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My 1964 Electra Project


trafalger

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Take a look at spray paint designed for vinyl. I have not used it before and maybe someone can chime in who has. Paint such as this Item Detail "Formulated to match, restore or change color on most vinyl surfaces, flexible and rigid plastics, carpet and velour. COLOR COAT is fade resistant, flexible and is a permanent coating. COLOR COAT is not a dye."

The SEM paints are great products. Lots of color choices in rattle can; local auto paint suppliers can even mix custom colors to match your project.

Willie

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Has anyone ever used a Redi-Rad, now that i have the radio working again I wanted to see about getting this going.

RediRad Classic Car AM and FM radio adapter- MP3/Satellite Radio to AM or FM band

Looks fairly simple so I don't forsee too many issues with it, but was just curious.

Also how can I tell if my car is a negative or positive ground? I looked in the manual but couldn't find anything

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Quick question, I noticed a water leak in the passenger side so I think my heater core is shot. I'm not really worried with that as I'm a guy that will have the air on in the winter. That being said I also noticed that my water control valve under the hood is pretty much frozen solid in place. And the control cable for it is well rusted and broken.

My question is, in the meantime I have just bypassed the valve all together with no water running to the heater core. Is that going to f' anything up?

Won't hurt a thing. Millions of people have driven their various cars millions of miles that way.

Negative ground, BTW.

Edited by Brad Conley (see edit history)
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Today's fixes, fixed the wiring so when you open either of the rear doors the courtesy lights come on. Fixed the cigarette lighter on the front dash so you didn't just have a loose wire hanging down near your legs (always exciting)

I can't find nothing in the book about the courtesy lights in the front of the car. If you were getting into the car at night how in the heck are you supposed to see? I have the back ones working fine now on door open, but what do the front people do?

You can turn on the courtesy light above the glove box manually by a switch but that's not very convient.

Edited by trafalger (see edit history)
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I can't find nothing in the book about the courtesy lights in the front of the car. If you were getting into the car at night how in the heck are you supposed to see? I have the back ones working fine now on door open, but what do the front people do?

You can turn on the courtesy light above the glove box manually by a switch but that's not very convient.

The switches will go bad. Each light system has a + 12V source running directly to it. The door jamb switches complete the circuit by grounding those systems. Pull the switch, remove the wires from it, and ground each wire to the door jamb to see if the lights will come on. If they come on, the switch is bad. They can be rebuilt. I don't know how many wires go to the door jamb switch on your Electra, but there are three on the Riviera. Each wire operates a different light system. Each independent system in your car will have a dedicated wire going to each door jamb switch. Sounds like something you can handle. :)

If you do a search on the Riviera Owners Site, there have been multiple discussions on door jamb switches and references as to where to get the switches fixed.

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The switches will go bad. Each light system has a + 12V source running directly to it. The door jamb switches complete the circuit by grounding those systems. Pull the switch, remove the wires from it, and ground each wire to the door jamb to see if the lights will come on. If they come on, the switch is bad. They can be rebuilt. I don't know how many wires go to the door jamb switch on your Electra, but there are three on the Riviera. Each wire operates a different light system. Each independent system in your car will have a dedicated wire going to each door jamb switch. Sounds like something you can handle. :)

If you do a search on the Riviera Owners Site, there have been multiple discussions on door jamb switches and references as to where to get the switches fixed.

Great thanks, as long as I know what it's SUPPOSED to do I usually can work backwards. The issue here is that I wasn't sure what lights actually come on. By sheer luck the rear driver door would make the lights come on, and that's how I knew the back doors would work. I took the kick panel off on the passenger side and they had wires unhooked in there, I found the one that's supposed to be the lights and attached it back to the switch and now the rear passenger door will trigger the lights.

My door jamb switches are 2 wire. Do you happen to know which light it turns on for the front doors? At one time I thought it would turn on the "map light" above the glovebox, but after tracing all the wires back it looks like it never goes near the wires for that light. I'm guessing it turns on the backseat lights as well.

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One wire is for the dome light and the sail panel lights (if so equipped, Rivieras don't have dome light, just sail panel lights and foot lights on the sides and rear of the consoles so I'm kind of guessing here.) The other wire is for the courtesy light. You have two wires going to the jamb switch so there are two separate circuits. You've said before that you can turn on the courtesy light using the switch. Now twist the main light switch all the way to the left (which ever way makes your dash lights brighter then it will click) and see if the dom (sail panel lights) come on. Those will be your two circuits. One wire on the door jamb will work one circuit, the other wire will work the other circuit. Same on both front doors. The circuits are designed to work off grounding so you can turn them on individually. If the switch went to 12V, you'd turn on all the lights everytime you wanted only one to come one.

The door jamb switches (if they're like the Rivieras) will pop out of the door jamb. They're held in by little spring fingers around the circumference of the switch. If the fronts and the backs are the same switches, swap them so you have lights when you open the front doors. I'd try to look at ebay or somewhere to see if I can identify the switches, but everyone listing on ebay thinks what they have will work on every car ever built so I can't trust that. I'll googe it and see what I can find. In the meantime, if you could post a picture of your front and rear jamb switches, I'll be better able to tell you what your options are.

I don't think you need to pull the kick panels to access these switches. Maybe to find the wires though. Have you tried grounding those wires you found yet to see if the interior lights work?

Keep playing with it, you'll figure it out. If it is the switches and you want to get them repaired, let me know and I'll send you the guy's name in a PM.

Ed

Edited by RivNut (see edit history)
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Ok if you turn the light switch to the left the sail lights come on, but ONLY the sail lights. If you open either rear door the sail lights come on.

I searched for 30 minutes on both rear doors and could not find door jamb switches, so whatever is on the rear doors is not the same as the front doors.

Do you know if on an electra opening the doors trigger the map light or just the sail lights. If it's only the sail lights I think i can fix it. If its the map light as well then the PO has obviously rewired something because there are NO wires going anywhere near the map light other than the map light switch on the dash.

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Brian DePouli invited/reminded me that the Auto Fair in Charlotte is coming up next month and asked if I wanted to bring the car up with the other Carolina Club guys....now I have a dilemma! My car is a dump compared to those other guys....what to do! They will all make fun of me

:eek: oh the humanity! lol

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Success! I jumped the switch to the door itself and the map light came on!

I took a look at the switch, I took the switch apart and it just disintegrated in my hand..it was all rotted out. But at least now we know all the wiring is good! Now just need to find 2 x Door Jamb switches for a 64 Electra (2 wire)

Thanks for putting me on the right track Ed.

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Success! I jumped the switch to the door itself and the map light came on!

I took a look at the switch, I took the switch apart and it just disintegrated in my hand..it was all rotted out. But at least now we know all the wiring is good! Now just need to find 2 x Door Jamb switches for a 64 Electra (2 wire)

Thanks for putting me on the right track Ed.

If you could post a picture of your door jamb switch, I have a couple of ideas as to where you can get them, but I need to see which ones they are first.

Ed

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Thanks for the pictures. Here are some sources. 1) if you think that everything is there but just corroded, they can be repaired. For the cost of shipping, Paul Meltzer can let you know if they're rebuildable. If not, nothing lost but the shipping cost. "$15.00 each or two for $25.00 incl. first class postage." Paul Meltzer, pmeltz@verizon.net 781-769-7678. Tell him that Ed gave you his name from the ROA magazine.

Russ Martin has these:

http://www.centervilleautorepair.com/dome%20switches.jpg

They're advertised for a Riviera, but a Riviera needs three terminals, these have only two just what you need. Ask if they come with the rubber cover.

www.corvair.com page R-23. You should call to see how many terminals. You can't tell by the picture in the catalog (be forewarned - hard website to navigate.) These do come with the rubber cover. From this home page, find the link to Riviera Upholstery on the upper right of the link choices, click and go from there.

Have you located the rear seat switches yet? If so, swap them to the front if they're the same.

Ed

Edited by RivNut (see edit history)
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Brian DePouli invited/reminded me that the Auto Fair in Charlotte is coming up next month and asked if I wanted to bring the car up with the other Carolina Club guys....now I have a dilemma! My car is a dump compared to those other guys....what to do! They will all make fun of me

:eek: oh the humanity! lol

Everyone at one time or another had a work in progress. You are no different. Car people understand. Drive with pride in your Buick. Go to the show and have fun. Thats what it is all about.

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This weekends projects are to put together a better exhaust system. The one that's on it now is just something i tossed together quickly so that it could run. I'm having to learn as I go so I've been reading up on how to install exhaust pipes this week.

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Guys who bring project cars to Auto Fairs generate a lot of enthusiasm. Take some before and after pictures so folks can see how far you've come. You might also find guys who know who, what, where, and why about some things you still need to accomplish. They're more than willing to share. It will be an educational experience.

I have some of the a/c lever thumb knobs like the ones you have. Call me or send me a PM and we can work out something.

Ed

Edited by RivNut (see edit history)
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Everyone at one time or another had a work in progress. You are no different. Car people understand. Drive with pride in your Buick. Go to the show and have fun. Thats what it is all about.

This is 100% correct. The people are what make the show. Charlotte was so dang hot this year at the Nationals that I hardly saw any cars. BUT, I hung out with a ton of old friends and made some new ones.

Even if your car was fully restored, there would be snooty jokers who looked down on it because it isn't a Chevy. Or a Mustang. Go to the show!

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This is 100% correct. The people are what make the show. Charlotte was so dang hot this year at the Nationals that I hardly saw any cars. BUT, I hung out with a ton of old friends and made some new ones.

Even if your car was fully restored, there would be snooty jokers who looked down on it because it isn't a Chevy. Or a Mustang. Go to the show!

Oh yea we're def going :)

See you all there!

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Oh yeah! Diggin' the fuzzy dice, too. Rather than looking for wheel covers, have you considered some Formula Five Buick Rally wheels? They first came out in '64 on the Wildcat. Jamco also offers lowering springs in 2" and 3" drops.

I'm not especially fond of the this two tone paint, but this is more or less what I was invisioning.

5L75E85F43K13Mf3Iec8m676fa9ac87271787.jpg

Ed

Edited by RivNut (see edit history)
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Lowering springs set the car 2" or 3" closer to the ground. They're shorter but have the same compression as the longer springs. An old hotrodder's trick to make the car sit lower and look longer.

Look at the relationship of the top of your front wheels and the arch molding, then look at the same relationship in the picture I posted. On your car, there is a couple of inches between the top of the wheel and the molding; in the picture I posted, there's almost no difference.

Ed

Edited by RivNut (see edit history)
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Still hunting for door jam switches. I cleaned the ones I have as best as I could and now the passenger side half way works, but the drivers side was just a pile of rust and dust so it's totally shot.

Also still hunting for a power antenna mast....so hard to find this thing.

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So yesterday was the first semi-clear day we've had in a while, so i decided to tinker with the antenna some more to see if I could fix it.

The electric motor is now totally shot, when I got it out of the car and got the cap off it's just totally gunked up with crud and rust.

I found these kits locally Buy Metra Power Antenna CF-PW22 at Advance Auto Parts

it says its a universal antenna, but we all know how that goes. Has anyone ever used one of these kits on an old car? The store won't let you return it and it's 60 bucks so not something you can eat.

Ideally I'd like to find the motor and antenna off a 64 buick to replace mine, but i've looked everywhere and can't find one.

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Took ole girl out today for a ride around town, this has been the first day it's not poured rain all day. (altho it has since started raining)

Got some little portable speakers for my iPhone and hooked them up with the Satellite Radio running on the 60s channel. So fun riding around town with era appropriate music playing, it adds the whole mood to the fun.

Anyways, all in all we did another 30+ miles today with no issues what so ever. So I think we should be fine to drive to Concord for the show at the end of the month. :)

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Yes sir, the music can transport the car back to the 60's! I installed a mechless player in my 54 that handles flash drives, SD and Ipod. I loaded up a flash drive with 200 plus songs from the 40's and 50's. Big band, swing, rockabilly, rock & roll and jazz. Lots of fun and good times listening to the tunes that would would have played when the car was rolling back in the 50's. And you know what, there is a lot of music from these era's that is just great to listen too.

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