1966 Riviera GS
Written by Keith Fudge

It seems that current trends in automotive engineering favor sports/luxury cars that deliver luxurious appointments and muscle car power. Recently, we found one of Detroit’s early examples of this type of vehicle tucked away in Gainesville, Florida, in the form of Don McCullen’s 1966 Buick Riviera GS.

Dennis caught up with Don and he gave us a brief history of the car and of the Buick Riviera itself. Don told Dennis that he has owned the vehicle for two years and that it was a complete restoration. Don then told us about some of the changes that were made in this “second generation” Riviera. The original “Riv” debuted in 1963 and virtually remained unchanged through 1965; however, this newer model was longer and wider than the original and featured long clean lines in its design and styling. It featured “flow-through” ventilation (a type of wind tunnel within the car) and a barrel speedometer. And while the car was similar to the Oldsmobile Toronado, it retained the feature of rear-wheel drive. Don also told us that ultimately the Riviera GS was designed and produced to compete with the Ford Thunderbird.

Don’s restoration of the car itself was meticulous—both the exterior and interior were just as if they rolled off the showroom floor, and under the hood was something that was really special: this GS was set into motion by a 425 cubic inch power plant complete with dual four barrel carburetors! This engine option produced 360 horsepower from the factory and when we took a ride, you’d better believe that there was power to spare! By the way, 1966 was the last year for the GS option on the Riviera and these cars are worth considerably more than standard Rivs. From the looks of Don’s GS, he surely has one of the nicest ones around. Thanks Don for sharing your ride with us!