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Over the last 40-plus years, Eddie Osgard has bought, enjoyed and sold 20 Corvettes, as well as a couple of Shelby Mustangs. But his first brand-new Chevrolet, a 1965 Chevelle SS, was the car he couldn't stop thinking about.
Eddie Osgard's 1965 Chevelle SS as purchased was in excellent condition and virtually a dead ringer for his first new car.
Looking at that Chevelle's twin on these pages--a car he purchased used in 2006 and meticulously restored to like-new condition--it's easy to understand why.
With the jet-age styling excesses of the late 1950s in the rearview mirror, Detroit designers were getting back to basics by the early 1960s. Chevrolet's new-for-1964 Chevelle turned the clock back to 1955, just before tailfins, Dagmars and cruise-ship-length two-door cars became fashionable.
The 1964-'65 Chevelle and the 1955 Chevrolet both rode on 115-inch wheelbases and measured 74-inches wide. The '55 was about 1.5 inches longer and, not surprisingly, six inches higher. Chevrolet played up this comparison in its promotions for the Chevelle, probably to show that its new midsize car was not a penalty box, offering as much room as its full-size model of a decade prior.
The Chevelle's trim, toned-down appearance was meant to offend no one, and it was offered in body styles to suit every need: two-door sedan, coupe and convertible, four-door sedan and station wagon. It also ushered in the return of the El Camino pickup.
But Chevelle was also a natural performance car: lightweight at 3,165 pounds (with a V-8 engine) and capable of easily accommodating either a small-block or Chevrolet's new Mark IV big-block engine. In Super Sport trim, which added special badging, trim and wheel covers, bucket seats and special instruments, a floor shift and available performance options like Posi-Traction, sintered brakes and a tachometer, the buttoned-down Chevelle looked very much the part of a boulevard brawler. Hot engine options in 1964 included a 250-hp 327, a 300-hp 327 and the 365-hp 327. In 1965, the 327 returned in 250-hp, 300-hp and 350-hp flavors, but the top dog was the Malibu SS 396--RPO Z16--powered by the 375-hp 396. The 1965 Chevelle is basically a face-lifted 1964, but for '65, Super Sports boasted a blacked-out grille and satin-black painted tail panel treatment (silver on the rear of a black vehicle), front- and rear-wheel opening moldings and a new sill molding, standard SS wheel covers and new taillamps (for the entire Chevelle line) with backup lamps mounted on the rear bumper.
Though Eddie fell hard for the looks and power of the 1965 Chevelle SS, he only owned his first car briefly before he sold it to buy a used 1958 Corvette.
"I only had the Chevelle for a couple of years, but I had no clue what I had," he recounts.
The engine and interior remained in the car during the body and paint work. The interior is original to the car and was left untouched during the makeover.
Not surprisingly, he could scarcely believe it when he spotted our feature car for sale on the Internet in 2006.
"My first brand-new car was exactly like this one looks now," he says. "In 1965, I was living in Missoula, Montana, and purchased it in Hamilton, Montana."
This Chevelle was being offered for sale by the original owner in Kansas City, Missouri, not far from the Kansas City assembly plant, where it was produced. The car was in generally solid condition, but Eddie had a complete overhaul planned and bought the car without making the trip from his home in Las Vegas to inspect it.
"I looked at pictures, and I spoke with the owner over the phone. Finally I just said, 'That's it, I've got to have it,' so I bought it and had it shipped out here."
The linchpin in the deal was that this 1965 Chevelle Super Sport was packing the potent L79 327, just as Eddie's car had years earlier. Among Chevrolet cognoscenti, the L79 is a revered performance engine. Installed in approximately 50,000 Chevelles (and El Caminos) Chevy II/Novas and Corvettes from 1965-1968, it made easy, reliable horsepower using components that would become staples of drag racers and hot rodders for years to come. No one did more for the L79's mystique than drag racing legend Bill "Grumpy" Jenkins. Jenkins' specially prepared 1966 L79 Nova gave Chevrolet fans a David to root for against the Goliath Street Hemis that threatened to rule A/Stock.
At the heart of the L79, and the component that made it such a great engine, was its hydraulic camshaft. Whereas the 365-hp (carbureted) L76 327 used a "30-30" solid-lifter camshaft, the L79 used the p-n 3863151 or "151" hydraulic cam. In addition to having excellent street manners and a lopey idle that made the 327 sound tough, the L79 cam produced sufficient vacuum for a brake booster, and it never asked for valve adjustments, as solid lifter cams do.
All told, there were 6,021 1965 Chevelles and El Caminos built with the L79 327 engine. Not many original examples survived exposure to the elements in the Rust Belt or beatings at the hands of street machiners and drag racers. But Eddie's car had been well-maintained by its original owner. The Chevelle had been restored previously in the 1980s, but the 20-year-old work was showing its age, so Eddie took the Chevelle to Tucker's Collision Center and Tucker's Performance Center in Las Vegas for a total makeover.
Tucker's used chemical stripper to remove all of the old paint and then began smoothing out the body panels using Rage body filler over the bare sheet metal. The car's quarter panels had been replaced previously, but installed without sufficient room to allow for the taillight trim, so Tucker's cut the quarter panels off and reattached them in the correct location.
The body filler was blocked out with 80- to 180-grade paper, then the car was primed three times with PPG 2k high-build primer and block sanded between each session, beginning with 320-grade and finishing with 400. When the Chevelle's body panels were drag-strip straight, the car was rolled into Tucker's spray booth and shot with PPG's Nexa Autocolor 2K in Cypress Green--three coats of base, followed by four coats of clear.
To bring out the luster, the Chevelle was color sanded first with 600, followed by 1000, 1500 and 2000. Finally, it was buffed to a show-quality shine.
The Chevelle's original 350-hp L79 327 was torn down and rebuilt with TRW pistons, SpeedPro rings, Speed Pro stainless steel valves and a new "151" hydraulic camshaft. The original Holley carburetor was sent to Holley for rebuilding and then replaced atop the original aluminum intake manifold.
Very little was missing from the car's engine bay as purchased, but it needed a few details, such as an original-type coil bracket and a choke tube.
"On the L79, the coil laid down on the intake, so many people mounted them on the firewall," Eddie explains.
In 1965, the Super Sport's interior was as tastefully conservative as the car's exterior, with standard front bucket seats upholstered in a ribbed leather-grain vinyl with smooth side bolsters. A center console was standard-issue with a Powerglide automatic or four-speed manual transmission. The interior of Eddie's Chevelle is surprisingly original, a testament to the previous owner's care.
"There's one little crack on the dash pad," Eddie notes. "But even the factory dash-mounted clock still works!" To make the car more like his first 1965 Chevelle, Eddie added an optional woodgrain steering wheel and a pair of accessory gauges to keep an eye on water temperature and oil pressure.
The Chevelle's chassis has been reworked with new suspension and steering bits, but the hard parts are all original, including brake and fuel lines--though the fuel tank sending unit was replaced. The car currently rides on reproduction 6.70 x 14 Firestone bias-plies, and Eddie has added a set of original dealer-installed mag wheel covers, which his first car was equipped with.
As you can imagine, Eddie has no plans to sell this Chevelle, and puts about 500-600 miles on it annually.
"I decided this is what I really want, and I wanted it done totally perfect," he says "I'm pretty proud of my old car--it turned out good, and to do it right isn't cheap!
OWNER'S VIEW
I bought this Chevelle because it is an exact twin to my very first Chevelle, which I purchased new in 1965 in Hamilton, Montana. I am the second registered owner of this car--I love its looks and its performance!
The body work and paint is outstanding--way better than my first one when new. I love the redline tires. Although not correct, they look great against the Cypress Green paint, plus I put them on my first Chevelle. This Chevelle is the closest thing to a time machine--I can go back to 1965 with the twist of a key.--Eddie Osgard
Recent
Images from Pat Foster's collection
Courtesy of Pat Foster
One of the first products of the Mitchell Motor Car Company was the small runabout seen here. Although the photo is identified as a 1903 model it appears to be of later vintage, possibly 1904/1905.
The Mitchell saga began in 1838 when Scottish immigrant Henry Mitchell moved to Kenosha, Wisconsin, and established the Mitchell Wagon Company, a manufacturer that became known as "The first wagon maker of the Northwest." Successful almost from the start, in 1854 Mitchell moved his business to larger quarters in nearby Racine. It continued to expand and in time son-in-law William Lewis joined the company. Lewis eventually headed the firm and changed its name to Mitchell & Lewis Wagon Company. During the Gay Nineties, Mitchell & Lewis established another business, the Wisconsin Wheel Works, to produce bicycles, and for a while was manufacturing light motorcycles too. Thus,established in the transportation field, the idea of producing automobiles was the next logical step.
In a major change of company direction, Wisconsin Wheel Works sold its bicycle business and was succeeded by the Mitchell Motor Car Company, a subsidiary of the Mitchell-Lewis Wagon Company. The former’s first models were two small runabouts: one powered by a 7-hp, single-cylinder two-stroke engine, the other by a 4-hp, four-stroke single. Reportedly, sales were modest, despite prices that began at a mere $600 for the 4-hp model. It seems the company initially had difficulty reaching high-volume production due to problems acquiring sufficient parts and components, but when resolved sales quickly improved.
For 1904 a new 7-hp two-cylinder runabout on a 72-inch wheelbase chassis, and a 16-hp four-cylinder touring model on a 90-inch wheelbase, replaced the previous one-lungers. The two-passenger runabout was priced at $750, while the five-passenger touring car started at $1,500.
Courtesy of Pat Foster
Mitchell’s 1910 cars were priced from $1,100 to $2,000. The company said of its car, “It is rakish, smart, refined, solid, comfortable and luxurious. It is silent in running – absolutely silent – and it will last and serve you faithfully for years to come.”
In the years that followed Mitchell cars grew bigger and more powerful. In 1906 a 24/30-hp five-passenger, 100-inch wheelbase Model D-4 Touring car joined the expanded line-up priced at $1,800. The company reportedly sold 663 cars that year. For 1907 Mitchell offered three distinct series: the Model E, a 20-hp two-passenger Runabout on a 90-inch wheelbase; the Model D 24/30-hp five-passenger 100-inch wheelbase Touring; and the Model F seven-passenger Touring on a 108-inch wheelbase. Prices ranged from $1,000 to $2,000 and total sales more than doubled.
By 1910, Mitchell was offering five models: two- and three-passenger runabouts and a Runabout Surrey in the Model R series, each powered by a 30-hp four-cylinder engine and priced at $1,100; and two touring cars, a 30-hp four-cylinder Model T for $1,350, and a 50-hp six-cylinder Model S priced at a lofty $2,000. That year’s sales totaled 5,733 units. (There was even a jaunty little song titled "Give Me a Spin in Your Mitchell, Bill,” a recording of which can still be found on the internet.) The same year, Lewis retired, and Mitchell Motor Car Company and Mitchell & Lewis merged to form the Mitchell-Lewis Motor Company with Lewis’s son,William Mitchell Lewis, named president.
In 1912 a stylish $2,500 four-cylinder Limousine joined a line-up that included a budget-priced 25-hp Runabout for $950 and an $1,150 Touring car, both of which used a four-cylinder engine and a 100-inch wheelbase chassis. Also available was a $1,350 four-cylinder Touring, while a Model 5-6 34-hp Baby Six Touring and Roadster were available on a 125-inch wheelbase, each costing $1.750. Finally, there was a big seven-passenger Model 7-6 six-cylinder Touring on a regal 135-inch wheelbase for $2,250. Sales for the year were 5,145 cars.
Courtesy of Pat Foster
The Mitchell line of six-cylinder cars for 1917 saw lower prices, with the Mitchell seven-passenger priced at $1,460 and the Mitchell Junior priced at $1,150.
Unfortunately, sales were just 3,087 cars in 1913 and William M Lewis left the firm to start a new company building the so-called Lewis car. Banker Joseph Winterbottom took over as president and the firm was reorganized as the Mitchell Motors Company. Only 3,500 Mitchells were sold in 1914, perhaps a result of the company’s emphasis on higher-priced models. For 1915 new lower-priced Light Four and Light Six models seemed just the thing to spark a revival, and some 6,174 Mitchells were sold that year.
Mitchell sales manager Otis Friend then took over as president. Believing that offering more cylinders was the way to go, for 1916 the company dropped its four-cylinder models in favor of value-priced six- and eight-cylinder cars. It was the right move; sales climbed to 9,589 units, its highest total yet.
The company continued to flourish, selling 10,069 cars in 1917, but in ‘18 Otis Friend left to start his own car company in Pontiac, Michigan. Replacing him was formerGeneral Electric executive D.C. Durland. Things initially went well, and by 1919, Mitchell prices ranged from $1,275 to $2,850; some 10,100 cars were sold. While the company was profitable, it seems management might have been feeling over-confident because for ‘20 it was decided new Mitchells would feature unique styling touches to help them stand out.
Sedans boasted unusual vee'd windshields, with a prominent forward-placed center post supporting angled side panes, and cowls featured a forward sweep on each side, very much in the style of expensive custom-built cars. The angle of the sweep didn’t match the angle of the windshield post, which gave the closed cars a slightly odd appearance. The biggest styling feature, one that was impossible to ignore, was a radiator that tilted back at a noticeable angle. Print advertisements bragged that "Future styling trends…" were "Forecasted by the new Mitchell design." Ads claimed, "These new Mitchell Sixes bring to motoring America its first accurate example of the coming style [and].... viewed from any angle–from inside or out - the effect is impressive."
Courtesy of Pat Foster
The 1920 Mitchell Touring car, to my eyes, looks a bit sporty with its sweptback radiator shell, but many buyers didn’t like it.
Looking at the 1920 Mitchells today it’s difficult to see any big styling problem. In fact, on Touring models the sweptback radiator adds to the sporty appeal, at least in my opinion. But on closed cars the different lines and angles of the split vee-d windshield post, cowl sweeps, and radiator shell offer too much visual conflict. Apparently, they must have seemed even more at odds with convention then because the ’20 models soon earned the nickname “The Drunken Mitchells.”
Pundits love to poke fun, so "The Drunken Mitchell” sobriquet stuck. It’s easy to guess what happened next. Sales fell 36 percent, with the slump worsening in 1921 when a mere 2,162 cars were sold, this even after a hasty restyle. The ’22 model year was about the same. Then in 1923 Mitchell sales collapsed entirely and only about 100 cars were sold. The company had come to the end of the line. Despite a history going back more than 80 years, Mitchell was gone by the end of 1923.
One company benefitted from Mitchell’s demise. In January 1924, the Nash Motors Company of Kenosha, needing more production capacity, acquired the Mitchell plant for $405,000.
Photography by Scotty Lachenauer
Photo by Scotty Lachenauer
Tim, a resident of West Deptford, New Jersey, is well versed in Buick’s Riviera legacy, thanks largely tohis dad, Gene Guarnere, who has had a penchant for the personal luxury car since he was a teen. “My dad has been into first generation Rivieras since he came home from Vietnam in 1967. That’s when he got his first ’64 to drive back and forth from South Philadelphia to Fort Dix, to finish his draft requirement,” Tim says.
Since then, Tim estimates his dad has owned too many Rivieras to count, through a combination of having driven, collected, parted out, and rebuilt many for resale. Though the Riviera nameplate lasted for eight generations of production, and thirty-six years as a standalone model, the 1963-’65 editions will always be Gene’s favorite. “There’s something about those Rivieras. There was really nothing like them on the market at the time,” Gene says.
The Riviera name had a long history with Buick. It first appeared in conjunction with the revolutionary true hardtop design unveiled within the 1949 Roadmaster lineup, the missing B-pillar ushering in “Riviera styling.” That design moniker evolved slightly through the mid-Fifties, provoking thoughts of elegant open road motoring for a modest price, and it even survived Buick’s model name revamp of ’59, when it became a trim level within the Electra 225 series though ’62.
Right about the time the dust was settling from the Buick renaming buzz, GM Advanced Styling guru Ned Nickles had already created a sketch of a new car that–according to later interviews with Nickles and GM Styling boss Bill Mitchell–was based on Mitchell’s foggy visit to London, where he spotted a custom-bodied Rolls-Royce in front of the Savoy hotel. Mitchell is famously quoted as saying, “make it a Ferrari-Rolls-Royce.”
Photo by Scotty Lachenauer
What makes this 1964 Buick Riviera desirable among collectors is the optional dual-quad 425-cu.in. V-8, which boasted 360 hp. It would become the foundation of Gran Sport option a year later.
Coincidentally, Cadillac was considering the introduction of a junior line to bolster sales, helping prompt the development of the XP-715 project (Mitchell is also quoted as saying GM didn’t take kindly to Ford attending the Motorama events to study concept cars, which lead to the four-seat Thunderbird, prompting development of the XP-715). Unofficially, it was dubbed La Salle II, but by the time a full-size clay mockup had been created, Cadillac had reversed its sales slump and was having trouble filling orders. It didn’t need a new car complicating matters.
The XP-715 might have been forgotten had Buick’s general manager Ed Rollert not learned of its unclaimed status. He made a pitch for the project but would have to fight for rights to it with Oldsmobile’s and Pontiac’s management. The latter was lukewarm on the idea of adding another series, while Olds wanted to modify the existing design, something Mitchell was deadset against. By April 1961, the XP-715 / La Salle II concept mockup was photographed wearing Buick emblems.
In the fall of 1962, Buick rolled out the Riviera on a new E-body platform. The car was a departure for Buick, with “knife edge” body lines, minimal trim, a Ferrari-like egg-crate style grille flanked by running lamps/signal indicators behind 1938-’39 inspired La Salle grilles, and kickups over the rear wheels designed to hint at the car’s power (helping conjure the “Coke bottle” design nomenclature). It was an amalgam of styles, fitting in somewhere between a sports car and luxury car, all rolled up in one breathtaking package.
Speaking of power, the Riviera was equipped with Buick’s four-barrel equipped 401-cu.in. V-8 that boasted 325 hp and 445 lb-ft. of torque, though in early December, the division started to offer the 340-hp, four-barrel 425-cu.in. engine as optional Riviera equipment. Just 2,601 examples of the latter were produced. Backing either engine Buick’s Twin Turbine Dynaflow automatic in its final year of production.
Photo by Scotty Lachenauer
Although the cabin is in dire need of detailing, it looks otherwise complete.
A year later, Buick management elevated the 340-hp, single four-barrel 425 engine to standard power team status, paired with a new Super Turbine 400 automatic transmission. Peppy as the engine was, a dual four-barrel version of the 425 became available, known as the “Super Wildcat.” Aside from its eye-opening 360 hp and 465 lb-ft. of torque, it looked the part of a performertoo, due to finned aluminum rocker covers and a twin-snorkel chrome air cleaner assembly. Despite its low production, only 2,122 of the 37,658 Rivieras built for ’64 came equipped as such, this engine became the cornerstone of Riviera’s Gran Sport package for ’65, cementing Buick’s legacy as a luxurious personal muscle car.
Although any first-gen Riviera is a great score to Tim and Gene, some examples are better than others, whether it was due to overall condition or the car’s born-with options. So, when this 1964 Riviera popped up on Gene’s radar 30-plus years ago, he quickly made a deal. “The history between my dad and this car is a long one. He first bought this car in northeast Philadelphia for $1,450 in the early Nineties,” Tim says.
The reason Gene wanted it more than any other that previously crossed his path was that not only was it in reasonably good shape, but the Buick also turned out to be one of the relatively rare dual-quad 425 examples. But like many of the Rivieras that came Gene’s way over the years, the Buick didn’t stick around too long. “The car was sold and/or traded multiple times for the first fifteen years my dad knew about it,” Tim says.
Photo by Scotty Lachenauer
However, like all good things, they somehow find their way home and this car is no exception. “For some reason, the Riviera always ended up with us some way or another. I finally ended up buying the car from the last owner in 2009. He had it stored in my dad’s barn during his ownership, so we knew it was in a safe place for a long time. I now have it tucked away in one of my garages waiting for the next phase in its lifeline.”
What Tim has in possession is an interesting example beyond the power team. “This Riviera is typical of the examples built in ’64. It’s just chock full of options that cater to the upscale buyers that would have had the funds to purchase one of these high-end rides from the dealership.”
Present within are many of the accoutrements that catered to the posh consumers in the luxury sports car market. Options here include the Deluxe vinyl and cloth interior, tilt column, and power seats. Power windows and power vent windows add to the lavishness of the Buick’s aesthetic, while its front seat belts, rear armrests, wood ornamentation, and rear defroster only add to the upscale feel.
Though it's seen better days, the condition of the interior is remarkable, knowing of its lengthy journey since it was taken off the road circa 1980. The upholstery is dirty and moldy but with a good washing it will probably clean up nicely. The dash is also in great shape, though since the V-8 has not been started in years, there’s no way to determine what gauges and switches are functional. Underneath the carpet, the floors are solid as well, owing to its life mostly indoors.
Photo by Scotty Lachenauer
The 1938-'39 La Salle grille is said to have inspired the Riviera's vertically stacked running lamp grilles.
Under the hood it looks as if the engine has barely been touched. It’s “KX” code stamped on the block is still visible, the original Carter carburetors are present, and the wiring and plumbing still appear usable. The air conditioning looks to be intact as well. Finally, power brakes and power steering round out the luxury amenities.
Outside, the body is in excellent shape for a car of this vintage. The last 30-plus years of indoor storage has helped keep the metal intact, though minor body work will be needed on the quarter panels to get it up to snuff. The original Claret Mist paint has turned to a satin finish under all the dirt, but a good cleaning and buff could bring it back to life. Most of the trim is also in great shape, and the car appears to be relatively complete, save for a few pieces of rear window trim.
As for the mechanical functionality beyond instrumentations, no one is really sure of its condition “My first order of business would be to send the engine to “Nailhead” Matt Martin in California, who is an artist that works in the nailhead medium; he’s the ultimate authority in these V-8s. I believe the rest of the car deserves a nut and bolt restoration, too. That time will come soon,” Tim says.
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