Wayne R

Couple of photos to Electra convertible..

Ed , these are the best horns from GM if you want loud, about 3 years ago, my wife always complained her corolla horns were hopeless, so i fitted a set of these on her car--fantastic---, i have had a couple of these sets for years when i lived in CA,. Sante Fe train horns. They were fitted to Cadillac, Buick, Oldsmobile, approx 1988--to 1995, my sets are from a Buick, and what i can not understand with the set you show is they are 2 prong, --well all the ones i own and seen have been only 1 prong, and ,the grounding is when it it is mounted , , Dont require an extra relay just fit straight on to factory relay, and they are fantastic, i have removed my 4 note factory include trumpet from my 64 Electra , and have these 4 note ,horns on the electra as well now. If you ever mount these to a modern car ,they require 2 relays , i can show how and help ,if required. ignore the brackets i cut most of them.

Hello , i would think with those 710 tires on , its about right, perhaps a fraction high, with 710 tires thats about the same as 205 in modern size.---probably about 27 inches diameter. Go to this forum below about a week ago i listed a chart on tires , it may not have your size on there, but its very helpful-----especially the diameter of tires,--- its heading ---wwtire options by Mr AG. And as Tenugent says rear end the same.

This reminds me , i tell you something that happened here in Australia about 8 years a go, i went to a local coffee shop with my 69 Skylark convertible all stock from US 350 V8, anyway just as i arrived a couple in a 1973 holden sedan were just leaving, and they had locked the keys in there car, so i said i will get in for you dont worry, just as i went back to my Buick for a wire to get in to there car, i thought ill try my Skylark keys,----yes i could not believe it they worked, and the couple with the holden got such a shock. Good old GM and there keys.

John--- transmission lock--interesting.

Yes , and i can carry 8 ft 4x4 fence posts in the trunk legally. At my age now , and owning eleven Buicks, this will probably be my last.

Thanks Ed---you got me thinking , i learnt something today, if any body is interested. go to google put in , --how to acid dye seat belts--, Chuck Davis shows how on a 1963 ford belts, really interesting.

Hi Ed, yes you are correct especially with the older dye packs available, but the modern version is alot better,and the 2 most critical things to do when dyeing is more salt used and, requires direct hot boiling water to the item being dyed.---regards.

Bill, i understand your feelings, i would not send those back, they might do something else crazy, dyeing is very easy ,these days to do your self, i just resently dyed some clothing and i purchased the dye on line, worked really great, years a go i did the same from dye purchased from chemist , but this latest on line dye terrific--if you do this ,on the instructions use a little more salt than what they say .

Turbinator thats unbelievable-- i just sold a speed master pro, will send you a PM

Great FRITZ-TIP, wonderful car, the day you first drive your fabulous classic, you will never forget, i drove mine all painted but on a box , before interior was finished. I could write a book on restoring 53 Skylarks, i will give you a couple of examples, back in early nineties, in California , In 1993 a 53 skylark was best in class at Silverado concours, that year i took a Jaguar E type ,will tell you what the owner had done to his car. 1953 skylark was delivered from factory with orlon vinly synthetic top, a first for gm tops, His had a hartz canvas top , trunk material was not correct color and not fitted correctly, had a Cadillac washer bottle fitted ,all 76x had a personalized horn button, first owners name, his did not have that, the front inner fender bolts down each side under hood were all painted should have been zinc finish ,the underhood insulation was wrong color and not fitted correctly. The kelsey hayes wire wheels on skylark , the inside hub areas are the hardest to restore, his were all bad and not chromed correct. i could go on--on. That day the Buick that received second place was a very well known and should have received ist place. The reason i am telling you this is the judge on the day was a supposedly experienced and i know he had judged at pebble beach judge, and when i wrote to the Silverado advisory council telling them of this problem,, they agreed and apologized in writing i still have that letter. When restoring all different makes and models, we all dont know 100% of that particular make and model exact specs. So we have to find or get advice from people or persons that know and have restored at least one to a the highest standard.

Hello FRITZ-TIP, Like you i was in exactly in the same situation back in 1991, when i restored my 53-76X, living in New Zealand, worse trying to obtain parts etc, so i ordered my leather from US, i did not worry about door linings, panels, as i had decided to do mine all in the same blue--and white leather, infact came from Bill Hirsch and he imported in those days from England connelly it was stamped on rear with there stamp. Reason when i purchase my skylark it had been sitting out doors for 12 years in Sacramento, hot dry sunny environment and there was no panel material left, just rotten leather,. When completed i shipped car back to US then and i stayed there for 10 years, and i won many first place and first in class shows with that car, and i never was questioned about the interior panels. I will give you a couple of names to contact in US that restored 53 to best in US a few years back and get there thoughts on inside panels. hope they dont mind or ,because of time may not be able to help. Finishing mine with all the same leather it looked fabulous , not like some makes models with mixed leather vinly, does not have the same appearance. Contact---Jeffery Brashares--BCA sloan museum, Buick Skylark Club--Gary Di Lillo--members.aol.com/buick5354 sorry re photos, as they are photos of photos-no digital those days---thank you.

Hello Robin, just a few things that help you. Way back in 1976-77, i was born and lived in New Zealand ,and restored a 39 Buick special. car had no running boards when i purchased it, plus alot of rust and work to make it a show winner which it did first in class 1988 International vintage car show in NZ. I made my own running boards out of solid wood , actually laminated 2 pieces together to give it extra strength, and shaped them from a friends 38 Buick. Then i purchased rubber matt material from a hardware shop,--if you go some time to home depo in your area, you will see what i mean, there is alot more variety with rubber matting today than what i had, you will find something very similar. Job includes--sealing the wood with a suitable seller, then contact cement glue to rubber to the sealed wood. plus fasteners hidden at inside edge, and under the chrome edging i found at a wreakers yard ,for memory a older 60s chrysler valiant. The owner i sold that car still has it and running boards are the same as when i sold it, and its not a difficult job to do. i understand that it is not authentic, but i could not find any available in NZ, and i never ever told any body that they were wood. Sorry i can not find a close up photo of running boards ,because no digital cameras those days.

Thank you Ed---and apologize RIVNIK--and IrIforfun-- for being in correct--yes my age is really catching on me.

Found a couple of photos, plus also for memory the ribbed rocker covers were a similiar colour, and i seem to remember when i was a subscriber of the review i think Eastwood paints sold a rally wheel grey.---hope this helps you. sorry i think in photo wheels are not clean.--also note original lug bolts.

The correct factory color is not black, im not sure what it was called, but it was dark shade of grey---like charcoal, and was in between satin and semi gloss, i know because i purchased m y 65 from the original owner, and he never did a thing to his riv ever.-----will try and get a photo soon.----was sold years ago.

I am like EmTee, while living in Sacramento for 10 years i did about 120.000 miles, using Pennzoil--10w-30 grade oil in a 65 Riviera, 67 Riviera, 69 Electra convertible, 69 skylark convertible, 73 boattail, 77 regal cpe, 88park avenue, 91 park avenue ultra, and a 53 Skylark after it was run in.

Just to get you started Matt allow about 40 inches, it wont be far away, sold my boat tail years ago regards.----others will give you true measurements.

Thanks Emtee---no on Electra the spare sits same as in the photo flat on bottom right side, and they are not designed for the spare to fit up on shelf as its a convertible and there is no room .because of well liner., and trunk lid springs, also it would obstruct the convertible top when lowered. I dont agree with you exactly about space saver wheels, they are made and designed with the same diameter as the the road tires on the car, and the 50mph is because of the tread width, safety and grip on road especially if they were driven at a higher speed. I managed a large GM dealership in New Zealand, sold and serviced Holden utilities---pickups ---they were powered 253 and 308 V8, and often farmers would fit different tires sizes on them---these had limited slip diffs--- and our serviced dept, had to rebuild quite a few of these diffs because of that, in fact we only had two mechanics that were experienced enough to do that job. That was back from 1972 to 1988.----regards.

When i took delivery of my 64 Electra convertible from US three years ago, the PO fitted 4 new 225x75x15 tires on the car before he shipped it, but i did not check the spare tire size until about a year ago, when i did it was a 215x75x15, i have never had to use it, but also i know that it is not advisable to use it--on the rear , as this could over heat and damage the differential, so i am in the process of getting another spare to match the others 4 on the car.

Hello intronaut---go to junk yards forum here, see B@Rs he is very good at finding parts for Rivieras--Bob---bm455---ebay.

Have a read of this,----go to google, put this in. Should you run a 160 degree thermostat,---Bad luck garage.

Alex, this wont answer your question, but about a month ago i was reading some old riview mags, and i seen a photo of a front coil spring, so just went back and found this photo of the front spring, but was front a 1966 GS that the owner from PA was doing a body off restoration. from Dec 2010 page 13, but the owner did not mention the numbers on the tag, or if on the metal of spring, just showed the original tag on front springs. and thankyou Ray for the terrific Riview magazine. interesting though and others here may chime in.

Here is my thoughts and what i did with my Riv with tires, when living in Sacramento i purchased 4 new tires from pep boys, named Futura-2000-Touring SE, white walls, can not remember the price , they did not have 225x75x15, but had 235x70x15, and i remember that they were about the same diameter, 28.05 same 102S,and here is what i liked they had a tread width of 7.50, and section width of 9.31, they let me test just 2 on the front, and they only just touched inner chassis a little, so i fitted the 4 all round. I drove that Riviera fast , and it would corner fantastic and with so much more safety, and it looked great with slightly wider tires. probably can not get that size now with white walls----not sure.----a few photos.--yes i did get a flatty one day.

Also incase this helps go to junk yards forum see my forum , i think he had one. also alot of other skylark parts.