Guest Slingblade44 Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 I have put togather alot of cars but never a Buick. Got a screaming deal on this car and have started working on it. Carpet was soaked in water for who knows how long, totally stripped floors of carpet/pad and pulled the entire interior out to check floors and re-coat them. No rust in the floors or trunk pan. The cars most recent registration sticker was 1985. They said it had been driven in 2006 but none of the reg stickers confirm that. Ran a line from a gas can to the fuel pump, adjusted the points, and she fired off, ran rough for about 2 minutes, and then purred like a kitten. No smoke ect. Drove her into the shop and went in rev/drive fine. Just have to replace a bad freeze plug. Power windows, p/b, p/s, cruise, p/a, tilt, nicely equipt car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim63riv Posted December 1, 2009 Share Posted December 1, 2009 Hi,Looks like you got your hands on a nice Riviera! You'll find that these cars are well built and VERY reliable, with the exception of the clamshell headlights! LOL! Welcome to the board and the experience they call "Riviera!"Take Care,Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Slingblade44 Posted December 1, 2009 Share Posted December 1, 2009 Where is the motor for those headlights located? Mine don't close. I have alot to do before I really worry about them, but I am pulling the grille to polish and clean it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Cannon Posted December 1, 2009 Share Posted December 1, 2009 the motor is between the grill and the radiator (or A/C condenser, if you have one) up front, in the center. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Slingblade44 Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 Anyone have a source for gas tanks? Mine was full of rust. I can have it completely redone for 175.00 but have to take it to Dallas. Want to compare cost of a new one to have mine redone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petelempert Posted December 5, 2009 Share Posted December 5, 2009 S-I got mine from GM Obsolete...but it was spendy. Like $350 for one that was nice...but not great. PRL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Slingblade44 Posted December 5, 2009 Share Posted December 5, 2009 I found a place in Dallas that still has a vat. It is a radiator shop on main street that said for 175 they will vat, clean and recoat the tank. I guess that beats a new one. What is the best think to spray on teh floor pans? I have pulled all the interior, then that wet nasty carpet and padding, scraped the floor pans, then wire wheeled them and then sanded them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Luchene Posted December 5, 2009 Share Posted December 5, 2009 I used POR15 on my floors and am very satisfied with the results. It flows well and dries hard as a rock within hours. Here is a sample before and after shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Slingblade44 Posted December 5, 2009 Share Posted December 5, 2009 Those look great where did you get the POR15? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Slingblade44 Posted December 5, 2009 Share Posted December 5, 2009 Ok I got the Riviera running, which totally floored me since the tags and window sticker show 1982 as the last time the car was legal. Fuel line to a gas can, set the points, filled the carb bowls and it started right up, smoke about 2 minutes and then ran awesome. Is there anything other than a fresh oil change and filter that I should do to this ole engine? I haven't had a car with this old of an engine and it appears to not have been gone into. odometer shows 14k with means 114k as the car has been in the same owners hands since 74 and he stated that it wasn't drove all over the country.But beings how I have never messed with these old NailHeads I don't know what they do and don't like. Any advice gladly accepted. I see no reason to do anything to it except new plugs, wires, ect. But is there any addatives, certain oil, ect., I should prep the engine with before she gets back to full time duty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Luchene Posted December 5, 2009 Share Posted December 5, 2009 I worked with a guy named Don with the POR15 Outlet. He was extremely helpful and provided his cell number to call if I had any issues at all when applying the product. He advertises on ebay as well. The website link is The POR-15 Outlet. You may be able to find a supplier around you but I couldn't find anyone in NC. Don shipped the same day so I had the product within two days of the order. I believe they make a gas tank restore kit as well. 1 quart did all of the floors in my interior. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Slingblade44 Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 Where can I get the specifics on a 65 Riviera GS? I will probably keep this car unless I get an offer from someone that wants it more than me. But I think I would like to do a GS clone with it. Find a 425 somewhere and build it up while I drive the car. I am sealing the floors tonight and going to lay the padding and carpet Wednesday and put the seats back in it. Still have to get the gas tank cleaned, probably cut a hole in it and get it blasted then weld that part back in I cut out and re-treat the tank.Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 Rob,There's a complete description of everything that was involved when you ordered a Riviera with the GS option on the Riviera Owners Assn. website.www.rivowners.orgThe hardest part will be finding the 425 LX block with your VIN on it. Other than that, everything, like any other option, can be replaced.Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Slingblade44 Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 Rob,There's a complete description of everything that was involved when you ordered a Riviera with the GS option on the Riviera Owners Assn. website.www.rivowners.orgThe hardest part will be finding the 425 LX block with your VIN on it. Other than that, everything, like any other option, can be replaced.EdYeah I am not really worried about it being anything other than a clone, alot like guys do with clone Chevelle SS's. I just think it would be neat to do since it really doesn't alter the cars actual looks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Slingblade44 Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 Ok I found the headlight motor, now, is there someone that those of you that have 65's use to repair these? The cheapest I have found is 350.00 exchange! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 I've had power window motors and head light motors repaired by the local shop that rewinds starters and alternators. Like the guy told me "It's wire and brushes, doesn't matter what kind of case they're in."Check the archives for info on retrofitting limit switches.Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Slingblade44 Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 I will thanks. Bought a badazz Bullet heater from a pawn shop today that is 35000 btu and use kerosene or diesel for 70 bucks and looks new, so it is work time on the Riviera! I also have a sweet little V8 car for sale in the "other vehicles cars" section that I am selling to put the Rivi on the road asap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Slingblade44 Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 At some point in the cars life it had the entire passenger side quarter panel cut off and another one re-welded on. BUT it was a VERY long time ago because it was brazed in with lead. I have TOTALLY scraped, wire wheeled, sanded, scraped, then primed, and sealed the entire floor pans on the inside, the ENTIRE trunk the same way. Started removing ALL the bondo in the right rear between the trunk and the quarter panel. It is about 1/4 inch thick in some places. removed the headliner and all the trim around it, wire wheeled each part to bare metal, then used self etching sandable primer, then roughed that up and painted it ALL black. There were about 5 really BIG rats/mice nest under/behind rear door panels, in the trunk up in the cargo area, was nasty.Headlight motor appears to have burnt up. That is a pricey dang thing. 350.00 bucks for a rebuilt one IF you have one for a core, 550.00 if you don't have a core! I had some OLD Buick rally wheels and spent an hour on one using a steel wool pad removing ALL rust from the chrome rime, then used NeverDull on it to polish it. Now I have to paint the black parts of the rim in the lugnut area, will look awesome on the car. Was at the shop from 5pm yesterday until 8am today. Was dang cold, glad I had a heater. This rim was rusty and had probably been in the weather about 15 years. I used steel wool and never dull and about an hour of scrubbing and polishing. Going to use these instead of the wire hubcaps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim65Riv Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 Sent you a PM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Slingblade44 Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 Got the floors done, were in awesome shape. Not going to use the Wire hubcaps, found a complete set of Buick rally wheels under a tree out where the old cars and school bus is, and the center car says Buick Motor Division. I had to put alot of elbow grease into cleaning up the rim but the rust on the rim lost and I won. Made sure it was going to fit before I spent another 6 hours cleaning the other 3 up. I have no idea year these rims are but they will look sharp on the Riviera with some white letter tires, like some BFG's. I have spent I KNOW a complete day on chrome with steel wool to bring it back to life and haven't even reach the halfway point on the chrome, but it is very cool that the car has so much chrome on the outside AND the inside. I did get all of the trim that goes around the headliner out, wire wheeled all the old crusty rusty paint off of it, primed it, and re-painted. Starting to shape up VERY nice.Floors beforeafterp/s beforeafterTrunk before and afterwire hubcaps that I am not going to use and the rally wheels I found under a pine tree that I am going to use. I still have to re-paint the black section of the rims. Had to make sure they were going to fit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Slingblade44 Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 Painted the center section on the rim, polished, taped off and painted one of my head light covers. Dad has a seizure at 3am on monday morning, I thought he was having a stroke because he had 5 bypasses in September, called 911 and got an ambulance it was that screwed up. His eyes were open but he was breathing hard and foaming and spitting, was still and could answer, hell I don't even thing he could hear me and he doesn't remember ****. Wasn't a stroke was a seizure. I'll take the seizure over a stroke. Brought him home today and he is doing ok now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick91914 Posted December 20, 2009 Share Posted December 20, 2009 Glad to hear that your Dad is fine. I've been watching this thread with interest. So, please continue to keep us updated. There is an article in a recent review on the chrome wheels for '65 which explains the subtle differences between the wheels over the years. I painted my centers silver based on information I read in the BCA Judging manual; however, I've come to learn that for '65 it should be charcoal grey. Good luck with your project. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted December 20, 2009 Share Posted December 20, 2009 In case you're interested, Mitch Romanowski sells correct repo center caps for the '65 rally wheel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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