RIVNIK

Thanks Guys. Looking forward to hearing from you Gene. BTW, exactly what does a register ring look like. Is it a solid flat ring or is it drilled for lug nuts to pass through? Pardon my ignorance but I don't remember ever actually seeing one.

Greetings! Here we go again with the most hashed over yet unresolved topic ever. I have a set of Rally wheels... they came with my '65 when I bought it 25 yrs. ago, but were removed when one was found to be bent & "unbalanceable". At that point I realized they were the wrong years, so I switched to stock road wheels & caps, & the Rallys were sent to the shed. Three are marked 895 JJ, & are from a '71-'85(according to recently posted chart)....the other is an 802 from '66-'67. They all have hash marks from contact w brake drum fins on the inner sides, even though they APPEAR to make solid contact w the drum faces when mounted. I recently talked to a shop who says they can straighten the unbalanced wheel, so my question is this........ can I obtain register rings to bring the wheels away from the drums and make these suitable for my '65? Thanks again to all you guys for your valuable knowledge, RIVNIK

Hey Gene! If you've got a set of '65 Rally Wheels in good shape & with the correct nos. & register rings intact, please let me know. Can't make it to the National but might be able to save you room for more stuff. You've got my Email or I'll look for an answer here on the forum. Thanks, Drew Smith (Rivnik)

Greetings! You appear to be missing the metal "housing" which attaches to the underside of the upper trim plate. It not only serves as a guide for the shifter on the right, but also as receptacle for the bulb which illuminates the PRNDL on the left. It attaches to the trim plate with 4 chrome screws which go down through the 4 holes and into two unusual spring clips on the underside. The other component is a flexible black plastic strip with a hole which slides down over the shifter and acts as a dust shield....however, in your pic that dust strip appears to be on the seat under the trim plate. The bottom part, which you appear to need, should be fairly easy to find. It may find you...I'll wager a few of the people who frequent this forum have several of those things somewhere out in their shed and may respond. If not, you'll find someone who does in the Review Magazine want ads. I've gotten lots of good stuff for my 65' from Gene at AB&G (abandg@aol.com) Good luck, Drew

Greetings jframe, Switches are readily available but notoriously unreliable..... I went through three from two different sources before the fourth finally worked. Two had faulty internal circuits and another wouldn't allow the pushrod to snap into place. I firmly believe that when faulty switches are returned to the stores they are sometimes put back on the shelf. The preferred method of replacing the switch is to remove the dash pad, which provides easy access to the switch. But that can be difficult and dangerous depending on the condition of the dash, as they can be fragile and firmly stuck in place if they haven't been recently removed. I found it easier to replace the switch through the fuse block access panel. However it takes a rather slender hand and arm to reach it. Move the fuse panel as far out of your way as possible, pull the a/c hose off the vent, and you can reach the switch. Then follow Ed's second paragraph. When installing the new switch make certain you have the ground ring properly situated with the tab in the slot. I use a small hemostat to pinch the tab and hold it in position while I position the switch. Also small dabs of electrical grease on each of the contact blades will make the connector easier to push on in the tight space, and easier to remove when you have to replace it again. BTW..... get a shop manual if you don't have one. It outlines the procedure completely. Good luck, Drew

Krylon "Fusion", great stuff! Hey ED thanks for the photo tutorial. When I get some time this PM I will give it another shot

I think my silver '65 looks great with the optional wire wheel covers. They really bring out the elegance of the car's design, although I guess you could say for a GS they're not exactly sporty. Drew

Greetings, 64Rivvy I recently replaced my '65's center console, which was cracked and missing its upper mounting tabs. For what it's worth, I tried several brands & finishes on it's replacement, experimenting on the old console, before settling on Krylon black semigloss. I applied 5 coats with a 000 steelwooling between each. A few minutes after the last coat I was not happy with the uneven finish and set the project aside out of frustration. When I finally looked at it again several days later, I was surprised to find it had "aged" to a perfect, even finish. just a minute ago I went out to check it to make sure I wasn't delusional, and I can honestly say it looks like a factory finish.... and I absolutely cannot scratch it with my fingernail. I will probably forgo the clear coat I had planned for it. Krylon cans also feature a nifty fan-pattern nozzle which can be rotated from vertical to horizontal. I is a major improvement over the usual cone-pattern spray head. Anyhoo best of luck on your project. Post some pics if you can figure out how to (andthenletmeknow) Rivnik

Thanks for the suggestions , men! After a few days (just in case I get some more good tips) I will track down the SEM. I believe it is only available online. Seems like the way to go. I've always had good luck with Krylons finish but like the Texas Sleeper says it is not very durable unless clear coated and that usually changes the finish. thanks again! Drew

Greetings! Hope you all had a great Christmas & holiday. Problem: I got my new console from cornpanzer not long ago. After stripping it of corroded accessories it turned out to be in near-perfect condition, complete with all it's tabs. I prepped it and now need advice on paint. How can I obtain as close to original (black) finish? I was hoping to get sufficient results from an over the counter shaker can, for a couple of reasons....the rest of the interior is in very good "driver" condition, so a show car finish is not necessary. Secondly, I am a bit of a skinflint and would like to avoid the expense of taking it to a paint shop. If anyone has experience in this area I would appreciate your advice. thanks, Drew

bingo!

Greetings, forum! After replying to Cornpanzers Riv's post several days ago about a '65 console he wanted to sell, and then attempting to contact him personally, I've yet to receive a reply. I hope to get his attention by reopening the subject. However if anyone has a 65' console w/ unbroken tabs for a similar price I would be interested. Wasssup Cornpanzer! I took the bait...Now reel me in! Thanks, Drew (Rivnik)

Thanks Buddy, my whole life seems like one long senior moment lately. Worked like a charm, Rivnik

Greetings cornpanzer, I can't figure out how to contact you through the forum (I've only been doing this for several years) If the console is still available, please email me at traycedrew@aol.com Thanks, Drew

Greetings Larry, I can't offer you advice on fixing those door edge guards because I tried and only made mine worse. However if you don't succeed you can get vinyl ones at several auto parts stores that are made specifically for pickups.....they are cut to fit, and if cut and installed properly are indistinguishable from the originals. They have the added benefit of being made of soft material and won't damage whatever you open them on, and they also won't self-destruct in the performance of their duty like the stainless steel ones.

While I certainly understand the importance of originality, I've always thought the trunk materials used in many 60s era cars were a little shabby looking. In my opinion the original material in my '65 Riv was a poor match for the elegant black interior, so I opted for Clarks black loop pile carpet kit w/full tire cover, sprayed my cardboard satin black, and added the black Riv rubber mat. It gave the trunk a bit of swank that it lacked . Now the carpet matches the drapes much better than the original interior designer intended. Rivnik

Thank you Steve, Tom, & Ed, I had initially told the guy how the Riv experts recommended the conversion be configured & even provided a diagram. He later made the determination that a valve should be added based on his four drum, twin cylinder '65 Chevelle or ElCamino, can't recall, which he said had a very similar setup only with a P-valve. I caught him before he started, and he was actually more than happy to install the twin cylinder without the valve, albeit with a disclaimer (verbal) absolving himself of any liability should a failure occur. Don't worry, I won't sign anything! So I think I'm back on the right track. Thanks again. Drew

Thanks Ed, No disc brakes, just the dual master. Mechanic insists there will be no down side to having a P valve, so I guess we'll see how it works. If I survive I will report my findings asap.

Greetings.............Here's one for the experts. After contemplating my dual master cylinder conversion for months and collecting all the needed parts I decided to turn the job over to a local independent brake shop. I actually went to two shops and both refused to install the dual without a proportion valve, citing safety and liability reasons. These guys are both old school experienced brake men who have done conversions on other old cars, but neither had done a '65 Riv. They both said that contrary to the advice from Riv Club techs saying a P-valve was not needed, I would be unlikely to find a mechanic who would do the conversion without one. Question: Will a valve installed in the system be detrimental in any way? Is there something these guys don't know about the '65 Riv that makes a P-valve unwanted? Thanks for your advice....I await what I hope is a general consensus! Drew(Rivnik)

Steelman mentioned that these wheels are plentiful, but I haven't found that to be the case, at least for proper wheels for the '65. Even the companies that reproduce Rallye wheels seem to make them for every model except the '65 Riv. If anyone has a set in good condition (straight), please let me know. I will pay a fair price for them and will even partial trade the ones I have (see opening post.....only three are straight but all are in nice driver cond.) Thanks, Rivnik (Drew)

Those speaker enclosures on the doors are interesting..... anyone have any idea where those came from?

Anybody watch Car Crazy? Old man Maguiar is startin' to give me the willies. Someone should ask him to step off a bit.

303 brand Aerospace Protectant is said by many (you know, "them") to be the best conditioner and UV protectant available. I've used it for a couple of years and am pleased with the results, especially with the finish it leaves on my interior. Check out 303s products and testimonials on their site or on Amazon, where I find the best prices on this kind of item ( and you might find it on your doorstep the next day) Drew

I have messed around with my glove box door for twenty two years..... I repaired the broken plastic with JB but it still isn't perfect ....I just quit goin in there at some point. One of the annoying things I found with the whole design was the stiffness of the spring in the light switch. It takes too much pressure to compress that spring which puts stress on the repaired part. I removed the switch and everything works better (except the light of course) .The door closes nicely, and when I press the button the door still pops out enough to open it.... Drew

Thank you guys for all the info! Since the wheels have no tires on them I will fit them up to the hubs first chance I get and hopefully be able to detect any problems. I would think if the wheel comes in contact with the drum fins before it seats on the hub it will be easy to sense using an unshod wheel. Will let you know ........but those wire hubcaps are actually starting to look pretty good again......Rivnik