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Rear Console Lens (65)


joeinbcs

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I'm renewing some of the plastic and rubber pieces on my 65 Riviera, and could use a little guidance on the following items:

1. Rear Console Lens: I just had a look, and can't figure out how to do it short of disassembling the entire console. Any recommendations?

2. Window Felts: Do the old one's slide out? Not sure how to do this

3. Vertical Seal (between the leading edge of the front window and the vent window): Can this be done without removing the window?

4. Round Courtesy Lights: Do these twist off? Pry off?

Thanks for any advice. Joe

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The rear console lens is held on internally. Remove the ash tray cup back there and you will see how it is held in. The power feeds this light all the time so you might want to disconnect the battery before going in there to prevent a short and a blown fuse.

The round lenses pry out of the chrome ring. The chrome ring does not come off with the lens. If you crack the lens new ones are available from any GM dealer for about $5 each. Get a set of 4 and the car will look so much better inside, compared to the yellowed lenses you have now.

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I'm renewing some of the plastic and rubber pieces on my 65 Riviera, and could use a little guidance on the following items:

1. Rear Console Lens: I just had a look, and can't figure out how to do it short of disassembling the entire console. Any recommendations?

2. Window Felts: Do the old one's slide out? Not sure how to do this

3. Vertical Seal (between the leading edge of the front window and the vent window): Can this be done without removing the window?

4. Round Courtesy Lights: Do these twist off? Pry off?

Thanks for any advice. Joe

Question #1: You should be able to remove the ribbed chrome piece from the console to expose the screws securing the lens. It's been a long time, but that's what I remember.

Question #2: The outer window fuzzies (i.e., on the dor skin) are secured to the stainless trim with staples. You first needs to remove the stainless trim by removing the screws securing it to the door skin. Then remove the old fuzzies by carefully prying out the staples.

Now for the hard part. I like to intall new staples in the same holes as that the originals staples used. To do this, you need to align the new fuzzies with the stainless trim and mark drill sites that correspond to the original holes. Once you drill the holes for the staples, push a new staple through the fuzzy side and into the stainless and crimp the staple with pliers or your thumb or whatever. Be patient. Be patient. Be patient. I just did a set last week.

Question #3: No the window does not need to be removed. It's been years since I've done this, but I think that the old one slides out and the new slides in.

Question #4: To remove the round courtesy lights, delicately slide a screw driver between the plastic lens and the bezel and I think (it's been a while) this exposes screws that secure the bezel into the sail panel. Again, this is from memory, but it ain't hard to do.

Edited by Patrick91914 (see edit history)
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Patrick is good on #1-3, but listen to Jim for # 4. The lens has three tabs on it, the bezel has three slots. Find where the tab goes into the slot, put a little pressure on the plastic at that point and the lens will pop out. If your lenses are original, they're yellowed, aged, and will probably break. As Jim said, new ones are availabel from your GM parts bin: they're readily available and very inexpensive compared to what the vendons on ebay will try to tell you.

Ed

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Thanks, fellas.

Your advice helped me solve questions 3 (vertical seal), and 4 (courtesy lights).

The felts (2) seems a project that will require a little more time, but question number 1 (rear console lens) still has me stumped.

I have the buick chassis manual on CD, and the exploded diagram of the "Plate assem-rear trim" shows two screws that hold the chrome trim onto the console, attaching just beneath the light opening. I can't find these. I can only find a single screw beneath the courtesy lamp lens. Removing that doesn't do the trick. Any advice on this?

One other question...Anybody know a source for paint to use on the dash and armrest areas (mine is has rubbed off in a few areas). Thanks!

Edited by joeinbcs (see edit history)
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Thanks, fellas.

Your advice helped me solve questions 3 (vertical seal), and 4 (courtesy lights).

The felts (2) seems a project that will require a little more time, but question number 1 (rear console lens) still has me stumped.

I have the buick chassis manual on CD, and the exploded diagram of the "Plate assem-rear trim" shows two screws that hold the chrome trim onto the console, attaching just beneath the light opening. I can't find these. I can only find a single screw beneath the courtesy lamp lens. Removing that doesn't do the trick. Any advice on this?

One other question...Anybody know a source for paint to use on the dash and armrest areas (mine is has rubbed off in a few areas). Thanks!

Any decent paint shop has paint chips for 65.

After looking at the diagram on service manual page 10-93, I don't see a way to remove the console light without removing the console. I'm stumped here. It has been too long for me to remember.

post-52936-143138088103_thumb.jpg

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On #4: I removed the ash tray and worked through that opening to remove the 2 screws that hold the light fixture to the console. I know that I did not remove the console to replace my lens back there. I do remember it being difficult to work through the small opening.

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Guest jchagop

The GM dealerships in my area don't have interior light lens sets for a 1964 Riv. Can anyone give me the number of a dealership that has them?

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The rear console lens is not fun ! I need to do one of mine and I have no reason to lift the console . I may try and break out the old lens , then trim the new lens so it fits in the rectangle hole . Then JB Weld tabs inside the opening - then glue in the new lens on the tabs - just a thought .

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