Jim Cannon

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: low'n slow</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I just replaced my liner. I have the light and the lens. </div></div> Cool! Do you have A/C? How well did the replacement liner fit? I assume you had to move the lens over from old liner to new... how did that go? Do you know the build date of your body and the Fisher Body number?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: RivNut</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> <snip> I know that if I had access to color coded vacuum lines, it would make it a whole lot easier to replace them on my '63; but I need to weigh the cost against the end result. Maybe I could make a little jig I could draw my vacuum lines through that would apply a paint stripe to them.</div></div> That is sort of what I did. I painted the different color stripes on lengths of hose before I started. As I replaced each section of vacuum hose, I used new hose with the same color stripe and cut to same length with razor knife. That really helped figure out how that mess of vacuum hoses coming out of the heater-A/C control box is supposed to be connected up. What I did is very functional, but I never could get the stripe width on the new hose the same as original. The brush tip was too narrow. I'm thinking of trying a roller type applicator, like you see some guys do pin striping on cars with. If I hold the roller vertically in a holder and pull the tubing through, it should lay down a stripe.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: NTX5467</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Many people get "excited" about the ribs on the heater hoses, but the vacuum lines usually also had ribs on them too . . . usually about three ribs together. Or if they were smooth, a color-code stripe of sorts. Enjoy! NTX5467 </div></div> Yes, all of the vacuum hoses on my '63 had a colored stripe painted on them, to help trace them. It is a fairly broad stripe and the paint has a dull powdery look to it. I have not yet figured out how to reproduce this effect on new vacuum hoses.

I have been told that the torque converters on the automatic transmissions slowly drain their fluid down into the transmission pan and then these overfull pans are prone to leak. As soon as you start the car and pump the fluid back into the TC, the level goes down in the pan. I found going around on the transmission pan bolts with a ratchet and GENTLY snugging them up stopped all drips from my Dynaflow when parked for a few weeks. YMMV. I use pans and large sheets of cardboard (old large boxes) under all my old cars.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ZombyWoof</div><div class="ubbcode-body">By the way, I'm a 12A...my car never had this lens, or it was lost before I got it. </div></div> ZW- You saw the photo of the top of my glove compartment, with the rectangular hole rounded at one end. Is that what you have? If so, we have narrowed it down a bit further as to when this particular change over started. Ed- Yes, there was a 01E; I have one in my database. By my estimate, they were building about 235 Riviera bodies a day during January. I am refining that number as I collect more data. I have not yet seen a 02A car. As you point out, that week contains only 1 work day, so I would only expect about 200-250 cars were made that day (that week).

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 51dyno</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Have you looked at universal exhust pipe hangers Or exhust pipe bender places??? Just a thought. </div></div> That's what I did for the exhaust on my Riviera. I bought some generic hangers at my corner auto parts store and just used the rubber strips, threw the metal bits in the bin.

Ed- Date and Fisher Body number were added to the listing (with typo in the FB number -- it should only have 5 digits, should be 20193), then it was ended early. My car is an 11A and has no lens. Yours is a 01D and it has the lens. I will start narrowing it down between those dates to see when the switch over occurred. My Buick Master Chassis Parts book lists the lens as a separate part on a page dated March 1963.

OK, Ed, so I went out and did the same. Mine just has a hole cut in the top of the liner. Kind of rectangular but round on one end. It puts out a good bit of light. Looks like another mid-model year detail change in the '63 Riv (like the ribbed dash and a few other things we have noticed).

Looks pretty tan or light brown to me. Hard to call it gray, especially with the gray cardboard trim right up next to it.

I don't think it is a lens, I think it is just a metal ring bezel around the hole. I think I have seen it on other cars, but not on my '63.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: geniv</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Jim The car in question is for sale on the Hemmings site (classified) by Orlando Classic Cars asking price $57,500. I think the mystery continues....... Barry </div></div> Not really. It was for sale there last month. Online ads don't always get updated when a car is sold.

Welcome to the group, Jeff! (And the ROA, I hope.) Beautiful car! Hope to see it and you in person some day soon.

That's perfect. It came right up. This is all I needed. Thanks, Barry.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: geniv</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Jim: This car was offered on ebay mid january by Orlando Classic Cars (321) 624-3200. I still have the page saved in my favs. I could send it to you if you like. Barry </div></div> Barry- Can you just reply with the auction number? That's all I need. Thanks.

Thanks, guys. This car is being offered for sale to a friend of mine for $8000. He asked me about it because he knows I have a '63. Check it out: http://www.classicsandcustoms.com/search/Buick_Riviera_GS_19211.asp I advised him that I thought it was a Nigerian Internet scam, that the people stole the pictures off of eBay and do not really have the car, just trying to scam him out of money. They are very keen to get his personal information to setup a Yahoo Finance transaction. All the classic signs of a scam here.

Anyone recognize this car? Who owns it? Any chance it is for sale?

George Hussey found some of the original trunk material not too long ago, for his '64, limited supply. I don't know where or how he found it.

you do not have a stock distributor, you can not go by reference to mounting screws in SM illustrations. In fact, any distributor cap position can be chosen by you for the #1 plug position, as long as the body of the distributor is oriented to give a spark to that spot on the cap at the right time (in time with the valves and crankshaft). Then you follow the firing order for the engine.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: RivNut</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> Anyone out there have a crash sheet on these cars that would give some kind of measurement for ride height?</div></div> Chassis Shop Manual has a section on measuring ride height. 1963 and 1964: page 7-19, Section 7-13, Fig. 7-17 1965: page 7-22, Section 7-13, Fig. 7-22 These do not have measurement from ground to top arc of wheel openings... that would be too easy. My Dad replaced front springs on my '63 Riv a few years before I got the car. They are too tall. I replaced the rear springs a few years ago, because with the front so high it made the rear look droopy. Although I was told by the vendor (ESPO Springs 'n Things) that the rear springs were correct for the Riviera, they are not... they must be for some other, heavier, full size Buick. At least the car LOOKS level now... but it is too high front and rear. I will be replacing them all again at some point, at the same time I rebuild the front suspension. The only good deal in all this is that we can fill up the car with people and luggage and not scrape the exhaust system on driveways of gas stations and hotels!

I understand posting pictures is hard. How about some basics like what year and body style they are from, and where in the country you are located...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 50super</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Hope this subject hasn't been beaten to death on this forum but was looking for some input on whether or not anyone is using syth in their straight 8's. I use it in all my vehicles from the Roadstar to the Buick to my lawn mowers. Also, I've never owned a Dynaflow tranny vehicle before. Is it typical of these to have somewhat of a slight "whine" to them or is mine gonna blow? Thanks! David </div></div> David- I, like you, use synthetic in all my modern cars. I don't use it in my antiques because I like to change the oil every 6 months and I don't put enough miles on them in that time to justify the added cost of synthetic. You can, but it adds to cost. If you want to use synthetic, a lot of guys are concerned about having the right ZDDP level in the oil. The latest oil spec (API SM), being followed in most synthetic oils for gas engines, has the ZDDP at 800 ppm. (Mobil 1 has one oil at 1200 and one at 1300.) Some oils for diesel engines used to be up at about 1200 to 1600 (not sure of exactly how high they went) but they are under pressure to reduce it also and have not been good about telling us when they lower it. Here is some discussion about zinc (ZDDP) in oil by the Mobil 1 guys: http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Car_Care/AskMobil/Zinc_Motor_Oils.aspx They include a link to a table with the zinc levels in all their synthetic oils. You have to call them to ask them about the zinc levels in their conventional oils. The Dynaflow should not whine except (maybe) for a few minutes when very cold. Check fluid level while running, hot, make sure it is filled to proper level. You could try changing the fluid in it, see if that changes noise. If you keep driving it will not "blow", I think it will just start slipping really bad.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: alex bonino</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Thanks, Jim. So, remove the whole mess from the engine (eg.,brackets and pump with shaft still poking through one of the bracket assemblies)? Then remove the pulley nut and pulley while out of the car, huh? </div></div> Yes. That's what I did. <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: alex bonino</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Any suggestions on how to loosen the pulley nut while keeping the pulley from turning with out damaging it while on bench and out of car? thanks alex roa 11550 </div></div> I keep a length of 1/2 inch nylon braided rope in the shop. Before you remove the pump from the engine, wrap that rope into the V of the pulley and tie it off on something like the water pump pulley or the crank pulley. Wrap the rope in the proper direction so that as you torque the nut the rope tightens on the PS pump pulley. My nut was not so tight that it was an issue. There is a key in the pump shaft. Don't lose it when you remove the pulley.

Alex, you do not need a pulley puller for the '64 Riv PS pump. Remove the nut (mostly -- leave it screwed on at a couple of threads) and tap the nut (not the end of the shaft!) while you hold the pump off the bench by the pulley. The shaft will pop loose and you remove nut and pulley.

I used to have a Yoda; drove it all through high school. The black soot means the mixture is way too rich (too much fuel). The engine is kind of drowning in fuel. Something is getting worse with time. You (or someone who works on carbs) is going to have to open 'er up and see what's going on.

Yes, ribbed. I have several pictures of the ribbing. I will post the best example. Opposite the ribbing seems to be a faint white stripe painted on the hose (not visible in the first picture but visible in the second photo). HTH.