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'64 or '65 Riviera - WTB


Bdad

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Looking to buy an excellent condition '64 or '65 Riv that wife and I can do some touring in. Want to enjoy the car so don't need perfect but in very good or better condition. Would like a well appointed/accessorized car. Appreciate any suggestions of sellers/cars that are really selling and not testing the waters or fishing.

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Be sure to get some driving time on the car you choose. The elbow room between the seat and door is a little tight. I found the second generation to be more comfortable for seating space.

 

The foam in the seats is half a century old and may not be very good support on long drives. My Wife really can't ride any distance in my '64 any more, and the car is quite low to enter and exit. That is one of the reasons (excuses) I haven't felt a greater sense of urgency to get my last redo completed on the car. The '60 Electra is taller with a more upright seat. She can do a two hour drive just fine in that.

 

I will always keep the car for my personal use, but I know it won't be a sharing thing. If possible both of you should spend an hour riding in the car you like.

Bernie

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19 minutes ago, 60FlatTop said:

Be sure to get some driving time on the car you choose. The elbow room between the seat and door is a little tight. I found the second generation to be more comfortable for seating space.

 

The foam in the seats is half a century old and may not be very good support on long drives. My Wife really can't ride any distance in my '64 any more, and the car is quite low to enter and exit. That is one of the reasons (excuses) I haven't felt a greater sense of urgency to get my last redo completed on the car. The '60 Electra is taller with a more upright seat. She can do a two hour drive just fine in that.

 

I will always keep the car for my personal use, but I know it won't be a sharing thing. If possible both of you should spend an hour riding in the car you like.

Bernie

Great advise, Bernie!

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I don't agree with that totally.  I have done 4hr+ trips in my 64 Riv and got out with zero pain. Super comfortable crusing car.  Mine has the standard interior, which does have the short armrest and gives more leg room, if you are tall/have long legs this helps.  Really depends on how big you are, as to how comfortable it is.  The passenger seat has no limitations, wife should be fine for extended trips.  That's my experience, at least.  

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I've driven my '64 Riv. over 300K since new. MANY of those miles were on LONG trips ALL over the country. Then again I'm not 275lbs. plus nor over 6ft. tall. I've ALWAYS felt comfortable & relaxed while driving & still enjoy the drive EVERY time I go for a ride. Brings me back to my teen yrs. UNFORTUNATELY can't bring back the teen vitality, but with age your supposed to get smarter so they say.

 

 

Tom T.

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've always found my '65 to be comfortable for long trips.  We've driven it from Vancouver, BC to California at least 3 times with many trips to Seattle and Portland, Oregon.  My car has the deluxe interior.  I'm 6 foot tall, about 180 lbs.

 

Of course, one seating position/seat will be comfortable for some, but not others.  I. like many, suffer from low-back pain and the Riv's seat suits me fine without inducing added discomfort, even after several hours of driving.  Curiously, I find the passenger seat less comfortable to sit in for long periods.  Perhaps this is because it's rake is fixed, unlike the driver's seat which has a 4-way power adjuster.   Also, the passenger seat doesn't go back as far on its tracks as does the driver's side, which is kind of strange as there certainly appears to be enough room for it to slide back further.  Anyone else notice this?

 

I had some difficulty adjusting to the higher seating position when I replaced the seat foam when I recovered the seat.  The new foam made me sit rather higher than before, and it took me some time to adjust to that.  In time the foam compressed and I got used to it.

 

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On 7/6/2018 at 3:02 PM, 65VerdeGS said:

I've always found my '65 to be comfortable for long trips.  We've driven it from Vancouver, BC to California at least 3 times with many trips to Seattle and Portland, Oregon.  My car has the deluxe interior.  I'm 6 foot tall, about 180 lbs.

 

Of course, one seating position/seat will be comfortable for some, but not others.  I. like many, suffer from low-back pain and the Riv's seat suits me fine without inducing added discomfort, even after several hours of driving.  Curiously, I find the passenger seat less comfortable to sit in for long periods.  Perhaps this is because it's rake is fixed, unlike the driver's seat which has a 4-way power adjuster.   Also, the passenger seat doesn't go back as far on its tracks as does the driver's side, which is kind of strange as there certainly appears to be enough room for it to slide back further.  Anyone else notice this?

 

I had some difficulty adjusting to the higher seating position when I replaced the seat foam when I recovered the seat.  The new foam made me sit rather higher than before, and it took me some time to adjust to that.  In time the foam compressed and I got used to it.

 

Not to jump topic, but where did you get foam for custom seat interiors?

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On 7/6/2018 at 4:02 PM, 65VerdeGS said:

I've always found my '65 to be comfortable for long trips.  We've driven it from Vancouver, BC to California at least 3 times with many trips to Seattle and Portland, Oregon.  My car has the deluxe interior.  I'm 6 foot tall, about 180 lbs.

 

Of course, one seating position/seat will be comfortable for some, but not others.  I. like many, suffer from low-back pain and the Riv's seat suits me fine without inducing added discomfort, even after several hours of driving.  Curiously, I find the passenger seat less comfortable to sit in for long periods.  Perhaps this is because it's rake is fixed, unlike the driver's seat which has a 4-way power adjuster.   Also, the passenger seat doesn't go back as far on its tracks as does the driver's side, which is kind of strange as there certainly appears to be enough room for it to slide back further.  Anyone else notice this?

 

I had some difficulty adjusting to the higher seating position when I replaced the seat foam when I recovered the seat.  The new foam made me sit rather higher than before, and it took me some time to adjust to that.  In time the foam compressed and I got used to it.

 

I think the power seat makes a lot of difference as far as the comfort goes.  I agree that the passenger seat is not as comfortable.

I once saw a 64 with a passenger seat that had been converted to power at a car show.  It had the deluxe interior and the conversion included the switch in the door panel just like the drivers side.  It was so well done it looked like it came from the factory.

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On 7/8/2018 at 2:44 PM, jframe said:

Not to jump topic, but where did you get foam for custom seat interiors?

 

Ah, I figured some sharp cookie would ask this question!

 

The upholstery shop that redid my front seats copied the old foam. I got the deluxe front seat covers from Clark's Corvair.  I only redid the front seats because the back seat was and still is mint.  The passenger seat was fine, but I wanted them both to look the same so I recovered both seats.  That was about 12 years ago.  They didn't make the seat foam then, and I'm guessing nobody is making it now?

 

I'm not sure exactly how the trimmer copied the seat foam.  But, the seats came out looking like new and were contoured like the originals would have been when new.  The only difference I noticed was that they were 'plumper' making me sit higher than before.  This felt strange.  I sat lower before because the foam in the origiinal seats had compressed, making me sit what felt like 6 inches lower.  The new foam eventually compressed over time and I got used to the higher seating position.  I'd guess my seating position (where my butt is in relation to the floorboard) is now something like 2 inches higher than before.  

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