1965rivgs

Hi Bob, Try replacing your leaking hoses first. It is a long shot, but you may be introducing air into the power steering system (which will cause noise) as well as leaking the fluid out. An oring rebuild kit is available thru NAPA. This may not cure the noise as often the hard parts in the pump are the cause. You may need to eventually but another pump assembly. Hope this helps, Tom Mooney

Just my observations...I also like the "look" of the original bias plys but DONT like the way they handle! On pristine roads they are OK, sort of cool, but once the "urban woes" present themselves, uneven surfaces and truck ruts, look out! Contrary to what has been posted (if I`m understanding the previous post) I find the radials to possess low speed harshness and the bias tires to be more smooth? One thing is for certain...tire technology has come a loooong way and it is difficult not to take advantage of their improvement. Darwin....NO PROBLEM with the questions. Answering them, especially in concert, is always a learning experience for me....very gratifying. Jim....not sure on the `63`s but in `65 I believe Buick used 3 different suppliers. I know for sure they used Firestone and Goodyear for the triple stripe whites. I have documented what I believe to be an original blackwall spare which is a US Royal. Tire technology was so rapidly changing in the `60`s (especially `63 to `64, just in size specs!) that it would be very, very difficult to document the running changes and details. Over the years I have been passively looking for period correct tire manuals to help decode sidewall data....but I have been unsuccessful. Any volunteers to take on such a research project? I`m sure, at some point, there should at least appear date code info on the sidewalls.....too many loose ends, not enough time! Tom Mooney

Yes, the adhesive backed mount is the beige colored disc in the middle of the photo. Tom Mooney

Interesting topic....I also have an NOS compass and if my recall is accurate the kit contains an adhesive backed mount which installs on the inside windshield glass. The illustration in the kit is most definitely an early sixties Buick. Fact of the matter is, the instructions in the kit are mounting suggestions. The compass was not available factory installed. So it was up to the tech to install it where he or the owner saw fit. The last place I would put a compass is on the underside of the dash. Where would you find one today? That`s right...in the rear view mirror, at eye level, Tom Mooney

Hi John, There is a ground strap which is captured by one of the mounting screws. This ground strap is for the internal relay. Quite often corrosion at this point is a problem. Simply loosening and retightening the mounting bolt will often restore proper operation. Maybe next time, Tom Mooney

Hi John, Your post is old but if you havn`t removed the motor yet...you may not need to. What is the problem? Tom Mooney

There`s no need to remove the lower door skin bolts. Leave them in place and carefully pull back the upper door skin. Place a large-enough wedge at the top edge and most tasks can be accomplished thru the created opening. Tom Mooney

Al !!! Dont change the interior color!! I know color choice is subjective but the white interior is what really sets off the coral mist...I know, I know, opinions are like axxholes...everyone has one... Tom Mooney

Hi Alex, Just a few observations....the component pictured is not a relay but a temperature switch. It interrupts voltage to the compressor clutch when the outlet temp of the evaporator gets too low. There is a sensing bulb at the end of the metal tube which originates at the switch. The bulb is most likely affixed to the outlet tube of the evaporator under the sticky tar-like wrap seen in the photo under the STV valve. The temp switch basically turns a constant run compressor into a cycling mode. Good news is you remove the load from the engine when possible but the bad news is the cycling can cause less consistent evap pressure and hence outlet temp. Be certain there are no vacuum leaks in the control system as any leaks will cause other parts of the system removed from the actual point of leakage to be non-op. Good luck, Tom Mooney

Hi Don, Jenkins (listed in the Riview) has the closest match. Somewhat lighter in overall appearance compared to NOS material, especially compared to soiled original fabric, but the closest I have seen in repro. Hope this helps, Tom Mooney

Hi Victor, A little more background info would be nice. Where are you located? Any idea where the car was originally purchased? Please provide the VIN of the car located in the forward area of the driver`s door jamb. Also need the engine code which can be found on the passenger side of the block on the same surface as the number which you have already supplied. Thanks! Tom Mooney

Hi Pat, My research indicates some `66 Wildcat GS cars were built with the BS coded trans and some were not. I have used original build sheets and protecto plates to form the basis of my research. Unlike the Riviera, the Wcat models were built in more than one assembly plant. So, even though it appears Buick intended the BS trans to be installed in both Wcat GS and Riv GS models, there may have been a shortage of BS transmissions in certain plants to properly build the Wcat GS cars....dont ask which plants! It would seem logical if the dealer installed the Super Wcat option on a customer`s car it would do so on a 425, not a 401. On the Riviera, this is impossible with the exception being an export model built with a low compression 401, but Buick only built between 2 and 3 hundred of those. The 401 was the standard engine for the Wcat so conceivably, a dealer could have done it. General consensus is the MZ coded factory built Super Wcat cars were available as of March 1, `66. Hope this helps, Tom Mooney

Hi EJ, The BS coded `66 trans is essentially the same as the `65 unit including the speedo gear. Both these transmissions were installed in GS models with 3:42 diff gear. Tom Mooney

Hi Brian, Buicks full size rear axle was unique to Buick. There were never any aftermarket gear packages available. You`ll need to find NOS or good used. Good luck, Tom Mooney

Hi Dave, Yes, but Buick started the numerical sequence at 900,000 for the Wildcat models also so it is impossible to say which of the 4,947 were Rivieras and which were Wildcats. Tom Mooney

Thanks Al...I intended to at least provide the auction number in my original post but I was already late getting to the dinner table and neglected to do so...thanks again, Tom Mooney

There is an LX `65 Riv running on Ebay right now. Dont know how to post a link (sorry). I would strongly suggest if anyone is interested or actively bidding on this car to be careful. I have no desire to resurrect the Riviera Police or bash anyone`s car but....the VIN number is very low and the body build date is late in the model year....something`s not right ??? Tom Mooney

Post a pic Nick, we`ll confirm which generation your wheels are. Tom Mooney

Ed, Darwin and Steff, I suspect we are looking at the original engine in this particular `66 and it is and always has been a 401.( See my comment in the first paragragh of my initial response to Steff ) As we all know, shade can vary due to light conditions, etc,... we are looking at the original Buick green. Several years ago there arose a discussion on the Riv list about a foreign member`s `66. I cant remember where he was located? Anyway...his was also a `66 and (if my recollection is correct) he claimed he had a 401 engine and the engine was marked with the MT 401 code, numbers matching just like Steff`s car. There was much insistance the engine must have been changed, blah, blah, blah...and the final conclusion was Buick made a mistake stamping his block and that his car, did indeed, have a 425 engine with the 401 code stamped into it. I suspected all along, because his was an export model, Buick built his `66 with a 401 but I bit my lip...there were others principal to the discussion who were MUCH MORE familiar with the `66`s than I at the time and I have personally found a misstamped LX block in a `65 GS!(Buick initially stamped an LT into it and blotted out the T and added the X!) I believe we have yet another `66 Riviera built for export with a factory installed 401. Should be interesting to hear what code Steff comes up with. I`ll bet it`s MT or a code we are not familiar with. Tom Mooney

No problem... 445 is the torque rating of the motor-not cubic inches. There is an engine code which is located in the same area as the VIN number which you listed but on the passenger`s side. If you are kind enough to supply it we will no doubt have a very interesting discussion about your car and others built for export. 494876H934802 This is the VIN and breaks down as follows...49487-model number....6 is the year of manufacture..H indicates the car was built in Flint Michigan...934802 is a sequential serial number assigned to the cars as they were produced. Motor 6H934802 This sequential number matches the number assigned to the body and tells us this is the original motor installed in your Riv 02D indicates the body of your Riv was produced in the second month (Feb) and the fourth (D) week 66-49487 is the model number EUC indicates body production in the Euclid Ohio Fisher Body plant 156269 is the number assigned by Fisher to your body UU paint indicates your exterior color should be Riviera Plum top and bottom TR 653 B indicates the interior TRim color is Dove (off white) bucket seats X power windows T 4-way power seat 2G Full length shifting console 3B rear window defroster 4F Remote control outside rear view mirror 5K Door edge guards Hope this helps. I`d be very curious to know what your passenger side engine code is. Sounds like a gorgeous car, Plum exterior and Dove buckets. Interestingly equipped also, no tinted glass, no A.C. (unless you left out a character) and a rear window defroster. Must have been ordered for a cold climate! Tom Mooney

That was my point Jim!! The characters that are listed on the Fisher Body plate provide a ton of interesting info. But what is not listed also leads to some very logical conclusions regarding how the early cars were assembled. I apologize if my logic was unclear Tom Mooney

Hi Ed, My question refers to what is stamped on the Fisher Body plate, NOT the window sticker. What is stamped on your body plate? Tom Mooney

Just more rambling on this subject....there was no "radio delete" option because all radio installations were optional. There was a tilt wheel delete and heater-defroster delete option because these items were standard equipment on the `65 models. According to the `65 Daily Car Reports Buick built 603 `65 Rivieras with no radio. This represents 1.7 % of production. I have never seen a `65 without a radio, most likely because a radio would have been installed at some point after production by a very bored owner. I have seen a `63 with no radio, in a very well equipped car. What are the chances someone would not have installed tunes after all these years? Tom Mooney

Hi Dirk, Jim, The radio code is on the Fisher plate in `63 for the purpose of installing the rear seat speaker. The character on the Fisher Body plate evolved into a "rear seat speaker" code for `64 and `65. For `63 it is interesting that the first character for the radio code is stamped but not the second character (which denotes which radio option was chosen). Since three of the radio options included a power antenna this second character would need to have been included on the Fisher plate if its employees had anything to do with the power antenna installation. So, on the `63 Fisher Body plate, one will only find the first of two characters denoting that any radio option had been chosen by the owner necesitating the installation of a rear seat speaker (the `63 models had only one possible speaker in the rear, unlike the `64-`65 models which could have been built with front speaker-Flint`s responsibility-only. Fisher was only responsible for the car from the firewall back. The front sheetmetal, and presumably the dash wiring harness which included the power antenna items, were done by Buick in Flint. Tom Mooney P.S. Can some `63 owners please re-affirm my recollection that only the "D" character appears denoting a radio installation?

Hi Darwin, Yes, a 5WG on the Fisher Body plate would indicate the car was built with "Two custom seat belts with retractors (front only)" and "Two deluxe seat belts (rear)". There is no third code for custom belts because when ordering J1 the custom belts were included in the option. Guess this blows the trivia bit... Tom Mooney