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lrlforfun

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Posts posted by lrlforfun

  1. OK Riviera People: The A Body folks must be under some kinda spell when it comes to the OPGI outfit. 

     

    The good?  They're nice as pie over the phone.  Their catalog cover  is sexier than most men's  magazines.  I really hate a tease though.

     

    The bad? They don't know their product. Their products stink.  Their products are grossly overpriced.

     

     

    STAY AWAY,  Mitch

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  2. OK Riviera People: If someone could get this  for cheep....I'm guessin' 5-6 Grand they could nibble on it and have a decent looking car with out being buried. Blow it apart and media blast this thing and the cash register is gonna ring off the hook.   Another overpriced heap in a sea of overpriced heaps. If the seller needed the dough it would have been gone a year and a half ago.  Mitch

  3. OK Riviera People: The higher the price the more ya wanna pick it apart. Price 'em on the money and they're gone in 72 hours.  Wanna wait then ya might be able to get more....very little more. Now, if the seller totes the note then, name your price.  There was a really good 64 on the ebay i was droolin' for sold for $9,900 a few months ago but mama says , NO MORE CARS".  Mitch

  4. OK 65 GS:  The door skins is the first obstacle. Back in the day the screws spun off with ease, Today?  Anything but....so CAREFULLY remove the door shell and before re-installation make sure all the nuts and bolts are free as a bird. Also, make sure the T bolts don't spin. If you're careful you can peen the pockets without denting the outside.  There are probably other methods others have tried successfully. Next?  Make sure your fuzzies are not gonna scratch your glass. Removing that top stainless piece is a very tedious job and replacing it even more so.

     

    The removal of the door glass is pretty straightforward.  Clean all tracks and rollers. #000 Steel wool with some solvent works great.  Clean and lube the regulators with your favorite product.  Lithium grease is what I used.   Check for bent and worn components  while apart. Re-install the glass and adjust. It's pretty easy.  If your bottom frame has a trailing arm get that going. If not forget about it as they're like wisdom teeth.  The stops and adjustments give wiggle room.  If you have the bottom frame the glass sets in don't mess with it. If you need to, change glass and frame....BE CAREFUL as the glass can shatter with the wrong pressure.  Earlier GM''s had a metal rail that was prone to rust. Not the case with the Riv set-up.  

     

    The vent window assembly can be really tough.  Remove and make sure the regulator is free, check to see if the backing plate is secured (that IS peened from the factory) and grease it up.  if the backing plate is wobilly you can drill out the peened part and install sheet metal screws. it works great.  Finally....the vent glass.  The factory provided a thin ribbon around the perimeter of the glass where it goes into the channel. This often expands and the window will bind against the vertical post. Make sure it's closes freely. if the glass has separated from the ribbon and channel ya gotta remove the glass, clean out the chrome channel, get new ribbon and re-glue and install. That part takes skill, as a glass man has years of experience.

     

    The back 1/4 windows need to be at a certain height (I think about half mast (but don't really remember) in order to come out and in easily.  I believe the shop manual has some pertinent info on this. The top rail attached to the frame assembly is held in with Phillip screws. Pray they come out  easy or it's a big pain. Not rocket science but ya gotta drill 'em out if they're stripped.  Basically,  just remember how they came out and re-install. There are several adjusting nuts attacked to the rails and they need to be adjusted as needed.  When the assembly is out you can vacuum out and blow out with air all the debris from 50 years and if it's a warm day hitting it with some water pressure is also helpful.

     

    As far as the date codes...I never cared about that stuff in my life but if it's important to you...go with it.  It's a job but the results of having full tint are dramatic.  Full tint takes even a 53 Cranbrook up about 100 notches.   Mitch

  5. OK Dick: I have  the almost identical twin to your 63. Burgundy with white custom leather, power windows, vents and  a/c. it's straight, original paint and no exterior rot. The nearest I can figure is some gal walked into the showroom and just picked out the color combo and started checking almost every box there was.   This combo would be the poster car for answering the question...."if you were to order a 63 Riv, what color and options would you choose"? 

     

    Oh, I must add that my car has  no motor, no transmission or trunk floor and it needs everything you can think of including more than that.  Mitch

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  6. OK Chewbacca: You really can't go wrong with the oil/filter/Marvels combo.  When I had the car lot I'd do all that PLUS....I'd put a couple of cans of Berrymans B-12 in the tank. The EFI? Sounds good. I don't know much about those units.  Instant start (with electronic ignition) better mileage and performance,  What's the cost?  Personally,  I'd just do the oil and carb thing and forget it.  If that engine is old it's gonna detonate with too much poop. Rebuild? Yeah, I'd definitely consider it.  I have re-built 3 425'z all .30 over and so far so good.  It's just getting very expensive now.   Mitch

  7. OK Rapom: Your describing a piston noise, very common in Nailheads and as long as you don't drive the crap out of it it  might hold for another 10K miles and 10 years.  The plug underneath the manifold? I've seen burn through  it on some 2 barrel units but not on a  4 barrel. Removing the intake is fast, easy and will reveal everything in a nano second.

     

    OK Pete: Risolone was formulated for cars.....for example, that had no oil filter and didn't use detergent oil. It is great for breaking up sludge but....it needs to be buffered or it could easily dredge up caca that could clog the oil pump screen. It could also wash out engine bearings.

     

    My solution of 4 quarts of 30 detergent, a fresh filter and a quart of marvels with a tight carb is the best of both worlds. It also partially addresses the manifold making noise as it's a piece of cake to remove.   Mitch

  8. OK Riviera People:  If it ain't broke.....don't fix it.  Clean oil, a filter  and Marvels is by far the best solution.   If you are able to,  overhaul the carb and get it running excellent so hopefully not a lotta gas gets in the crankcase. If the engine explodes you can still get value for the carb plus there's a very good  chance it could add to the driving enjoyment. Drop the pan and clean out the sludge?  Well you are inviting a can of worms with an engraved invitation.  These things are 55 years old. Mitch

  9. OK Riviera  People: I recent  purchased a gentleman's entire stash of Buick parts. Several brake drums were in the parts pile.  My question.......

     

    Is the 65 Riviera, Wildcat and Electra front drum a 1 year only? It has the 45 fins and the small hub. Did Buick use the 45 fin front drum on 66 and newer?   Thanks, Mitch

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