60FlatTop

I have done that a couple of times over the years. Most of the concerns are just speculation. I am a firm believer in Murphy's Laws of Roof Removal. If it is an old car you don't really care about and just cut the roof off it will hold together fine. If you are trying to make something nice to keep you will be chasing cracks and sags forever. no matter what you do. I'm sneaky. I shoot for the middle where neither Murph or I know what is going on. I do have one firm rule. No painted sheet metal above the windshield. I have always found a convertible windshield frame to graft on. One must uphold some standard, you know. Bernie

I had both a '70 Eldorado and a '66 Toronado. I would buy another of either. They were nice drivers. The Cadillac was hard to stop on snowy roads, but in '71 they made the brakes better. It weighed 5,000 pounds and would pitch into a tight curve. Sometimes it felt like it might stand up on the outside front corner. Rear passengers felt a little closed in by the blank sail panels, a little dark back there. I got 12 MPG. It was a great car. The Toronado was a 425. It drove very well. "66 was the only year that really keynoted the Cord. I loved the looks of the car. It drove very well. The vacuum headlights were a pain but that's all I remember not liking. The difference between a 400+ and 500 engine under normal driving conditions is never really noticeable. Getting into a 307 or the like is when it shows. And the 307 is big by today's standards, 5 liters. They rarely go that large, and it is a little dog for anyone who grew up with torque engines. Running a 4" bore on any engine and just a nudge to the pedal gives response. All the big ones feel good. Cadillac entered the 1970's with 472 and 500 inches, then 425, then the '80's with 250. You don't need reports from Motor Trend to figure out the good ones. Braille on the seat of the pants will do fine. I bought one 4100, but I prefer abstinence. Bernie

The Eldo is a better car, better than the Riviera or the Lincoln. And it has enough engine to get it down the road respectfully. I had a '70 in Ruidoso Saddle. It had hints of maroon I liked that color. Hey, is it me or does the Riviera match everything around it? Even the garage...

Is it just a rumor or did I hear the rare and valuable metals tax on Tungsten Hydro-Catalyst metal of $86.40 is due April first of every year, payable as a non-invoiced fee? Or did I get that mixed up with chlorinated fluorocarbons? So many things to keep track of. Bernie

A row of pristine bumpers? Not much of a chance of that with the expectations Ebay has poured into the heads of buyers. Money back policies and buyer extortion make sellers cautious and the slightest imperfection makes the wary seller creative, as well as taking a needed part out of circulation in the hobby. Perfect bench for me, but even then, a car guy stopped by one day and whined "It doesn't have a back." I ignored him. Oh, after 8 years of being a bench the bumper DID end up being sold to a very grateful '69 Caddy owner. Bernie

Most of the power to operate eletrical devices comes directly through the switch. They can be dash or door switches in the case of power windows. I have noticed hot keys on some GM cars after driving them and thought about installing an ignition relay to prolong the switch life and avoid resistance. The same ideas could apply to the lighting system as well. On Rolls-Royce cars I have found condensers installed on wiper, window, and heater switches which I figured were to prolong contact life. I have not seen this on many cars, but I have some headlight rewiring to do on the 6 volt Packard with a unique headlight switch. I am planning headlight relays for that car. Bernie

When you get it back don't let it sit. The more you drive it the less it will leak. Bernie

I was out for a walk alone the Erie Canal on Saturday morning and someone across the water fired what was obviously a generous hand loaded shot at a deer in a field nearby. It's deer season here and they will be running. I will have to switch to my deer season driving technique. That's where I pace my driving so I always have a "deer car" about 200 feet ahead of me to take the hit. That differs from my summer driving where I trail someone who is speeding by 300 to 500 feet. They get the other hit. Sometimes I have to slow down to get them to pass me. Bernie

Never used! A Tungsten Hydro-Catalyst carb attachment is terrible thing to waste.

I think I have the ad with more pictures open in another browser right now. I have a 1948 DeLuxe Eight sedan that is running, licensed, and drivable that appears to be a long term stoage one as well. Mine had the focus on the mechanicals where it looks like the one you looked at had the focus on sheet metal. The 288 engine is fine. I had mentioned that I don't use low gear often. She is wound a little tight in normal driving, not being an overdrive car. But the previous owner needed to install a new clutch, clean the fuel tank with new lines and pump. He also did a full brake job including lines. And installed new tires on freshly painted rims. He didn't drive it so I ended up redoing a few things and going through the cooling system and installing a new battery. I didn't drive it until a few days after I bought it and really really has a quality ride feel. It is comparable to a Buick Super. Not being a woody, mine can be driven on a damp day without fear of the swelling wood trapping me inside. Buying it not running from long storage is going to mean all the work I mentioned plus the obvious. It is going to be a while before you hit the road. Because it is a woody I would say buy it now and ask the questions later. Oh, I was driving the car back from the state inspection and made a left through a light with the big chicken on the hood leading the way. A woman hollered "I like your car!" Then she saw me. It was my Sister. Bernie

While you are asking someone else could be buying that part. B

I can appreciate them, but I don't desire one. The Later Bentley T would be my choice and that is just a personal perception thing. I am pretty familiar with the workings and have considered the later Spur's seriously. Given a choice, a 1990 to 1994 Spur would be it. But they are getting too old to devote the time required. And more computerized than the late '80's cars. The similarity between them and the Riviera/Eldorado cars from the driver's seat is dramatic. And I like that. I had a 1982 H&E Eldo convertible that is one of the cars I wish I had not sold. At the time I owned it I was in and out of both fairly often. The Eldo, a fake Rolex, and Tag Heuer frames for my glasses would have made a matched set. To the topic Riviera, gold is brown in my book. And I don't like brown cars. They say resale red instead of resale brown for a reason. I go for the primary colors. Earthtones are for empty nester women with Volvos. Took 30 replies to finally get that out. Bernie

There is a guy on the north side of the city near me who has a white early '60's Corvair sitting in his garage, not running, white with brown around the edges. He claims he saved it and his dream is to get enough money selling it to take his family to Disneyland. We heard that and kind of figured maybe he is in Disneyland already. Bernie

"Grandma, We are just pulling in the driveway now. Stay in the house!"

I guess I am a Riviera expert just from long term association. In my whole life the best cars I have owned were cars other people told me I paid too much for. Looking back, those people spent a lot of time chiseling and trying to get a deal. I tended to spend a lot of my time getting more money. If you have the asking price and want it, just buy it. I can't really think of regrets I have from things I did. Things I didn't do are the ones that haunt me now. And some include cars I didn't buy. Oh, those guys that told me I paid too much; I see a couple in the diner. They drink a glass of water because $1.95 is outrageous for them to pay for coffee. Bernie

I guy followed up on a 1949 Ford with just ten miles on it. The seller took him to the garage where it sat since new, only driven from the dealership to the garage. The old guy said "Yep, I bought it for my Wife but she died and never drove it. Here, if you look close you can still see her lipstick on the tailpipe." I had a '69 Buick Skylark with the dimmer switch mounted in the cigarette lighter hole. The woman who bought it new didn't have a left leg and used her hand to dim the lights. The car had real low mileage because she only took short hops. Bernie

Years ago I got in a freshly restored iconic Cadillac that had floated around for sale for a while with no takers because it ran rough and smoked because "the carburetor needed adjustment". The new owner got a good deal but it came to my place on a flatbed, not running. One of my routine checks on a first timer is to pressurize the cooling system. When I did I HEARD the coolant running into the left front cylinder. The engine was a quality rebuild delivered with the exhaust manifolds installed. I found that hardware store bolts held them on. Those bolts were about 1/8" too long, a standard size, and on the same plane as the headbolt. Tightened they pressed the center of the headbolt. At the assembly shop the stressed headbolt had been removed to mount the power steering pump and forced back in with an impact wrench, but it got past the bolt with squared threads that entered the block. I had to go into a fully detailed engine compartment and HeliCoil the block without leaving a trail. I installed a stud that I torqued a little greater than the headbolt spec and torqued it with a nut. The car is still fine and it has been about 15 years. For me, as a third party, it took some investigation and work that wasn't necessary if the attention to details was at the level of an owner taking his time and being fussy about every detail. Not to mention the added cost and risk of a block. And that wasn't the only oversight on that car. That is the added value the owner rebuild provides and you can never come close to calculating the value of the avoided problems from the raised awareness that actually comes from a slight lack of confidence. Too much confidence will get you every time. Bernie

The first question should always be "How much is it?" That's saves a Last Dance With Mary Jane in a whole lot of cases. For those still in the job market, the first question of how much does it pay woks equally well. In today's market anything under $10,000 that is presentable enough to take to a cruise night is probably a decent deal. You can keep the good ones for 10 years with only minor expenses and it is around $1,000 a year averaged out. Like Matt stated, the guy with the cash in his pocket sets the price. Be aware that choosing a car from appeal and research can be a bit like picking out a mail order bride. That car is not a lightweight and has a 307 engine, big by today's standards but does have a 27 speed transmission. They are a bit stodgy. A friend of mine drove one down to Hershey from western New York a few years back. We were talking at the show and I asked him how it was in the hills on RT15, not so good. I'm thinking about that long incline coming into Allentown from the north. Those are flatlanders like me in Wisconsin. They wouldn't know. Even I asked about that specific model when I got the opportunity. Style-wise they are great. Something fun, if you get a chance, is to get out of the Riviera and sit in a Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow or Bentley T. The Brit one came out in 1966, the Buick in 1979. You can do it with an Eldorado as well. I would strongly recommend driving one a pretty good distance before committing. Bernie

Amen! I'll drink to that. (That should offend two groups, time to get back to work.) B

I seem to remember that the Corvair Club held a special competition at their national event during the 1980's. They attached vacuum cleaners to old gas tanks and competed for the best explosion. I never witnessed the competition. But I think my interest in Corvairs waned around that time and I kind of kept the owners at arm's length after hearing about it. Bernie

I have noticed cars that took on the previous owner's Karma. It is probably a lingering memory of the attitude of the deal. But I am quite sure I have avoided a lot of bad ones. I have 1 1/2 negative cars. One is from a seller who verbally agreed on the phone and I sent a check. While en-route the guy got the idea he sold that car, bought at full asking price, too cheap. He sent emails with an attitude that seeped into the upholstery That is the 1/2 one.. The full one was the personal car of a dealer I knew all my life and never liked. While test driving the car with his sales manager he called with an old slimy sales trick that made me shake my head and laugh. I still get an oily feeling from the seat and steering wheel. I like the car, too, but it just has that feel. The cars from nice, open, and friendly people are just a pleasure. Oh, cars I sold have been well received with happy owners. A little pricey, well presented, and playfully honest about their faults. You can't put that many parts together for a long time, all vibrating in harmony and a part of people's lives without generating a little consciousness in them. Maybe someday I will assemble the Data. Bernie

After 55 years in the hobby, the only thing I would farm out would be the machining. I would do absolutely all the rest myself. If you carefully follow the factory manual you will be the guru. Guruship is not an appointment by a fairy Godmother or any being like that. It comes from keeping your eyes open and on the job at hand as well as the factory instructions. Keeping your ears shut and avoiding assumptions, here-say, and speculation is key. You can read and the factory manuals will tell how to do it. You will do an excellent job if you read every word and follow the written instruction. A few years ago I made the mistake of thinking a car that was "modern" to me was better suited to those a couple of generations newer than me. I was wrong and it took ME over two years to correct the oversights. I had the two factory binders and a number of soft cover factory manuals, probably 1500 pages of instruction that I have now read quite thoroughly. But at the time "I thought" they would be more familiar. During the whole process I did come to the realization that the two most dangerous words in the English language are "I thought." (Next time you hear them think about the context they are in. You will gain a raised level of awareness for your own car and mechanics in general And a lot of satisfaction; with confidence to do more. There is a lot of stuff you have to trust others to do because there is no option. Accept those. If you can do it yourself, especially a hobby thing, you will be better for it. And I bet you can finagle yourself almost $1,999 of new tools in the process. Bernie

New York State has a big sign at the border "Pay Here". We have licensing and certification for anything. Here's how they differentiate. Adjusters v. Appraisers With respect to the distinction between appraisers and adjusters, an adjuster is a person who acts on behalf of an insurance company or an insured in the adjusting or settlement of claims. See N.Y. Ins. Law §2101 (McKinney 2000). An appraiser is a person selected or appointed by competent authority or an interested party to ascertain and state the true value of goods or real estate. See Blacks Law Dictionary 67 (6th ed.1993). Thus, the line of demarcation between an appraiser and an adjuster is quite definite, since merely performing an appraisal does not amount to the negotiating, investigating and adjusting of claims. However, the function of an adjuster may encompass the appraisal of claims.2 And here is where you pay: http://www.dfs.ny.gov/insurance/ogco2001/rg102131.htm Come to the Vampire State. We are always looking for new blood. Bernie

Over 20 years ago a guy stopped in my garage looking for a buyer for a mid- '60's car he bought and wanted to sell. He said he had paid about $2,000 for it and had around $4500, total tied up. "All he wanted to do was get his money back". The car needed paint, plus, plus. It was a Falcon two door hardtop. And not close to a $5,000 car from his description. I asked if he had a new car. He said "Yes, a new Olds." "Do you keep it in good shape?" "Oh, yes, it is just like new." "How much was it?" "About $10,000." "Do you expect to get $10,000 for it when you sell it?" "Why no, it depreciates." "So you got this old clunker and spent $3,000 on it, unfinished. And you bought a new car and maintained it well. You expect to lose money on the nice one and get your money back from this unfinished one, half in primer, you decided wasn't worth putting any more in?" "Well, I don't need to talk with some who has your attitude!" The Falcon sat in his front yard with a for sale sign for 3 years. We would drive by and I told my Wife it was the perennial car for sale. It was dragged next to the garage and the grass has still not grown back. The car was covered with a plastic tarp that lasted a few years then formed a veil over the car. Once I drove by and saw a big racoon crawling in the open window. One day the car was gone, leaving another bare spot on the lawn. The owner died and had left his body to science. The doctors were surprised to find his skull cap screwed on. They opened it and couldn't identify what was inside, but they knew someone had put it in there. One thought it was ignorance, the other said probably stupid. They agreed there were no usable parts. And returned the remains to his Wife, who was responsible for his final expenses. I heard she was able to get it done for the $1500 they got for the nice Olds. Bernie

Altruistic motives do not make good motives for owning a collector car. Don't worry about saving one for posterity. A whole bunch have already beat you to it. I own my '64 Riviera for both the aesthetics and the durability of the hardware. When they came out I brought the brochure home in my bicycle basket. When I bought the car I still had the brochure. I also believe it is one of the significant car designs of the century. I have also seen its shape mirrored in a few other cars with advanced technology that may be more compatible for you or someone who likes the style but desires a more drivable and familiar technical side. Over the years a few have struck me as very similar with a few concessions. I was pleasantly surprised with the proportions of the RWD 1977 and 1978 Rivieras. The bumpers and grille take a little away from the original, but I thought it was a nice shadow or the original. With the right color combination they can be very attractive and the driving can be similar to a car of the early 2000's. The Mercedes SEC models are a true four window hardtop and carry the clean lines. They are quite durable and, although sometimes expensive to fix, a good one would not require the extent of reworking a 50 year old car does. A 1990's Bentley Continental catches the first generation Riviera style nearly as well as the first generation Riviera captured the Bentley style of the time. I could put one of those in my garage. One of the pleasures of a '64 Riviera is waxing it by hand. I am sure the three options above have curves and lines just as nice to buff up And then there is the style of the BMW 650 I mentioned. But then, I am a guy who is at tracked to women whom look like my Wife and I am not even an artist. Bernie