1965rivgs Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 Hi All, Received a great question from an ROA member recently which, even after research, left me needing more info. His question was "what type of fastener is factory correct for the `63 license plate?" I checked the parts book and the illustration of the fuel filler door shows no fastener at all. This is supported by the text which only lists a fastener for smaller/lesser series cars. However, there are illustrations of models other than the Riviera which clearly show both a nylon insert with a round head (unlike what one typically finds available now with a square head) and a captured 1/4-20 nut. The `65 parts book clearly states, in the text, the nylon insert is factory installed but nothing in the illustration. So, my question to low mileage, known history `63 Riviera owners is what type of fastener is on your car for the rear license plate? Front? Pics would be awesome, Thanks to everyone in advance for contributing, Tom Mooney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleach Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 IIRC, they were phillips head screws with a fine thread, very similar to this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1965rivgs Posted March 1, 2014 Author Share Posted March 1, 2014 Hi DJ, What was in the fuel filler door? Thanks, Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lrlforfun Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 OK Riviera People: From the number of Rivieras I own with the original license plates on them I'm going to guess the flat coarse thread screw with the nylon keeper on the rear and a flat medium thread screw/nut on the front. It does pose an interesting question. At age 62 my memory doesn't serve me very well from 1962-63 (I was 11 at the time)on the fine details of the First-Gen Riv. This does leave an important topic because the number of people assocoated with the original vehicles from that era is diminishing quickly. Mitch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleach Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 Hi DJ, What was in the fuel filler door? Thanks, TomI'm thinking it might have had clip nuts. That detail is a little hazy as I sold the car nearly 20 years ago and I don't have a photo of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleach Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 I found a photo of one on ebay with the clip nuts still on it that confirms what I remembered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrP Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 Mine is the "bone stock", "warehouse find", totally original, less than 25K mi, one owner, unmolested so I'm pretty sure this was the original screw/nut combination off the license plate fasteners. There are four on the rear (gas access door) and two on the front. All straight slot screws about 3/4 inch long. This car was sold by Wolf Buick in San Leandro CA so maybe Wolf put these on. Someone else might know if Buick shipped the cars with the license plate fasteners or they were added by the dealer. BTW, if anyone knows where I can find a Wolf Buick license plate frame please let me know. There was a previous thread on this but I was too late to enter the race. I've tried CL Bay Area Calif with no response so far. Dale Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
63 Rivi Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 Mine is the "bone stock", "warehouse find", totally original, less than 25K mi, one owner, unmolested so I'm pretty sure this was the original screw/nut combination off the license plate fasteners. There are four on the rear (gas access door) and two on the front. All straight slot screws about 3/4 inch long. This car was sold by Wolf Buick in San Leandro CA so maybe Wolf put these on. Someone else might know if Buick shipped the cars with the license plate fasteners or they were added by the dealer. BTW, if anyone knows where I can find a Wolf Buick license plate frame please let me know. There was a previous thread on this but I was too late to enter the race. I've tried CL Bay Area Calif with no response so far. Dale[ATTACH=CONFIG]237407[/ATTACH]x2 Mine has been in the family since new and those are the same exact ones I have on my 63. I don't know if someone is reproducing them, but I will look in some of the catalogs I have to see if I can find them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dwhiteside64 Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 Hi,Are we talking about the actual screws that fasten the license plates on or the license plate carrier itself? My '64 has the original carriers and both front and back have two rubber bumpers to support the lower portion of the license plate. The only fasteners are the two at the top of the plates. The rear carrier also has a lower lip that the plate sets into. Did these mountings change from '63 to '64? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 Same church, different pew. Does anyone still have the original license plate frame that came with your first generation Riviera? Or did the dealer swap it out for one of his? Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrP Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 Ed: Maybe these? One or both? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleach Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 My car had a stainless license frame with a tab that made grabbing the plate easier to get access to the filler. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 (edited) I had an original license frame on mine until I had to put it in the body shop. A kid tuning his new radio decided that he could just watch the dial on the radio and forget about traffic ahead of him.*The original was a thin stainless rim that was like a tube with a slit in it. The tube had no back on one end and the license plate slipped in the slit from one end where the tube had no back on it. Very simple and neat. Nothing you'd ever notice unless you were looking for it. It's so easy to overlook that I didn't notice it was missing when I picked up my car. It gave the license a finished edge.Ed* I actually felt sorry for the kid after a while. I learned from my insurance agent that he only had liability insurance and his car, a small Plymouth, was totaled; and the new radio stayed with the totaled car. Edited March 5, 2014 by RivNut (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1965rivgs Posted March 6, 2014 Author Share Posted March 6, 2014 (edited) Hi,Are we talking about the actual screws that fasten the license plates on or the license plate carrier itself? My '64 has the original carriers and both front and back have two rubber bumpers to support the lower portion of the license plate. The only fasteners are the two at the top of the plates. The rear carrier also has a lower lip that the plate sets into. Did these mountings change from '63 to '64?Hi Darren,The thread is in regard to the fasteners that hold the actual license plate onto the fuel filler door.....or ,at least, it WAS. I am under the impression, as you are, that there are two rubber bumpers and two holes thru which the fasteners attach the license plate?? Thanks, Tom Mooney Edited March 6, 2014 by 1965rivgs (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanZverina Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 My car had a stainless license frame with a tab that made grabbing the plate easier to get access to the filler.That's exactly what mine has - a thin rim stainless surround with several inches at the top center of the frame shaped so one can use it as a handle to pull down the plate before refueling. I can't say for sure that it's original to the car, but overall my car is in pretty original shape and from one-family ownership. In fact I was just repositioning this frame last weekend because if the license plate screws are too high in their oblong slots, the plate frame doesn't clear the license plate lamp housing when upright - at least it didn't on my car! This was part of a larger project after I scored some very nice reverse light housings on eBay and spent some time installing them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1965rivgs Posted March 6, 2014 Author Share Posted March 6, 2014 Same church, different pew. Does anyone still have the original license plate frame that came with your first generation Riviera? Or did the dealer swap it out for one of his? EdEd, Perhaps a different pew requires a different thread to maximize the number of responses? Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dwhiteside64 Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 Hi Darren,The thread is in regard to the fasteners that hold the actual license plate onto the fuel filler door.....or ,at least, it WAS. I am under the impression, as you are, that there are two rubber bumpers and two holes thru which the fasteners attach the license plate?? Thanks, Tom MooneyThanks Tom for the clarification. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 Tom,I looked at my '63 today (I'm the second owner) and found machine screws with nuts on the back; no plastic inserts and the screws and nuts were only on the top.Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1965rivgs Posted March 7, 2014 Author Share Posted March 7, 2014 Tom,I looked at my '63 today (I'm the second owner) and found machine screws with nuts on the back; no plastic inserts and the screws and nuts were only on the top.EdThanks Ed. I was hoping that you and Jim Cannon would reply. I have more info regarding this thread but no time now to post.Also, if you start another thread regarding original license plate frames I can provide some definitive info. But again, not for a day or two...too busy! Thanks again, Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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