By Chuck Vranas – Photography By the Author
The early ’60s saw intense competition for automobile sales among the Big Three manufacturers as they marketed their offerings to the public. One notable focus was the “personal luxury” segment where Ford held a strong lead with its four-passenger Thunderbird line. In response, General Motors’ design vice president, Bill Mitchell, examined several European models. He aimed to create a vehicle that combined the edginess of a Ferrari with the elegance of a Rolls-Royce. The result was the Buick Riviera, a name chosen to evoke the sophistication of the Italian and French coastlines.
It was crafted to attract discerning buyers who could appreciate the striking new design, artfully paired with its low stance and specially tuned suspension. It delivered a high-level performance akin to that of a Grand Turismo racer. The 1963 Riviera lay stretched across the road. Our pages, owned by Jeff (late) and Dee Dee Luttrell of Maryland, showcase the car’s exquisite lines expertly matched with the latest in cutting-edge technology.
To give the Riviera its very special glamour, the designers fused fresh elements, such as a rear-slanted nose with a low-profile roofline, blended with wide B-pillars and frame-free side glass to create a sleek look. They added an aggressive V-8 engine underhood to back it up with power, offering either the standard 401ci or the optional 425ci Nailhead engines. Only 40,000 units were produced during the 1963 model year for exclusivity of ownership, which saw a total of 458,606 Buicks roll off the production line. For Jeff, stepping into the automotive world began when the family inherited their grandfather’s 1965 Buick Special. It was easy to see the bond and memories that Jeff created with the car, especially through the ’70s when he met and dated Dee Dee in high school until they eventually married.
As the years passed, he maintained a fascination with the Buick brand, particularly the Riviera, whether at a cruise night or a car show. You never know when fate will strike. One day, his brother, Nick, heard about a lead on a particular 1963 Riviera coming up for sale. It turned out to be a solid original driver, and that’s all it took. Within a matter of hours, the pair followed up on the offering, with Jeff swapping cash for keys and bringing the iconic model to his home garage.
After enjoying the bone-stock original ride for a while, it became clear that Jeff wanted to elevate the car with more aggressive handling capabilities and modern power underhood. He began the car’s disassembly, cataloging all the parts and having the body blasted clean to prepare it for the next steps. A meeting with Ray Bartlett of the East Coast Hot Rod Garage (ECHRG) in Denton, Maryland, provided plenty of ideas for the build that the pair exchanged, and before long, the project was handed off to the team to get started.
Since the original spine wasn’t up to the task, it was sold to a restorer, and a call was made to Art Morrison Enterprises (AME) for one of their custom-engineered Builders Platform Perimeter frames. Crafted from 2×4-inch rectangular steel, the mandrel-formed framerails are fixture welded for precision and exact fitment while also featuring custom crossmembers, a front kick, a rear arch, and through-frame exhaust routing. Team member Dale Rhodes then modified the frame to channel the body 2 inches and mate it to the body shell in a unibody style while fabricating the driveline mounts.
Out back, a Ford 9-inch rear from AME is equipped with a Strange Engineering S-Series nodular iron third member, spinning 3.70 gears through Moser 31-spline axles. It’s held in place by an AME triangulated four-bar featuring 1-3/8-inch-diameter bars, a matching antiroll bar, and Ridetech coilover shocks. For the ultimate in handling, an AME Sport IFS showcases their exclusive large-tube upper and lower control arms paired with Wilwood forged ProSpindles, Ridetech coilover shocks, an AME 1-1/4-inch sway bar, and a power rack-and-pinion.
When it’s time to slow down, a Wilwood Engineering dual power master moves fluid through stainless lines to matching forged Dynalite Pro-Series 11-inch drilled-and-vented rotors with forged billet four-piston calipers mounted at each corner. Linking it all to the street with traditional style, there’s a set of fully polished American Racing Gasser-Series wheels, sized 18×8 in the front and 20×10 in the rear, capped by Goodyear Eagle GT II tires, sized 245/45R18 and 285/50R20 respectively.
Although the original 401ci Nailhead performed well, Jeff wanted to raise the stakes by introducing a cutting-edge LS V-8 engine into the engine bay. He reached out to Chevrolet Performance for one of their powerful LS/376 525hp crate engines. For ample power, the cast-aluminum block, featuring six-bolt, cross-bolted main caps, houses a nodular iron crank connected to powdered metal rods fitted with hypereutectic aluminum pistons. An aggressive ASA hydraulic roller cam provides the lift, while a pair of aluminum L92-style port heads, cast with 68cc chambers, deliver seamless power.
On top, a factory intake, throttle body, and injectors complete the setup, all controlled by GM electronics. A Vintage Air Front Runner drive system and a custom cold air intake by ECHRG finish the look. A stock ignition ignites the engine, with exhaust flowing through factory headers to a custom 2-1/2-inch stainless exhaust featuring Flowmaster Super 50-Series mufflers by ECHRG. To handle the power, a Gearstar Stage III GM 4L65-E transmission and all related GM electronics were paired with a custom driveshaft.
Reviving vintage sheetmetal is an art form. When it came time to address the body, its already-stripped condition allowed the ECHRG team to focus on its specific needs. Clearly, the car had endured a tough life, necessitating a complete overhaul. Fabricating all necessary repair panels in-house began with removing the existing interior and trunk floors and replacing them with custom flat-panel units. Next, the lower quarters and the rockers, lower fenders, and doors were replaced. Underhood, the firewall was filled and smoothed, and custom aluminum inner fenders and filler panels were crafted.
Finally, the front end was smoothed and outfitted with a lower center air dam, while the bumper was shaved and tucked. The bumper was trimmed, shaved, and tucked in the rear, with select remaining stainless exterior trim custom-fitted and all final chrome handled by Jon Wright’s CustomChrome Plating. The body was then fully metal finished and perfectly gapped by team member Jason Lester, who also applied the striking custom-blended PPG Root Beer metallic coating, enhancing the overall vibe.
When it came to the interior, it was time to restore and introduce a newfound sophistication to the experience. The factory dash and console were meticulously restored and upholstered in chocolate brown leather from Moore & Giles. New VHX-Series dials from Dakota Digital monitored essential functions. A Billet Specialties BLVD 03-Series wheel navigates through a Flaming River tilt column while shifts engage through a Lokar stick, and Vintage Air keeps the cabin comfortable. Everything comes together through a custom wiring system crafted by team member Henry Stewart.
For a touch of elegance, team member Dean Alexander completely reworked a set of 2012 Infiniti G37 coupe seats, creating custom rear seating and wrapping everything in classic pleated chocolate brown leather. He also designed matching side panels and a headliner, complemented by Peppercorn-tone square-weave carpeting. The finished car is brimming with allure, elevating one of GM’s finest designs to the next level with an impressive array of subtle details integrated with modern-day performance and handling.
Check out this story in our digital edition here.
