The Grape Space Coaster

1965 Buick Riviera

• photos
• video
• specs
• herstory
• owner

herstory

The Grape Space Coaster has a long history - excuse me: herstory - of being a loved car. She has had only four owners before myself and each of them preserved her documents and handed them down to the next owner. You know your car is loved when all the documentation dating back to her first sale winds up in your hands.The last thing I expected when becoming a classic car owner was the community of classic car enthusiasts I would soon find myself within. Reading through years of receipts and records for my Riviera gave me the feeling that this car’s life is richer than any one upgrade I could give her during our time together. From the documents, I have assembled this herstory, an obvious statement of her value over the years:

That same family friend, David Beck, officially became her owner on April 22, 1991 for a declared $1000 sale price. There is very little documentation of this 2 year period, but thanks to a valid telephone number left on this owner’s for sale listing, I actually got to speak with David Beck and Albert’s son, Chuck. I called asking for Albert himself, however he has passed away (rest in peace). David and Chuck however, remember the Riviera and how much Albert loved it. David and Chuck are now in business together doing Rolls Royce / Bently conversions including engine swaps andbrake modifications. Because the sales listing also listed the Riviera as “solid California car ... has new motor, never been fired”, I assume these men did the engine swap themselves before resale. Thank goodness for good record keeping.

On May 13, 2009 the 1965 Buick Rivera was registered to me, Tonya Kay, with 97,000 miles. I owned 6 diesel vehicles, 3 of which ran on vegetable oil fuel. I had been tinkering with my personal WVO VW TDI Jetta for years, refining the waste vegetable oil delivery system, and I really needed to look up from the mechanical marriage a driver and her alternative-fuel vehicle inevitably get locked into - I needed to have some fun with my car again. I searched eBay for 71-73 Riviera boat tails, obsessed with their Batman-esque aesthetic, when I found this rare beauty. The color caught my eye straight away, but it was her sexy, elegant lines that mesmerized me. I could tell from the details of the listing that this car had been loved and had a powerful mechanical base. I placed my eBay high bid at $5300 and did not meet the reserve. So when I saw her relisted the very next day, I went ahead and called the owner directly and offered him $8000. I didn’t hear anything on the other end of the line and next thing you know, his wife comes on the line saying, “Please excuse my husband, he’s a little choked up. I don’t think he expected a girl to be buying his baby.”

I have since put much money and energy into her, started producing my own classic car and pinup shows and in 2017 partnered with Anaheim Rod and Custom for a partial restoration (completed 2018). Now I’ve got those clam shells winking and that 401 sealed to make her feel special in Los Angeles, CA - only 2 miles from where she was born and registered to Harold Wyatt in 1965. She’s made it back home.

• back