The Silver Arrow Memos- Part III- For Clarity

By Jeff Stork

Note: This is Part 3.

Part 1 is Here

And Part 2 is Here

Last week we looked at a very ambitious Oct, 15, 1962 memo outlining phases II, III and IV for Bill Mitchell's Silver Arrow Riviera (XP-810 and SO #40210.) The memo called for replacing the engine and transmission (Phase II), significant exterior detail changes and a fully retrimmed interior (Phase III) and even more changes down the road with the addition of high mounted stop lamps, a redesigned cowl vent, wooden steering wheel, and the addition of a tachometer into the instrument panel (Phase IV.)

This weeks memo is dated Oct. 31, 1962, and basically restates the contents of the Oct. 15 memo with a few changes. This time, Buick Chief designer Dave Holls is being asked to coordinate the replacement of the engine and transmission (Phase II),  a full size drawing of the new interior has been released from the Buick Interior Studio for the new interior, the Mouton has arrived for the carpeting, and the design for the seats has been revised (Phase III.)

Instead of reusing seats from a Skylark prototype car, they now plan to install cast aluminum prototype seats that are being considered for the 1964 Riviera. They are no doubt included in the styling drawing being released. The desire is that Phases II and II are to be completed by November 15, 1962, and Phase IV by early December, so there's a lot of work to do in the Styling garage before Santa comes. The document is signed once more by Bud Schenk of Program Planning.

So this document seem to be one of clarification. It is reported that Mr. Mitchell liked being in the know. As we have said before, it is good to be King.

Once again here are the memos for your perusal:

The Silver Arrow Memos- Part II- Phases II through IV

By Jeff Stork

Note: This is Part 2

Go Here for Part 1

And Here for Part 3

In the second part of our Silver Arrow Memos, we have a very inclusive document that was written to Mr. W. L. Mitchell on October 15, 1962. By now we have gotten through Phase I and the 1963 Buick new car announcement, and it is presumed that all went well but it is worth noting that we have a new author for this document, Mr. E. C. Campbell.

 This memo outlines the steps for phases II through IV of the continuing development of XP-810, and is written to the fine standard and dignified tone of the last one. Honestly, I can imagine Audrey Hepburn reading them in her "Sabrina" voice.

 Phase II-Completion Desired as soon as possible: 

 "The car is to be picked up on or about Monday, Oct. 22 for return to the Division. The engine is to be replaced and the car returned to Styling."

Phase III- Completion Desired in Early November

"The following is being worked on now in the design, engineering, and fabrication departments and is to be completed as soon as possible in early November for evaluation before the car is returned to the shops for fabrication of the longer term items found in Phase IV.  "

I'm going to paraphrase here for the sake of brevity, but the memo describes the following changes in exquisite detail for Phase III- removal of the shields behind the headlamp covers, removal of sail panel chrome molding, refined trim for the quarter panel scoops, new rocker panel and lower rear fender moldings as per Riviera S. O. 40193 (Board of Directors Presentation Car), removal of the B U I C K lettering from the rear deck lid and creation of a Riviera script badge to replace them, and the design, engineering and installation of special low profile exterior remote controlled mirrors that will involve the coordination of Buick Exterior, Buick Interior, and Engineering.

There's plenty in store for the interior as well, starting with removing the Astra Buick Seats from a Skylark show car, S. O. 40224, retrimming them, and fitting them to this car. Along the way,  there are plans to chrome plate the windshield pillars and window garnish moldings, repaint the dash and console, fit new metal trim to the dash, create a new Riviera nameplate for the glove box door and create a wooden shift knob.

Oh, and retrim the entire interior. Seats of silver leather, new door panels, kick panels, carpeting, headliner, package shelf, and trunk. On a three month old car. And this is still Phase III- all this is being done while Phase IV is being developed.  Have you gotten the impression yet that all of GM Styling existed to please Mr. Mitchell? Of course, XP-810 was a rolling laboratory and the innovation could benefit future GM cars, but people certainly tried very hard to please Mr. Mitchell.

Phase IV- Desired by Early December.

Exterior

1. Panic stop lights are to be built into the tulip panel. This will require reworking of the backlight lower reveal molding.
2. A new cowl vent grille, with air scoops, is to be installed. 

Interior

1. A new wooden steering wheel and a new adjustable steering column are required. The wheel will be made new. The steering column is to be reworked from a 1963 production tilting column. A telescopic feature is to be added for fore and aft adjustment.
2. The instrument panel cluster is to be revised to permit the addition of a tachometer. The requirements for the mechanical tachometer drive system are to be coordinated by the Interior Engineering and Mechanical Assembly Departments.
3. An AM/FM radio is to be installed. A speaker is to be installed on the instrument panel. 

All design work will be done by the Buick Interior and Exterior Studios, and all development and engineering will be done by the Interior and Exterior Engineering Departments.

E. C Campbell
Program Planning

Below you will see the original memo along with period photography of the XP-810 Silver Arrow. And yes, there's much more to come

The Silver Arrow Memos- Part I

This is Part 1.

Go Here for Part 2

And Here for Part 3



First Silver Arrow Memo- July 11, 1962


By Jeff Stork 

No Rivieras are more famous than Bill Mitchell's Silver Arrows. Created ostensibly as show cars but in reality intended for his personal use, the Arrows are a mixture of dream car, rolling laboratory, and ultimate corporate perk. We've spoken before of Mitchell and how it is "Good to be King."

Now in a series of original GM documents, we can watch the evolution of the original Silver Arrow as it evolves into its current form via a series of Styling Staff memoranda that track the progress of each phase of the car's modifications until they arrived at the car which resides today at the Buick Gallery in Flint.  They span a period of time from Summer 1962 until almost 1965.

The memos are really more letters of understanding, on impressively logoed GM Styling Staff letterhead (how cool is that) are written to Mr. W. L. Mitchell and concern the design and construction of one 1963 Buick "E" Riviera Production Car, Special Order # 40210. The early ones are written by E.G. "Bud" Schenk, head of Program Planning. and carbon copied to everyone involved, even if only tangentially.

Schenk was the one responsible for supervising the construction of the car, coordinating all of the activities between the various styling studios and all of the tradesmen, the division staff and above all keeping Bill Mitchell in the loop. The Special Order Number (#40210) was used to keep track of all the expenses incurred on the car for the accounting department. The prototype number was XP-810 and would be how design staff would refer to it. The world would know it as Silver Arrow I.

Silver Arrow I outside the GM Styling Building



This earliest memo is dated July 11, 1962, and outlines the first round of changes to be made to the car. It's obvious that Schenk chose the language very carefully and the memo is worth reading.

"Mr. Mitchell has requested the Buick Exterior to undertake the design and study involved in making new concealed headlamps, radiator grille, and extending of front end sheet metal as an experimental proposal on a 1963 Buick 'E" Riviera Coupe production car. Present plans call for the completion of these changes on the subject  car so that it may be available to be driven on Buick's 1963 Car Announcement Date Thursday, October 4.

In general, the required changes are as follows as of this date-

New Concealed rotating headlamp grilles on the front fenders. Plans are to study the using of 7" diameter seal beam lamps. These units must be operable and applicable to a road car.

Radiator grille to be installed per design as proposed and released by the Buick Exterior Studio.

Revisions to front end sheet metal consisting of extending the hood surface and of possible fromt fender changes.  

Modeling of surface changes will be some in the Exterior Studio and information expedited so that engineering drawings can be released to permit the pre-fabrication of parts and components prior to the arrival of the car.

It is anticipated that the car will be delivered to Styling in the early part of September."

E. G. Schenk
Program Planning


In a word, wow. Buick Styling studio modeling, engineering drawings being completed, parts to be pre-fabricated prior to the first week of September so that someone very important can drive this special car on Buick's New Car Announcement Day. And as far as who the special someone was, one need look only to whom the memo was addressed - Mr. W. L. Mitchell.

As I said, it's Good to be King.

Silver Arrow- a Riviera for Mr. Mitchell

Silver Arrow at the Styling Pond, GM Tech Center

There's an old line that "It's Good to be King," and while that may be true, it might have been even better to have been GM's Bill Mitchell. Because Bill not only avoided all those dreary court functions, he also got GM to build him special cars whenever the mood struck. Take for example the fall of 1963, and the gorgeous new 1963 Buick Riviera had just begun rolling off Buick's assembly lines. Riviera was a personal favorite of Mitchell's, but as is often the case, he didn't get absolutely everything he wanted on the production car.

Wasn't it nice that he had the talented craftsmen of the GM Design Center at his disposal? He had a silver production 1963 Riviera sent over for some touches. First, the top was shopped two inches and the front fenders and hood lengthened about four. The vent windows were eliminated. Cibie headlamps were mounted behind the vertical fender grilles. The side scoops were enlarged. Genuine wire wheels were fitted, although the actual tire choice varied between whitewalls and black- both were seen.

Inside the car had special silver leather bucket seats, revised instrumentation including a tachometer and a clock mounted in the wood trimmed console. Mitchell's signature chrome strips over leather floor covering was utilized, and even the black gauge faces were unique to Silver Arrow. It was also the first car to display the R logo stand up hood ornament.

The car was named Silver Arrow and when not being displayed at Auto Shows, it was Mitchell's personal transportation. Perhaps the only car that could top a 1963 Riviera was this magnificent Silver Arrow.

After about a year the car was revised. The egg  crate grille was replaced with four thermostatically controlled cooling slots. The wire wheels were replaced with art deco inspired color matched wheel discs and the car was fitted with wide whitewall tires. This is the look the Silver Arrow wears to this day, and became a Mitchell signature that would be seen again and again.

Silver Arrow was so popular that it became an icon for the Buick Riviera, and the exercise was to be repeated on subsquent generations of Riv. It resides today in the Buick Heritage Gallery of the Sloan Museum in Buick's hometown of Flint.

Silver Arrow upon completion at the GM Tech Center

Winter Shot alongside the GM Styling Center

After Revision, on display at the Pebble Beach Concours

After

Silver Arrow on display at the Buick Gallery in Flint

Mitchell's signature color matched wheel cover and wide whitewalls

Special silver leather buckets and unique instrumentation

Special rear side scoop

Revised tail lamps and special Silver Arrow badging

(Cross Posted on the Reynolds Buick GMC Blog.)