Pat Curran
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Posts posted by Pat Curran
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The Riviera came standard with a full wheel cover. The GS used the same wheel cover but had a spinner attached to it. The options were a wire wheel cover and the chrome wheel.
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Does anyone remember DuPont Zerex anti freeze? I remember the commercial that showed them puncturing the can and within a few seconds, it would seal itself.
Great concept but it eventually was pulled off the market. If I remember correctly, it would clog heater cores and that’s why they stopped selling it.
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1 hour ago, ericisback said:
He means Buick built 454 Super Wildcats that did NOT go into Gran Sports, in 1965, for the Riviera. The rest of the Super Wildcats (duel-quad 425’s) went into the Gran Sports.
Thanks Eric!
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1 hour ago, SwedeDownUnderR63 said:
Wayne,
I think you misunderstood Pat's comment:
He talks about 454 was the number of non-GS Riviera’s that were built in 1965 with the Super Wildcat engine. Not the 454 engine...
Thank you Swede Down Under for clarifying my post.
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23 hours ago, Seafoam65 said:
The suggested maintenance interval for changing out the coolant by Buick was replace it every two years. the previous owner of my
Riviera of 45 years who was a mechanic at the dealership it was sold at always changed the coolant every two years and I have continued
the practice......this works because my car still has the original non leaking heater core and original radiator that is spotless inside and has never leaked either and never been out of the car.
I agree with your method. The same has been done with my 1971 Monte Carlo since new. The heater core is original and the heat will blow you out of the car. The radiator is original and has never leaked a drop or been removed from the car.
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19 hours ago, ericisback said:
You are exactly correct. And, there is no way to actually authenticate an original gran sport, unless you have authenticated documentation. All the GS upgrades can be taken from other cars.
Having the “LX” and the engine serial number match the serial number of the car is vital. You can always do an acid test to see if the block has been re-stamped with some success.
Keep in mind that 454 non-GS Riviera’s were built in 1965 with the Super Wildcat engine (I owned one). Plus, you could option a regular Riviera with the ride and handling package and quicker ratio steering. It makes it all the more interesting to identify the real deal.
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15 hours ago, ericisback said:
As a recent buyer in the market, I can give you my 2cents:
-I think the sunroof hurt the price. IMHO, a buyer paying top dollar, USUALLY wants a car as original as possible.
-I do think the color hurt the price. As with other cars, certain shades bring more money than others.
-I don’t think the famous previous owner helped the price. IMHO, buyers paying top dollar, are more concerned about the car’s condition, and the originality, than who owned it before. I think a complete chain of title is more important than who actually owned the car.
-IMHO, regarding GS’s, documentation is key! With the ease of creating clones, the better the documentation, the higher the price.
of course, I could be completely wrong!I agree that the sunroof affected the price even though the installation looked top notch. It would be very hard to reverse but not impossible. The other minor needs can be remedied much easier.
The black one that sold for $121K was a result of 2 people wanting the same car. It is a classic auction scenario that plays out like this from time to time. It has happened before and will continue to happen.
IMHO, the black car had more needs than the green one (sunroof excluded). But then again, I have always been a sucker for a small emblem car!😁
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14 minutes ago, Seafoam65 said:
You may be on to something.........I agree that it is hard to believe that there are so many of these nice
GS Rivieras out there for sale
given the low production number.......I think there must be a lot of clones out there. It is my guess that a lot of them
are Frankenstein cars where they take all the GS stuff off of a rusted out heap in a junkyard and install the rear end, trans and
engine into a regular 65 Riviera. Also VIN and body tag swaps are likely taking place. In the Pontiac hobby, this has been
done to GTO Judges in large numbers........I personally know of about ten gorgeous frame off Judges that are in reality tag swap cars.
Same thing with 1970 LS6 454 Chevelles.......more for sale at any one time than were actually produced.
Lots of clones out there for sure and buyers really need to do their homework. Build sheets and a paper trail with a known history are very important. There are more mid-year big block Corvettes on the road today than what the factory ever built.
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1 hour ago, ericisback said:
Based on your post, am I correct that you think this grand sport is only worth $50k?
If someone wants it bad enough, they may pay the asking price. It looks like a nice car but it has had a color change. The glove box door hinge is broken (very common) and I noticed the wood veneer on the doors and rear panels are missing the black pinstripe which would be correct for 1965. It is a very presentable car as is and I am not knocking it, but it won't score 400 points at a BCA event either. The market is all over the place with these cars. The black on black one that sold on BaT a few weeks ago for well over $100K had needs as well but someone wanted it bad enough and ponied up the dough.
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The moldings make it obvious it once had a vinyl roof. I would be tempted to replace the vinyl roof or if not, at least remove the moldings for a cleaner look.
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It looks white to me as well but it doesn't look like the factory Arctic White. It could be the lighting though.
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As I mentioned on the other thread, the dealer has the color listed as Sahara Mist. It is not Sahara Mist. It looks white to me but not quite the stock Arctic White.
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The dealer has the car color listed as Sahara Mist. That is not Sahara Mist. Color change maybe?
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It looks like a 1969 if the 430-4 decal is original. The 1968 did not have the decal on the air cleaner although once removed, should be correct for 1968 as well.
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It it possible your car had a vinyl roof at one time? Those with vinyl roofs did not have this molding.
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They look like 1968/1969.
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5 minutes ago, ericisback said:
Can you help me find a link to the decoding chart? I can't seem to find it. Sorry to be such a pain! Also, I signed up for membership, but I didn't receive any login info?!?
RivNut, I tried to PM you, but I haven't been a member here long enough to receive PM'img privileges.
Just go to the ROA site and click on “evolution and stats” on the top left side of the page, then follow the menu. As Ed stated, it’s not blocked and open to all.
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You can go on the ROA website and decode a 1963-1965 data plate. It is all illustrated for you.
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Gateway is a consignment dealer with several locations. Is it up to a consignment dealer to vet out every car or do they just accept what the consignor is telling them? In some cases, the consignor may not know that they have a clone.
Knowledge is power and a potential buyer needs to do some homework and learn as much knowledge before opening their wallets. In this particular case, Eric just learned something.
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No, but if one exists, it would have to be a custom.
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6 hours ago, telriv said:
IF you can find a complete original floor pan out of a donor car that would be the best way to go as far as I'm concerned. You end up with a better overall look & originality. Less chance of warping than when done in sections.
Just my opinion.
Tom T.
I did that once and it came out great.
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I am the third owner of this 1966 Top Flight car that I got 5 years ago. Mosport Green was a one year only color. My love affair with the Riviera will never end though!
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Check out the nail head powered Chris Craft boat currently on BaT. She is called "Nailed IT."
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I am assuming you mean the plastic gold color inlay in the wheel? These were used on a number of higher end GM cars over the years. Depending on the environment, they could last for years or crack and break off in pieces. I have been lucky as my 65 and 69 had perfect steering wheels. 1965 was the first year these wheels were installed on the Riviera.
There are some companies that specialize in restoring steering wheels so you may want to check one out. I’m not sure of a DIY way to repair these wheels.
Wheel option in 1965
in Buick Riviera
Posted
Correct!