Guest Rob J Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 (edited) Thought it would be interesting to see which parts that are currently not reproduced are in demand the most. I figure if we make a list, maybe we can stir up some interest from manufactures to produce what's most in demand.I'll start.1. Rear tail light lenses for 65 Riv's2. Rear 1/4 panel body panels3. Floor pan braces4. Reproduction Buick Wood Steering wheel5. Trunk lock Tri-Shield Emblem6. Gas Tank7. Plastic under arm rest door panel, and power window housing pieces. (Not sure what the technical name for them is) Edited December 30, 2011 by Rob J (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lrlforfun Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 OK Rob: Excellent list. I have been thinking about this subject for a while now too. I ordered parts from the OGPI Group. Their catalog is pretty much useless. It is so pretty I don't want to through it out. Here's my additions....Fasteners, individually or in kits for the body side moldings and front and back windows.Correct bellows for the heater and a/c units.Reasonably priced, decent quality rear package trays.Driver's side 4-gang female plug and pig tail for the power window switch.REASONABLY priced everythingThat's it for now, I will probably think of more to add later. Mitch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest REX STALLION Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 Is there a market for fiberglass rear package trays? I know Clarkes has one for 328.45 upholstered Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bb1970 Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 A DASH PAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mt65riv Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 First of all, great question! Manufacturers should read this!Easy:1. Cathedrals (around clamshells )2. Switch plates for doors (with and without power vents)3. A good stock wiring harness4. 2x4 intake manifolds (or at least a good 4bbl like the one that Edlebrock is supposed to have in development)5. An aftermarket A/C system that fits.6. Any / all 3 year's steering wheels7. Better floor pans (or complete left or right pans)I'm sure that there's going to be more when I finally get to restoring the '65. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick91914 Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 (edited) Reproduced tail light bezels are available from cars or have yours rechromed. I suspect that if anyone reproduced any of the parts listed, the unit price would be steep because of the low volumes and high nonrecurring costs especially if tooling is required (e.g., for cast parts like headlight bezels or intake manifold) or labor to machine. Much of the stuff is still out there used, you just gotta be patient and keep searching. The trunk lock cover insert can be reproduced, 2x4 manifolds always pop up on eBay, old switch plates can be rechromed, a/c components can be purchased. I've thought about doing the headlight trim repro, but seems to me that you can still find them. Many of you have purchased my Super Wildcat decal. I was so unhappy with what was previously available and refused to use that paper decal, that I decided to have correct ones made. I only needed one. I had to pay for art, dies, anodized aluminum and extra decals to sell so i could try and recoup my costs...I just wanted to break even (which hasn't happened)....I'm not complaining, I got my decal, but just want to share my experience. Would I do it again? Yes, because I enjoy the hobby, but my point is that it is risky business reproducing parts when the demand is low and you gotta make a profit. Edited December 31, 2011 by Patrick91914 (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rob J Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 Unfortunately Patrick, I agree with you fully. So, that means we need to round up more folks to restore first gen Riv's. Come on Camaro and Bel-Air guys, add a nice first gen Riv to your collection Regarding the tail light bezels, yes I am aware of those. I was referring to the tail light lens's. I don't believe they are re-poped.BTW, I have one of your Super Wildcat decal's. I also have an original one, and your's is essentially a carbon copy. Very nicely done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CTX-SLPR Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 I second the availability of the floor pans!! What is out there now for under the seats is worthless!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pyntre Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 How about some 5 on 5 Road wheels made in a variaty of widths and backspacing , Don't care if they are only 15 inchers allthough some 18/ 20 inchers for the trends as they are today would be great too! Or for that matter just some repo in the 15 x 6 configuration ....restoring those old steel wheels is BIG $ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don McClair Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 Front fender lower patch panels would be nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelman Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 How about some 5 on 5 Road wheels made in a variaty of widths and backspacing , Don't care if they are only 15 inchers allthough some 18/ 20 inchers for the trends as they are today would be great too! Or for that matter just some repo in the 15 x 6 configuration ....restoring those old steel wheels is BIG $WheelVintiques is making a Buick Rallye wheels in 15, 16, 17 and 18 inch diameters. Just started producing these, and can't tell a lot from the online catalog. These are not road wheels, but if the demand was there, this might happen. The demand may be there for stock type road wheels, then expand from there. At least they speak Buick. Riviera is just a different dialect. Page 29 of the online catalog. Products | Wheel Vintiques Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 Wheel vintiques makes these wheels for the Skylark GS guys. They're the two piece wheel rather than the one piece like the Riviera, but the biggest drawback is that they have the 4-3/4" bolt circle for the smaller intermediate "A"body cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BIGRIV Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 How about some 5 on 5 Road wheels made in a variaty of widths and backspacing , Don't care if they are only 15 inchers allthough some 18/ 20 inchers for the trends as they are today would be great too! Or for that matter just some repo in the 15 x 6 configuration ....restoring those old steel wheels is BIG $ Amen on the road wheels!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BIGRIV Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 WheelVintiques is making a Buick Rallye wheels in 15, 16, 17 and 18 inch diameters. Just started producing these, and can't tell a lot from the online catalog. These are not road wheels, but if the demand was there, this might happen. The demand may be there for stock type road wheels, then expand from there. At least they speak Buick. Riviera is just a different dialect. Page 29 of the online catalog. Products | Wheel Vintiques I think the billet Buick wheel can be had in the bigger bolt pattern. I've talked to a WheelVintiques rep and a few other people about it. ALOT OF $$$ for those wheels tho!! I think even though they are not exactly a road wheel, they would look sick on the right custom Riv!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 (edited) If you're looking for custom Road wheels for your Riviea, just do like Gil Losi did. He did the CAD design and had Mike Curtis at Boyd's shop machine them. 18' in diameter machined to look like an original Buick wheel sans the black inserts. Edited January 2, 2012 by RivNut (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riviman Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 Wow ! Those wheels are Nice !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bb1970 Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 (edited) Wheel Vintiques makes a billet Buick rally 17"x8" with a 5x5" pattern for $704 each rim! They are series 104 in the catalog. They might be more now. That price was last winter. I can't imagine over $3000 (shipping included) for rims. Edited January 2, 2012 by bb1970 (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rob J Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 Wow, $704 a piece. Yep, with shipping, that's more than I paid for one of my 65 Riv's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buickbonehead Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Reproducing the parts is definately expensive. I was reproducing the hornbars and the horn caps for the wood wheels. Like Patrick and his Super Cat decals (yes I bought some and they are very nice), I did them because I wanted them for my car...and my car is a Wildcat. I have pretty much quit making them. The process takes so long and you are at the whim of the chromer. The parts are expensive and the buyer rightfully expects near perfection for the high cost. I've never had anyone send the part back or request money back. However, I know what I would expect for my money.With a market this thin, I've found it is just not worth the trouble.RickI did get a cool prototype horn cap for my Cat out of the process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 (edited) I bought my first Riviera, a blue '66, in 1972. $600 and it was my daily driver for quite a few years. Nice thing about it then was that it was not yet 10 years old and you could still buy anything you wanted from GM. I got my '63 in 1982 and started learning the hard way that you had to scrounge for parts - at least there were some to be found in the salvage yards at that time. Remember, this was before the World Wide Web put everything at your disposal with instanteous gratification (some of you younger guys no nothing but this method of gathering information and buying stuff LOL) but you learned quickly what worked and what didn't. I've seen some vendors come and go, and some make a bunch of rip off parts too. I've also found that most guys building Rivieras ask one thing first before even seeing the quality of a part. "How much $$$$" Camaro and Chevelle guys on the other hand fork over big bucks without batting an eye if they want it. I'm not trying to be demeaning here, but that's something those of us who have been around for a while will tell you too. Anyway to put "reproduction of parts" into perspective, here are some facts for you to ponder.Camaro Production for the first generation1967 = 220,906 units1968 = 234.347 units1969 = 243,085 unitsThis doesn't count 70 through ????Chevelle Production1964 = 387,1191965 = 397,7501966 = 471,0521967 = 403,9631968 = 464,6691969 = 503,3521970 = 633,949I stopped at 1970, because I had one of those back in '72, but the list goes on and production numbers don't drop that much after 1970Why wouldn't someone reproduce parts for the these volumes of cars?Compare those numbers with the total Riviera units build from 1963 - 1999 = ~1,115,000+. Chevrolet built almost that many Chevelles in 1969 and 1970 alone. WOWIf you really think there's a need for a part, do what Rick did with his horn bars and caps, and Patrick did with his Super Wildcat decals. Get out there, do the R&R and make the investment yourself for the part you want and need. Then just hope that there's a big enough market for the parts that you can recoup some of your costs. Time to bite the bullet and take the bull by the horns rather than hoping someone else will do it for you. Just like the show American Pickers on the History Channel, searchin' and pickin' is half the fun. The other half is the admiration you get from others knowing what you went through to restore your car. Ed Edited January 4, 2012 by RivNut (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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