1963 Buick Riviera Coupe
THF90312 / 1963 Buick Riviera Coupe
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Artifact Overview
Buick created the Riviera to compete in the "personal luxury" market with the Ford Thunderbird. General Motors' design vice president Bill Mitchell wanted a car that combined the aggressiveness of a Ferrari with the elegance of a Rolls-Royce. The result was this razor-edged classic.
Artifact Details
Artifact
Automobile
Date Made
1963
Creators
Place of Creation
Creator Notes
Designed by William L. Mitchell; manufactured by Buick Motor Division, General Motors Corporation, Flint, Michigan.
Location
Not on exhibit to the public.
Object ID
87.69.1
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Material
Metal
Steel (Alloy)
Chromium
Rubber (Material)
Leather
Color
Light bluish gray
Dimensions
Diameter: 4.1875 in (Bore)
Length: 3.64 in (Stroke)
Height: 53.2 in
Width: 76.6 in
Wheelbase: 117 in
Length: 208 in
Weight: 3988 lbs
Inscriptions
On hood: Buick emblem
Edge of trunk: BUICK
On sides, behind front wheels: Riviera
Hubcaps: R
Specifications
Make & Model: 1963 Buick Riviera coupe
Maker: General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Michigan
Engine: V-8, overhead valves, 401 cubic inches
Transmission: 3-speed automatic
Height: 53.5 inches
Wheelbase: 117 inches
Width: 77 inches
Overall length: 208 inches
Weight: 3998 pounds
Horsepower: 325 at 4400 revolutions per minute
Pounds per horsepower: 12.3
Price: $4,333
Average 1963 wage: $5,343 per year
Time you'd work to buy this car: about 10 months
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Luxury cars offered the greatest in comfort and the latest in technology. They also provided status -- a large part of their attraction. Builders like Rolls-Royce specialized in extravagant cars with corresponding prices, while mass-market manufacturers like General Motors and Ford offered Cadillacs and Lincolns for customers of more modest means. Sport sedans and SUVs may have replaced carriage-inspired Victoria bodies, but luxury still sells.
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