bb1970

That is solid advise!

Wheel Vintiques makes a billet Buick rally 17"x8" with a 5x5" pattern for $704 each rim! They are series 104 in the catalog. They might be more now. That price was last winter. I can't imagine over $3000 (shipping included) for rims.

I've been goofing around with digging up the past of my '65 Riv. I've been through nearly every inch of the car during my ownership. Hears what I've found. Purchased in Denver from Dean Buick by Avery K. Collins. I found an obituary for that name near Wichita in '92. My car had (still has) a water decal parking pass on the front bumper from Mc Connel Air Force Base (in Wichita) dated 1979. A park pass from the Sedgwick Co. Zoo (Wichita) from 1989 was still affixed to the windshield. Sometime in the '90s the car made it's way to Nevada MO.. Mr. Brown who owned a saddle co. in Nevada owned it at this time. I have reciepts for over $7600 spent on the car from '98-'99. Engine overhaul, new radiator, tranny rebuild etc.. The saddle co. moved to Oak Grove MO. (Near K.C.MO.). Next I found an insurance card from the Blacks from '04 in Independence MO. (near K.C.MO.). I have a phone # for them but I haven't called. I bought it '09 from a small car lot in my hometown of Buckner MO. I'd love to do a title search to see how close I am. Carfax is useless for older cars. There is probably 10 owners of the car who didn't leave relics in the car.

Car looks GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!

An idea far a cheap center cap is a "cock hole cover". No joke here. Go to a plumbing supply house and ask for a 2" cock hole cover. It is a painted or stainless push in steel plug. The last time I bought some they were .75 ea.. They look like this. Beats spending $150 on caps for rusty wheels.

A DASH PAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

X2!!!!!!!!!!! You'll go broke putting that POS back on the road. Spend $3000 and get a better car to start with.

Hey Ed. I read there were over 21 million VW Beetles produced. Does that make them the most desirable car on the planet. Numbers don't lie right.

My thoughts exactly. Got to love the first gen. Rivs.

65

I can't tell you how many times I get asked "Hey isn't that the Road House car". I'm never an ass about it. But I have REALLY grown sick of hearing it.

Look at the comments from April this year on the same topic. Kind of funny how most of the replies encourage the body off restoration this spring. But now that winter has set in the tune has changed. I guess these guys feel a little more energetic in the spring time. http://forums.aaca.org/f177/frame-off-301751.html

Post some pics of what you are starting with. Take care not to be too gung ho. It's great to have enthusiasm about a project. But it's easy to get overwhelmed. I started with a decent car. Spent one winter on body and paint. Lowered it that spring. The following winter I rehabbed the interior. In two years I really improved my car (in my eyes). And never stopped driving it. Plus it wasn't a financial burden. I know all situations are different. It would be ashame to go in guns a blazin' and blow it all apart. Then find it is too much to handle and loose interest. Here is some photos of mine.

Here is a pic of mine lowered 3" on Jamco springs. With stock shocks. Infact I re-used the coil over shocks on the rear. So the rear is only 2" lower than stock.

I just looked at the color of a 64 OK. plate. Black digits with a white body (background). The sanding method would work great. Sometimes white numbers will take a little of the background color on. Especially with red over white. It looks little pink sometimes.

I have a 1965 tag on mine here in Missouri. Look on your DMV web site or ask at the license bureau about year of manufacture plates. As far as plate restoration. Do it as if it were a car. Good prep and quality paint make for a better result. Paint the color of the numbers/letters first. Then mask them off and paint the other color. If you really lay a thick coat on the numbers. You can put a light coat for the body of the plate. Then wet sand the top color off to expose the numbers and border. I find this to be easier than masking. Use a good stiff sanding block and 1500 or 2000 grit. Just take care not to break though the base color. This method works great with base clear

I bought 6 cans of R-12 at a garage sale for $50. It's out there. Look on Craigslist in your area. Simply punch in R-12 on the search line. You might find a great deal.

Never order seat covers from OPGI. I did. They were the wrong color. Very poor quality. And cost me $$ to send back (OPGI won't pick up the tab on returns). The only thing I like about that company is they have a nice catalog.

Here was mine when I got it.

Wow there is so much activity here it might bump something off of the first page in a week or so. Who cares if you dig up old bones. Just my 2 cents.

I did a search on Buick dealership photos. I found the best picture of a topless gal on the hood of a 1960 Buick. Thanks!!!!!!!!!!

What year?? Pics??

It's in a galaxie far far away.

Looks GREAT!!!!!!!!!

My '65 has vacuum issues. Heat always coming in. I chased lines. Replaced cracked hoses. Plugged in unplugged lines. It was better. Never resolved. For $12 you can put a manual shut off in a heater hose and block off flow to the heater core. Turn it off in the summer on in the winter.