Not a barn find

[John]

Came out of a garage in the suburbs where it has been resting for about 30 years.  Evaluating over the next several days to decide its future.

Edited August 13, 2015 by John (see edit history)

[Pat Curran]

Interesting find. It looks to be a 68 based on the interior but the grill is from a 69 and the hood is from a 70. It looks like the front clip may have been replaced at some time. The 8 track is worth some money all by itself and it looks like you have a stereo multiplex unit mounted under the dash as well which is also valuable. Keep us posted and let us know how we can help.

[RivNut]

Only a few guys like Pat would notice what he posted.  The rest of us would say "nice car, I should probably get it running and have some fun with it."

[Pat Curran]

I hope you didn't think I meant it as a criticism because that was certainly not my intention. I just wanted to point out what I did in case the owner didn't realize these things and it would help him assess what he had.

[petelempert]

Another one saved. There're still out there fellas. PRL

[68RIVGS]

Interesting find. It looks to be a 68 based on the interior but the grill is from a 69 and the hood is from a 70. It looks like the front clip may have been replaced at some time.

It is definitely an early '68 Pat -  judging by those door pull handles, as well as the dash panel.

On 2nd generation Riviera the '68-'69 grills were interchangeable, as were '68, '69 and '70 hoods.

It is quite common to find '68s with parts borrowed from a '69 Riviera, or vice versa.

[RivNut]

Hey Pat,

 

I notice things like that on 63's and '64's that a lot of guys who haven't owned one of each don't know about.  I think it's a well deserved service that the newbies have available from owners such as yourself.  It always helps knowing exactly what you have when you go to try to find another part. 

 

Little did I know until earlier this year that '63 and '64 RIvieras have different door hinges; they're not interchangeable which makes the doors not interchangeable, but the skins will.  Also the same with '63 and '64 door glass.  They don't interchange either.  The '63 is a press fit into the channel and the '64 is a bolt on.  This also makes certain parts of the regulators not interchangeable.  In other words "Keep up the good work."  We're all better off every time these kinds of things come to mind.

 

Ed 

[Lapham3]

Yes-all the 'running changes' Buick made on the various models and years would be a long list.

[Pat Curran]

Well Ed, I just learned something from you now. I didn't realize that the door glass didn't interchange between the '63 and '64. That's why I like this forum. I have owned Riviera's over the past 43 years and I am still finding out new information. I hope John gets his car up and running soon. The good thing is it was kept inside all those years. I once bought a 64 that had been sitting outside behind a garage for 20 years. It was badly rusted but was 100% complete. I had it delivered on a roll back and with a little tinkering, I had it fired up the same day.

[ScarredKnightfan]

Nice, John!

 

 

As for those idiosyncrasies between generations & years ... always love learning those different details.  Makes the hobby that much more fun, at least, imo.

 

 

Cort www.oldcarsstronghearts.com

1979 & 1989 Caprice Classics | pigValve, paceMaker, cowValve

"Things get complicated when you get past 18" __ Statler Brothers __ 'Class of '57'

[1965rivgs]

Hey Pat,

 

I notice things like that on 63's and '64's that a lot of guys who haven't owned one of each don't know about.  I think it's a well deserved service that the newbies have available from owners such as yourself.  It always helps knowing exactly what you have when you go to try to find another part. 

 

Little did I know until earlier this year that '63 and '64 RIvieras have different door hinges; they're not interchangeable which makes the doors not interchangeable, but the skins will.  Also the same with '63 and '64 door glass.  They don't interchange either.  The '63 is a press fit into the channel and the '64 is a bolt on.  This also makes certain parts of the regulators not interchangeable.  In other words "Keep up the good work."  We're all better off every time these kinds of things come to mind.

 

Ed 

Ed,

  The door glass is interchangeable with very minor modifications which are detailed in the `64 Buick Service Bulletins. Check your `64 bulletins. Recently used a `63 style glass/track assembly in a `64, no problem.

  Tom Mooney

Edited August 15, 2015 by 1965rivgs (see edit history)

[RivNut]

I'll have to look for that bulletin.  I can see perhaps using an entire 63 glass assembly (glass, track/channel, and the adjustment arm that follows the curved track) on the 64 regulator, but modifiying a '64 glass to fit into a 63 channel would require cutting of the glass to get rid of the bolt holes.  Do you by any chance know the bulleting number for this swap?

 

Ed

[68RIVGS]

Based on your additional pictures found on v8buick John, you have a very nice parts car. This car is just too far gone to be brought back to ' like new' condition. There are better examples of '68s available for restoration than your garage find (...IMHO).

If you do decide to part it, I would be interested in the 430 exhaust manifolds !

[60FlatTop]

I had a '68 in 1972. Those cars would experience a starter or water pump failure right about 60,000 miles. There were very few flatbed haulers then and the face bar bumper wasn't strong enough for a tow truck sling. There are still a lot of bowed face bars and damaged grilles on the unrestored ones I see. It's not hard to do in the face bar, grille, and hood with an inexperienced tow truck driver.

 

The starter failed on my '60 Electra a few years ago. The AAA woman kept calling the flatbed a tow truck and I kept telling her I didn't want no stinkin' tow truck. I wanted a flatbed. A lot of that was from remembering what they did to the '68- '70 Buicks.

 

Memories last.

Bernie

[1965rivgs]

It is definitely an early '68 Pat -  judging by those door pull handles, as well as the dash panel.

On 2nd generation Riviera the '68-'69 grills were interchangeable, as were '68, '69 and '70 hoods.

It is quite common to find '68s with parts borrowed from a '69 Riviera, or vice versa.

Hi Randy,

  Can you explain the difference in the early versus later door panel? Pics? Thanks,

  Tom

[Tder1]

Just have to comment when I see one. Nice Find! Been so long since I owned my 69's but love that Body Style and the White is perfect with that Blue. Good Luck and keep us updated. Gee, even the Headlights are up! or did you pull em up ? Notorious problem. Easier than the 67's though. Pure vacuum.

[1965rivgs]

I'll have to look for that bulletin.  I can see perhaps using an entire 63 glass assembly (glass, track/channel, and the adjustment arm that follows the curved track) on the 64 regulator, but modifiying a '64 glass to fit into a 63 channel would require cutting of the glass to get rid of the bolt holes.  Do you by any chance know the bulleting number for this swap?

 

Ed

Ed, All,

  I just started another thread re using `63 glass in a `64 and `65 Riv. Notice the change in styles happened after `64 production started so some `64 models have the `63 style glass from the factory.

  Tom Mooney

[Pat Curran]

You bring up a very good point Bernie.  For those who own a 68 or 69, always insist on a roll back if you ever break down.  The tow sling on the old style wrecker will cause the lower front bumper to bow in just below the slots on both sides.  That portion of the bumper is not strong enough to support the weight of the front end.  The same thing happened to the 66 and 67 Toronado but worse as they were heavier than the Riv in the front end due to the front wheel drive configuration.  You see plenty of examples of this damage to these cars.

[68RIVGS]

Hi Randy,

  Can you explain the difference in the early versus later door panel? Pics? Thanks,

  Tom

There were 3 different types Tom. The early Riviera had a 'pull style' handle, as shown in John's interior driver's side pic. There were two versions of the pull style handle. the first version was without die cast escutcheons, the second version was with die cast escutcheons. The small plastic pull handles were prone to breaking because of the large heavy doors on the 2nd gen. cars. The third version, introduced somewhere in the production run, switched from door pull handles to door pull straps.

I don't have photos Tom, but they are very easy to identify visually. A plastic pull handle, with a backing plate vs. a pull strap with chrome escutcheons at either end. Scroll type finish '68, or later, '68 and '69 brush finished with stylized 'R' emblems on front escutcheons.