Guest JouniK Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 Hi!Has anyone here chopped a 63-65 Riviera? I hope this is not a forbidden subject...:eek:Thanks!Jouni Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 The first person to chop a 63 Riviera was Bill Mitchell. The man whose idea became the Riviera. Silver Arrow I is chopped!There have been many chopped since then. If you type "chopped Riviera" into the Google Images seach window, you can see quite a number of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelman Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 I have some pictures on another computer I can post. With the early Riviera, a little is all you need. Anything more than 2" max with these and you loose the roof line, in my opinion. 3-5" is WAY TOO MUCH. I have examples of those too, to remind me not to do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 I've never seen the sense in cutting off a top and then welding it back on again. Leaving it off is my style and I have looked closely at how similar in size the '64-'65 Skylark convertible tops are. Actually I have thought of converting a second body. If I like it I swap.Bernie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JouniK Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 Thanks guys, I know there are many chopped Rivieras, but how about the builders of them? I was wondering how did they chop the door vent window.. In the Silver Arrow there are no vent windows, but I think Riviera looks better with them. Steve, please could You post pictures of both good and bad chops? Bernie, I think that a car with a convertible top down looses its lines Jouni Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bb1970 Posted November 3, 2012 Share Posted November 3, 2012 The best way to screw up a Riviera is to chop it!!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JouniK Posted November 3, 2012 Share Posted November 3, 2012 The best way to screw up a Riviera is to chop it!!!!!!!!!!I don´t think so. J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelman Posted November 3, 2012 Share Posted November 3, 2012 Pictures must be in my work computer. I thought I had these at the house, but don't. Will post these mid next week when I get back. A book that I have had for about 30 years is "How to Chop Tops" by Tex Smith. Can still find copies in print on line. In here is a whole chapter on wing windows and how to rework these. Get a copy of this book and read it several times. Lots of good info here you need to consider before you buy a saws-all and waste a good car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted November 3, 2012 Share Posted November 3, 2012 In 1963 I was about 14 years old and a subscriber to Car Life Magazine. I had been working at my Grandfather's Tire Shop & Used Car Lot since I was 11. My real introduction to the gearhead disease was in the summer of 1959 and my Aunt bought me my first Rod & Custom magazine, the September 1959 issue featuring coupes. I was well versed on cars.I remember riding my bicycle up to Traugott Buick in Brockport to see the new Riviera, still reeling from the introduction of the XK-E in '61 and the new Avanti. I brought the big Buick brochure home in my bicycle basket.The Rivieras were promoted in pastel and conservative colors. It was hard for me to tear my eyes away from the basic black Electra 4 door and look at the green, brown, and silver Rivieras.In May 1978 I bought my '64 Riviera. I went to my mother's house and picked up the brochure I had brought home 15 years before. I am pretty sure I contemplated the convertible conversion within the first few hours of ownership. I think it was 2009 when I modified the exhaust and made it a little rumbly. So 31 years before that first change. I guess I would recommend the same conservative approach to modifications for any one else contemplating a change. And I did mention a second body to play with.Here's the real anal part, the spare factory exhaust in case I was premature with those Hushpowers.Bernie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JouniK Posted November 3, 2012 Share Posted November 3, 2012 Ok, thanks! I have "How to Chop Tops" by Tex Smith, but I forgot about that chapter:o My trusty saws all is atleast 10 years old, and I´m not wasting a good car . There are many good original Rivieras here in Finland, and I bought mine in a such condition that I can modify it and at the same time save it from being a parts car or pile of crushed metal. J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelman Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 I've never seen the sense in cutting off a top and then welding it back on again. Leaving it off is my style and I have looked closely at how similar in size the '64-'65 Skylark convertible tops are. Actually I have thought of converting a second body. If I like it I swap.BernieBernie, these are for you. I will post some with the top still on for Jouni in a minute, but came across these looking for pictures for him. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelman Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 Steve, please could You post pictures of both good and bad chops?JouniOk, here we go. The good, the bad, and the ugly. Just my opinion, but get the top too low and it ruins the great lines these cars have.The GOOD.The BAD.And the UGLY. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 Lou Adzima's Riv convertible and matching trailer. On his website is a complete step by step picture guide as to how all of this was accomplised. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 Bernie, these are for you. I will post some with the top still on for Jouni in a minute, but came across these looking for pictures for him.[ATTACH=CONFIG]162409[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]162410[/ATTACH] I couldn't copy and paste pictures from this car, but it belongs to Ed Smith. It too has the same problem with the floor as the Riviera in this link.http://forums.aaca.org/f177/hmmmmm-whats-339505.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JouniK Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 Thanks Steve!! I´ve seen almost all of them in the net. The first on is my favourive:http://forums.aaca.org/attachments/f177/162411d1352474688-chopped-63-65-rivieras-306-riviera.jpg Heres the (good) green one from an other angle:In this picture the roof looks too low, or the suspension too high. With chopped roof the car must be low enough (imho)Jouni Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 In post #2, how many noticed the pancaked hood on Bill Mitchell's '63 Silver Arrow I? If so, did you also notice that the car appears longer than a production 1st generation Riviera? If you did, that becasue to get the hood to fit, the front fenders were lengthened 2" so the hood would fit. Lower and Longer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelman Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 Thanks Steve!! I´ve seen almost all of them in the net. The first on is my favourive:http://forums.aaca.org/attachments/f177/162411d1352474688-chopped-63-65-rivieras-306-riviera.jpg Heres the (good) green one from an other angle:[ATTACH=CONFIG]162470[/ATTACH]JouniThe green one belongs to a guy from Las Vegas. Don't remember his name, but I have talked to him several times. The car looks better in person than it does in pictures. His hood emblem is an eyeball. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweepspear Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 Ok, here we go. The good, the bad, and the ugly. Just my opinion, but get the top too low and it ruins the great lines these cars have.[ATTACH=CONFIG]162427[/ATTACH]That is just plain wrong on so many levels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JouniK Posted December 16, 2012 Share Posted December 16, 2012 Here we go... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelman Posted December 16, 2012 Share Posted December 16, 2012 Bravo! I love it! Great pictures. Love to see some earlier ones. Again, bravo. Nice work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don McClair Posted December 16, 2012 Share Posted December 16, 2012 There was a 63 or 64 Riv at the 2003 National that looked really good. I prefer the restored cars but this one was really nice. The top was chopped but not much and pay attention to the front edge of the hood and the tail lights in the edge of the rear quarter. With the color of the car the tail lights are difficult to see in the picture. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JouniK Posted December 16, 2012 Share Posted December 16, 2012 Bravo! I love it! Great pictures. Love to see some earlier ones. Again, bravo. Nice work.Thanks Steve!Theres some older stuff in my blog, check the link in my signature.J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cool57 Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 Lou Adzima's Riv convertible and matching trailer. On his website is a complete step by step picture guide as to how all of this was accomplised.Can you post a link to the page? Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JouniK Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 Riviers Suncar and Trailer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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