Jim Cannon

What lead additive are you putting in that adds $5 to the tank fill? Is it to increase octane? Or to provide lubrication to valve stems and seats? I agree with using the highest octane gas you can find because that is what was called for new.

Hi! Is it a '63 or a '65? What do you mean by "code book"?

Yes it is! The Dynaflow really makes a difference. Buick was known through the 50s until '63 for this smooth power through the Dynaflow. You might notice a slight shudder around 30 kph. That is normal.

I used a spray paint from my local auto parts store called "cast aluminum". It is a semi-flat silver color. Looks great.

If you take aluminum valve covers, also take the A/C compressor bracket (if the car has A/C) that goes over the tall aluminum valve cover. Which year Riv will it go on?

Check out the instructions in the shop manual. Brake line is inside the frame box, can't hit it. I would not rule out hitting the exhaust system, though...

I have 1 set of 6 mounting screws for the '63 trumpet horns for sale: $6 for the set plus my actual postage cost to you. I only have 1 set, so when they are gone, they're gone. These are 6 hex washer head screws with the correct hex size, oversize flange size, length, and zinc finish. If you have a set of trumpet horns to install, these are what you need. I have done extensive research and I guarantee them to be correct for the '63 Riviera. They might be correct for other years, but I make no claim that they are. YMMV. Reply to me by e-mail or PM if you want them.

Does anyone have a set of the original 4-note horn (trumpet horn) wiring not installed in a car right now? I'd like to ask you to measure all of the wire lengths off of them so that I can make up a wiring harness.

I have a room reserved but now discover that I can not go. It's now transferred to someone else. Thanks.

On my '63, the wheel covers can be taken apart and then each wire and piece of the cover can be polished by hand before reassembly. A lot of work, but they look great after I'm done. I only do this every couple of years. I have heard others say that they run their wire wheel covers in their dishwasher and they com out really clean. I have not personally done this, but I think it's worth a try.

Bob, this is a very good question... the right answer is "both". Like many other things on the '63 Riv, there were changes part way through the production year. They started out with firewalls being painted body color. My car was built in Nov 1962 and it is body color. I have seen an original, untouched '63 with only about 17,000 miles on it (had original factory plugs in it and tires on all 4 wheels) with FB 32871 has the firewall painted satin black. I do not have a definitive date when they changed to black. Your FB number is close enough to the one I have seen black to be pretty confident yours should be black, too. You really need to try to find some original firewall surface that has been covered since new and is untouched to see what the original color was on your car. Find something that is bolted to the firewall, carefully remove it and look underneath.

The shop manual wiring diagrams will help you sort out the color codes on the wires. I have not purchased a switch from Clark's, so I do not know any of the details there. Call them and talk to them. They are very helpful. They may not understand the need for 3 separate wire connections; it is a subtle point. I just don't know.

OK, well then proceed cautiously... I have heard that Randy was using a friend's eBay store at one time because of all of the negative feedback he obtained under his own ID.

Ah, yes. A very good build on my note, Ed. I forgot to mention that the bulbs have power all the time and are in search of a ground. And they have power all the time, whether the key is on or not. I discovered on my car that the power supply to the sail panel lights in the back are on the same fuse as the trunk light. So if you have any sort of short back there (which I did) and you blow that fuse, you lose your sail panel lights up above the rear seats. That took me a few minutes to figure out. ;-)

Based on the address, sounds like our old friend Randy Rymal. DANGER! DANGER! WARNING, Will Robinson! Run away! Run away! Too many people have had bad experiences with this guy for me to recommend him to anyone in the ROA. He has been banned from advertising in the Riview due to customer complaints.

There are 3 separate wires on the stock switch for the following reason: You have 3 separate light circuits on a 1st generation Riv. One is "sail panel" lights that you turn on/off by rotating the headlight switch knob; the second is the center console light in the back, which has its own switch under the lens; the third circuit is the center console lights on the side (by your feet) and the map light above the glove box, which can be turned on by the light switch under the dash. All three come on at the same time only when you open the door. The design of the switch with 3 wires keeps these 3 circuits separated from each other when the doors are closed. If you combine all wires together on one switch spade, all 3 light circuits will come one when you activate any of the 3 switches I mentioned above. Not the way Buick designed it.

Look in the Classifieds section in a Riview. We have a club member that can rebuilt your switch.

I agree. I sure don't use them for high-amp cigar lighters. I use them as power outlets for my cell phone or GPS, which draw almost no current.

I have kicked my '63 into this "switch pitch" position a couple of times. I decided I am not going to do it any more. (In fact, I have removed the linkage and stored it in a box in the garage.) I concluded that having the full force (torque and horsepower) of that big nailhead engine going through that transmission was NOT a good time to be switching the pitch angle of the vanes inside the torque converter. I feel like that is just asking for the torque converter to self-destruct on you. And not for THAT much additional acceleration. I mean you could feel it, but it was not like it threw you back in your seat or anything.

Well... I have heard that these fuses go bad with age, so you might just have bad fuses. Or your lighter element may be shorted out. You can try to read it out with a meter but I can tell you it is less than 1 ohm when good; hard to tell that from a short! I never actually use the lighters in these cars. They draw so many amps that I am afaid some other part of the electrical system will catch fire. I just use the outlets as power outlets for cell phone, GPS, etc. Things that draw a mere trickle if current. Test the fuses that you think have blown with a meter. Perhaps they are good and another part of the system is bad. Sorry, can't give you much more than that.

Yes, it is special. It screws onto the end of the light socket and looks like this: Click on image to enlarge. They are kind of hard to find. They are a special high-amperage fuse, to handle the load of a lighter.

yea, don't mix them. another one of the many little frustrating differences between '63-64-65 Rivs.

Bob- Make the repair and "recycle" the old sending unit. Some other Riv owner will appreciate your efforts. As others have mentioned, it is different from '63 (I know for sure) and I think also the '64 sending unit. So fix it and sell it to someone with a '65.

So here's a picture of my dash... can you see the crack?

I guess it depends on where it is located. Cracks caused by sun and heat on the front edge (where defroster grill is) often spread. I have a 1 inch long impact crack on my leading edge that has not grown in 20 years.