rodneybeauchamp

Hi all, Well after a long waiting time I was able to collect my 1997 Buick Riviera. Very very happy with the 50 odd mile journey home. No doubt to comply with our Australian requirements I will need to show to our authorities the engine number. After searching the owners manual, this forum and other literature I cannot find where it is located. Can any member assist with this? Thanks in advance Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀

You should be happy with those. I fitted them on my Riviera in early 2016 and the next owner is still using them. Mine were 235 on the optional 6” Riviera rim and did touch the frame on full lock but never an issue. Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀

Hi Matt, for what it is worth Penrite Oil in Australia are making a fully synthetic oil they are calling “Extra Ten”, which from what I can work out means that at hotter temperatures it maintains viscosity. As you would be aware, down under we have more issues with higher ambient temperatures rather than ice and snow. The reply is from the Technical Support explaining how it works. Have not used it but seriously considering. Might be worth a look if available over there. Just my two bobs worth that Penrite give me (kidding) Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

Looking good. Those whitewalls will clean up nicely with some sand soap, or a soapy Brillo pad or scourer with lots of soft soap and water. A stiff bristle brush will help too! Always worked wonders with my whitewalls over the years. Much cheaper than store bought tyre cleaners. Certainly avoid chemicals and solvents. Enjoying the progress! Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

A temporary fix for the roof and gutter rust holes is to neutralise it with a rust killer then rattle can some primer and a top coat. Then apply some quality sticky duct tape or similar and lightly paint over to match. Only temporary but it will slow the rust and keep the water out until you are able to undertake a proper repair. Certainly makes it useable one it becomes drivable. My ‘40 Pontiac sedan was patched like that for a few years but was still able to drive it to swap-meets and car shows. (And a wedding! ) That way you can concentrate on the mechanical side. Enjoying your fun and your progress. Keep at it! Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

Hi all, Can anyone advise if a fifteen inch rim from any other GM vehicle will suit a 1959 Cadillac Series 62 four door hardtop? My hairdresser, Fiona is in need of four wheel rims. Apparently the mounting holes have been enlarged overtime creating a problem for safety and alignment. One is also buckled. In Australia these Cadillac rims may be hard to source so wondering if any other rim would interchange? Other Cadillac years or other GM? Tnx in advance, Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

Our car market was very different to the US and UK because of our small population, large distances between major towns and cities and our heavy reliance on rural industries before WWII. The idea of the coupe utility was the farmer could carry sheep and hay and fertilisers during the week and take it to Church on Sunday. Therefore it had to be comfortable and stylish yet sturdy enough for the tasks. Also farmers would buy new vehicles in the good years and repair them to keep them running in the drought years. Just my take on this! Why they were not marketed in the US ….. who knows Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

That’s a great attitude to have on these projects. Fully for fun and to test one’s abilities. If all we worried about is the investment in time and money we would probably do something else. But at the end of each day you can stand back proud at what you have accomplished and say, yep I have done that! That is the real reward. Enjoy the Chrysler and look forward to seeing more posts and pictures Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

Great find. Would be nice to get it running and driving so you know what you are dealing with. Doing small tasks at a time such as a brake overhaul, wiring etc will allow you to keep it driving without extensive time off the road. Photos as you go are super important as is a correct shop manual. Enjoy the journey and as others have said, just do one thing every day! Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

Interesting build and another first generation Riviera down under. At this rate we will have more ‘63, ‘64 and ‘65 Rivieras than the States. FYI if you want a more correct Riviera look, the round manual remote Buick outside mirrors will do wonders to the appearance. More importantly they are interchangeable from Left to Right by reversing the mirror hood. The ‘63 has the oval surround on the remote knob whereas the ‘64 and ‘65 have the rectangular surround. And they were fitted on most Buicks of that era, not just the Rivs. Good luck on the build. Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

Hi, you may want to post this in the Buick Riviera section of this forum. Lots of good knowledgeable folk live there and speak fluent Buick-ease. And photos always get us interested. cheers Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

Welcome to the world of the PREVIOUS OWNER. Who knows why they do what they do but all we can do it get it right. Half the fun and you get someone to curse as you lay upside down trying to get to all those unreachable wires. Enjoy! Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀

Owner now has located a seat. Many thanks for helping. Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

Failing that, companies such had SpeedHut (no affiliation just a happy customer) will make custom gauges. Their website allows you to choose the colour, style, size, number font etc. Meaning you might be able to get one that is close to what you have. Not cheap as they are digital stepper motors but I have put two sets (both oil pressure and water temperature) in two ‘63 Buicks and very pleased how they look and operate. Good luck with your hunt. Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

Joe, thanks for your input and I’m sorry I don’t have the article as it was over twenty years ago. I tried to find it on the net sometime back but found nothing. Maths is my friend and just to clarify the figures. 50 cars the crash rate was normal. That is there was no change in the rate of crashes as per the rest of the vehicles in that country. 50 cars had a crash rate that was 2% of the normal crash rate. There was a dramatic change in the rate of crashes. To me, this represents a staggering difference and enough for me to change my behaviour ie drive with lights on all the time. The article was printed in black and white and I have no reason to doubt the authenticity of it. I also personally experienced a noticeable change in behaviour from other motorists as my vehicle was more visible on the roads. I am a firm believer that being seen by other drivers on our roads gives you a much better chance of not being involved in a crash. To me, it is a no brainer…. But I am down under. Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

Hi all, in another post I noticed some interesting comments including some adverse reactions to retrofitting Daytime Running Lights (DRL’s) to our antique and classic vehicles. I am in Australia so everything is upside down anyway but I really want to give my two bobs worth on this subject that I feel very strongly about. Please bear with me, it is a tome but well worth the read. 😀😀😀😀😀😀 In the late 90’s I happened upon an article on DRL’s in an Australian aftermarket parts magazine. In Sweden 100 identical Volvos were set up where 50% were wired so that the headlights came on automatically with the ignition. They could not be turned off if the vehicle was running. The other 50% were left as standard where the driver could choose. After 12months a survey was taken and it was shown that the crash rate of the standard Volvos was about the national average. No noticeable difference. However for those wired with the headlights on with the ignition the crash rate was about 2%*** of the average. The result was staggering. The drastic reduction in crashes had to be a result of the Volvos being more visible to other road users. Nothing else had changed. I was stunned by the figures, reading and rereading the article many times. I took copies and handed it to friends and almost overnight became an advocate for running with head lights on during the daytime. My daily driver, a white 1994 Holden Commodore wagon had a feature that would turn the lights off with ignition so I always ran with lights on. Immediately I noticed that my wagon was more visible to other drivers. At intersections other drivers would wait as they could see my lights, on country roads oncoming drivers would wait and not overtake as they could see my lights. Periodically oncoming drivers would flash me during the day, ‘warning’ me that I had my lights on. Funny that when I had it serviced or tyres put on the lights were always turned to OFF when I picked it up. Sure I burned through a few globes but that was cheap insurance and I always checked they were working. When I changed to a Subaru Outback I used the fog lights as DRL’s until they outlawed their use during the daytime unless it was foggy. When I bought my 2012 Subaru Forester I fitted Phillips rectangular DRL’s wired correctly so they turn off with headlights on. Our black VW Eos convertible is fitted with the same Phillips lights, as was a previous black Suzuki Swift hatchback and our Mitsubishi Triton work utility. My white ‘63 Buick Riviera was wired so the front park lamp nacelles were brightly lit with LEDs in a golden white colour without detracting from the standard look. I would encourage anyone with an antique or classic vehicle to strongly consider fitting DRL’s. My experience has only been positive. Sure when I started driving with lights on, very few cars had DRL’s so we certainly stood out, however I don’t agree that our brain turns off with many more cars fitted this way. Important that we make ourselves highly visible, as important as seat belts. And where the survey was done (Sweden) they have a lot more inclement weather and darker light conditions for much of the year. But facts are facts, only wish I had the article. There endeth the lesson 😀😀😀 *** (Sorry I do not have the precise figures as I no longer have the article however the 2% or similar is what I remember. It was a staggering difference!) Below are the Eos, Riviera and Suzuki all with DRL’s. Just my two bobs worth from Down Under Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

You may want to try posting this in the Reatta section under the Buick forums. They speak Buickease fluently down there and have all the answers. Good luck, Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

I set this one up with DRL using one of the spare globes inside the housing, replacing it with an LED with the same brightness as a turn signal or brake lamp. I think I fluked the wiring by hooking it up to the regulator (but not sure) but they used to turn on seconds after the car started and would turn off when it was turned off. I certainly felt safer driving it on our country roads as I think DRLs are extremely important. This one has been sold but my ‘new’ 1997 Riviera has them fitted as standard. Well worth the effort in my view without detracting from the original looks. Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

1. Matt, you may want to consider 6V QH globes with relays. I was able to mount relays inside the buckets of my ‘38 Buick and Classic and Vintage Bulbs (Australian company) was able to supply the bulbs that had the same base as the original Buick lamps bulbs in 6Volt. Much brighter and usable at night than the original globes. 2. Does the shop manual supply a lubrication chart inside showing ALL lubrication points similar to the GM shop manuals? That way you make sure you get them all. Just my two bobs worth Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

My suggestion would be to add relays in the circuit ensuring the lamps are getting maximum voltage. You should see some improvement. However the best result would be a quality QH conversion such as Cibie or Hella which might be from a used source. I have used Cibies in two ‘63 Buicks (5 3/4” rounds) on both beams in conjunction with relays and found them ideal for night driving. We live in a country town and have kangaroos to contend with at night so good lighting is essential. Just my two bobs worth Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

I replaced an ignition switch in my ‘63 Skylark with an NOS unit and had intermittent starting and hard staring problems from that point onward. Found the start circuit in the switch was faulty and only by releasing the key back to the run position did the circuit receive power. And sometimes it would start and often it would not. Simple test to make using a test lamp while cranking which saw it start every time. Basically it hot wires the circuit. Just because he has replaced the switch you cannot assume it is working properly. Might be worth a look. Just my experience and two bobs worth Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

Hi Happy Camper, congratulations on a great find! Please consider creating a seperate blog for this restoration or refurbishing either under the Oldsmobile forum or Our Cars and Restoration Projects. I like many would be keen to see the progress of this wagon. And please supply lots of pictures. Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

And this must be the internal regulator for the alternator. Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

Now for some more photos 😀😀😀😀😀😃😀

As Emtee suggests, remove the wheel and make a temporary repair. Then perhaps use a leather steering wheel cover for now until you source a good/better one. If the rest of the car is good and floats your boat, don’t be put off by the wheel. It is not insurmountable. Besides you can always use that as a bargaining tool if necessary. Too often we focus on the obvious issue and don’t see the rest. If it drives well, starts and stops …… Just my two bobs worth Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀