Wayne R

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.

Bob and his team right now have alot of Riviera, skylark and Electra , good parts for sale, i have purchased many parts from them in the past, reliable team, mostly on there ebay site .#bm455.

Just thought i would follow this on from---NTX5467 ---says and is correct ATF Dex 111 is what you use, you may remember a few months back i showed here on a forum , that i had just fitted new rear window and pads to my existing convertible top,--all went well , but a big job. well i also replaced one leaking top cylinder, so i flushed and replaced what ever fluid was in my 64 Electra convertible, as i have only had this buick 4 years now, and did not know what fluid was in it any way. Here is a photo for bleeding top when re filling and changing fluid . keep this because it helped me alot when bleeding mine. Incidently Hydro E Lectric i found very good , and fare prices.

Idle speed and especially mixture adjustment, iv have noticed over the years are way out, alot. When i lived in Sacramento i was adjusting Buick club friends carbs quite abit,. After you have car running as best you can, checking the idle mixture needles is critical and your car should be at normal operating temperature.---turn each slotted mixture screw clockwise one at a time until it just slightly drops in revs a fraction-- then go back turn anti clockwise slowly until it does the same drops a fraction .---now here is where its critical-instead of turning back to aprox the middle halfway of the lean and rich,---after it just drops in revs a fraction in the anticlockwise direction, turn very slowly to clockwise direction,---until it runs as smooth as possible--that usually is only about 1/8th to 1/4 inch of a turn.--this gives the carb the maximum fuel required .and allows for high and low speed operation at its best in all temperatures. i used to find alot other friends Buicks were adjusted a little lean ,some even adjusted them so the screw slots were even. Its easy to do, be patience . then just check your idle speed last. I have owned four nail heads all 401ci, and when tunned correctly they run as smooth as silk---Thank you. hope this helps a few.

Mike,, this may help, way back in 1992 i wrote a letter to Larry Gustin General Motors Buick. Here is a copy of a letter i received from him,- in his hand writing, it is now in the Sloane Musuem. so i know that Buick never did supply colour numbers,---unless they did in later years. This info was for a 53 skylark i restored---but he suppled trim colours and vinly top colours.

For about 30 years now, i have been cleaning my white walls with a product most of us know called , prepsol or wax and grease remover, for those that dont know, this is the product used just before you paint your car. Its available from any paint suppler,---but to use this properly on your tires, use 100%--- white--- cotton rags, when doing this ,rub really hard and keep turning the rag over to a clean area on rag while go around your white wall. I purchase my rags from kmart, as they sell 2 grades of towels here thick ones and thinner ones, and the thinner ones are excellent as i cut them up for rags, and they only cost $3.00 or $4.00. each. Here is a photo of a small strip i just did on my Buick at the bottom of tire, about 15 minutes ago---rest of tire did about 6 months ago.

The previous owner may have put up with this and drove it like that for years, This may help you as well, take a look a t these photos, also a can of carb cleaner can do wonders working on carbs. especially the inside of the choke housing where the piston adjustment is.

My take on this subject for 1953-4, is as Pete, Chris, and NTX5467 says, when i purchased my 53 skylark, 1989, Sacramento , it also had a continental kit fitted, and i purchased it from the second owner, and it was just like the rest of the car surface rust, bad condition just like the rest of the car, now the second owner purchased it from original first owner Sacramento and he was told that it came from the showroom with the kit fitted ,. But after my 2years restoring this car i believe like other 3 members in this forum , probably contracted out before delivery. Sorry i dont have a close up of my kit , because i did not have digital in those days, but it was a terrific continental kit, notice it had a big chrome handle and swings out when entering trunk. photos from 1992 Buick Bugle.

Items that will help you a lot---like in your photos a few old bed sheets ,also 1x2inch pine lumber, about 2 and 4 ft long. these are very handy when placing in position,-----pre fit and arrange all bolts and fittings before you start, then remove and have them ready when required,---fenders first of coarse, but dont tighten bolts completely ,until you fit hood ,then you will know as far as adjustments are required. Help with other persons is a big plus as well,----Looks wonderful----good luck.

Thankyou Tom.

These look l the same as from, approx 1980 to 1985 Riviera,\ im only going on memory when i lived in Sacramento, a friend with a mid eightys Riviera had these on his riviera,---perhaps im wrong.

Hello fellow Buick friends, some one in US will probably get better use than myself, for this nice Tshirt,---For sale.---. size XXL, but seems more like XL when wearing it. 100% cotton by Hanes Has on left arm,--Len Immke Buick Buicks are fine in 99 on main rear emblem with a With a Red 53 Skylark, july 21--25. Price Drop was $40.00, now $25.00 plus shipping is $10.00 shipping to US, reasonable offers accepted. First to say they will ,TAKE IT gets it. payment by paypal, thank you Wayne.

Fabulous find---be patient--.

How true that is Ed, i remember those days, in New Zealand when those minis would win every thing they entered.

Ed, When i read that about tire pressures, i am a member of a local classic car club here near where i live, about 120 members, and about trice a year i organize a thing we call here a Gymkhana its a short small run of a few miles ,or can be in a about one acre paddock, and the car members in there cars go around and partake in about 10 items, some examples are , drive up to a stick of wood vertical in ground and get as close to it as possible without hitting the stick, if you touch stick no points, same in reverse, and so on. on with other tests. But one i do is, as driver comes to a judge, you ask the driver the actual tire pressure in his right rear tire, and out of about 40 to 50 entrants last time i put this on only about 3 got the tire pressure correct, and remember pressure can differ alot if its hot and depends on temperature on that day, 10 points per test ,maximum for whole Gymkhana 100 points.