Eric's.64.Superwildcat

I finally picked up the Rust-Oleum 7777 satin black and I had a chance to use it on some small parts. I like it MUCH better than the Eastwood GM Chassis Black. I like the finish much better and it is half the price. I'm officially a convert. Thanks to all for the suggestions.

The ad says that floor and trunk pans need to be replaced. Given Alabama's very humid environment I wouldn't be surprised if my foot went through the floor. I also doubt that the engine runs for even turns over. I have no doubt it could be looking better in an hour or a day, but it probably won't be running without many thousands of dollars invested, and that's just 'running'. To make it roadworthy and safe would be an additional significant cost. At that point you're either all the way in for a full restoration, or it is a parts car. Don't misunderstand me - I would love to see the car saved and restored to its original glory. Its just that the middle-ground for this car (i.e. A weekend driver that can be improved incrementally as time and money allow) is not in the cards. If one can negotiate the price down - great. And then there's always the free explorer's hat in the back seat.

I've had issues with my electronic ignition on my '68 GS 400 (it was installed by a previous owner). It took me a while and $100 to sort it all out. The ignition system on my '64 Riv is points and condenser and I've not had a problem with it. I simply dialed in the dwell, adjusted the timing, and the engine pulls very hard. In my opinion the electronic ignition is great if you're racing or have a highly modified engine. I would recommend staying with points and spending the money elsewhere on the car.

Hi Guys, I'm in over my head with some of the hard core details of engine builds, but I wanted to share with you an interesting thread I saw on v8buick.com. Tom Telesco appears to be doing a run of forged pistons for nail heads. There are lots of specs in the original thread located here: http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?275648-Tom-Telesco-working-on-GOOD-pistons-for-the-Nailhead! I don't know enough to compare how these pistons (and rings) compare in quality to the ones currently available. Perhaps someone considering a rebuild will find it useful.

Hi Gabriel, I haven't forgotten to get the additional photos, but until today the car was covered with snow. We finally had a bit of a thaw today. These photos should be a little better than the first ones I posted.

Thanks to all. I've decided to stick with my current method. Jason's rationale regarding the original purpose of the phosphate finishing was convincing, and Ed's precautions for using muriatic acid were borderline scary. :-) I may experiment a bit by trying the Rust-oleum 7777 black only because I've heard so many people recommend it, and I may try a clear coat to tweak the gloss level and, possibly, the hardness of the outermost coat. As usual, thank you very much for the advice.

Hi guys, I have the '64 down for the season and I'm dismantling and cleaning various parts. As I remove various nuts, bolts, brackets and other small parts I've been cleaning them with my Dremel tool (or bench grinder) and refreshing them. Usually this means spraying it with black primer and then Eastwood's GM Chassis Black paint. However, I'm not sure I'm doing the right thing. I've recently looked into a metal blackening system (basically a phosphate etching system) from Eastwood located here: http://www.eastwood.com/metal-blackening-system-set.html. I'm looking for the expertise on this board. My question is as follows: Which is the best process to use to ensure the parts look great and have the best rust resistance once back in service? 1. Clean parts with dremel tool and replace them without further action 2. Clean parts with dremel tool and continue doing what I'm doing (rattle can primer and GM Chassis black) 3. Clean parts with dremel and use a phosphate etching system such as the one referenced above Thanks.

The phone number is 630 258 3405. The photos aren't the best because they came off my mobile phone. If you're interested I take another round of photos with a better camera.

I still see this car every day on my way to work. I'd love for it to get out of the weather and into a good home (my garage is full). One would think that the longer it sits the more negotiable the price would become.

The link appears to have been taken down by its author. Perhaps the seller wasn't serious. :-)

I could use some advice regarding body mounts. Today I broke a bolt on my front body mount while removing the inner fender well. Is the body mount in the photo below still usable or should I replace it? Also, what grade of bolt and nut should I purchase? I know these are simple questions but I'm not a car guy by trade, I just pretend to be one on the weekends. Photo below:

Before pulling the engine you might want to check the 'easy' things first such as a failed water pump. A sudden release of coolant on a hot manifold might account for the fogging. When I say 'easy' I simply mean in relation to removing the engine.

Thanks for posting. Yes, the link works. I looked at the fees and it appears to be $20 per person.

I just noticed this '66 at the end of my street so I walked up there and took some photos. Photo quality is not the greatest since it was done with my mobile phone. I couldn't get a photo of the front without falling through some bushes. It appears to be midnight blue and is probably a re-paint (just my judgment). If any board members are interested you can contact the seller using the information in photo #2. If you like I can ring the doorbell and crawl around on your behalf.

It won't be a 2014 because Buick's 2014 are out and the Riv is not one of them. It is my opinion that Buick has made stronger and more concrete announcements regarding a Grand National comeback. So I would think a Riv nameplate would be after we see a GN.

Thanks everyone for your replies. Here is an update: I went with the R45S and installed them this morning. I drove it listening carefully for any pinging or rattle and there was none. I'll probably pull them out in a month or so to have a look at them, especially #7 and #8, which had some deposits on the colder plugs. Thanks.

I finally got around to removing all my spark plugs today in order to see what they may tell me about my engine's operation. I could use some of the expertise on this board to help me determine what the plugs may be telling me. Let me share with you some background: * Engine is original, unopened, cared-for '64 425 dual quad factory setup with 133,700 miles. I've owned it for a year and half. * Engine runs well with no major leaks * The plugs appear to be incorrect. The manual calls for AC 44S. * I checked the gap and they were pretty close. I made minor corrections for the ones that were off. (I gapped them at 0.035). * No engine run-on when I turn off the key. Even after a long drive on a hot day. * These plugs were in the car when I purchased it. The previous owner's maintenance records indicate these plugs were put into service in 2006, which corresponds to 10,000 miles. Photos are below: The first two photos are labeled properly. Passenger side are here: I forgot to number the second set of photos (Driver side), but the plugs are in order (2, 4, 6, 8). Higher numbers are nearest the firewall. Here is a close up of plugs 6 and 8 Here are my observations: 1. There was a good amount of oil on the #1 plug, but not on the tip. I checked the value cover above the plug and it seemed free of oil leaks. 2. The #8 plug seemed to be the most beaten up. However, the #7 plug didn't seem to be similarly beaten up. I expected them to be about the same. (I expected them to show more wear because on the dual quad setup the first carb does all the work below 50% throttle, so I think the cylinders nearest the firewall may run richer due to their proximity to carb #1). 3. When I removed plug #3 I was surprised how little torque was required. I think it was a bit loose in the hole. 4. The other plugs seem fine If you can provide any insights as to the story the plugs are telling me about my engine it would be very much appreciated. You can see that my reading was not particularly insightful. Thank you.

Not mine. Seller is asking $6500 OBO. It has serious body rust and there are only three photos. Perhaps an Atlanta member could have a look at the interior, passenger side and underbody. 65' Riviera GS pictures ........

I got it when I purchased the car. I believe it is original since it matches the VIN on the vehicle. It also matches my actual installed equipment list and the location in which I purchased the car (St. Louis). I've posted this same photo in a different thread on this forum, although I don't remember the subject of the prior message thread. It is possible you printed the photo from my previous post? I seem to remember that you may have commented on it when I posted it.

Photo of original '64 window sticker. It has most, but not all, options for '64. If you double-click it should open in a separate window and be legible.

You may also wish to check the fan clutch to ensure it is engaging. In order to check the operation of the clutch I think it is done just by listening. The chassis manual states that "the clutch coil is calibrated so that at road load with an ambient temperature of 80 F the clutch is just at the point of shift between high and low fan speeds". Low fan speed is between 800 and 1200 RPM whereas high speed is approximately 2100 RPM. You should be able to hear the difference when it switches from low to high.

I was unable to attend the Lexington meet. Does the car have a new owner?

Does anyone know the car well enough to know whether it is a true Gran Sport? I thought I had seen threads on this forum where GS Rivs with the standard interior warranted a second look regarding the GS claim. I know that GS was just an option and could be purchased with standard interior, but it was my understanding that the deluxe interior was commonly paired with the GS option.

Above is a photo from my '64 in stock configuration. It is correct that the wider lip is toward the engine bay. Screwdriver is pointed at the center hole of the fastening clip. The photo is a little washed out. Let me know if you need a better snapshot.