RIVNIK

Hey Wanna, In my opinion you may suffer from a serious malady that affects many of us, GFPS (glutton for punishment syndrome) You could save yourself a ton of money & headache by focusing on finding a '65. There are plenty out there. Add the potential money you might save (by NOT doing this conversion) to your car budget & you should be able to afford a nice one. Unless you find a cream puff or a fully restored one, you are still going to have plenty to do. Just sayin' Drew

BTW Moran, Be careful installing those insulation pieces! You want handle them gingerly as they are usually very brittle. Just by holding them you can easily punch a finger right through the outer surface. And have a sharp pair of shears handy. If you hold them up to their proper position, you'll see there are some obvious tight spots that need trimming down before installation. When I find a more durable replacement material I will use my old ones as a template and make better ones. The three sets I have purchased over the years all felt as though they were made in '65. Anyone else?

Ive done it both ways. The first time I sat on a cushion w some tunes and a beer or six and went to work w the masking tape. It is not that hard, just very painstaking work. I cleaned everything w alcohol, precut strips w Xacto knife, & started masking. If you can channel it into some kind of Zen-like experience it can be somewhat less frustrating. The main problems are the awkward angle of the grille & the amount of masking involved, not only all the chrome surfaces but also the surrounding car ,including behind the grille. ( Or you can do it the easy way w the finger, like Telriv suggested, which is what I will do if there is a next time.) The second time I chose to remove the grille. Despite what anybody says, that turned out to be a real PITA, & I scratched the valance below it badly. Both ways ended up taking aprox. the same amount of time, so take your pick. As JZRiv said, the Krylon Dull Alum. is a perfect match to the original Argent. However, my '65 is the exact same color, so it gave a washed-out look that I did not like. The second time I used Krylon semigloss black ,not only on the grille but also between the clamshell ribs and in the rally wheel inserts. It may not be stock but definitely gives more definition, especially to the Silver Riv. I usually top everything off with a shot of Krylon semigloss clear for extra protection. Anyhoo, the main idea is to have fun, so good luck! Drew

Greetings RRB You will probably find trans filter & gasket at your local auto parts store. That trans was pretty common with many GM cars of that era. You might also check out Ebay, where you'll likely find a cork gasket, as opposed to the neoprene one the parts store will sell you. I recently replaced my leaking gasket with the neoprene one. While having some exhaust work done it was called to my attention that it was still leaking. I informed the mechanic that I had recently replaced the gasket, & the first thing he asked was, is it neoprene or cork. I purchased the cork gasket on Ebay, & that took care of the problem. If it's just the pan gasket that's leaking that is an easy fix. the seals are a different problem altogether. I would agree w Konga that if the leaks are minor, a drip pan & some extra fluid is the way to go. You've got to expect 50+ yr old car (or human ) to leak a little, & you're talking about some major moolah replacing those engine & trans seals. I have a 2'x3' pan & a bag of oil absorbing gravel. The pan is just the right size to catch my rear engine seal & trans pan leaks. Best $2500 I ever saved. Good luck! BTW it will help if you can take the old filter to the parts store w you.... I believe they came in different configurations & you'll be sure to get the right one. Drew

Good thinking Rocky! Im a step ahead of you . Just got back from dropping the Riv off at the local colleges' parking garage. Right in the center, all covered up, strapped down & ready for the worst. Doesn't look good for us here in Orlando, keep your fingers crossed for us! Drew

Greetings! For a treat go to GMinsidenews.com & look up the '65 Riviera GS cab-forward, mid-engine, front-drive concept car....

Greetings! BTW... the wheel is not made of wood. It is molded from a wood colored polymer. The ring rides in a groove around the rim. IMO... the ring is missing from the top wheel. I believe what we are seeing on the left is light reflecting off the empty groove.( the ring should reflect enough light to be quite visible, as in lower pic.) I would avoid the ringless wheel. It will have an annoying groove under your hands, and a replacement ring may be hard to find. If you are lucky enough to find a wheelless ring it may be stretched out and will be loose in the groove.(like two I have encountered) In fact, it looks to me like the lower wheel has a loose ring...it appears to bulge slightly at the bottom As always, Buyer Beware!

Rodney!! Steelerubber sells the "63 vent seals on Ebay. Not sure if they're the problem ones or not, but there is a customer help no.. Another vender sells a "63 vent window seal kit w the vent glass edge strip & the door window to vent post seal w the metal tips included.(did I say that right?) I haven't checked prices on these type of things in some time........they are very expensive! anyhoo, good luck! Drew

Contact Gene at AB&G. He has had an ad in the review for centuries. I usually call him first for whatever I need. Gene probably has several '65 parking light assemblies. Drew

Gangsta

I saw the Mustang Project kit for '65 Riv on Ebay for $186. w free deliv. The '65 comes w module & 4 bulbs. The later gen. kit has 6 bulbs which probably explains the diff in price. Looks good on the '66, except for the flicker.......on the '65 the effect is not that striking (IMO)

looks very cool......I'm just gonna stand over here while you hook up the juice

Hey Switzerland!! We'll gladly trade you an Eric Trump for your Eric Schmid. Think it over.......................No? Oh well, it was worth a try, right?

BTW: the aforementioned Firestone FR380 will not fit on the ledge as a spare. It takes up most of the trunk floor. Clarks Corvair makes a nice trunk carpet set for the Riv w a tire cover that fits like a glove.

Greetings! I run Firestone FR380s on my '65 and although they rub a little at full lock they are awesome, especially at speed. They are P225/75R15s, made especially for pickups but recommended by Firestone for older full size cars. They also have the perfect 3/4" whitewall. Love the Firestones! Drew

Looks like somebody tried to do it themselves and wasn't satisfied with the results. Veneer is coming unattached in at least one area & those stripes did not turn out well either. (Those have got to be difficult to reproduce. How to make those stripes is what has kept me from redoing my wood.) I guess they bailed before they got to the vent crank holes. However, all things considered, still a great price, eh?

I would think a small shot of 3M heat resistant adhesive spray adhesive right after a fresh cut might stop the ends from unraveling. You could also try spraying a small puddle into a container and dip the ends. Then pinch the threads together with a tweezer or similar tool. (I tried this on braided nylon rope when I couldn't find a Bic.worked like a charm) I would also consider a fine mist of adhesive on the entire length of braid to tame the fuzzies. Im absolutely confidant that this will work, because all my ideas are brilliant....haha.

Sorry to hear about their "backend problems". Sounds painful.

Ive tried both masking and "spray & wipe" techniques over the years and find masking to be the way to go. I usually clean up any mistakes with laquer thinner on a q-tip. Not only is masking off all those little ridges therapeutic, you get a greater sense of accomplishment having labored painstakingly for so long. The rocker panel trim will really test your powers of patience & endurance! BTW, I wonder if a topcoat of matte finish clear enamel would protect the paint not recommended for outdoor use? And as far as Ive experienced, Krylon is far superior to Rustoleum in every way. Just sayin'

Brilliant solution Rodney! Q. at optimum performance, how long should a vacuum canister hold enough nothing to operate the trunk release.? I want to install one, but I don't open the trunk that often, so will I have to start the engine to use the remote? Drew

Nice! Glad you posted the new photos w the true red. Way better than the orange look. BTW, there's very little clearance between the battery posts and the underside of the hood, so plan your battery cover carefully. I found this out the hard way....some time ago I was having my engine rebuilt after a long period of storage. I authorized the mechanic to install a new battery. Unfortunately he got the wrong one, which was about an inch taller than stock. Upon completion, he closed the hood. Thank God only one of the posts hit the underside, otherwise the Riv might have become a giant welding rig.......as it was it pushed up that corner of the hood, cracked and chipped the paint topside. jus sayin.

naw I'm just funnin wit cha

Wow you guys! My feelings are so hurt right now! I feel as though Ive been attached by a pack of wild animals! That is MY car you're laughing at! Ive poured blood, sweat, & tears into that car for years. She may not be you're cup of tea, but she's the love of my life. Creating my vision is the only thing that has kept me alive through years of debilitating sickness. In fact, I'm hoping that Natasha will now literally save my life. I'm being forced to sell her to pay for multiple organ transplants that will keep me alive for who knows how long. And now I have to suffer the embarrassment of being publicly humiliated by people I thought were my friends! Well, this may just be the last time you here from me!

Hey Scott! I had the same problem recently. Mine is a '65 but they are probably similar or identical. I assumed that Clark's had those in stock. They were pictured in the catalog for years. When I finally got around to ordering one I found out they had discontinued them some time ago. However I was able to refurbish mine to acceptable condition. Bear in mind , I'm not a professional restorer by any means. I was winging it most of the way....and my interior is not quite show quality, so the bar was low. But it came out looking better than ever. I removed the plate from the housing...it is pinched in over the lens plate at either end...then I carefully pried the white plastic "lenses" from the back. They were glued in 52 yrs ago but popped right out. The raised letters were encrusted with decades of polish, dirt, etc., and the plastic had degenerated and was soft & crumbly . I trimmed off the "dead" parts with an exacto & sandpaper, and ended up with mostly well defined ( but shorter) letters. With Maguiars plastic polish I was able to return the scratched plate to perfect condition (along with my instrument panel lenses, by the way). I then carefully glued the "lenses "back into the plate. Next I took off-white gloss acrylic paint and filled in the PRNDLs from the top with thin layers, wiping off the excess. The result was less than perfect at night, as the letters are not illuminated as brightly as I had hoped. I improved the situation by replacing the bulb with an 8 lens LED mega bulb( Ebay). Instrument illumination has always been one of the Riviera's weak spots, so it's no worse off. The upside is that the lens looks better than it ever did in the daylight, with shiny black plastic & bright, distinct letters. In fact, I almost feel like I should ugly it up a bit to match everything around it. You may be able to improve on my technique, who knows....the fact is that it is do-able.

Yes, he was not working for a while due to a serious medical problem, but apparently is back at it now. In addition to the console veneer kits that are already available, he will soon be reproducing the '65 deluxe door veneers, complete with pinstripes. This will be the only source for these parts as far as I know, so throw Mr Scanlan some business if you can. I'm savin' up for mine now!