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You want to watch a Pontiac guy get excited? Just mutter the words "Super Duty" and you're likely to get his ticker racing. First applied to the 1961 389 at the heart of the drag-race-special Catalinas and Venturas, the Super Duty was instantly legendary. An SD 421 followed later in 1961 and was available over the counter; for '62, it could be factory installed.
So, when Pontiac created what would ultimately be the top dog of the second-generation F-body equipped with a near-race-spec 455-cu.in. V-8, they called it Super Duty once again. Available as an option on both Trans Ams and Firebird Formulas for the latter half of 1973 and again for 1974, the SD-455 almost didn't see the light of day as a management change at Pontiac ushered in new bosses who saw little worth in what was then the fading performance-car business. Fortunately for enthusiasts, there were just enough right-thinking people at Pontiac to make it happen.
A group of engineers and a complicit engine-plant foreman who hoarded parts, along with the public salivation over the car--some 600 or so pre-orders surprised Pontiac brass--allowed the engine to live for two short model years, although only in the F-body. Just 1,296 SD-455s made it into production in 1973 and 1974, with the vast majority featuring an automatic transmission. The numbers--and we do love talking numbers when talking about muscle cars--break down as follows: Of 43 Firebird Formula SD-455s made in 1973, just 10 had four-speeds. Of 252 Trans Am SD-455s in '73, only 72 had the manual transmission. In 1974, just 58 Formula SDs were made, and though a breakdown is not available for that car, just 212 of 943 Trans Am SDs had the manual gearbox that year.
There's never really been any doubt that the SD Firebirds and T/As mark the pinnacle of second-gen F-body Pontiacs, and while the 1960s muscle cars deserve their fair share of glory, enthusiasts have come to appreciate the power, significance and, yes, beauty, of these potent beasts. And today, prices are beginning to reflect just how special these muscle machines really are.
ENGINE
Among the most legendary of engines Pontiac ever designed for the street, the SD-455 shared many dimensions and capacities with similar-vintage standard 455 and 455 H.O. engines, such as the 4.15 by 4.12-inch bore and stroke, but the SD carried many unique parts, including all of the major castings and internal components.
With experience gleaned from racing in the SCCA Trans-Am series, Pontiac engineers addressed virtually every weakness when they developed the SD-455. The blocks, which should wear ZJ or W8 casting codes for manual-transmission cars and XD or Y8 for automatics, featured thick webbing between the lifter bores, thicker main bearing bulkheads, additional material for the motor mount bosses, an oversized distributor hole (which requires a unique-to-the-SD sleeved distributor) and provisions for a dry-sump oiling system. Four-bolt main bearing caps were made from malleable iron instead of ductile iron.
The gauge cluster with tachometer was standard in the T/A, but optional for Firebirds.
Pontiac went full-tilt on the internal moving components as well. They chose shot-peened, Magna-fluxed 5140 forged steel connecting rods with 7/16-inch bolts (beefier than the standard Pontiac 3/8-inch bolts) connected to TRW forged "flat-top" aluminum pistons. Although compression was an emissions-compliant 8.4:1, Pontiac engineers were able to make a lot of gains with the extremely flow-friendly heads, which should wear casting #16. The round-port heads (standard 455s used D-port heads in 1973 and 1974) carried 2.11-inch intake valves and unique 1.77-inch exhaust valves made of Inconel, a heat-resistant, high-tech alloy.
Non-functional shaker hood scoop remains iconic 38 years on, but expect to pay a lot more than $5,510.75 for any SD Firebird you find.
While the engineers had hoped to install a forged crankshaft in the SD, cost considerations dictated the use of a cast, nodular crankshaft, which proved sufficient given the car's modest 5,700 RPM redline. The Pontiac "Y" camshaft carried .410-inch of lift with 301 and 313 degrees of duration, intake and exhaust, respectively. An 800-CFM Rochester Quadrajet four-barrel carburetor sat atop a special, cast-iron intake manifold that wears either LS2 or LS2X markings. The shaker hood scoop is purely ornamental, as noise regulations required Pontiac to insert a blocking plate to close it off. The SD-455 also sported unique, freer-flowing exhaust manifolds and dual exhaust.
The result of all this was 290hp (net) at 4,000 RPM and an extremely stout 390-lbs.ft. of torque at 3,200 RPM, as compared to the standard 455's 250hp and 380-lbs.ft. The SD's output was impressive for its day, given that just about every other manufacturer had given up on big-bore muscle cars and the car companies were just then learning how to pair performance with emissions compliance. Despite the relatively low 8.4:1 compression, the SD still made gobs of usable power and torque, producing impressive quarter-mile times in the high 13s with a skilled driver.
Given the varying condition of these now nearly 40-year-old cars and the rarity of some of the unique SD engine parts, great care should be taken to find one as complete as possible. "The biggest pitfall with buying an SD car is buying one that needs engine work," says Melvin Benzaquen, owner of Classic Auto Restorations of Sloatsburg, New York, and an expert on SD-455s. "They are--by far--more expensive to build than any other Pontiac engine. If it's missing a carburetor, that could be a $2,500 hunt. A distributor could be an $1,800 part. You want to make sure it's all there because you could spend $8,000 to $10,000 rebuilding an engine. You can get dug deep into an engine that isn't really going to give you a return on value, rather than if you had just bought a car that was correct."
TRANSMISSIONS
SD Firebirds and T/As came equipped standard with the four-speed manual transmission. The Turbo Hydra-Matic 400 three-speed automatic was a no-cost option and most buyers opted for it, as this was the only way to get air conditioning in an SD. Given that the center console was also optional, Pontiac built some automatic SDs with a column shifter. Both gearboxes are stout, with excellent parts availability from GM and the aftermarket, both for stock setups and for performance builds.
DIFFERENTIAL
The standard rear-axle ratio for SD-455s was 3.42:1, for either automatic or four-speed cars. If a buyer opted for air conditioning with the automatic, as most seem to have been equipped, the ratio was a more leisurely 3.08:1. Pontiac's decision to keep A/C off the shorter-geared cars stemmed from the inability of their compressor belts to handle higher RPM.
CHASSIS
The unit-body Firebird chassis rides on a 108-inch wheelbase and uses a bolt-in subframe up front to cradle the engine and transmission and to mount the front suspension. Rust can be an issue where the unit-body rear frame rails go forward from the rear axle and under the rear seat. Likewise, the trunk drop-off panels are also subject to oxidization where they tie into the lower quarters because the Firebird trunks are not especially leak-proof and the water has nowhere to go. Fortunately, replacement parts are available.
The Trans Am was always designed to be the best-handling Pontiac. Given that it was named for a road racing series, it should have been the best-handling car they made. Formula buyers could opt for the RPO Y99 handling package that included the same performance-tuned suspension. For '73, it featured a 1.25-inch front anti-roll bar and a .875-inch rear bar, along with heavy-duty leaf springs and shocks on all four corners; for 1974, Radial Tuned Suspension cars used a .812-inch rear bar. The handling package helped the cars perform on the curves in the manner that the engine helped it in a straight line.
BRAKES
All SD Firebirds and T/As stop with front disc brakes and rear drum brakes, making do with the same 11.0-inch, vented, cast-iron front rotors and 9.5-inch, finned rear drums that every second-gen F-body Pontiac used. Fortunately, brake parts are abundant, as are upgrades, such as rear-disc conversion kits.
WHEELS & TIRES
All Trans Ams came standard with 15-inch Rally II steel wheels while the Formula SDs got plain steel wheels with "poverty" caps; with Y99 suspension, they were 15-inch. Rally IIs were an option on the Firebirds, as were 15-inch "honeycomb" wheels on both models. Pontiac's honeycomb wheels are steel with a styled plastic insert featuring a repeating hexagonal pattern bonded to them. Wide, brushed trim rings are almost always seen with the Rally wheels, but these were a separate $26 option. Standard tires on the SDs measured F60-15 in 1973; GR70-15 radial tires were part of Pontiac's Radial Tuned Suspension package for '74, standard on all Trans Ams.
Rally wheels and trim rings are available as reproductions, as are the honeycomb trim ring and center cap; alloy versions of the honeycomb wheels are also available, in 17-inch diameter for those interested in modern upgrades.
BODY & INTERIOR
Though the 1973-'74 Firebirds and Trans Ams are largely identical mechanically, the front and rear ends feature significant differences. The 1973 model year marked the last with the full Endura nose treatment that began for the 1970 model. In order to accommodate a federally mandated impact-resistant bumper for 1974, Pontiac designed a multi-piece front end that saw the twin oval snouts become more rectangular; they swept back at an angle, mimicking the windshield. Below the grille sat a wrap-around black bumper and, below that, a lower valance that incorporated two vertical bumperettes framing the license plate. The rear chrome bumper from 1973 was ditched in favor of a black bumper and bumperettes (optional on the Firebird) similar to the front treatment for '74.
While a rear wing was standard on all Trans Ams, it was optional on the Firebird. Although other Formulas came standard with dual, forward-facing hood scoops, only SD-455 versions were treated to the shaker scoop that was standard on all Trans Ams, SDs and regular 455s alike. Inside the car, the T/A got an engine-turned aluminum instrument panel, Rally Gauges with a tach and a Formula steering wheel, while the Firebirds made do with simulated woodgrain, the sort of three-spoke wheel you'd find on a Grand Safari wagon and a simpler gauge cluster. Though the Rally Gauges and steering wheel were on the options menu for the Formula, the aluminum panel was not.
Like many GM cars of the day, the options list for the F-bodies was quite extensive. Power windows seem to be a common option chosen for SD Trans Ams, as does the center console for the front row. But don't be surprised to find a column-shift Formula with steel wheels out there. They do exist.
For both of the model years the Super Duty engine was available, Trans Ams were offered in only three colors. Buccaneer Red and Cameo White were on the palette for both years; Brewster Green was a '73-only offering, replaced by Admiralty Blue for '74. Formulas, meanwhile, were available in all regular Firebird colors for their respective model years.
RESTORATION & PERFORMANCE PARTS
The SD-455 was produced in such small numbers that Pontiac had a hard time sourcing some of the engine components when new, meaning that finding some original pieces now is harder than finding a Red Sox fan in the Bronx. But the rest of the car is pretty much standard-issue 1970s Pontiac F-body. Getting common brake, suspension and electrical components could be as easy as a visit to the corner auto parts store.
Given the vast quantities of second-gen F-bodies produced and their rising status as collector cars, the aftermarket has stepped up to reproduce many components, including fenders, quarter panels, frame rails, floor pans, door hardware and seemingly any removable interior piece in any correct color you might need. Ames Performance Engineering, for instance, offers a complete floor pan for 1970-'74 F-bodies for a reasonable $399. It would probably be best to find a car not needing any metal replacement, but it's good to know that the parts are out there; they could simplify what otherwise might be a pretty significant bit of work.
Although some have asserted that the factory's claimed 290hp was "underrated," expert Melvin seems to think the number is accurate, particularly given the regulatory climate at the time and the fact that the net torque figure approaches 400-lbs.ft. That's not to say, however, that the engine does not respond well to modifications, because it most certainly does. Even keeping the stock compression and dual exhaust, an SD-455 with the right cam, timing and carb tuning can readily be made to produce 400hp. While GM put the kibosh on making big-bore Pontiac V-8s in the late 1970s, the aftermarket abounds with performance parts for such engines.
OWNER'S VIEW
It's truly one of the last muscle cars ever made. The shaker hood, although not functional on the 1974, is very cool upon start-up and when shifting the gears. We thought about adding the "screaming chicken" decal to the hood but decided to leave everything as factory as possible and to cherish the originality of it--it still only has 19,000 miles.
It still smells and looks brand new, like it's right off the showroom floor, and is in unbelievable original condition. I only drive it about once or twice a month and to local car shows.
I like talking with enthusiasts about when they first saw the SD-455. There are so many fans of the Pontiac Trans Am, and the gorgeous lines of the coupe make it a real representation of the life and times of the 1970s.
-- John Marshall
Engine
The Super Duty 455 was the result of the accumulation of knowledge gained from years of racing, applied to the street. Its 290hp made it the fastest muscle car of its time, an instant legend, and a desirable collector car today.
Brakes
Unlike the engine, the SD-455's brakes were standard-issue, power-assisted 11.0-inch front discs and finned 9.5-inch rear drums, just like every other Firebird made in the era; aftermarket upgrades include a rear disc conversion kit.
Transmission
With its massive torque, the SD-455 was well mated to either the three-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic 400 automatic transmission or the wide-ratio four-speed manual; if you wanted A/C, you had to opt for the automatic transmission.
Interior
Trans Am offered more interior equipment standard, like a tachometer and gauge cluster set in an aluminum panel; the Firebird could be optioned like the T/A, except that it had a "simulated Crossfire African mahogany" panel in place of the T/A's aluminum.
Chassis
The Trans Am and the Firebird Formula (when equipped with the optional handling package) set the benchmark for muscle cars that handled, with fat anti-roll bars front and rear and beefier shocks and springs, along with wider tires.
Body
While many collectors prefer the lower-volume 1973 SD-455s with the one-piece Endura nose and chrome rear bumper, the 1974 models still cut a pretty mean profile; rear spoiler was standard kit on the T/A but optional on the Firebird.
CLUB SCENE
National Firebird and Trans Am Club
P.O. Box 11238
Chicago, Illinois 60611
773-769-6262
www.firebirdtaclub.com
Dues: $35/year • Membership: 2,100
WHAT TO PAY
Firebird Formula / Trans Am
• Add up to 20% for Firebird Formula vs. Trans Am
• Add up to 30% for four-speed manual transmission
PARTS PRICES
Air filter -- $16
Brake master cylinder -- $79
Bucket seat upholstery kit (single) -- $159
Carburetor rebuild kit -- $97
Decal, SD-455 (shaker hood scoop) -- $8
Door glass (each side) -- $149
Door skin (each side) -- $85
Engine gasket kit -- $155
Exhaust manifolds, round port (pair) -- $379
Fuel pump -- $47
Oil pump (SD 80 PSI) -- $85
Patch panel (rear of rear quarter) -- $45
Rear glass -- $189
Rear quarter panel -- $109
Rotor, front -- $79
Shaker hood scoop (fiberglass reproduction) -- $135
Shock (front) -- $17
Shock (rear) -- $27
Trunk floor (1973) -- $123
Trunk floor (1974) -- $169
Windshield -- $199
Wiper arms (set) -- $99
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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