Aaron65

Wow. Why would a person order such a beautiful car with that color combination? One or the other, people!

I think they were felt.

There isn't one! I found this out the hard way when I had the rear end refreshed; the pumpkin gasket kept leaking as a result of the pressure. I solved the problem by replacing one of the back cover bolts (up high) with a large brake bleeder screw, which I connected to a long hose and a fuel filter (to keep dirt out) and tied up somewhere under the car. It didn't help that the pumpkin gasket folded funny when the shop reinstalled it. Needless to say, I used RTV and sealed it up, and it hasn't leaked since. The only conclusion anyone I've ever talked to (including myself) could come up with was that the old axle seals were not lip seals, they were felt, and they must have allowed some pressure in/out.

Remember, the straight-8 has a metered fitting at the cylinder head. Therefore, the rocker shaft is not under full engine oil pressure, so it's more than a trickle, but not much. If one lifter bled down over the winter, it could take several minutes to fill up.

I had a friend in high school whose family drove a medium red MT5 wagon! There couldn't have been many of those...I think I rode in it once, and it was a bit weird to see a "modern" wagon with a manual transmission.

Of course, your results may vary (i.e. don't blame me if something goes wrong), but I think you'll be OK if you used the Remflex gaskets (as long as everything lined up when you installed it). Do a vacuum test...if the engine pulls 18" or more steadily, it's probably fine.

I can't help you on the brakes, but if your carburetor is in decent shape, I would rebuild it rather than replace it. You will have to tune any new carburetor to suit your engine, AND you will have to ensure all the linkage adapts properly. On the other hand, your Riviera likely has the original Carter AFB on it, which was tuned to your specific engine (the carb number is usually on the passenger side front of the carb if you want to check). If it's in good shape, no new carburetor will likely work any better than that one. Original AFBs are great carbs. Even if you have to send it out to a trusted rebuilder (if you are at all mechanical, it's a fairly easy job doing it yourself), you will probably save money, too. Another thing...1963 Rivieras use Dynaflow transmissions, not Powerglides...totally different transmission.

Nice car with a cool story!

How are all the engine/transmission mounts? Can you replicate the shudder in neutral as the engine revs?

Looks like you have a nice place to work!

Wow. That there's your problem! I wonder how that could have happened...neutral drops in the high school parking lot?

Excuse my ignorance, but why does the later torque tube have a rear u-joint? Is the tube itself angled to clear the floor? I've looked at Bernie's picture of a disassembled torque tube, but I think I'm still missing the point...My '53 only has one at the front.

I've got a call or two out, but in case those don't pan out...does anyone have a good source for individual pieces of beltline window fuzzies? The ones with the stainless strip at the top? I need a 4-foot piece for the door panel on my '63 Thunderbird, and I remember having an easier time the last time I searched for it. Maybe my memory is flawed. Anyway, any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks! Aaron

The best way is to mount the manifold like the factory did. I've cut the modern gaskets up to just use the intake portions and used the graphite mix recommended in the shop manual on the exhaust. The exhaust surface of my heads is not good enough, however, to continue to do this, so I've switched to Remflex gaskets. They are expensive, but they've lasted through two driving seasons, and I never got more than one season out of any other type of gasket. https://catalog.remflex.com/BUICK_Header_Exhaust_Manifold_Gasket_p/13-007.htm I wouldn't even bother using the ones you have; they will almost certainly start leaking sooner or later, probably sooner. One note with the Remflex gaskets: the heat riser gasket did not fit; it wasn't even close, but you can use any gasket there. I always coat both sides with High Temp RTV (not the Remflex gaskets, but the regular ones for the heat riser). To sum up: factory method is best, Remflex is next (IMO).

If you plan to retorque the head, do it one bolt at a time in the order suggested by the shop manual, and break each bolt loose first (in order, one at a time). If you try to simply tighten each bolt, you will have to overcome its breakaway torque value, which could give you a false reading. The danger of retorquing in your case is that you may disturb the sealer on the driver's bank of bolts, but it sounds like you don't have much to lose by trying it. Good luck!