Guest Lurch77 Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 Some of you may remember I found a '63 Riv in a garage. I posted some obscured pictures and you guys had your doubts. Turns out you knew what you were looking at. The frame is OK, but just about everything else is badly rusted. Body panels have had poor repairs done in the past. Floors, braces, trunk floor, even the firewall is rotted. The engine does not run, but I was told it did when it was parked 30 years ago. The interior is shot. It's a 401/Dynaflow car. But the car is mostly complete. Trim and emblems are still there, mostly in good shape. Good glass all around. Bumpers, grill, etc. Has a clean title.Scrap price is a few hundred bucks. Is this thing worth much more than that to anyone? I've had a few people ask if it is for sale. But I don't know what I would ask for it. While I don't think anyone would buy it to restore, they could at least get some good parts off it that are not made anymore, for their own project. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockinRiviDad Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 Just a thought, one member here parted out a first-gen & advertises here on the forum recently. Not sure what kind of money that makes. Lots of work, but I'm sure you'll make a whole lot of friends. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 I bought a couple of parts cars two summers ago. Between the parts I needed, those that I sold, and what I got from what was left, I fared rather well. I would pull stainless, glass, and other hard parts which are easy to to get off. If the center link is good, it's worth some money even to someone looking for a rebuildable core. The B U I C K letters on the trunk are probably wanted by someone. Look to see if the clips that attach the cardboard to the hinge pillar are still there. Someone is looking for a jack hold down spring and wire bale. Are the temp/air controls still good (no broken levers?) Is the temperature control valve in good shape? The little things are the ones that are in demand. I've been asked for washer bottles, air cleaner housings, (don't know if anyone would want a Rochester carb) but exhaust manifolds are in demand. Does the car have power windows / seats? If so, get the motors, they're easy to clean up and get working. Pull the clock. Is the glove box section of the dash held together with a plate and screws or is it in good shape. What condition is the package tray in? I'm betting there are quite a few things that you could pull that would not make a pittance of a difference in what you get from the scrapper. You can never tell, you might find another '63 that needs some of the parts you pull.Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mt65riv Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 (edited) What Ed said. I just sold a front grill/headlight/corner marker set in OK condition for $300. Front drums seem to be in demand if they are good/rebuildable. Not sure if the '63 has the same door pins for interior lights as my '65 but those are always in demand. The steering wheel is a cool one even for someone wanting a different wheel in their Chev or rat or ??? Any other options like the remote trunk release and hose, power vents, etc? Maybe make a list of all the options and what are good and post it here, you never know. I would pull all the stuff that is good into one pile and all the rotted bondo-ridden stuff into another. One you keep, the other goes to scrap. Even the engine may be worth a core for someone. Either that or take the first offer closest to a grand and consider it a wash... mine was $400 but nothing in the interior was good... maybe the column, that was about it. Too rusty.I have one in similar shape that I need to just pull the parts off of and scrap. It is just so sad for me to do... sending another '65 to it's final rest... Mike Edited November 10, 2014 by mt65riv (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockinRiviDad Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 It is just so sad for me to do... sending another '65 to it's final rest... MikeUgh…that just sounds so wrong, it breaks my heart to even think it. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 Ugh…that just sounds so wrong, it breaks my heart to even think it. DavidIt's sort of like euthanasia for a dog or cat. You know it good for both of you, it's in a better place and you're at ease because you're no longer trying to sustain life for something that's beyond hope and can no longer live the life it once enjoyed.I've done it twice but only after making sure that all of the victim's vital organs (each had a living will) were going to help some other patient lead a better life.Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan at larescorp Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 I'm a sucker for punishment. Where in NE WI are you? Before you scrap it I may want to come take a look at it. Also do you have a title for the car? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest clamshells Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 Parting out one car has the potential to put one back on the road that may otherwise never see another opportunity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JZRIV Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 You might put it on ebay just for the heck of it. 1st gen Rivs have been receiving more publicity lately so you might get a sucker who will pay a few hundred more than scrap value; or maybe not, but at least you know you tried. While the car has some sellable parts, the process of parting a car is both time consuming and challenging. I normally pay no more than current scrap value for a car like that but it also depends on my transportation costs and typically I like to estimate being able to sell $1000 worth of parts from it then get maybe $150-$200 scrap for what's left. All settled I really don't make any money but it helps the hobby by preventing usable parts from being gone forever and I have a little fun....I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lurch77 Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 A quick back story. This car belonged to my mother's cousin. He drove it daily for a long time before parking it in a garage in the 80s. That's where it sat until recently. The garage it was in, along with every property on that city block was purchased by the county to build a new jail. So he had to move. I asked about the car. He said if I promised to try getting it running, I could have it. But if I decided it was more than I was willing to take on, to let him know. He thinks the car is in much better shape than it is. He is emotionally attached, so it skews his vision a bit. He just doesn't want to see the car sent to the scrap yard. This is why I hope to sell it to someone that can use the parts, or perhaps is even ambitious to try fixing it up. I have no desire or time personally to part it out myself.Dan, I live 1/2 hour north of Green Bay. I will be talking to my mom's cousin this week to see what he wants to do with it. He says he has a clean title for the car, but I have not seen it just yet. I have no reason to doubt him. I just hope he has not misplaced it during the move.Monty, I pulled the car out of the garage with my truck, then had a local towing service bring it to my house on a roll-back. But my house was only about a mile away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lurch77 Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 Heh, a coincidence. I post that, then he calls me. He is positive he has the title for it in a lock box. I asked what he wants to do, and he said he'd like to sell, he has no place to put the car. He think $600 would be a fair price. He wants to sell it for more than scrap price to prevent a scrapper from buying it just to scrap. Like me, he really hopes to find a buyer that could at least use the parts or find people that can. What do you guys think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1965rivgs Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 (edited) Heh, a coincidence. I post that, then he calls me. He is positive he has the title for it in a lock box. I asked what he wants to do, and he said he'd like to sell, he has no place to put the car. He think $600 would be a fair price. He wants to sell it for more than scrap price to prevent a scrapper from buying it just to scrap. Like me, he really hopes to find a buyer that could at least use the parts or find people that can. What do you guys think?Maybe interior pics would spur a potential buyer and display available options? Is the engine "free" as in does it turn over? Is the diff a posi? Tom Mooney Edited November 10, 2014 by 1965rivgs (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dwhiteside64 Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 Even with all that rust I can still see her inner beauty shinning through..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan at larescorp Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 Heh, a coincidence. I post that, then he calls me. He is positive he has the title for it in a lock box. I asked what he wants to do, and he said he'd like to sell, he has no place to put the car. He think $600 would be a fair price. He wants to sell it for more than scrap price to prevent a scrapper from buying it just to scrap. Like me, he really hopes to find a buyer that could at least use the parts or find people that can. What do you guys think?If I were to come get it I wouldn't scrap it. I'm sending you a PM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 So he is looking for a new owner who will take better care of it than he did, promise, scouts honor. Those sentimental attachments are so touching, and common.Bernie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 From the looks of the fenders, doors, body, and roof, there might not be as much rust on the outside as it appears. It looks as if there are a lot of stains on the paint though. If it's the original paint, some 80 grit paper on a locked DA sander will remove it in a jiffy. Once it's down to bare metal, you can really see what you're up against. There are repo floor and trunk pans, and some of the obvious rust in the body can be replaced by shaping some metal. The hardest part about rust restoration on these bodies is the braces for the floor boards. Nothing repoed and what you find on parts cars is probably just like what you have on yours. A sheet metal brake will work wonders for making braces IF you have some kind of template. I was lucky enough to have a couple of braces on one of the parts cars that I could use for a template. I drilled out all of the spot welds so I could fit the new stuff in exactly the same place as the rotten stuff. The wheel arches are more difficult but someone with a shrinker/stretcher can make those as well. To whomever decides that this one is worhty of saving, we wish you well and keep us informed of your progress. This one is not for the faint of heart. Unless you're skilled enough to do a lot of this on your own, you'd be ahead dollar wise to find one that's complete and drivable.EdPS - if my spelling isn't correct, it's the computer's fault. No one has installed spell checker on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lurch77 Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 The original paint appears to have been diplomat blue. Why someone thought this yellow was better, I don't know. The left quarter panel is the worst part of the body. It had been repaired once and that repair has failed. And it has the typical rust along the bottom of the body. Otherwise it appears OK. The quarter panel fender lips appear to be the hardest part to repair.The underside needs braces, floor boards, trunk floor, etc. Frame looked ok during a very brief look. The underside is certainly where the work will be, though.The interior seat covers are hardened, and fronts are completely trashed. I saw aftermarket foam and covers are available. I hooked a battery up and saw that the window motors work, including the vent window motors. The power driver seat motor runs but doesn't move the seat. Some interior lights work. Original radio works, but speakers are trash.I have not tried to spin the engine over by hand at all, so I do not know if it is free. The transmission did shift freely into neutral to move the car.I'm going to get more pictures for a member here. If he is not interested after seeing them, I'll share them here, if only for conversation's sake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan at larescorp Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 I've wanted a Riv for a while now. I know I have the tools in my shop to get this car back to its former beauty. If I go pick it up you can be sure there will be a new project thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lurch77 Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 Dan, tonight was the first time that I put the car way up in the air on my new floor jack. It actually looks better than I thought. The passenger side braces are rotted out, but the driver side are there and appear solid. At least the sections I checked. Certainly nice enough to use as a template to form new ones. As I knew, the floors are rotted, as is the trunk floor. The frame is solid. I'll send you some pictures here shortly. There are 13 pics, so I'll break them up into a 2 or 3 emails. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalowed Bill Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 Dan, Love your enthusiasm, I hope that you can save it! Do yourself a favor though, if you get it take some time to evaluate the car completely before you jump in to a restoration project. Your time might be better spent on another, better, candidate. Maybe a car from out west, for which this car would make a good parts car. I would love to see you save and restore a Riviera, but the right car. This may be the right car for restoration, but if another more solid car comes up in several months you may be over extended. I think that most of us on the Forum are focused on saving cars. Scrapping or parting them out is part of what we do, but as a last resort. With a guess made of 10-15% survival rate of the first gen. cars there seem to be more supply then demand. I am a savor, I would love to see all of them saved, but it makes no sense to me to see the wrong car restored while a better car is scrapped! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 There are 300 $100 jobs to do and they actually can be listed. I certainly do not promote a pragmatic approach to the old car hobby. The ones I bought with logic belong to someone else now. However, being aware of the cost after the entry fee, the time required, and the space taken up can all affect buying a better illogical choice when it ops up. And they do.Bernie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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