jimtash

Mine does the same thing. It's normal after sitting.

Oddly enough the same rear left light didn't work on mine until the car ran for a while. A lot of the electrics like the antenna and wipers were slow to work but eventually functioned fine.

Is that the most expensive 1st generation Riviera to ever sell? And do you think it's indicative of rising collector car status for these cars?

Not big by modern standards.Put it side by side against an Accord and it's smaller. Modern cars have to have raised hoods over the engine to protect pedestrians. That alone means that the designs become bloated. Some car makers can do it tastefully with a bulge and keep the overall shape smooth. But they also have to have side impact beams and airbags which causes the cars to be wide.

Last month I started my '63 after 2 years of sitting. None of the electrics worked except the headlights. Not the antenna, the rear lights, nothing. But as the car idled, eventually everything began to operate normally. The only issue left was the the rear turn signal light on one side. Oddly enough the brake light worked but the turn signal didn't. And I had the same rapid flasher as you. Changing out the bulb did nothing but cleaning up around the outside of the socket and insuring it got good ground did. The sockets in these cars are the ground.

There's one on Ebay. It says Chevy in the auction but it is the exact same valve used in Rivieras. https://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-61-62-Chevy-Impala-Biscayne-Belair-Heater-Control-Valve-Eureka-4-4472-Tested/332431955702?hash=item4d667d16f6:g:4GEAAOSwwAdZ-A8o&vxp=mtr I freed up an old valve that was completely stuck by spraying the inside with PB Blaster and working the lever back and forth. Works good.

Got the car finished yesterday and it brakes fine for what it is. At least now they're not as sensitive as they once were and the force is even on all four wheels. No pulling to one side. One still has to learn to drive a 4 wheel drum car especially compared to modern braking systems. And checking the adjustment every so often is mandatory. It has a huge impact on pedal feel as well.

Same thing as coming down a mountain and experiencing fade. No braking whatsoever. Zero pedal feedback. If I had to make a stop to avoid hitting the rear of another car, couldn't do it. Driving a car with 4 wheel drums is a learning experience. Easily locked up in wet weather if the driver isn't careful, can quickly fade, and braking distances are long.

That's the kit I'm currently using. I've only managed to install the front lines so far and it's going pretty good. The front left line is slightly too long so I just gave it a slight bend to take out the slack. And in order to clear the right suspension, I had to straighten the end of the line and then bend it back around the shock tower. The engine has headers so clearance is tight. I tightened the line down by working back to front using the frame to make the final bends. The center strap was the last to get tightened. Car has a dual master cylinder conversion using a '67 Chevy II MC. It was not done by me. The front lines use the stock distribution block and a line coming from the rear reservoir of the MC. The rear is tied directly into the front reservoir via a custom line and fittings. They bypassed the distribution block completely. All the brake lines from what I can tell are the originals and unmodified. I'm still trying to figure out how they tied in the brake light switch. There isn't one on the hydraulic portion of the system.

That's really sweet.

First thing I ever did to mine was replace the core by taking the dash apart. Not fun but I've also done way harder modern cars where the core and the evaporator are in one unit. Recently just got the car out of storage and a coolant flush along with a correct '63 heater valve were installed. So even though it doesn't have A/C, at least it won't fry my feet with vent air passing over the hot core.

That thing is cool. Got any more pics of it?

I ordered the exact same lines from Inline Tube. I also bought a can of Bosch brake fluid at Autozone yesterday. It supposed to last 100% longer than regular DOT3.

Car has been sitting in storage for a couple of years now hence the rusted out tube. Brake fluid looks like crap. One good thing though is it still starts and everything works except the brakes. Carb is clean but I did have to replace the fuel pump. Already have new cylinders on the back and front ones along with brake hoses and tubes are on order. That's why I was thinking of changing over to DOT5. Or just stay with DOT3 and change it every few years.

Thanks. The one that rusted and burst is the front tube that runs across the front frame from side to side. Right at the strap in the center. Has anyone used DOT5 instead of 3 brake fluid? Since it's silicone based and won't attract water, I'd like to use it instead of 3.