COLOR AND DECAL FOR 63 AIR FILTER

[1963 Riviera]

Hi All,
I received my 63 Rivi with a black air filter (pointing the wrong way) and want to return it to its former glory
I believe from photos I have seen it was originally red.
Does this red have a specific name ?
There are 2 types of decals on the market, Vinyl or Die Cut aluminium
Has Anyone here used either of these and was it easy to apply ?
Thanks from Sunny Sydney
Nick

[Rivieraman]

Nick if your on facebook you can friend "buick riviera owners" and put pics there as well

[RivNut]

The '63 air cleaner is red wrinkle paint. It has two "decals" that go with it. The large center needs to be the "Riviera / Wildcat 445" if you have the 401 engine, or a "Riviera / Wildcat 465" if you have the 425 engine. By all means go with the die cut aluminum one if you have a choice. The vinyl decal will show any imperfections in what ever it's being mounted to, and it's really difficult to keep it completely free from air bubbles that get trapped when applying it. The screen printed die cut aluminum one is just like the OE piece.

In '63, there was also a smaller black on silver head of a wildcat on the snorkle. These are available from CARS and other vendors.

Look at post #11 in this thread. I previously posted a picture of a '63 engine compartment that shows the correct colors and decals.

new riv, new member, some advice wanted!

Ed

[petelempert]

Anybody have any advice on a specific brand of red wrinkle paint for this application. VHT makes a version...but the color seems a little too blood red versus the original which seems to have a slight orange tint to it? I'm getting ready to re-do my air cleaner in the next few weeks. Anybody? Thx PRL

[RivNut]

You won't find the correct color in a wrinkle paint (at least I never have.) You'll need to establish the wrinkle finish with whatever color you can find, then top coat that with the color you want.

[petelempert]

Makes sense. I'm thinking I'll use the red VHT wrinkle as a base to establish the wrinkle finish, then overspray with the appropriate color. But that begs a similar question? Wrinkle finish aside...is there a supplier out there who makes a reasonable spray can color to duplicate the OEM color? Anybody had any luck matching the color? PRL

[Jim_Cannon]

the secret to getting the correct color in the wrinkle red is to use the correct color under it. The paint under the red influences the hue of the red.

I carefully stripped off my original factory paint layer by layer. Buick had a cream color paint under the red. Under the cream was a dark gray almost black primer.

It is the cream color that gives the wrinkle red the right hue.

I bought the wrinkle red from Classic Buicks

In the end, I stripped the wrinkle red off and re-sprayed the air cleaner housing with smooth, high gloss red enamel the same color as the red center part of the big decal.

The wrinkles trap dirt, making it harder to keep clean. Unless you get the spray paint coat uniform, the wrinkles end up being different heights.

[petelempert]

Jim-I agree with you on the wrinkle paint. Seems like a funny and impractical choice from the factory. I'm going to test the VHT wrinkle red on some scrap metal and see. I am worried it's going to turn out like a Testarossa ripoff or worse yet somebody's trashy VTEC head Honda tuner car. I think your option of smooth red is a good one. Stay tuned...I'll let you know. Thx PRL

[1963 Riviera]

Hey Guys.
Thanks for the help. I think I will go with the High Gloss Red Enamel as the wrinkle finish sounds a bit tricky for me.
Jim, you say that you stripped the paint before applying the Red.
What did you use to do this ?
Will I get a good finish If I dont use the cream undercoat (I intend on using the primer as recommended ) ?
Thanks Again.
Nick

[Jim_Cannon]

Hey Guys.
Thanks for the help. I think I will go with the High Gloss Red Enamel as the wrinkle finish sounds a bit tricky for me.
Jim, you say that you stripped the paint before applying the Red.
What did you use to do this ?
Will I get a good finish If I dont use the cream undercoat (I intend on using the primer as recommended ) ?
Thanks Again.
Nick

I sanded the original wrinkle red and layers under it down by hand so that each layer of paint was visible. I did not use a chemical stripper.

The wrinkle red paint is kind of transparent. That's why you need the correct base coat color, so that it shows through.

A conventional solid enamel does not let the base color show through.

[mhnova65]

I restored the air cleaner on my 64' this summer using the VHT wrinkle paint and LOVE it. Easy to apply and a wicked finish. I'm doing an all black motor with a little shine on the valve covers but wanted to make the air cleaner pop. I sand blasted the air cleaner first, hammered and dollied the dents and dings and than applied the VHT in 3-coats per the instructions.

The key is following the instructions and being patient. Three seperate heavy coats with about 15-minutes between coats. Each coat goes in a different direction; verticle, horizontal and diagonal......then just sit back and be patient. The paint goes on very thick and smooth; almost like a watered down latex paint. It sticks to the verticle surfaces and doesn't run (well, if it does, you are way too heavy)

Again, I did this in the summer here on Long Island so the temp was about 80 degree's or so. For the next three days, I took it out and let it sit in the sun to really bake off the solvents. As you flash off more solvent, the coating wrinkles more and more until you get an awesome finish. Topped it off with a new silk screened aluminum emblem and Viola!...........sweet. Not a great picture (cell phone) but it gives you some idea.

....................now if only the rest of the car was done so I had something to attach it to.

[CheezeMan]

If not looking for exact original color and texture, then try a Red Wrinkle powder coat. I did mine and thought it was great when done. I asked my powder coater to find a red wrinkle that was close to the original. I took original chips with me that flaked off and we could compare from that.

BTW: some members believe that the original color was more orange than red. Not to start a debate... but I like to reference the dealer brochure picture for color in this case. The picture is not from a production vehicle, but a pre-production car used for promo pics, so there a many differences to production cars.

[RivNut]

I tend to agree with Chuck when using the pre-producton color illustrations as a guide for color. The publisher could have had problems with his inks, the pictures may have had a different tone to them when developed, and any number of other situations including different colors on a day to day basis in the factory paint shop.

After looking at Chuck's powered coated base I got to thinking that if you really wanted your color to look good to the eye when being viewed in person, you should first get yourself one of the new aluminum "decals" and match the red base color to the color in the "decal."

Ed

[steelman]

Reds and blues have always been hard for printers reproduce in magazines and broshures correctly. Modern computer technology has made this better, but still not always true to the actual color we see with our eyes.

[Bleach]

Here's a photo of the air cleaner from my '63. It's original and it had the orange tint to the paint.

[CheezeMan]

After looking at Chuck's powered coated base I got to thinking that if you really wanted your color to look good to the eye when being viewed in person, you should first get yourself one of the new aluminum "decals" and match the red base color to the color in the "decal."

Ed

Ed, good suggestion!

I bought the cheaper decal but was very disappointed with the color and quality. I had originally intended to stick the decal to my original aluminum disc but the die-cut was off on the decal so it wouldn't fit the original size disc. The color sucked, too. I'll get one of the silk-screen aluminum repos sometime and see if that is any better.

[petelempert]

I just got my new air cleaner decal from CARS. I took good advice and got the aluminum backed one...it's nice. Just curious...any advice on what adhesive works best and tips on making sure the seam is as tight and invisible as possible? If anybody has any tips...let me know. Thx PRL

[Bleach]

Not sure on any advice but here is a photo from a 1963 brochure to get an idea how it's supposed to look.

[Jim_Cannon]

Not sure on any advice but here is a photo from a 1963 brochure to get an idea how it's supposed to look.

That's pretty cool. I don't know if it is a photo or a drawing (from a pre-production mock up vehicle) but it shows some great details. Notice how the battery post is forward of the filler caps, and the battery cable routes up between the caps to it.

I think the decal on the air cleaner here is an early prototype because it has no number on it (the torque number).

Thanks for posting.

[Jim_Cannon]

I just got my new air cleaner decal from CARS. I took good advice and got the aluminum backed one...it's nice. Just curious...any advice on what adhesive works best and tips on making sure the seam is as tight and invisible as possible? If anybody has any tips...let me know. Thx PRL

Pete-
I thought about this step for a long time before doing it because I did not want to mess it up. Here is how I finally did it (and it seems to have worked OK).

The adhesive I used is 3M Trim Adhesive.

I laid the decal down dry on the air filter lid (on my clean bench), carefully centering it and getting it exactly how I wanted it. I used a bunch of very strong magnets to hold the decal tightly to the metal lid in the exact correct spot.

Then I carefully lifted the magnets from one side of the radial seam about half way around, lifted the decal, and began to smear adhesive under the decal. I used a small wooden wallpaper seam roller to roll it all down tight and get the radial seam to meet up tight to the other side.

After that adhesive set for a few hours, I lifted the magnets from the other side and did the same thing with the adhesive and the roller.

Don't lift the aluminum disk too sharply or you will kink it.

Good luck!

[Bleach]

I'm sure the photo is from a prototype. Some of the photos in the brochure appear to have features that either didn't make it to production or they are early production that later were changed.
They are certainly photos with some airbrushing done to them.

[petelempert]

Thanks for the advice. I had not thought of using the magnets. I have a set of welding magnets that will be perfect. Speaking of perfect...here's a nitpick question. Regarding the orientation of the Wildcat/Riviera decal on the top of the air cleaner: In some pictures I've see it is perpendicular to the snorkel...therefore sitting at about a 45 degree angle from the radiator when installed and sitting atop the carb. In others, it is oriented so that it reads parallel with the radiator. What's the correct angle? PRL

[RivNut]

From the pictures I've seen of "factory cars" it should be parallel to the radiator.

[petelempert]

Thanks Rivnut. Makes sense to me...seems it should read "front on" to anyone opening the hood. Also, that orientation positions the seam further away, under the hood and less visible...which is a plus. I'm excited to get this thing done. I just dropped off my air cleaner off to be blasted (gently) and powder coated in a color they call "Red Baron". "Red Baron" matches the color on the decal. I decided against wrinkle finish...holds dirt and my experiments had spotty results. My car looks pretty bad outside, but the underhood show is pretty good. This should really make it pop. Thx PRL

[RivNut]

When you're finished, we'd love to see some pictures.

THX,

Ed