.