oldstyle Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 Hello guys,I need to add the vinyl top moldings to my 65. Anyone do it? Or, if you can post pics of where the moldings go that would be great. I have a general idea but before I start I'd like to get as much info as possible. I did the whole google search but not many pics popped up and those that did were taken from to far a distance to really be helpfull. Thanks in advance, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1965rivgs Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 Hi Raul, There is exactly 4 inches of space between the bottom of the rear window stainless molding to the top of the long, side to side vinyl top molding- measurement taken at the lower corners of the rear window. If you measure 4 inches down from the bottom of the rear window stainless molding on each side to place the center vinyl top molding the corner pieces for the vinyl top will fall into place...really no need for a pic, very straight forward. But if you are more comfortable with a pic I can send one....hardest part is getting up the nerve to start drilling holes in the body and snapping off the ends of the quarter beltline moldings...all the while wondering "how bad do I want this vinyl top??" Go for it! Good luck! Tom Mooney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lrlforfun Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 OK Raul: I think there were not many 65 Rivs with a black vinyl top (only available color) and.....I think the trim pieces are hard to come by today. Keep one thing in mind with adding or replacing a vinyl top as I have done both hundreds of times, the GM tops had no padding those years and they have a cross hatch pattern much like looking at the grass on some baseball diamonds. Also, make sure the paint is sealed well otherwise it will green house faster than you can spell rust hole. Do you "really" like a First-Gen with a vinyl top? Mitch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleach Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 I think the vinyl tops look almost as good as fender skirts on the first gens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yellowriv Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 Agree. Like putting a moustache on the Mona Lisa....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 Black was the only factory color for a vinyl top in '65; make sure it compliments the rest of your car. The grain was called Levant, and from trying to find one for my '70 Skylark a few years ago, the levant grain you can order today is not the same as it was originally.Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1965rivgs Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 (edited) I love the vinyl top on the `65`s....and without! Added mid-year on the `65`s...only 1000 produced. Raul already has the moldings Tom Mooney Edited November 14, 2011 by 1965rivgs (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldstyle Posted November 15, 2011 Author Share Posted November 15, 2011 OK Raul: I think there were not many 65 Rivs with a black vinyl top (only available color) and.....I think the trim pieces are hard to come by today. Keep one thing in mind with adding or replacing a vinyl top as I have done both hundreds of times, the GM tops had no padding those years and they have a cross hatch pattern much like looking at the grass on some baseball diamonds. Also, make sure the paint is sealed well otherwise it will green house faster than you can spell rust hole. Do you "really" like a First-Gen with a vinyl top? MitchOf course I like it. Why else would I be doing it? It was an option and therefore not for everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 Raul,Mine is really not correct. It's a '64. The top was on the car when I bought it in 1978. I will be replacing it this winter. I like it. when I bought the car one of the older guys I worked with had owned a new Riviera. He came out into the parking lot and looked at mine. He said "Jee, mine didn't have the nice vinyl top."In the 30+ years I have owned it, the best thing is that every Riviera "aficionado" spots it as being wrong right away so we get that fault finding thing out of the way quick. They walk off with their thumbs stretching their suspenders, pompous and proud having corrected me on the fault.Most never even notice the '65 custom interior. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldstyle Posted November 16, 2011 Author Share Posted November 16, 2011 Bernie,The car looks great! That maroon with the vinyl top really hits the mark for me. Thanks for the Pic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lrlforfun Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 OK Bernie: I did notice the clear glass! Mitch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldstyle Posted November 16, 2011 Author Share Posted November 16, 2011 I think the vinyl tops look almost as good as fender skirts on the first gens.That's ok, looking at the cars you've owned we don't have the same taste anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldstyle Posted November 16, 2011 Author Share Posted November 16, 2011 Agree. Like putting a moustache on the Mona Lisa.......Personally, I think she's ugly either way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick91914 Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 (edited) I added a top to my car. Love the look. Get one of the tops made from NOS material. Theyre more expensive, but they look great...when my top was being installed there was another car adding a top made from lesser quality fabric. The upholstery guy told me that after the owner of the other car saw my top, he hated his. Don't start the project until u find the mouldings. Edited November 22, 2011 by Patrick91914 (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldstyle Posted November 17, 2011 Author Share Posted November 17, 2011 Thanks for the advice. I do have the moldings. Just have to spend some time getting them on correctly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick91914 Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 Just remebered ehere I bought my top...SMS AUTO FABRICS...it is made from NOS material and costs about 300...do not buy any other top ...It is absolutely correct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 I got a swatch from SMS as a sample for my car too. I am replacing the '64 top with it.Bernie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 When I re-did parts of the interior on my '70 Skylark, I was able to find perfect color matches for three different grains from SMS. I did some research and found the correct name for the grain, and the correct code for the color. I sent this info to SMS and asked for a sample of each. What I got back were perfect matches. I replaced the center section of the seat buns, the side bolster on the driver's side, and the back of the driver's seat. When it came back from the upholstery shop, if you did not know which pieces had been replaced, you could not tell the difference. Those pieces along with the new SMS vinyl top and new carpeting made the car look factory new on the inside. Some bartering for a paint job and I turned "Grandpa's $800 golf car" from Craigslist into a real winner. Sold it a couple of years later for 4X what I had in it. (Should have kept it and put the 455 in it.) Too soon old, too late smart.In short: SMS is an excellent source for your interior restoration needs.Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldstyle Posted November 17, 2011 Author Share Posted November 17, 2011 Sounds like its SMS then. Thanks for the recommendations guys. Im going to be painting the car next year so Im just planning ahead. Don't want to paint then drill holes for the moldings. Always tough picking color combo's. I keep changing them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Here is what made my color decision. In 1977 my wife and I went to the Auburn Museum for the first time. (Been back a lot, my favorite place on the planet.)They had the revival 1966 Duesenberg on display. In 1978 I bought the '64 Riviera with the Duesy etched in my mind. Check out the pics and you can see why:1966 Duesenberg PrototypeBernie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldstyle Posted November 18, 2011 Author Share Posted November 18, 2011 (edited) That Duesenberg is CRAZY! Great story behind it. Suicide doors look great on the 60's cars (Lincolns). Edited November 19, 2011 by oldbuickone (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest carlbraun Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 Hello guys,I need to add the vinyl top moldings to my 65. Anyone do it? Or, if you can post pics of where the moldings go that would be great. I have a general idea but before I start I'd like to get as much info as possible. I did the whole google search but not many pics popped up and those that did were taken from to far a distance to really be helpfull. Thanks in advance,Here is a 65 Riviera that looks like it may be an original vinyl top car and comes with a bunch of parts. Get ahold of this guy and he may have your trim pieces, sante fe, new mexicogood luckhttp://santafe.craigslist.org/cto/2658388910.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 Plus it's got a wood wheel on it. If you look on the Buick buy/sell forum you can find a guy who's making new horn bars and caps. An engine wouldn't be that hard to find, could be someone's project that would turn into a nice driver. Power locks???? Doubt it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldstyle Posted November 22, 2011 Author Share Posted November 22, 2011 Thanks but I already have the moldings. Does look like a nice project with some of the cool options. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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