RivNut

I haven't asked Glenn exactly why, but I'm guessing that he's just concerned with what will be visible when the car is being judged. Another reason that I can think of would be to keep his prices down. I'll see if I can get him to identify the screws that he didn't include and make a list so you can order additional screws if you want them. Ed

I would venture to say that OPGI is just a distributor for anyone who makes something as a reproduction. A warehouse with order takers. That's why when you call, the guys have limited knowledge about the products.

The factory manuals say you're to use the "piano wire" method.

Perhaps he's still leaning toward one of his other choices if he's listed. Now the question is, does he list to the port or the starboard?

Fellow Riv Nuts, I received an email from Glenn at Mr. G's USA today and he told me that he has completed the kit for the '63 - '65 Riviera. He assigned his part # GM 1117 to this kit. I don't know if he has updated the PDF files on his website to reflect this new part # but you now have it. The kit consists of 145 pieces in 20 different sizes. You'll get twenty numbered sacks of screws. Each sack will have the same sized screws in it. You'll get a list that tells where the screws in each sack go. He's sending a kit to me to verify it but I won't be able to do that for some time yet (I'm still in the tear down stage, not the build up stage on my '64) If any of you order this kit from him and discover something that's incorrect, please let Glenn and me know. There are not as many pieces in the kit as I originally sent to him. Some of the screws I sent to him are normally "out of sight" when opening the door of the car. These are not included. So you won't be getting the glove box liner screws, or the seat bumper retainer screw. However a good replacement shouldn't be too hard to find. I also asked for new coat hanger brackets but he couldn't supply them. In the mean time, I found that Clark's Corvair has them. He also does not have the special shoulder bolt for the seat belts nor does he have the special screw w/ built in plate for the seat lean back. Therefore, when you get your carpets replace, or install new upholstery, make sure you hang on to what you have. I'll start looking for seat belt bolts. Looking forward to your comments when you've installed one of these. Ed

Steele, Here's a scanned page from my '63 owners manual that describes the workings of the heat riser. Good work on the transmission. I've found the same situation before. A mechanic will have general skills but not specific knowledge. If you provide the instructions for him, he can do the work. Ed Heat riser operatioin.PDF ROA - just like American Express "Membership has its privileges"

Here's a link to the Riviera Owners Assn. website that is part of the "Evolution of the Riviera" series. This link is for the '95, read it, then at the bottom you can click to the next link on the other years 96 - 99. I think there are no exterior differences as noticeable as you are describing. Hopefully the accompanying pictures will help. Ed Welcome to the Riviera Owners Association Homepage

I'm going to chime in once more here. Don't try to fix your cooling problems with a bunch of band-aids! Get to the core of the problem and fix it. In their hay-day, these cars were every day transportation. As such they performed flawlessly. Get the car back to basics and it won't let you down. Chances are you're not the original owner of the car. Who knows what kind of short cuts one of the previous owners may have taken to save a buck. Perhaps the water pump is for a non-a/c car. If so, 40% of the needed impellers are missing - 5 impellers on a a/c water pump; 3 on a non a/c water pump. If the water pump was rebuilt, was a new impeller installed or were the fins on the old impeller "smoothed" out to make it look good. If so, there's too large of a gap between the impellers and the body of the pump. Water is not being moved, the impeller is just cavatating and not moving any water. Are the fins on the condenser full of bugs and dirt - no air flow to the radiator. Are the fins on the condenser bent over - no air flow to the radiator. Are the fins on the radiator allowing air to flow through it? Is the radiator painted with typical rattle can black paint? If so, the paint will not allow heat to dissipate. There's a special radiator paint that should be used. Lots of stuff on a 50 year old car that need proper attention. If a previous owner had the motor rebuilt, did he overbore it too far? If so, the iron in the block is not thick enough to transfer heat out of the cylinder wall. Proper fixes are more than just adding something to the proper water/antifreeze mix or installing a different kind of fan. Ed

Steele, Cars Inc. has repo shrouds for about $140. With the engine off, you should be able to turn the fan without turning the water pump. When the temperature of the radiator gets hot enough ,the clutch engages, and you'll hear the fan roar. It's been a while, but I think the idiot light should come on when you're cranking the engine. Someone who drives theirs frequently can verify or refute this. Ed

When stating that the car did not have the switch, I guess I was trying to insinuate that without a switch, there were no knobs. I bought a washer push knobe from a same era Buick Special one time. I thing Buick probably used the same knobs on lots of models in the same years. Ed

I was pulling more stuff off the '63 parts car today and was in a quandry as to how to get the back bolts from the driver's seat frame. The seat is a power seat, and the wiring harnesses, battery, circuit breaker, etc have all been pulled. The seat was all the way back and all the way down. The inner bolts come out with an angled ratcheting box end wrench. The outside bolt was inaccessible with what was in the tool bag. A trip back to the stand up tool chest and Wa-La, there was something that might work. It did. If any of you run into the same situation, get out your 1/2" distributor clamp wrench. Mine is like the one pictured. With the center in place, you can attach your breaker bar to it. It works great. Ed

I've got it. "Joy stick" and escutcheon. Before taking the cables loose, I checked it out and it works fine. It's yours for $25.00 US Dollars. You pay the shipping and handling to where ever from USA zip code 66218. I'd guess two pounds with box and packing. I can post a picture if you'd like. Ed

My parts car does not have the wiper/washer switch, sorry. Ed

You might hook up a direct reading gauge to the same port as the electric sending unit is. Check the temperature to make sure you don't have a faulty sending unit. Or if it hasn't been done in 20+ years, you might have the radiator rodded out. One other thing to check on is if your car has a/c, does it have a shrould surrounding the fan? If not, big issue. Without a shroud, the fan can't pull air through both the a/c condenser and the radiator. That's why the a/c cars have 5 bladed thermal clutch fans, shrouds, and 5 impeller water pumps. It sounds like as long as you can push air through the radiator (driving it) you're okay but the fan can't create the same air flow idling as can driving. Ed

If I were you, I think that I would try some of Eastwood's Rust Converter, followed by some of their Rust Encapulator. This appears to be surface rust only; probably caused by evaporation and condensation. The same cycle that gets to the headliner sleeves causing them to rot, and causes mold on the headliner. Ed

Shouldn't be a problem. I'll go over to the place where the car is and see what box I put it in. Don't forget to mark your cables R, G, and Y. Ed

Are the wiper knobs for a '64 Electra and a '63 Riviera the same? If so, I'm parting out a 63 Riv. I think the knob and button are both there (haven't seen the car that closely for a while.) Does the Electra have wipers with windshield washers? I know the washers were optional on some models. Ed

Simon, Do these switches have a part number on them? I think I have some of these lying around. If you can get me a part number, I'll take a look. I'll need to know which are for the driver's side and which are for the passenger's side. Ed

Nick, The mirror with remote is in good shape mechanically. The mirror body itself has a couple of pits in the die cast. The nice thing about these '63 mirrors is that have a reversable bezel on them that allows them to be mounted on the passenger side. The cable is only long enough to be mounted on the door, it's not like some of the later mirrors that had cables long enough to go into the dash so the driver could operate it. I should be getting the door skin off in the next day or two to give me access to the mirror mount. Let me know what you think. Ed

The parts car is another '63 Riviera.

These are for a '71 - '78, correct?

A guy here in the Kansas City area is replacing the 401 nailhead and Dynaflow in his '63 with a late model GM V8 and o/d transmission. The engine hasn't been run for a while but it will turn over by hand using only the fan. This will be a complete pull out - from pan to carb, fan to tailshaft, and exhaust manifolds. There's no indication of mileage. The car is not air conditioned so there's no compressor, thermal clutch, or shroud. The OE carb has been replaced with a Holley. Right now we're open offers on the entire assembly with pick-up in the Kansas City area. We (the body shop guy and myself) also have a '63 parts car. From it, we're using the front fenders, rear quarters, door skins, front inner fenders, and dash (the non a/c car is getting a Vintage Air unit but the owner wants to use OE vents.) Everything else is for sale (if it's still on the car.) Let me know what you need and shoot me an offer. I'll give you a realistic idea of what the condition of the parts are. The parts car is well optioned, but nothing extravagant (four note horns, etc.) Thanks, Ed<!-- google_ad_section_end -->

A guy here in the Kansas City area is replacing the 401 nailhead and Dynaflow in his '63 with a late model GM V8 and o/d transmission. The engine hasn't been run for a while but it will turn over by hand using only the fan. This will be a complete pull out - from pan to carb, fan to tailshaft, and exhaust manifolds. There's no indication of mileage. The car is not air conditioned so there's no compressor, thermal clutch, or shroud. The OE carb has been replaced with a Holley. Right now we're open offers on the entire assembly with pick-up in the Kansas City area. We (the body shop guy and myself) also have a '63 parts car. From it, we're using the front fenders, rear quarters, door skins, front fenders, and dash - the non a/c car is getting a Vintage Air unit but the owner wants to use OE vents. Everything else is for sale (if it's still on the car.) Let me know what you need and shoot me an offer. I'll give you a realistic idea of what the condition of the parts are. The parts car is well optioned, but nothing extravagant (four note horns, etc.) Thanks, Ed

I've seen Neat's Foot oil at the local Ace Hardware. That's the stuff I used to use 50 years ago to work a pocket into a new ball glove. I've never heard of it used on machinery though. From what I've read, it tends to leave a film that would collect dust and it will dry and get crusty; I don't think you'd want that in a clock. Were there anyother recommendations? Do your own Google search and make sure it's what you want to use then call a clock maker in your area and ask what he'd recommend. Ed

From Waterloo Craigslist; I just found the listing in the KC area Craigslist. Believe me, I know nothing about the car nor do I want to! 1977 BUICK RIVIERA FOR SALE.. CUSTOM ONE OF A KIND,, GREAT DEAL!!!