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Seafoam65

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Posts posted by Seafoam65

    Side glass for '65 - Auto City Glass

    in Buick Riviera

    Posted

    I've used a lot of their glass over the years....The color of the tint matches and they will put the correct

    logos and date codes on your new glass. Their windshield glass is fantastic. The side glass has a problem

    in that the tint is mottled and streaky in certain types of light. The windshield tint is fine. The glass fits perfectly......the only problem is mottled tint on the side glass and rear glass. All the side glass you buy

    for classic cars is made by the same people I believe, because I've never seen repro side glass on a classic car that doesn't have mottled tint. For this reason if you are only replacing one side window, I would source an original piece of glass, even if the date code doesn't match. As a side note, on later model cars like

    80's and 90's GM cars I have seen mottled tint on original GM glass. I have never seen it on 50's, 60's and 70's cars.

    • Like 1

    '65 seat belt buckle restoration

    in Buick Riviera

    Posted · Edited by Seafoam65 (see edit history)

    17 hours ago, 65VerdeGS said:

    What's the best way to polish out fine scratches from chromed seat belt buckles? 

     

    Here's a pic of one of the seat belt buckles in my '65:

    image.png.18e333f7ff4021ee3af121d75c5d1f9d.png

     

    What polish and technique should I use to remove those fine scratches?

     

    Are these buckles made of stainless steel?  Or are they chromed (regular) steel? 

     

    Does anyone sell reproduction red Fisher Body carriage emblems that go on the latch portion of the buckle?

     

    Thanks for your tips and suggestions!

    The carriage emblems are for sale all over the internet from many different vendors.......I used these on the belts on my car and they look fantastic.......the red on my originals were faded and turning pink. On the buckles send them out to be replated.....Snake Oyll  can handle all of this for you.

    I found the 65 A/C compressor decals I had made

    in Buick Riviera

    Posted

                I recently had an inquiry about the correct Frigidaire decals I had

    made for my 65 Riviera. I could not supply one because I was unable to find them but I just found them in the trunk of my car. there are two decals on the 65 Buick compressors. On the top of the compressor towards the rear is a silver and black Frigidaire decal which lists the correct freon charge for a Riviera and the serial no. for the compressor. The repros available for these are incorrect and the serial no. box is left blank. I had exact repros of the Frigidaire sticker made including the original serial no. that was on my Riviera's  original compressor. The black and orange Caution decals are available online and are totally correct. To finish off your compressor you will need to buy a Buick "OK" stamp and stamp the top right side of the compressor with yellow paint using the "OK" stamp.I have several of these

    Frigidaire decals available for sale if anybody desires them for $10.00. Here is a pic of where the decals are located on the compressor.....

    DSCN0101.JPG

    • Thanks 1

    Is it my imagination or are there fewer Rivieras for sale?

    in Buick Riviera

    Posted · Edited by Seafoam65 (see edit history)

    There are a lot of beaters on Craigs List and Ebay. As far as very nice 63-67 Rivieras that are correct ,original   and not a Gran Sport, they are as rare as hens teeth. I would venture that 98 per cent of the stock non GS early Rivieras that are left are parts cars or need serious expensive restoration work. There hasn't been a very nice stock non GS 65 Riviera  

    for sale in Hemmings magazine in the last 24 months.  There have been some nice heavily modified ones and some nice Gran Sports for sale for very large coin. At this point, 59 years in, almost all of the stock non GS rust free  65 Rivieras have either been heavily modified or have sacrificed their rust free sheet metal to restore a Riviera GS.

    hen's teeth.jpg

    • Like 3
    • Thanks 1

    65 Riv Part identity

    in Buick Riviera

    Posted · Edited by Seafoam65 (see edit history)

    This damage in the trunk floor was caused by a rusted out roof along the bottom rear window channel

    which let water  into the trunk, so lots  of work is needed to fix the roof as well.

    This is really a very common problem on any of these cars that were ever allowed to sit out in the rain. The rear window channel rusted out on my Dad's 65 Riviera and was leaking water into the trunk in 1969. If the

    front floor pans are bad and if you have lots of rust in the quarter panels and rocker panels and hood then I would pass on the project, but if those things are good then it is worth fixing. One good thing about the car

    if it is the original colors is that it is a red car with white interior which is a stunning combo. You will undoubtedly discover that the rear floor pan is rusted out as well as the rear seat frames due to the leaking rear window. The damage from a leaking rear window is the reason that most of these cars that were never wrecked wound up in the junkyard or getting parted out, which is the main reason why so few of them have survived. A talented fabricator can make new body mounts for the trunk pan but order a case of Snickers bars before you start as you will be there for a while.

    Fluid change advice.

    in Buick Riviera

    Posted

     Oh by the way.......my 99 Ford Expedition that has towed an 8,000 pound car hauler it's whole life

    has it's 1999 trans fluid and filter in it at 350,000 miles and it shifts perfectly. I towed my trailer this

    summer from Texas to Kalamazoo Michigan and back with this trans and no problems. If you don't

    learn anything else from this forum if you take my advice regarding this matter you will be way way ahead

    regarding car repair expenses.

    Fluid change advice.

    in Buick Riviera

    Posted

    Having been in the car repair business for 47 years, I can tell you absolutely that changing the trans fluid

    comes with significant risk. I learned this on my GTO back in 1972. My 40,000 mile three year old turbo 400 only lasted two weeks after servicing the trans. That same trans now has the same 51 year old fluid in it from

    the 1972 rebuild and shifts perfectly at 165,000 miles. My customers all knew not to request a transmission fluid change because I would not do it under any circumstances. One of my employees who worked the front desk at my shop knew to explain to people why I don't service transmissions. He owned a 34 foot GMC motorhome and went on vacation in Colorado. While in Colorado one of his plug wires started misfiring at 40,000 miles and he took it to a motorhome repair GM dealership in Denver. The service writer talked him into

    changing the trans fluid and filter while it was in the shop. All the while he was thinking to himself that Winston

    would kick my ass if he knew what I was doing. After they were done with the work, he drove out of the dealership, proceeded to drive 150 miles and the transmission went completely out with neutral in all forward gears and reverse. He had it towed to the next town and paid 4,000 dollars to get it fixed. He called back to the dealer who serviced the trans in Denver and they told him that they would not accept any blame, after all, all they did was change the fluid.........SORRY!

    Hagerty Review

    in Buick Riviera

    Posted

    The Olds 403 is a great engine........My bone stock 403 powered 79 Trans Am runs the quarter mile

    in 15.4 with a 2:73 rear axle ratio. These engines have tremendous torque and are way underated by GM at 180 horsepower.

    • Like 1
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