RIVNIK

Lucky You! Now you need to join the BCA & the ROA, which will give you access to lots of info and smart Riv experts,( most of whom are regulars here)who are always ready & able to answer just about any Riv question. You need to acquire a Buick shop manual & a body manual, and check out the online parts cataloges at CarsInc., Clarks Corvair, Classic Buick, & OPGI (although don't buy anything from the latter until you check with the forum) I also check out Ebay almost daily for parts for my '65, & have gotten some great bargains. Before you spend too much though, someone here on the forum probably has the part you need. look forward to hearing more from you, Drew

Easy! unscrew that shift knob, get a phillips screwdriver, and start taking the center console apart till you come to it. I'ld have to go take mine apart to tell you exactly how, but it is easily accessible. Go for it!

greetings, Darren! Look on Ebay Motors, Classic Cars, Buick, Riviera.......occasionally you will find a perfect '64, usually being sold by a dealer or broker, with extensive high quality photos of all parts of the car from all angles. I use this method often as a reference for restoring my '65. You might be able to compare the engine bay photos to the faded diagrams in your shop manual and figure out what goes where and what it should look like. Good luck, Drew

Thanks , Tom, I understand the dual MC from a '67 is the proper part to use for the conversion, and that there two different types, but how do you know if you're getting the one with the correct pushrod hole? Obviously you have to remove your original to see what you have but what then? Will the parts guy at NAPA be able to determine which MC to order? And will he have the junction block that I need? Thanks, Drew

OOps! guess I should have read the past few entries before I asked essentially the exact same question as two days ago. My bad! Drew

greetings! I want to convert my 65 to a dual brake cylinder. Can someone who has performed this operation give me a rundown on what this entails? Thanks,Drew

Hey ris! you don't have to remove the bumper to remove the headlights and clamshells.......disconnect the linkage where it attaches to the control arm... it's easy to access up under the front of the fender. Then remove the screws holding the chrome trim around the clamshells and remove those. Hold or prop open the clamshells and remove the rings holding the headlamps in, unplug the wire connectors from the backs, and remove lamps. then you will be able to access the bolts holding the clamshell assemblies in place. Then you can wiggle them out of the fender easily. If you're replacing the same ones and you're lucky, they will probably bolt right back in and work fine. If installing another pair you want to make sure they operate freely and aren't binding or rubbing anywhere. Somewhere there exists some detailed instructions on how to install and align the clamshells and adjust the microswitches properly so as not to damage your clamshell motor, but if you haven't messed with the motor they shouldn't be needed. Hopefully someone reading will have a link to those instructions.. good luck, Drew

Hey Pearville! Some time ago I was complaining about the slow windows on my 65 and got a great bit of advice from one of the old-timers here..... he told me to roll up the windows and, using the little red tube, empty an entire can of WD40 into each door, finding holes wherever you can and directing spray inside in all directions. I did this( and split a can between the rear window wells) several years ago, and my windows have glided up & down like new ever since! While it is a little like carpet-bombing, it did the trick, saved me the hassle of removing door skins & interior panels, and I'll wager I don't have rust problems in those areas for awhile.( Of course, taking stuff apart & putting it back together again can be fun if you have the time.) The only downside was WD smell for a few days, but I use that for air freshener anyhow ! Later, Drew

I didn't think there was a need to check them either, because I've always thought they were all the same thing. But for the purpose of achieving brighter taillights it now seems pretty relevant, assuming that the differences in wattage actually produce noticeable differences in brightness. Well, the idgits at Autozone couldn't help me, but I know an old timer at NAPA I'll ask tomorrow. Thanks again for the advice, Drew

Thanks Tom, Maybe you can answer a few more questions......After doing a little shopping online & at the local auto parts stores, I now realize that 1157 bulbs are not all the same. They come in different wattage, but that is not always printed on the packaging or stamped on the bulb like you would expect. The shop manual lists the proper bulbs as 32/4 CP. That must stand for candle power, the 4 being the running light filament & the 32 the brake & turn signal filament, right? That would explain why the ones I took out, stamped 32/2 CP, were hopelessly dim. But almost all of the 1157 bulbs on Ebay and at the auto parts stores are marked with a W, presumably meaning wattage. And they come in a wild array of wattages,for instance Sylvania, (which seems to have the market cornered) offers 27.3/8.4W, 26.9/8.3W, 27/6.7W,and more. The halogens I bought, advertised as a cure for the Rivieras dim taillights, are marked 30/10W and seem too bright. And I haven't been able to find 1157 32/4 Cps like the manual designates. What to do? What to do?

Greetings! I recently replaced my taillight bezels. I think it was the first time I ever took out the taillight bulbs, and I found that all four bulbs were 1157 dual filament bulbs. I thought only the outer bulbs would be dual filament and the inners single. The shop manual does not have Riviera specific taillight info, but only says "Each rear lamp assembly contains a 32-4 CP bulb which is used as a combination tail, stop, and directional signal light", and doesn't specifically mention the inner bulbs. Does anybody know what bulbs should be where and if it is OK to replace them with 1157 halogen bulbs that are 30/10W? The bulb dealer assures they are a safe direct replacement. They are incredibly bright but don't seem to be hot and have not blown a fuse after short use. Thanks for any helpful info,as usual.......Drew

Frankly, Ed, I don't really know the answer to that one. I just hate to see you sit there so long waiting for someone to reply. That would drive me crazy! So I'm breaking the ice to wish you good luck. #4675

Thanks for all the advice. Prior to the strip in question falling off, It had always been a source of aggravation. With the window up it sat exactly one tad too far forward, bringing the metal strip in contact with the door glass instead of the rubber. I assumed this was due to maladjustment and put off dealing with it by lowering the window a tad, which would bring it more or less into alignment. After pulling the old rubberized felt strip out and finding a harder rubbery surface under it at the bottom of the channel, I tested it for fit. It hugs the glass tightly, and when fully on brings the rubber weatherstrip into perfect alignment with the door glass. The one trip I made to a local auto glass installer was a fiasco. It was a huge warehouse depot for a fleet of mobile windshield installers, and after talking to two guys who had no idea what to recommend, I gave up and went to Autozone for a tube of 3M weatherstrip adhesive. I guess time will tell if it's strong enough. Drew

The rear quarter glass vertical sash channel (which holds the weather-strip between the front & rear side glass) has become detached from the glass on my 65. Fortunately it did so while in the up position. Any ideas on the best product to reattach it ? I don't want to have to fish it up from inside. The body manual doesn't mention it. Thanks, Drew

Greetings Izo I bought an aluminized complete exhaust system for my 65 on Ebay from Classic Car Exhaust Systems for around $350 plus shipping.......there were some minor issues with fit as to be expected, but nothing my local muffler shop (Midas) couldn't overcome. I only replaced my perfectly good system because it was rusty and unsightly, especially that ugly transverse muffler,which is very visible. A year and a half later the aluminized system is still shiny as new. They also sell the system in stainless steel for around $950 but I seem to remember a club member complaining that the stainless resonated with a buzz or rattle at certain speeds. Let us know how things turn out. Drew 4675

Thanks for the advice. Apparently it was a faulty door switch. I have only the drivers side switch installed. I took the switch out (recently purchased from OPGI ), took it apart and cleaned and reassembled it and it worked fine.( Does it seem odd that it failed in the on mode? ) However my interior lights still do not respond to the rheostat so I guess I'll have to change the headlight switch if I want that feature. The shop manual says to go in through the" left access door to instrument panel", so I will try that first. Also my console and map light do not work when opening the door and do not respond to the courtesy light switch ever since my last exploratory foray into the console. So I guess it's back in there to poke around next chance I get. Electrical glitches give me the willies! Thanks again,Tom & Jim. Drew

I've had a headlight switch for my '65 on the shelf for some time, just trying to getting around to replacing it (because my interior lights wouldn't respond when rotating the switch). Now, starting today the interior lights stay on all the time. I presume the rheostat in the switch has finally failed, since the interior lights stay on even with the doorjamb switches disconnected. Can anybody give me helpful hints on replacing the headlight switch? Can it be done without removing the dash pad? Can I reach it going up through the fusebox access panel? Can I take the bulbs out and safely operate the car so the lenses and sockets don't overheat? I've looked up in there and it looks tight, I'm not sure I can get my Homer Simpson fingers up in there. It might be time to overcome my fear of removing my dash pad... if so ,any hints on that would also be appreciated. THanks Drew Rivnik

I had the same thing happen to me! only my problem was something entirely different......when I punched it my gas pedal wedged against the chrome trim plate thingy that was being pushed outward by the ridiculous bundle of vacuum lines that protrude from behind the console. I corralled them with wire ties but there is still not much clearance there...I just left the plate off. Drew

hey Rob! Space Coast Plating in Melborne is a couple hours north of you....they have a great reputation & are the place to go for chrome in cent. Fl......nice work, Drew

Birdman, track down the thread from a week or two ago where we were talking about fiberglass repro package shelfs. There were photos showing results. Drew

I was looking at an article in the Riview from a few years ago about the importance of installing a fusible link or links in the electrical system to prevent a major meltdown in the event of a short. I had never heard mention of this before, but it sounds like a real no-brainer. The article was a little sketchy on details though. Has anyone performed this operation on their 65 and can you offer details or point me to a source of instructions or more information specific to 1st gen. Rivs? thanks

Thanks for the suggestions! keen em coming! Drew

greetings! I want to install some sound in my 65. I would prefer to leave my original radio in the dash for appearance and bypass it entirely with a unit that is primarily an am/fm tuner (no cd changer) with an iPod connection. I've seen a couple of classic car stereos that are meant to give the look of the original radio but have an awful green digital readout when in use. The only one I've found that looks appealing is the Secretaudio w/ hand held LCD remote.Somewhere along the line I think I heard the sound was not good,but that unit seems to pop up everywhere I search. And then there is the problem of speakers and where to place them in a 1st gen.Riv, a dilemma nobody seems to have found a good solution for. This subject has probably been previously been addressed here before, but does anybody out there have any fresh ideas, or have you actually installed or heard one of these units? And can I replace my in-dash speaker w/o removing the dash pad? it looks like it is attached to the grill which I hope can be accessed by removing the radio or maybe through the courtesy-light switch panel. ( I don't have the car or my shop manual here to look at ) Can you guys help?? Drew

Welcome JM, You are at the start of a real adventure......I've owned my Riv for 20 yrs. and I still have to ask these guys what probably sound like stupid questions almost weekly. Definitely join the ROA... the Riview mag alone is worth the cost and I've gotten great advice from the tech. advisors listed therein over the years. I live in a large city and for the life of me haven't been able to find an old school mechanic who I can trust for work or advice! I hope someone here can answer your dashpot question .... my 65 has a dashpot, but where it is mounted puts it fully an inch awake from the tab on the linkage it should engage. Go figgur! Anyway,good luck & keep us informed of your progress. Drew#4675

It may not be original, but I think black carpet looks good with any color upholstery.....certainly better than the odd mismatched blue colors you often see on old cars.....just a personal opinion.....Of course, I guess thats easy for me to say, mine's black on black.Drew#4675