During Betty's tour of Riverdale High with Veronica, she says Riverdale High opened in 1941. Archie Comics' first issue came out December 22, 1941.
The end credits show a picture of the classic comics Archie, followed by a picture of the 2015 comic re-boot Archie.
The ending starts with a dedication to producer JB Moranville, who died three months prior to the premiere.
The Volkswagen beetle driven by Ms. Grundy is a 1971 or 1972 model 1302, a European-spec vehicle (identifiable by amber turn-signals in the rear and small fender-top signals in the front) which was never sold in this form in either the US or Canada.
The bird's eye view of nighttime Riverdale, presumably seen from a hill overlooking the town, is the same generic shot standing in as nighttime Rosewood in Pretty Little Liars (2010).