1964 Buick Riviera. Built in Antwerp Belgium, Exported to Germany.

[Guest Marcisdave]

Okay....some of you may remember back in the wintertime when I posted about a 64 Riviera with a 200 kph speedometer ? Well, the snow has finally melted and I was able to get the hood up enough on the vehicle to find some very interesting things:

3 COWL TAGS on this car !!!

1 Vin tag

200 kph speedometer

The vin tag reads as follows: 7K1103668

The 1st cowl tag (located on driver side of cowl) reads as follows:

02C

64-4747 FB 17063

TRIM 628 DD

ACC. WXT - 2R - 4F - 50

The 2nd cowl tag (located on pass side cowl, upper position) reads as follows:

General Motors Continental Antwerp

BUICK Model - 4747-CF

Engine No. 7K1103668

RELEASE 1543 PAINT DD LUCITE

TRIM 628 GVW PVA

The 3rd cowl tag (located on pass side cowl, lower position, just below 2nd cowl tag) reads as follows:

FAHRGESTELL No. CA-7K1103668

ZUL. ACHSLAST VORN2 KG 1240

ZUL. ACHSLAST HINTEN KG 1250

ZUL. GESAMTGEWICHT KG 2490

The actual engine number of the engine that resides in the engine compartment is as follows:

6K4 032924

KT 295

The engine has an air cleaner that reads WILDCAT 465 on the center lid.

As some may recall my earlier posting, this car has been residing under an osage orange tree in NE Illinois for the past 25 years or so.

My questions are:

Am I correct in the assumption that this car was shipped to Antwerp Belgium in CKD (completely knocked down) form and assembled at the General Motors plant there ?

Was the car then exported to Germany from Belgium ?

Is the engine in the car presently......the original ? if so (or if not so).....is it a 401 or a 425 ? HP rating ? Torque rating ?

Besides the 200kph speedo.....any other European only items I should be seeing on this car ?

Has anybody ever seen or heard of another 63-65 Belgium built Riviera ?

Options as I can see are as follows: Remote driver side mirror, power driver's seat, trumpet horns, wood grain on door panels and some of the console (not sure if the wood grain is an option), tilt wheel. There may have been a few other options, but that is just the ones I noted.

Car is very complete......but very, very, very rusty.

The wheelcovers do not look original. They remind me of something Pep Boys would have sold in the 1980s.

TIA for reading and responding to this thread.

[Bleach]

Some photos would really be nice.

[Guest Marcisdave]

Only camera I have is a 35mm. Don't have a digital camera, not does the owner have a digital camera. That is why I, in the most detailed fashion I could muster, listed exactly what the cowl tags and vin tag contain.

The car is very, very rusty. It has sank into the ground up to it's axles. Rodents of all types and sizes, have made homes in the trunk, interior, and underhood. One would have to be insane to attempt a restoration on this vehicle.

The color is silver exterior....with what I think is a silver interior.

Plans are to start taking whatever good parts that are left off the vehicle, and buy a digital camera, and start listing them on Ebay. That may take a few weeks.....or a month or two to start that process.

There is also a mid 70s Chevy 2dr Blazer ? next to it. That is the one with the removeable fiberglass roof and unique doors and tailgate. Plans are to list the good parts from it on ebay also.

[RivNut]

I dont' know about the "knock down" idea, but the KT tells me that the engine is a 1964 401. T's for all years are 401's, W's are 425's.

You can tell for sure by looking once again at the same place where you found the KT but now look on the driver's side of the same surface. The Engine Serial number should match the car's VIN - 7K1103668

I can send a reference picture of where the Engine Serial Number is located if you need it.

My Chassis book says that export engines should be coded KV - it would have been a 4 bbl 401 w/ 8.75:1 compression ratio rather than the 10.25:1 that the "state side" 401's and 425's had.

Ed

[Guest Marcisdave]

Ed - The driver's side of the front of the engine (I found the KT 295 numbers over on the pass side) has numbers and letters. They are: 6K4 032924

I did a little bit of research concerning the Antwerp GM plant. Both Chevrolets and Buicks were shipped from the US, in crates, in parts (CKD) and were then assembled in Antwerp using both Chevrolet and Buick USA parts, and some locally sourced (Belgium) parts. Examples of this practice I found were from the 50s and 60s, including some 67 and 68 Camaros, and some 57 Corvettes. Also found a 57ish Roadmaster. I do not know if Pontiac, Olds, and Caddy were doing the same.

[RivNut]

Ed - The driver's side of the front of the engine (I found the KT 295 numbers over on the pass side) has numbers and letters. They are: 6K4 032924.

Based on that KT and that Engine Code Number (VIN) I'm going to say that this engine came out of a U.S. 1964 Wildcat.

6 = Wildcat

K = 1964

4 = Kansas City, KS (right across the river from where I live.)

The other six numbers are the sequential build number for all Buicks.

Here's my reference

http://www.teambuick.com/reference/years/64/64_vin.php

Ed

[JanZverina]

Ed's the man when it comes to decoding. Not to hijack this thread, but how's your Riv restoration going? Whatever happened with the panel below the rear backlight? Maybe I missed it...

[RivNut]

Ed's the man when it comes to decoding. Not to hijack this thread, but how's your Riv restoration going? Whatever happened with the panel below the rear backlight? Maybe I missed it...

Nope, just know where the data is stored. Something to do with my teaching background - I just do a ton of research before ever picking up wrench.

Ah, the rear panel. Here's a couple of pictures of where we are at this time. I just took them this morning. I took it down to bare metal and got the primer on it. Now I can see where I need to do some more body work as well as filling in where we took apart the panels at the spot welds and welded the new panels in. I'm hoping that by the time we're through, there won't be but a tablespoon or less of filler in the hole car.

Thanks for asking.

Makes me wonder what this car looked like after the first repaint. You can see the color on the trunk hinge. It was painted GM Le mans Blue - a mid 60's Corvette color. BUT the AZ sun just destroyed it.

Here's what I had delivered to me from AZ.

Now back to the original thread.

There's a ton of information at www.teambuick.com It's kind of hard to navigate but if you spend some time with it, you'll figure out how to get around and you'll find a bunch of information. That's just one of many sites that are worth exploring.

Ed

Edited April 11, 2014 by RivNut (see edit history)

[Bleach]

While it may seem insane to restore this car, maybe it may be rare and valuable enough to pursue such a venture? How many cars do you suppose were shipped to Antwerp and how many are still surviving?

[Guest Marcisdave]

Took advantage of Ed's link to teamBuick and stooged around over there. Yep....bit of a navigation nightmare, but some good info to be had.

Seems there was some 64 Buick's that were shipped CKD (parts in crates).

Special Model 4160 768 units

Special Model 4330 288 units

Electra 225 , Model 4810 120 units

No mention of any Riviera's being shipping CKD.

As of now, my thinking is that I am 90% sure that the car was built in Flint, exported to Belgium, then exported to Germany. Probably sold to an American or NATO serviceman / officer, then shipped back home to the states after said person's tour of duty was over.

Did considerable research last night on the CKD's that were assembled at Antwerp. Most of the Buick's and Chevy's that were assembled there were "plain jane" coupe's and sedans........the type that would be easiest to assemble from parts in crates. The Riviera does not fit into that category, as it seems that would be a difficult car to assemble, paint, and get the fit and finish correct. It is also my understanding that the "local sourced" parts for Belgium built GM models consisted mostly of glass and interior pieces......seat covers, door panels, ect.... I will be checking the glass on this 64 Riv to see if there is foreign company markings on it.

As for restoring it, with the fact that the engine is non-correct, and the horrible amounts of rust and the fact it has been sitting outside in the elements for 25 years, just not feasible in my opinion. Will try and borrow a digital camera and get some pics for you in the next week or so.

Also wanted to mention that I was reading some of the threads on this site last night. I did not know that 1st gen Rivs had removeable exterior door panels ! So all servicing of window glass, channels, lock mechanisms, ect... is done thru the outside door panel.....WOW ! Good info to know.

[Guest Marcisdave]

One of the members here took some pics of this car. He then sent them to me via email. They are attachments to the email. My question......How do I go about posting those pics onto this thread ? I'm a tad computer unsavvy when it comes to the pics.

[1965rivgs]

[1965rivgs]

One of the members here took some pics of this car. He then sent them to me via email. They are attachments to the email. My question......How do I go about posting those pics onto this thread ? I'm a tad computer unsavvy when it comes to the pics.

Hi Glen,

I took the liberty to choose and post some of the pics. If there are any others let me know and I will also post those.

Tom

[Guest Marcisdave]

Thank you Tom. If you have any pics of the interior (seats, console, ect..), please post those if you get a chance.

As for "export content", we have the 200 kph speedo, Code 50 seatbelt delete on the Flint cowl tag (car has no seat belts), and the high beam headlights are "HELLA" Made In Germany (altho I do not know if those were add on items by any of the previous owners)

The upper cowl tag on the pass side is the General Motors Continental Antwerp tag, the one directly below that is the export tag to Germany.

The cars options include custom interior, p.w., tilt steering, power drivers seat, power antenna (original radio is missing), trumpet horns.

I will be removing the driver's seat and power motor setup underneath said driver's seat in the next few days. My question is......how to properly remove as much of the wiring and p. driver seat controls from the door without cutting the wiring up ?

And any tricks to removal of the entire tilt steering column ?

TIA. Glenn

[1965rivgs]

Hi Glen,

I didnt get any pics of the interior. I forwarded all the pics I took to you.

In regard to any short cuts to remove the power seat wiring there really aren`t any. It might be easier to remove the door skin first to help snake the wiring out of the door. Remove the rubber boots at the door jamb which will make it easier to get the wiring thru. Just basic R and R. Good luck,

Tom

[Guest hans m]

Hey Marcisdave,

Two months ago I bought a same looking like yours 64' riviera built in Antwerpen.

The car is full off rust but I'm going to save him.

engine number: KTV 342 7K1105206

(the number behind KTV would be the horsepower, a 425 ci. 342 hp)

vin tag number: 7K1105206

1st cowl tag: 02C Flint Michigan

style 64-4747 FB 17264 body

trim 608 DD paint

ACC WXT-2R-4F-50

2nd cowl tag: General Motors Continental Antwerp

Buick model 7K1105216

chassis CA 7K1105216

release 1475 paint DD lucite

trim 608 GVW PVA

So your riv is pretty much similar as mine except mine has a 425 engine and a black interior.

A few questions.

Are you selling parts?

I need a front window, trunk hood and hinges, radiator with tubes, rear bumper

What is your address?

I am from Antwerpen Belgium.

[sean1997]

See Ed's post #4 above:

KTV 342

KT would be a 401 for US market (325 HP)

KV would be an export low compression 401 (315 HP)

342 is a build/date code and not the HP and it seems like the engine might be a 401 and not a 425 (there was no export 425, maybe that's why it is a 401)

Can you post a picture of the engine production code?

[1965rivgs]

This is a very interesting thread (!!) and includes the original engine which Glens car does not. This is indeed a low compression 401 which Buick used for export purposes.

This bebunks the commonly presented "fact" that ALL `64 Rivieras were built with 425`s. This is simply not the case when accounting for the export models and is born out by the `64 Buick Daily Car reports. 579 `64 Rivieras were built for export and 275 were built with the low compression 401.

Tom Mooney

[Guest hans m]

Hey Sean,

The only way to be really sure is to measure the borediameter.

So thats what I did... 106,4mm (4,188").

THis is a 401 ci.

I've got dome pistons so I hope its no low compression.

[Guest peterdm]

Hello,

 

Like a few other i have a 1965 Riviera made in Antwerp.

I am searching to get some information wich engine was installed.

never seen this before. 

Has anyone seen this before?

 

 

Edited March 25, 2017 by peterdm (see edit history)

[PWB]

WOW.  More images of the car, please?

[rapom]

Looks like a 4cyl diesel.  Looks very factory appearing even if it is a swap.

 

[Guest peterdm]

It is a 4 cyl diesel, and i think this is the original engine.

never knew they made a riviera diesel.

 

I can'g find any info on the engine code that is on the tag.

maybe i have the only Riviera diesel ever made ?

 

More photos:

 

[RivNut]

The tag shows the engine number as 5H900348 which matches the VIN.  That number would be the engine serial number for  nailhead and seen as it shows in the picture.   the production code number would tell you the cubic inch displacement, compression ratio, and carburetion.  The engine in the picture is a 1966 engine hence the 6H, a 1965 engine would be a 5H.

Edited March 25, 2017 by RivNut (see edit history)

[Guest peterdm]

I'm sorry but i don't understand the above, the engine should be a nailhead?

how can i see that on the tag?

 

This car has 30000 km's on the the counter, it's been standing still since 1984.

this engine was already in it then, the 2nd owner bought the car like this.

 

Is it possible that they installed a diesel engine in it at the GM plant in Antwerp, if you know that 80% ot the cars that drive here are diesels?

The original documents where lost by the 1st owner so we can't check it what the engine was.

 

[Chasander]

Somewhere on that motor should be identification w/ serial No. from there you can trace history. It is hard to imagine Buick going thru the expense of engineering and testing a one off set up. (anything is possible)  

[Guest peterdm]

I found some more info on the engine, it's a chromidium engine made by RMC mid 1960's.

found a few cars who have an engine like this, no Riviera's, but plymouth and Checker.

 

Now i am trying to find out if GM Antwerp ever used these engines, it's still strange that someone would take the engine out of a new car and put a diesel in it.

It looks really good like it came out of the factory like this, everthing works like it should.

 

 

 

[Green T]

What's happening for this Riviera ?  I need speedometer with kilometers.

[Bleach]

I forgot about this thread and haven't seen the posts about the diesel Riviera. That must have been a real slug with that 4 banger. No wonder it only has 30K kms on it.