The latest issue of Old Cars Weekly features just the beginning of Arizona auction results. In those results, you’ll find many surprising prices realized for some stellar cars, but among those that surprised me most was $27,000 for a 1963 Buick Riviera in No. 2 condition. The sale price surprised me, not because I don’t feel such a car deserves that price, but because I was shocked to see at least one other person bid the car up to that value.

For a very long time, Buick Rivieras have been undervalued. That’s good if you’re looking to buy one of these stunning coupes, but bad if you were looking to sell and move on to the next collector car.

Riviera admirers already know all the pluses these personal luxury coupes offer. These cars were initially designed as Cadillac or possible LaSalle models, but with the lack of room in the top-shelf GM division’s lineup, the high-quality Buick brand snapped up the coupe and made it its own.

The sharp styling of the personal luxury Riviera was that of a freshly pressed, custom-fitted suit made for the young executive on the move. With 401-cid or optional 425-cid power, it quickly moved that young executive and in unmatched style.

Ownership of a Riviera was even better in 1964 when a second four-barrel carburetor could be added atop the 425-cid V-8, and then in 1965, Riviera styling peaked when the headlamps hid behind clam shell-style doors and the tail lamps fell to the bottom portion of the rear bumper. Rivieras could be bedecked with GS ornamentation and options, making the already majestic machines muscular, as well.

Despite all of the great attributes of these special Buicks, their prices never seemed to reflect uniqueness, even though first-generation Rivieras were strong sellers when new. Since value seems to be the most obvious measure of respect among collector cars, I hope the strong Arizona price for that 1963 Riviera is an indication that Rivieras are finally getting their day.

If you know my automotive tastes, you know I go for the "uncommon," to say the least. But one hobby favorite that remains at the top of my list is a 1957 Chevrolet two-door hardtop.
When I was a kid, I was always great at scouting cars behind fences, garages, etc. While working a Boy Scout food drive in the 1980s, I was in a neighborhood I hadn’t been in before when I spotted a pair of 1957 Chevrolets behind a fence: a red Bel Air two-door hardtop and a primered One-Fifty or Two-Ten two-door sedan. The cars disappeared from behind that fence about 15 years ago, but I sometimes still dream about that red Bel Air (although, I sometimes dream the Bel Air is in a salvage yard). The recent "Weathered Wheels" photo from Old Cars Weekly reader Roger M. Van Patten reminded me of the recurring dream and the Bel Air I was too shy to ever inquire about. Hopefully, I'll wake up from one of these '57 dreams to find the full-size car in my garage.

Here's the text we included in Old Cars Weekly with Van Patten's photo:
Every hobbyist probably dreams of stumbling into their dream car, parked and long-forgotten behind a barn, obscured and overgrown behind a fence or tired and dirty on a back lot.
OCW reader Roger M. Van Patten stumbled into a vehicle many hobbyists dream about in a Philadelphia field. His dream find, a ca.-1973 Chevrolet truck in rust-free condition, was found as a cab and chassis this fall. According to Van Patten, the stock cab lamps indicate the truck is a heavy-duty model, such as a C-2500 or C-3500.
Van Patten apologized for the obscured view of the truck, as it was blocked by two look-alike cars in the foreground. He notes these two cars are not for sale.
(Yes, we know those are a pair of 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Sport Coupes in the foreground. But didn’t you enjoy Van Patten’s story?)


Do you have any neat cars hiding around your hometown? Drop a photo in my inbox (angelo.vanbogart@fwmedia.com) and I'll run it here or possibly in Old Cars Weekly's "Reader Wheels" section.

I don't let the cold stop me from visiting my favorite salvage yards, even if they're located in the upper Midwest. Recently, I hauled my brother and dad to French Lake Auto Parts (FLAP) in French Lake, Minn., to pick up some parts for mid-1950s Caddys and 1980s full-size Chevys. While I was there, I was shocked to see a giant, new cache of finned Mopars on hand!

FLAP is owned by car collectors (and longtime OCW subscribers), and they are constantly adding to the yard's old-car inventory. Much of that inventory comes from the southwest, and often includes project cars, as well as salvage vehicles. Many of these Mopars could be saved, so if you're looking for a De Soto project car, give Floyd at FLAP a call at 320-274-8497, or check 'em out at www.frenchlakeautoparts.com.


Sorry about the shadows, but the early bird gets the worm, and my visit was early!

Before we get to the MoPars, how about a 427-cid-powered 1968 Chevy Bel Air or Biscayne? I almost passed by this two-door sedan, and I like these coupes, regardless of powerplant. The rusty-mismatched front clip is deceptive for two reasons: first, the emblem on the front fender is for a 307-cid V-8, and it's rusty. The rest of the body is obviously from a dryer climate well south of Minnesota, and handwriting on the window reads "427 car." This diamond in the rough is available as a project.





Some of the new tin entering FLAP. Lots of mid-size GM muscle and other 1960s GM cars in this shot. Check out the cool poverty caps on the early-'70s Firebird...too cool!




While I passed by the 427 Chebby the first time, this 1937-38 Willys sedan stopped me dead in my tracks. It's for sale as a whole car for around $4,500, if memory serves.


 


Here's the finned MoPar sight that dropped my jaw. Lots of cool, restorable treats in this trove...

 


1962 Chrysler two-door hardtop was pretty solid...




There are two 1960 DeSoto Adventurer two-door hardtops at FLAP. Neither is very rusty, but they have been bumped around and have had  their interiors somewhat thrashed. I do not believe either had an engine, either. But where else do you find a 1960 De Soto Adventurer?

 


Here's the front of both '60 Adventurers...




This 1957 De Soto almost came home with me. It still might...




She's real rough, but she's a 1960 Plymouth convertible. Ever seen one in a salvage yard?




More of the MoPar convertibles, this time a little before and a little after the finned era.




A brace of 1959 De Soto four-doors. The black '59 is a four-door hardtop, while the red car is a sedan.




How 'bout a rough 1957 Lincoln Premiere convertible?! I believe it's even in the highly coveted Wisteria color. Jane Mansfield had one, and you should, too.




I have friends with Ford products built with automatic transmissions in the era of this 1970 Mustang convertible, and they have had their vehicles slip out of "park" and into "reverse" while running, but never with results this terrible...




It only LOOKS like the Rambler is towing the Buick wagon, but either way, what a neat pair of long roofs. The Buick still has its aluminum drums up front.




I saved the best for last. FLAP has three Willys sedans on hand, and they were all new arrivals. They're from out west, but there's not much in the way of metal. I collected some trim for my future Willys project car from these cars while I could find it. That's a 1941 in the foreground, a 1939 in the middle and a 1940 at the rear.