RIVNIK

Right-O! Krylon Clear Satin Finish

I forgot to add I would also follow Seafoams advice about cleaning everything thoroughly prior to masking & painting.

Removing the grille may be easy for some....on my Riv it is a huge PITA. Second time around I opted to leave it on & glad I did. Repainting the grille while still on the car is not what you would call easy. It requires some painstaking masking in an uncomfortable position, but if you throw down a blanket & a six pack & get into zen-like zone, you can do it. Step1: cover everything but the grille. I use an old sheet to cover the engine bay & fenders, & you can stuff excess sheet behind the grille to prevent overspray. (I leave that area open. On my silver car I find the proper silver color gives a washed out look w not enough contrast. My engine bay is all satin black & that is also the color I prefer on my grille, so overspray is not a prob. I also use satin black finish black on my rally wheels, clams,& rocker trim) Step2: Masking. Some recommend applying petroleum jelly to the chrome parts of the grille, paint, then wipe off the jelly to reveal the chrome. I have tried this & do not recommend it. It ended up a greasy mess. I have also experimented w pin-striping tape of a similar width with less than satisfactory results. The easiest technique Ive found is to use 3/4" to 1" blue tape.Tape the top horizontal rib 1st, taking care to follow the chrome line, then press the tape firmly to the outer surface of the rib. Next take a razor blade & using the rib itself as a straightedge slice off the strip you just attached. If done carefully this will a leave relatively straight edge for the next rib, and so on. Using this method, one length of tape will cover 3 or 4 ribs. Then mask the surrounding frame of the grille. Next comes the most painstaking part, which is masking the vertical ribs. (Now if you want a cool resto-mod look you can paint over these, leaving only the chrome horizontals. For years my verticals were blackened & the nerf bars under the bumper were removed, giving the Riv a very modern look. Later, when I decided to go back to normal, I just scraped the paint off.) I found the best way is to mass-produce short strips of tape of the exact length & then apply. You can even do half at a time & reuse the pieces. Step3: Paint. As for me, Krylon Satin Black is the go-to paint for a million purposes. There might be something better but I find you get an almost perfect finish every time w the Krylon. I prefer to use short, close, well aimed bursts, being careful to cover all 3 visible surfaces. If you over-apply the Krylon is very forgiving. I then follow up w a coat of Krylon clear for extra protection. For me the job took around 2 hrs. Results.....near perfection. Good luck

Greetings Tony. On eBay you will find a set of stencils for painting the center sections( Goog 15" Buick Rally Wheel Stencils) however if you're good with masking tape & a razor blade you can do it yourself. It's painstaking work but do-able. The center sections came from the factory Argent Silver(someone correct me if that's not the correct name). This is the same color used between the ribs on the clamshells & rocker trim, & on the inner sections of the grille. As my Rivs body is also Silver, I prefer Krylon Black satin finish. This give more contrast & eliminates the washed out look I got from the Silver. I topped it off w a coat of satin clear for added protection. Google Buick Rally Wheel Images for pics of silver vs black & of the stencils. While you have the wheels off the car give some attention to the brake drums. They are often rusty which shows through the slots. I have painted my drums silver for contrast but if you choose silver for the wheels then black might look better. Also these wheels tend to hold moisture in a depression around the outer rim which causes surface rust to form, so make sure you dry them off after use. I wax mine occasionally which seems to slow the rust a bit. Usually a bit of steel wool will eliminate any that does form. Hope this is useful info, & good luck!

One of the worst regrets of my life, selling my gorgeous '73, but keeping it would have required buying a house w a bigger garage. Anyhoo I have a '73 rear bumper in very nice driver condition sittin out in my shed for 12 yrs now that should have a proper home. I can be had for a song (delivery could be pricey). Contact me if interested. Drew

My '73 gave off a lot of heat but I never felt the fenders getting unusually warm. Hard to tell about the engine w no temp gauge, but you could be running hot from a faulty thermostat or fan clutch, or a clogged radiator. Just not hot enough to trip the idiot light or blow. However, when you do get the problem sorted out I have a very nice '73 rear bumper for sale....cheap! Rivnik

Hackeration I would agree! But removing doorskins unnecessarily , especially ones that have never been off the car, is not a fun job, can be fraught with difficulties (like impossible to remove Tnuts & possible paint damage, or anything else that can go wrong),& should be avoided if possible. My widows were all sluggish, the driver's would almost come to a stop in one place. I even bought 2 replacement motors(which at the time were cheaper than the time & labor spent rebuilding one, (& no springs fly out, hit the ground,& disappear forever)). After fretting over the upcoming job I decided to try the WD "hack". Since then they have worked better than new.The passenger window practically flies up & down. And I guarantee there will be no rust forming in the doors and quarters. And after a short while not a hint of WD smell. BTW, I now have 2 motors for sale (at cost, w an added surcharge for Konga). As they say, sometimes the best things in life are free, or in this case the price of a couple cans of WD40. So there! )

That is the best deal Ive seen on cathedral moldings(still, ouch!). You can't hold them of course, but the one pictured is quite nice, & CARS is a reputable supplier. It will probably cost more to have yours rechromed, & I know Ive seen used ones priced even higher.

While on the subject there's another critique I have about the Grant wheel....the edges of the spokes are not finished off properly, creating a sharp edge which makes one finger steering uncomfortable. I remedied this w my Dremmel Tool, carefully grinding the edges nearest the rim to a fine radius. Huge improvement in minutes!

looks like word got out that Grant stopped making the Riviera horn button.....there's a new Grant wheel w Riv button on eBay but asking twice as much as one w the tri-shield. Maybe you can contact seller & talk some sense into them. Listing is for" '63-'75 Buick Riviera steering wheel, horn button"

Greetings Art! Grant makes a nice wood wheel which looks great in the Riv. It is a Corvette style wheel, w three spokes that are very close in appearance to the ones found on the optional Riv wood wheel.. If you're not a stickler for authenticity this wheel is actually an improvement over the highly coveted & very expensive GS wheel. The weak points of that one are the poorly designed horn bar which eventually breaks, & the steel trim ring around the outer rim, which has a tendency to come off. The Grant wheel has a center horn button, which comes complete w a very authentic Riv logo. It is also made of real wood, unlike the factory wheel. You will find one of these and other Grant wheels suitable for your Riv on eBay for around $170., which beats the $600-$1200 some want for a decent GS wheel. My only critiques of the Grant wheel are that the rich dark red mahogany color is not a great match for the Riv's walnut interior trim, and the wood is covered in a thick layer of polyurethane which is a little too shiny for my taste. I actually had mine lacquered black by a local paint shop. To the untrained eye is has the appearance of a stock item. Good luck!! Drew

On the subject of things you know & don't know I refer you to Donald Rumsfeld.

greetings Psycho! FYI the '65 air cleaner is completely different from the earlier models. You are correct that the snorkel is on the other side of the hose, but the '65 air cleaner housing itself is smaller in diameter, slightly taller, & has a red aluminum sticker on top with the words "445 Wildcat".(the 445 refers to the torque the engine produces). If you Google '65 Riviera engine images you will find many pics on the subject. A proper air cleaner should be easy to find, although a problem may arise if the LeSabre carb & Riv air cleaner aren't comparable, but chances are that it will be a perfect fit. I always recommend Gene Guarnere of AB&G for used '65 parts. You will find his ad in the Review magazine. New stickers for the top & side can be acquired from a number of Riv parts distributors, like Clarks Corvair, OPG, Classic Buicks, but make sure you get the genuine aluminum sticker for the top( I believe one of the distributors offers one that is a vinyl decal) Good luck & let us know how it goes! Drew

Hey Rich! You've got to get hooked up with the RiveriaOwnersAssn. The club's magazine, The Review, is a valuable(& invaluable), source of information. You will find ads for parts from distributors & club members, tech advice from oldschool experts, notices for Riv related events, & great articles & pics sent in by members. You will also find an index of tech articles & what issue they were in & can even obtain past issues. I don't know what parts you need, but before you spend too much on repros you might consider used parts from one of the members. Check out the ROA website. You'll get plenty of info just as a visitor, & once you join you'll be able to access a wealth of Riviera data through the site. Good luck, & I look forward to seeing your '63 at one of the central Fla events in the future. There aren't many of us but we do get together from time to time, usually in Ocala where the local organizer lives, Bob Wannal. & next time you're in O'ville look me up! Drew Smith

Huge improvement! Next rub down that shiny new alternator with your dirty rags! It needs a bit of "antiquing" to match it's surroundings!

You Sir are one lucky dude! Sittin on two of my all time favorite vehicles! Let me know when you're ready to unload that 2002. You are going to need the extra space to work on the Riv. I'm in Orlando & can be there in minutes. By the way, you need to join the ROA if you haven't already. You will find the club magazine, the Review, invaluable in your restoration. & get yourself a factory shop manual & body manual. They can usually be found on eBay in good condition. Rivnik. ps: from the look of your garage you are already mechanically inclined, so I probably don't need to tell you this, but be careful trying to start that Riv after sitting for so long. You should get rid of the old fluids especially the gas, lube the cylinders, etc.

That is a brilliant bit of info! I am by nature socially inept, so I look forward to using it next time the wife & I are dining proper. Im sure she will be impressed, especially when I loudly demonstrate my newfound knowledge to the entire banquet hall. Cant wait! & by the way, Eb, I do suffer from a touch of dyslexia. Glad Its not that noticeable. Rivnik

Congrats Turbi! Ive had mine off & on several times over the years & had the same experience. Just gotta keep wiggling the thing till it decides to let go. Thank God it wasn't glued on.

thanks Tel! I should have known that since I have an old pair that are quite pitted! My bad Turb! No biggy though, they should still hold up to a bit of prying. And check out Demons recent related post of said piece slathered with sealant. could be the problem

Hey Turbinator. That piece should be easy to remove. It does kind of wrap around the back side a bit & almost snaps into place. It could be a little sticky from age, or someone could have put adhesive of some kind on it, although I'm not sure why. Make sure the screws are out & pry lightly behind the near edge & it should pop right off. You shouldn't damage it if you're careful as it is pretty heavy gauge stainless steel. Drew

Greetings Mark, You need to join the Riviera Owners Assn if you haven't already. In the ad section of the club magazine,"The Review" you will find ads for used parts from many vendors. For many years I've had great success with Gene Guarnere from AB&G. I have acquired numerous parts from Gene for my '65 and have been more than pleased with every transaction. My guess is that Gene has the parts your looking for. I don't think he would mind me posting his E-mail since it is in his Review ad. ABANDG@AOL.COM. Good luck, Drew

It was cracked so badly I tossed it in the trash about 15 yrs ago without regard to the part I now need. I replaced it with a Grant wheel which looks like a three spoked version of the Riv wood wheel. The Grant wheel is fatter and smaller in diameter than the original wheel, which I thought improved drivability. It also had it's own type of center-hub horn actuator, so I didn't think to save the old parts. Not long ago I got a little nostalgic for the old feel so after a long search I located an original, meticulously restored, and only after installing it did I realize something was missing.

Standard wheel. I did find an entire hornbar assembly on eBay which includes the contact cartridge. Unfortunately I will have to purchase the whole shebang to acquire the thing. I am hoping someone has one in their proverbial box-o-parts.

This is a stock wheel, by the way.

Greetings! Recently acquired an original steering wheel & hornbar for my '65. What I didn't get was what the shop manual calls the "contact cartridge assembly". This is attached to the wheel & creates the connection to the contact plate on the shaft when the hornbar is actuated. Can anyone provide me with one of these parts? Greatly appreciated, Rivnik