60FlatTop

Are you running without and air cleaner and sucking hood insulation down over the carb when you drive? Best thing to do is put a dwell meter, voltage meter, spark plug tester, and vacuum gauge in the car. Drive it until is stops and see what ain't happenin'. I used to service freshly restored cars during the 1990's and the hardest thing to do when the "professional" restoration was completed was to toss the keys to the wife and let her go to the grocery store for a gallon or milk and a loaf of bread.

ahhh, it worked. I got it back nice and satiny. It has held up very well. We moved along at a good pace on this one. I learned a lot about "what I wouldn't ever do again" A lot of fussy detail work. Here's the last of what I found. Getting close to the end. I am getting my '60 Electra in shape for the trip to Danvers. After that the Riviera gets a little 15 year refreshing. It's nice to find these old pictures. Bernie

I will test one picture to be sure they resize OK. Way in the back of a file drawer I found some pre-digital pictures and scanned them today. Here are I few: This is my frame BEFORE taking it for sandblasting, epoxy primer, and a coat of satin black.

Here is a pretty harmless Buick 8. Four holer. Not a Buick but the monument where the Buick is sitting.

The last time I needed a muffler for my '64 I took a stock system AND a pair of Hush Power mufflers to the shop. I told him to install the rumbly mufflers if it he could. If that was a PIA, install the stock. Here is what I came home with. Nice sound, no drone, and sounds a bit like a Chris Craft from behind.

Tri-Shield, I was being nice and not saying anything about Kepich. I had my fill of him years ago. I have been using King & Queen, but not often. I just got a quote from Waldron's for my '60 Electra. Their standard is 16 gauge. I asked to up it to 14 gauge and they said another $50. Not bad. Last time I had a problem with Kepich a lackey answered the phone. He told me to wait. I heard footsteps and then click the phone hung up.

If you take the breaker plate off the distributor you will find a cork pad that is supposed to be oil soaked. Most are dry from some long period of setting during the car's life. Delicately work new oil into the cork and you should see a big difference. Being dry the cork will make the advance drag and just never be in the right place for correct timing. Bernie

The car would not excite me much, but over the years I have figured out there are a couple of eccentrics in the car hobby. If the guy has been saving a rusty old LaSalle for years there is no telling what else he has. I go and look often with no interest in the car but just to poke around to see what else they have. I think the idea came to me one night while watching a vampire movie. They said you had to invite the vampire in before he could bite you. A Craigslist ad a a good invitation. ummmmmm, it works, I've bit a couple. :eek:

It is a Rover P5.

I sent the '60 Electra rear end home with my nephew. New U-joints, powder coating the rear drums and backing plates. Sand blasting the torque tube and arms, fresh black paint to all. Sand blasting the wheels, epoxy primer and black finish, new tires all around. Getting ready for Danvers, Ma. in July.

I guess fences make good neighbors.... if they keep the Buick parts from spilling over.

The best advice from this string would be enhanced with a strong recommendation to join the RROC BEFORE you buy a Proper Motor Car. That way you have the full talents of the club to help in your decision. Both the national club and your local chapter will give you the support to make an informed selection. You wouldn't want to buy a car, join the club, and show up at a meeting to hear someone say "Oh, you bought "That" car." It's been done before. Bernie

Don't feel too bad about being "sucked in by a lot of PR over the years". The crowning event was when they sold the whole operation to the Germans. What a way to get even for WWII. Mssrs. Rolls and Royce are probably both smiling about that one. Bernie

This string seems popular and fun. Here is another Buick convertible.

62 here, built like a Roadmaster, driving an Electra. Always smiling. (I was driving the '64 Riviera in sunny, warm western New York yesterday.) Bernie

That Riviera pic was really mine from a time when Ebay sales stuff got out of hand. I am posting a couple more pics of the '37 or '38 Buick in the field.

The late model Spirits and Spurs are appealing. It would not be my choice if it was the only collector car I owned. There are a lot more cars that would get my $20,000 first. The quote "there is nothing more expensive than a cheap Rolls-Royce." should always be kept in mind. The 1964 does have an expensive brake job. Especially if you have to replace the motor mounts and fix all the deferred maintenance. That cost applies up to about 1981. After that $4,000 to $5,000 will do a major brake job for a well maintained car. I would budget $3,000 to $10,000 for annual maintenance and lean toward the higher side. The mid to late '80's cars have less computer and electronic controls than newer ones and would be a better bet. As with most "modern" cars, they are susceptible to aging more than '50's and early '60's cars. I joined the Rolls-Royce Club to help me make a more intelligent purchase. I have studied the cars thoroughly and like them a lot. I have a 1964 Buick Riviera, a 1960 Buick Electra, and a 1953 Jaguar Mark VII. The next car I buy will probably be a late '60's or early '70's Electra or Park Avenue. Of course, that is my mind thinking. If the right Rolls comes along I will get stupid for it. Bernie

Anyone who has owned a car for over 30 years has an embarrassing picture stashed. A Riviera barn find.

I am so lucky to live in western New York. I didn't drive the day we needed air conditioning. It passes like the 24 hour flu. Bernie

The shop manual diagrams worked OK for me on the '64. I reproduced the color codes by using an under dash vacuum harness from a 1969 Cadillac as material. It was in a nice environment and very flexible. When I was short length I made a splice under the dash and used plain black where it couldn't be seen. Bernie

My '64 drops dead at 1/4 tank. I learned that before I had AAA. Actually, I got the AAA when I licensed my first Jaguar... with extended towing. GM made lousy fuel gauges. They probably figured if you could afford a Buick you could keep the tank full. I fill mine on Sunday. Of course I've only put 20,000 miles on it in 32 years. Bernie

Mine are from Mace Motors in Canton, New York. Pretty sure they come up on Google. Bernie Here are two more Buick converts.

Silver Ghost, Your last entry sounded great. You might talk with some local High School teachers and find a young mechanic to hire as an after school or weekend helper. They know the kids with energy and who the good ones are. Doing this gives you a mentoring job as well and can be quite rewarding. It also sets a commitment for scheduling and keeps the progress flowing. Bernie

I have owned my '64 Riviera for 33 years now and have thought of many neat things to do with it over the years. Dramatic, like making it a convertible and mild like your idea of a tricky paint scheme. I have looked at how the car naturally reflects light and have thought about a panel paint job on the sides that would be similar to the car's color at dusk or evening light. Being Claret Mist Metallic the darker colors look great in changing sunlight. If I painted the car I would do a panel layout like this '78 LeSabre with subtle shade changes. See on my car how the light follows the body line, that could be paint. Bernie

I have a few of those pics: