1962 Electra 225 Riviera Sedan

Hello,and greetings from Finland!

First I have to apologize for possible spelling errors;I`m from Finland after all. I have owned fully optioned Electra 225 for about 20 years now.Buick is originally from California I guess,has AAA southern califorrnia sticker on its back bumber. I bought the car in early nineties (Had to sell my 63 Bel Air to afford it,sad).

California sun had burned original paint,but previous finish owner had the interior done.Was nice.

There was mechanical problems;Hi speed was 40km/h eventhough engine seemed to work fine.

So I presumed that problem was in the Dynaflow,so I had it fixed. Costed shitload of finnish marks. (Currency before Euro)

Like half of the price of the buying cost!

Ok,so I had overhauled DF,and Itoght that I was ready to cruise...little did I know...

Got the tranny in place...nailhead purred...still 40km/h! Wth?!

Car had old exhaust,maybe from 1962,and it wasnt that good.Rusty,but intact.I wasnt too happy about the fact that >I wasnt going to drive on highway speed,but I going to deal with that later so I bought new complete exhaust for the car.

After installation I took Electra for a spin;drove like a dream!

So the problem had to be with exhaust. Opened big muffler near rear axle and... All the inside stuff (dont know the right word)of the muffler was loose (didnt make a sound)and blocking most of the exhaust from getting out. Unbelieveable since the old exhaust was free from dings /hits/external damage.

After that car was painted on original Marlin blue/Arctic white scene and museum approved here.I overhauled the engine back in 2009,mainly because getting parts for that is so easy nowadays.Back in nineties it would have costed like 3000€!

When I bought the car odometer reading was 12k miles,and now its 35k or so.

Everything works except AC and original Sonomatic.

Interior isnt that good anymore,and she could use a repaint,but what a pleasure to drive!

Nowadays I`m going to start re-restoration,unless my 58 Bel Air (full project) goes first...:cool:

Dont`n know how to add pics,but I might be able to send some to someone who can and is willing.

Thanks for reading.

Tommi Laamanen from Finland,Europe

Hi tommy. Welcome to this forum. It was fun reading your story. I would be glad to help you post a few pictures. If you want to send me some At jdefiore@nycap.rr.com i would be glad to help out.

Hello Tommi and Welcome!

Hope you will enjoy the Forums and there are lots of us who are willing to help should you ask.

I look forward to pictures of your car and more stories!

Here in Canada I have a friend that has a LeSabre he has owned since High School and since he works in a body shop did his own car many years ago.

Just sent few pics to John with only minor problems. I´m not that sharp with computers...

That`s one nice LeSabre!My friends have some old "yank-tanks" too;

1958 Special 2dHT

1962 Cadillac town sedan,custom

1962 Sedan deVille,custom

1966 Pontiac LeMans

1960 Chevy Sedan delivery,mild custom

1960 Chevy Impala flatroof,348+PG,#`s match

1959 Chevy Impala coupe

1958 Bel Air 4d

1962 Electra convertible

1962 Impala 4d

Those cars a still owned by my friends,just to mention few.For some reason no Fomoco or MoPar products.

Of course there lots of ex`s that has been sold or traded away.Some guys have also given up their hobby with old cars.

Kids and house payments can do that...

Tommi

Tommy's pics:

Thank you very much John.

Tommi

My pleasure to assist. Good looking car. Does your daughter still like it? And is the Chevy a 2 dr car?

Alisa,now eight years old,loves cruising.No cruising here for about 5 months now,damn winter.

I promised to give Alisa that Bel Air when she gets her drivers licence.So I have like ten years to restore it.

There`s just one problem;She wants Chevy to get painted green,and the tag says silverblue... Not even two-tone,just silver blue.

Nice thing is that it looks like `Marlin blue`on my Buick.

Chevy is 2dHT,and in need of complete restoration.Still has its original (Haven`t checked the numbers yet) drivetrain;283,2BBL+PG.

Car does also have Chevrolet cool pack,aftermarket/dealer installed AC.

I`ve owned it for a year now.Got it more or less by accident;was looking for another Buick.More specific 59-60 flatroof project.

One Ebay deal fell through,and I heard about this 58 BA that was already in Finland.

Haven`t done much to it,no room in carage right now..

Did an inventory though,and it`s missing some parts.Nothing major or too hard to find.

( http://forums.aaca.org/f155/wanted-1958-chevrolet-parts-363803.html )

It will need trunk floor and couple small patches,but overall she`s really solid.

One correction;white roof in my Electra is not Arctic white but Ivory white...