1963 Riviera Trim #748

[63 Red Riv]

Hey Red Riv. Did you start that new thread? When you do post plenty of pictures. Hopefully you'll get hooked on the ROA as well. $30 bucks a year for the best restoration tool you can buy. When you post your new thread, be sure to include plenty of pictures. I'll decode your tag for you because the Data Plate codes on the ROA's website are for cars built Nov. of '63 and later (64 production cars.) I already have a question/comment on some red paint I see.

Ed

The ROA website, with membership info, is in my signature.

Hey Ed,

Still figuring this website out so bear with me.

I only have 1 pic to date, the car is getting worked on as we speak.

Thanks,

Brian

[RivNut]

Brian

In post #37, I said that I already had a comment on your car. Perhaps Jim can add to this as well. In early '63, the cowls were painted the same color as the body, but later all the cowls were painted black. Your car was built the 3rd week in Nov. of '62. I'm thinking that Jim's car has a black cowl but was built after your car was. Brings up one of these topics of discussion that we all love.

Ed

PS - Keep in mind that not all of the available options are stamped into the data plate; there are stamps only for modifications required to fit options installed in the back half of the car at the Fisher Body plant before moving the car to final assembly.

Things like, the kind of radio, tilt wheel, cornering lamps, guidematic, cruise control, twilight sentinel, the kind of wheel covers, the size of tire and whether they were white side walls or black walls, and four note horns are not listed.

The options stamped would include radio (needs the speaker installed), tinted glass (either windshield only or all - I7 is windshield only), a/c, power vents, power windows, power seat, trunk release, and rear window defroster.

Before leaving the Fisher Body plant for final assembly your car was modified for:

D - a radio - is the original radio still in the car or has someone put in an aftermarket unit. FYI - 1963 Rivieas had only one speaker; located between the rear seats. originally you could have a Sonomatic (AM) or wonderbar (AM with signal seeking) with or without power antenna. AM/FM maybe but very rare.

I6 (not 1 but I) - tinted glass -

J2 ( up by the trim code) - Power seats

N2 - Air conditioning

S7 - Remote outside mirror

U7 - Power windows

Z4 - remote trunk release

If this car is a 'survivor' show us some pictures of the engine color (silver.)

If you could see a window sticker for a '63 you would see a note at the bottom that says something to the effect of "This - Riviera - contains the following standard equipment that may be options on other models" Then it goes on to list a bunch of stuff. More than I can list here.

Edited August 13, 2014 by RivNut (see edit history)

[63 Red Riv]

Hey Ed,

Sending in the check for the ROA today, learned a great deal already. My engine is silver, getting rebuilt along with the brake booster.

I am curious as to what the twilight sentinel does? I have the AM radio with the wonderbar with the power antenna.

Thanks,

Brian

[Seafoam65]

Hi Randy,

I have a pretty unmolested and rust-free '63 that's Teal Mist with code 748 white leather. Here are some pix. The front seats were recovered well before I bought the car late last year, but it looks to be a quality job done to the factory pattern. My rear seats were original and starting to yellow badly and crack, so I refinished them using SEM preps and SEM Color Coat - they are a tad brighter than I wanted but I rubbed in some tan KIWI shoe polish after they dried a week or so and it's a better match. My door panels cleaned up nicely, but it takes time and a many toothbrushes, Bar Keepers Friend, and Westley's Bleche-White to get them looking good. Yes, they are a pain to keep clean but to me it makes the Riv look great. SEM is also good for the headliner. Sailcloth White is the shade I used.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]264335[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]264336[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]264337[/ATTACH]

That 63 white interior is gorgeous......there is nothing custom you could put in the car that would look better than the

stock black and white!

Edited August 13, 2014 by Seafoam65 (see edit history)

[RivNut]

Hey Ed,

Sending in the check for the ROA today, learned a great deal already. My engine is silver, getting rebuilt along with the brake booster.

I am curious as to what the twilight sentinel does? I have the AM radio with the wonderbar with the power antenna.

Thanks,

Brian[ATTACH=CONFIG]264432[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]264437[/ATTACH]

Brian,

The twilight sentinel is a photo electric cell that turns on the head lights at dusk / dark depending on how you set it. The device sitting on the dash in your car is called a Guidematic. It is also a photocell but it very sensitive to changes in light. When you headlights are on, the Guidematic will automatically turn on your bright lights if it senses to oncoming light. When it senses an approaching car, it will dim the lights.

I turned my Guidematic off. It also recognizes street lights. So as you drive home under the street lights, it's bright, dim, bright dim, bright, dim, etc. You turn it off or adjust the sensitivity by turning the dial on the back of the "torpedo."

The guide matice requires a special headlight switch and a special dimmer switch. If you want to over ride the Guidematic - some idiot won't dim his lights so you'll be damned if you dim yours - you can depress the dimmer switch half way and hold it there.

[Seafoam65]

Brian,

The twilight sentinel is a photo electric cell that turns on the head lights at dusk / dark depending on how you set it. The device sitting on the dash in your car is called a Guidematic. It is also a photocell but it very sensitive to changes in light. When you headlights are on, the Guidematic will automatically turn on your bright lights if it senses to oncoming light. When it senses an approaching car, it will dim the lights.

I turned my Guidematic off. It also recognizes street lights. So as you drive home under the street lights, it's bright, dim, bright dim, bright, dim, etc. You turn it off or adjust the sensitivity by turning the dial on the back of the "torpedo."

The guide matice requires a special headlight switch and a special dimmer switch. If you want to over ride the Guidematic - some idiot won't dim his lights so you'll be damned if you dim yours - you can depress the dimmer switch half way and hold it there.

If my car had one of those I doubt I would ever use it.......but damn it looks so cool sitting there on the top of the dash......it looks like

it could be the tractor beam on the the Enterprise on the the Star Trek tv show,,,,,Beam me up Scotty!

[RivNut]

Brian,

I looked more closely at the pictures you posted and I'm going to make some suggestions. One is safety related, a couple are aesthetic, and one is a fact.

Safety - turn your battery around so the positive post is closer to the radiator. The positive post as is is very close to the hood brace. Any small bump and it will cause a major short. Been there done that. A good way to give clearance to the positive cable is to run it behind the battery hold down post that come up from the battery box.

Aesthetics (you'd ask sooner or later, I'll save you the time) The air cleaner snorkel fits between the power steering pump cap and the radiator hose. There's are two small tabs on the inside of the air cleaner that will align themselves with a couple of pieces on the top of the carburetor. Get your self a "Riviera Wildcat 445" label for the air cleaner. There are two reproductions. a decal and a screened metal piece. The screen metal piece is as original but it's your choice. A small silver decal of the head of a wildcat goes on the snorkel. The picture below is from a '63 Riviera Brochure, it shows the correct placement of the snorkel, the and positive battery cable next to the radiator. I think the proper red Wildcat decal changed and has Riviera Wildcat 445 on it

Fact - you have the Wonderbar Radio, w/ electric antenna. The bar across the top of the push buttons, when pressed, will cause the radio to seek the next station that is strong enough to come in. There's also a button on the floor board under the brake pedal that will do the same thing - "handless searching." I used to have a ball with mine. I'd tell my children's friends to snap their finger and point to the radio while I'd press the floor button. I had them convinced that "they had magic fingers."

The link is to CARS, Inc. The screen processed "decal" is what I was talking about.

http://www.oldbuickparts.com/catalog/1963-up-riviera-group-decals-air-cleaner-air-cleaner-decal-1963-riviera-aluminum-p-625.html

Very nice looking car. Makes me want to get on with my '64 and get to my '63.

Edited August 13, 2014 by RivNut (see edit history)

[63 Red Riv]

Brian,

The twilight sentinel is a photo electric cell that turns on the head lights at dusk / dark depending on how you set it. The device sitting on the dash in your car is called a Guidematic. It is also a photocell but it very sensitive to changes in light. When you headlights are on, the Guidematic will automatically turn on your bright lights if it senses to oncoming light. When it senses an approaching car, it will dim the lights.

I turned my Guidematic off. It also recognizes street lights. So as you drive home under the street lights, it's bright, dim, bright dim, bright, dim, etc. You turn it off or adjust the sensitivity by turning the dial on the back of the "torpedo."

The guide matice requires a special headlight switch and a special dimmer switch. If you want to over ride the Guidematic - some idiot won't dim his lights so you'll be damned if you dim yours - you can depress the dimmer switch half way and hold it there.

Thanks Ed,

I found an article on the sentinel but it didn't say much. I doubt I will use it but its pretty cool looking.

Brian

[63 Red Riv]

Thanks for the heads up with the battery, I will take your advice. Was also looking at decals for the air cleaner found the same one at OPGI that was $15.00's more than the place you recommended. So thanks.

Joined the ROA today, I can tell its going to be money well spent.

Brian

[63 Red Riv]

It is pretty cool looking. I was thinking James Bond, but the Star Trek reference is spot on.