1965 Buick Riviera Gran Sport

For the final year of the first-generation Riviera, Buick introduced the Gran Sport, a high-performance version of its elegant personal luxury coupe that soon earned the nickname "the banker's hot rod." Just 3,354 Riviera Gran Sports were built for 1965. This Flame Red example with a black vinyl top and black interior stands out among them. Bill Mitchell's GM styling team gave the '65 Riviera its concealed headlamps, clean lines and commanding stance, and it remains one of the most admired designs of the 1960s.<br><br>Under the hood is Buick's top-of-the-line 425 cubic inch "Super Wildcat" V-8. It breathes through dual Carter AFB four-barrel carburetors and is rated at 360 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque. Power goes through a Super Turbine 400 automatic transmission with the variable-pitch "Switch Pitch" converter to a 3.42 Positraction rear end, and a new old stock dual exhaust system was installed in the 1980s. The Super Wildcat is set apart by its chrome air cleaner and polished finned aluminum valve covers. Gran Sport badges on the front fenders and deck lid announce that this is no ordinary Riviera.<br><br>This car has never been disassembled. It has had only a single cosmetic refinish, about 40 years ago, and it still wears its original black vinyl top. The interior has bucket seats, a wood-trimmed console with a floor shifter, wood accents on the door and side panels, a tilt column with a wood-grain steering wheel, and a 140 mph speedometer. Factory options include air conditioning, power steering and brakes, power windows, cruise control, a power antenna and an AM/FM radio. The car rides on 15-inch chrome Buick Rally wheels with whitewall tires. With its rare Gran Sport drivetrain, desirable options and documented history, this Riviera is ready for the show field, the open road and a collector's garage.