CC reader Joe sent me this fab shot of his ’63 Riviera just as it was being photographed by the driver of the Thunderbird. Talk about a shoot-out!
CC Outtake: The Personal Luxury Coupe Shoot-Out
– Posted on October 23, 2014
-
-
Curbside Classics Archives
Wow! Two absolute gems. That Riviera looks really menacing.
What a fantastic shot. Nice one Joe.
Thanks! I took the shot last August. It was about 11pm on a Tuesday night and I was the only one at the gas station when the T-bird pulled up. What are the odds of that?!?
Not a surprising location! 😉
CC effect strikes again,just been watching Patrick Swazee and the gorgeous Sam Elliott in Roadhouse presumably made before Rivieras became collectable.
I love the fact that he picked the Riv because the headlight covers kept the headlights from being vandalized by the guys he bounced!
This is a great shot. That kid with the T-Bird looks really young. How cool it is that there are still old cars with a low enough value that they can be enjoyed by young enthusiasts!
I scan craigslist somewhat compulsively, particularly for pre-1972 cars (I am sure like most others here). Here in Florida there are still quite a few driver-quality cars from the 50’s and 60’s that are affordable (say sub-$5000) and always a few that are genuinely cheap (less than $3000). These cheap full-size cars, ‘personal luxury’ cars, grandma 4-doors and pickup trucks still offer the younger generation a chance to experience pre-smog, traditional americal iron without being a trust fund kid who can go out and buy a restored muscle car.
I guess this is testament to the shear number of cars and trucks cranked out year after year during those times of 2-5 year trade-in intervals, but whatever the reason, its great that the old car hobby still has some pre-malaise hardware for entry-level prices.
I’m thinking that he might be the son of the owner, he looks like a member of “I can’t stop looking at my fu*king phone for any reason” generation…probably too distracted on flicktumblrtwitter to be bothered to drive any of these racist imperialist gas guzzling environmental disasters vehicles from a past that “isn’t important and no one cares about”
Then again, I could be wrong and the kid could be a massive gear head.
These hardtop “flair” Thunderbirds are a pretty good deal for an entry level collector, there seem to be a good number of them out there and they aren’t that expensive to get into, and they provide tons and tons of style for not a lot of money.
I’m thinking that he might be the son of the owner, he looks like a member of “I can’t stop looking at my fu*king phone for any reason” generation…probably too distracted on flicktumblrtwitter to be bothered to drive any of these racist imperialist gas guzzling environmental disasters vehicles from a past that “isn’t important and no one cares about”
I’m thinking you’re indulging your old-fart prejudices. Did I not specifically say that that is the driver of the T-Bird, as per Joe, who shot the photo? And that he’s obviously in the process of shooting his shot, or looking at the result?
You’re really stereotyping yourself with such a negative comment. He’s a kid, who drives a T-Bird. How about a bit of respect?
It’s comment s like this that spoil the atmosphere here. It’s ok to disparage cars here; they don’t have feelings. But it’s not ok to disparage people here; they do. Keep in mind that the odds are quite good that this T-Bird driver will find this post. Or at least, assume that he might.
The kid was the driver of the T-bird and he was taking a picture of my car at the time. I’m guessing he regularily drives the car as I’ve seen it in the high school parking lot a few times.
I did speak with him briefly. I’m thinking the car has been in the family quite some time, possibly longer than he has been alive. I don’t think he knew the cars were archrivals.
I love seeing kids drive old cars. My 18yr old daughter regularily drives the Riv (she is not a fan but sometimes it is the only car left in the driveway). I’ve seen her drive by in it a few times and it always makes me smile!
See the part where I said wrote “then again I could be wrong?”
Good for him if he does here, If does disprove me, then I will be happier for it, and if he does daily drive it, then more power to him, awesome.
But speaking as a person who has almost run over kids like that with their heads stuck in a phone, because they are just to busy to, oh, I dunno….look, I think I’m allowed to cast a semi-cynical eye.
And I’m not that old.
Strong opinions aren’t welcomed in the modern world. How dare you speak your mind and not the collective! I think you were a bit harsh on the KID, and mildly-moderately off base, but you deserve to speak your mind. I’m guessing your father fought for that right.
Yanns, just keep in mind that this is not the sidewalk, where you are allowed full First Amendment rights. This is a moderated forum, and if we allowed full freedom of speech, it would quickly devolve into the gutter, like so many other web sites.
If one chooses to comment here, it’s with the understanding that we have high expectations and clear guidelines, and that inappropriate comments will be moderated (edited/deleted). And that the decision as to what is inappropriate is purely in the hands of the moderators/Editors here. I’m all for freedom of speech, but we do not guarantee that at CC. There are other places for that, including the street.
So you’re kicking Carmine to the curb? Ha ha. I kid.
What was the offensive part? “Gear head”? 🙂
I wasn’t suggesting any and every comment should be allowed (or allowed here), but I think everyone needs and deserves to be heard, no matter what; it’s a basic human right.
Carmine has some valid points. Not only are young people engrossed in their phones, so are adults. I was at a family function recently and my grandmother and I were the only ones not deep in Facebook. I found it reprehensible.
From personal experience, I can tell you that not letting someone speak is horribly abusive.
I assume you are kidding about the generational part–that would be the cliche version of classic old fartism. I have a 20 and a 22 year old (daughter and son). While they are clearly more interested in their phones and social networking than cars, I would say the same was true for my classmates in high school in the 1980’s–gearheads were the small minority. Of those gearheads quite a few were into VW’s and minitrucks and didn’t think much of my ’63 valiant. The more things change, the more they stay the same. This kid probably has lots of friends with modded civics that just shake their head at his Tbird.
I’m 21 years old and I own a ’72 Buick and a ’78 Mercury. There are young people who are into old cars, but not many of us! The people who notice my old cars are generally older, and they are usually surprised that it’s my car – not my dad’s.
When my dad is riding with me in my ’53 Buick, people sometimes think that he’s just “letting the kid drive,” and I’m 37!
Nice to see that the young dude is obeying the sign directly above him.
The ‘Kid’ filling the Tbird is experiencing a complaint (read that as minor annoyance) that I have about my own 65. At 5’11” I’m not tall but I always have to bend down (or sit on the trunk as he is and reach backwards) to fill thru the fairly low placed fill door. That and the blinding glare that can come from all the chrome on a sunny day are my complaints about my Flair Bird. Wait, I take that last sentence back. I LOVE all the over the top chrome.
Let’s turn the rear turn signal indicators on and see which of these cars gets ALL the attention. Back then my very young self was so fascinated with the sequential indicators that this became my favorite car. Now, years later I have my own of these dream machines. Oh, and that grill below the rear glass, FLOW THRU VENTILATION ! Gimmicks you say? You betcha’. Can anyone tell I love me some Tbird yet?
My family had both of these cars (father had a ’64 T-bird, grandfather had a ’63 Riviera). It was early in my driving experience and long ago. My general recollection was that the T-bird was very heavy driving and did not encourage spirited driving. The T-bird had a very glitzy interior with a row of “eyeball” shaped bezels housing gauges…and the “swing away” steering wheel for ease of entry and exit. The Riviera was much more agile driving and looked a bit more classy – in fact I think the first Riviera is one of the very classic GM cars of modern times.
My personal luxury coupe experience (s):
In 1969 I drove my aunt’s 69 Mustang Grande a few miles, running an errand of sorts. That car struck me as Ford trying to build a combination Thunderbird and Mustang.
In 1974 I drove my sister’s 74 Mustang Ghia. My thoughts? “Dang, Ford REALLY shrank the Thunderbird.”
In 1975 I got to drive a nice 74 Thunderbird for a short distance. With that long hood and almost “pill box” passenger compartment I felt like I was steering the car from the back seat.
When I was a kid in high school, neighbors had a white 66 Riviera which I thought was one heck of a car. Yes, the original Riviera is a classic but the 2nd generation is a terrific looking car, too.
It looks like the evil Riviera is about to mug the unsuspecting Thunderbird. Which actually kind of happened, as I think about it.
The Bird swooped in and pulled the bikini top off the Riviera dwelling Buick. In ’65 the Bird sold 75k to the Riv’s 35k.
That’s because GM products can _ALWAYS* beat up Brand ‘F’ stuff .
=8-) .
Give me the BUICK .
-Nate
While the Riv was dynamically a much better car, the T-Bird’s style was as good as the Riviera’s – we don’t need two cars that look exactly alike, as we are stuck with today.
A perfect paring in any couple’s garage in the mid ’60s.
Man, the Riviera’s awesome…As much as I love ’61-’65 ‘Birds, I’ll take a first-gen Riv any day of the week.
The 63 Bird may be my least favorite of every Thunderbird up through 1966. I never liked the ridge on the front fender, the squared off front wheel opening or the gaudy hash marks on the doors. I much prefer the 61 and 62.
I always used to hate the ’63, but I’ve warmed up to them. Actually, my favorite is the ’61, and I like every succeeding year less (but I’d take a ’65 over a ’64 just for the bird emblem on the hood and the cool taillights.
They’re both beauties, but I’d love to see a Studebaker Gran Turismo Hawk lurking in the background.
The 1963-1965 Buick Riviera. The best looking post-war US car to date, interior and exterior. Personal opinion, of course. I like its sinister appearance, especially in dark colors.
Just curiuos, seeing your great classic at the gas station, do US cars of this era just run fine on today’s regular unleaded gas ? Hardened seat valves ? Do you use fuel additives ? Any problems due to ethanol ?
We do have unleaded premium too 🙂 And I’d bet that’s what he’s tanking up with.
The whole unleaded/valve seat issue is rather overblown, in my opinion. AMOCO, one of the biggest gas station chains back in the day never added lead to its premium back then. There might have been others too.
I’ve been running my ’66 Ford on regular unleaded for decades, no issues.
The bigger concern is the mandatory 10% ethanol. I haven’t had any issues with it, but some have. One can find stations that sell ethanol-free gas, but it’s often a bit out of the way and more expensive.
Yes, the 10% ethanol would be the real pain in the butt for old carbureted cars, certainly if you don’t drive it much (ethanol attracts and absorbs water).
I see guys using all kinds of additives here in their classics. Octane boosters, lead substitutes, ethanol additives and god-knows-what.
Regular gas (Euro 95) contains up to 5% ethanol; 95 is the RON-octane rating. A gas station nearby sells ethanol-free Euro 98. That’s what I buy, no additives. It’s expensive (you would have guessed that…). But hey, for 2,000 to 2,500 miles a year, who cares ?
I always poo-poohed the valve seat recession thing until my Mustang’s #8 stopped firing due to a severely recessed exhaust valve. The valve tip was significantly higher than all the others.
It’s anecdotal for sure, and maybe not related to lead, but it sure made me notice.
Ive wondered about that but having asked some guys who have been running cars like mine on straight gas sine lead was deleted they havent experienced valve seat problems so I leave the additives out though I do use Lucas diesel conditioner in my Citroen it stopped a seal leak so I keep putting it in.
I see a connection here.
Lucas – Prince of Darkness
Diesel – The fuel of Satan (Jeremy Clarkson)
My 65 pictured above runs fine on unleaded premium. I also have had no problems so far with the added ethanol. It may also run on regular grade unleaded but I don’t know as I have always put in premium. I filled it once from a supposed quality brand and it ran terrible until that tank of fuel was gone. So bad that I was ready to schedule a visit to my mechanic for carburetor work. Next tank was from another brand and I once again had a happy bird. Never used that brand in any of my vehicles since then.
Very, very cool shot.
Great shot. Turn the hat around, lose the phone, and that could have been me 35 years ago. And I’d put my money on the Riv out on Paradise Road if it came to that….