Say it ain't so!

[Seafoam65]

                  I just saw on ebay that Alini has put his Riviera up for sale after working on it for 4 years

doing a frame off resto that he only completed a few weeks ago!   Man that's a lot of work to do just to turn around

and sell it the moment it's finished! I've been through the hell of a couple of frame-offs, but they were done on cars I intended to keep forever.

Alini, say it ain't so!

[steelman]

Saw that as well, but Winston beat me to the post. Agree, Chris, thought you would keep this one forever. Really enjoyed following along on the build.

Edited September 15, 2016 by steelman (see edit history)

[alini]

Testing the waters but the right offer will take it

[alini]

I am proud of the work I put into it but everytime in look at the car all I see is flaws.   The things I could have done better.  The things I should have done while I was doing it rather than going stock with things. 

Everytime I get in it after a few days and it doesn't fire right up I question if I missed an adjustment or what is wrong.  When it's just fuel hasn't gotten to the carb yet . I worry about operating temps cause there is no gauge.  The other day the headlights didn't open because of a lose connection at a relay but my blood pressure was thru the roof . I know every flaw in the paint and they stick out like a sore thumb 

driving the car is sweet.  My buddy was impressed as we went to lunch two weeks ago that at 40mph all he heard was the radio. So it runs smooth as hell 

the car was supposed to take 2 years  it ended up being four.   

The plan all along was to flip it. Doing everything myself to save cash.  Using saved money from pay check to pay check to not drive up debt.  All so I could sell it for a profit in the end and pay off my existing debt.  I would be debt free except my house and camaro payment . I'm now equipped in my  garage to do anything to a car and be debt free.  I could than move to a project of my own.  The riviera fell in my lap. A buddy hit me up at a bar one night and pitched it to me  I was looking for a project no where near as big as this one but I saw the potential

the auction right now has a moderate reserve on it.  A serious buyer who knows what he is getting will pay it and I walk away happy.   The starting bid is just to keep the looky loos away but it's still a profit in itself.  I doubt the auction will close with a sale but I wanna know where I am at

i tested myself to build a car from top to bottom in and out.  I did it . I resurrected a car from the grave and gave it life.  Now it belongs in the hands of someone who will love it and make it their own.  I left so much stuff stock just because of this. Had it built it for me I would have spent twice as much and probably twice as long

i can't be anymore honest about it

[lrlforfun]

OK Chris:  As a 30 year veteran of the used car business I fixed up thousands of cars for others. Today when I work on my cars it's for me and I keep what I fix up.

 

With my history of "shapin' " cars I thought doing a restoration was a walk in the park. I was so wrong. My first attempt was a mess, my second attempt better and I'm still not too good at it. It's such a combination of organization, skill, energy, tenacity...many of which I struggle with. You, on the other hand have demonstrated much higher levels of each item.

 

Good luck at what ever choice you make.   Mitch

 

 

[alini]

Thanks Mitch

 

[RockinRiviDad]

WHHHHAAAAAAAATTTTT?!?! 

Your build has been an interesting & exciting journey. U were faced with some serious ups & downs. But u finally ended with an awesome outcome. U summed it up the best "Resurrected from the grave" indeed. Good job brother, hats off to u, much respect for seeing it thru...your work ethic is a big inspiration to me...thx for sharing & good luck. Hope it sells HIGH haha...that would be good for all Riv owners...it may not be the same as your neighbor paying big bucks for the house across the street. But getting good money for your Riv sure would be a home run in the Rivi Lovers Handbook  

 

Words I couldn't have said better:

2 hours ago, Seafoam65 said:

Man that's a lot of work to do just to turn around and sell it the moment it's finished!

 

2 hours ago, steelman said:

Really enjoyed following along on the build.

 

25 minutes ago, lrlforfun said:

It's such a combination of organization, skill, energy, tenacity...many of which I struggle with. You, on the other hand have demonstrated much higher levels of each item.

 

Good luck at what ever choice you make

 

 

Here is the link...I'll be watching...well, we all will be haha

 

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=162203251849&globalID=EBAY-US 

[jframe]

Ok, Chris, I was looking at your ad. What air cleaner assembly did you use to get the factory emblem to fit on top, and is it compatible with a factory diameter filter? Kinda thinkin' I want an open element air cleaner for mine, but with a somewhat factory appearance like yours.

[alini]

31 minutes ago, jframe said:

Ok, Chris, I was looking at your ad. What air cleaner assembly did you use to get the factory emblem to fit on top, and is it compatible with a factory diameter filter? Kinda thinkin' I want an open element air cleaner for mine, but with a somewhat factory appearance like yours.

 

Are you sitting down???   Thats the factory box, just cut to fit the filter and rolled the top edge so it holds the filter than I repainted it and put a new sticker on it.  The lower half is the easiest piece, just drill out the spot welds and it falls apart to the correct size.   There is a small baffle for the snorkel, I just modified the tabs so I can rotate that to the rear.   So yes the factory filter works

 

Edited September 16, 2016 by alini (see edit history)

[alini]

Here is a close up for reference 

[jframe]

That is pretty amazing work! May have to find an old factory assembly, and give that a try. Simplicity and a great idea!

[Seafoam65]

                    Chris, if I was a potential buyer of your car and reading your ad, there are a couple of red flags

in your ad that would scare me off from considering it. You would be better served to remove these flags from the

description in your ad. The first flag is that there is only 250 miles on the car since it was completed. Most people would be concerned that there aren't enough miles on the engine trans and rear end to prove that the build is good and isn't going

to blow up on them requiring another engine rebuild or whatever. The second red flag is that you mention that you did the restoration

to prove that you could do it. That's great, but the buyer is going to be thinking to himself  " Was this job done correctly since he is a novice at restoration?" I would omit those facts from the ad. Another thing you could do is keep it a while longer and put some more miles on it and that would increase confidence in the buyer that all will be OK on the big items of engine, trans and rear end. Good luck with your sale. I hope you can get decent money for all that effort expended.

[alini]

Thanks for the suggestions.  So far though all the messages I have received thru ebay have been nothing but bashing comments.  I can't believe people can be so rude. If you don't like the price then don't bid.  I'll probably take the ad down and just park the car in the garage.  I'm not desperate to sell. It was just part of the plan. I have a really nice car. Won't be anything wrong with keeping it, it just wasn't what I wanted out of this.  We will see

[Scott Mckenzie]

I have Team Alini bookmarked as a reference. You sure have helped me in the reconstruction of my `64.  I wish you well in your quest to find a new owner but if you decide to keep it ,it would be easy to understand.  

 

     

[alini]

I pulled the ad.   The wife and I will spend the weekend evaluating our situation.  We will formulate a game plan and might relist it or look at other avenues.  

[bodayguy]

Again, you could go Bring A Trailer. It's $250. You save a lot on no commission compared to ebay.

They will haggle with you over the reserve but you could see what they would want it at.

[EmTee]

16 hours ago, alini said:

I pulled the ad.   The wife and I will spend the weekend evaluating our situation.  We will formulate a game plan and might relist it or look at other avenues.  

 

Chris, I do not know you personally, but I can relate to what you're feeling.  I have had similar disappointment when finishing much smaller projects and wondered whether i should have just 'bit the bullet' and paid to have it done.  Then, I inevitably get into a discussion with someone who tells me a horror story about some work they had done on their house, car (you name it) and after reflecting on it, begin thinking that my work wasn't so bad after all...

 

I think you have just finished climbing Mt. Everest and need time to decompress.  Obviously there was something about this car that sparked your interest in the first place, so I wouldn't let the fact that so far it's just been 4 years of seemingly endless toil drive a decision to let go.  I suggest taking a step back, use the car and take the opportunity to enjoy it, rather than having a wrench in your hand every time you touch the car.  In the end, you can still sell it (heck - it's your car, after all) but, as Seafoam said the additional miles will probably help with that as well since any little niggly things can be corrected during that period.  Oh, and the compliments that you'll certainly receive as the car is out and about certainly don't hurt!

 

I wish you luck, whatever your final decision.

[steelman]

Keep it for a while and take it to some shows. Bigger the better. These are few and far between at shows and every time I take mine out, I am asked "would you sell it?" Some offers are just curious, other are very serious. I have had two different guys pile cash on the hood. So they were serious. Get it out there and make it seen. Right offer will come along. Until then, enjoy your handiwork.

[60FlatTop]

"

I am proud of the work I put into it but everytime in look at the car all I see is flaws.   The things I could have done better.  The things I should have done while I was doing it rather than going stock with things. 

Everytime I get in it after a few days and it doesn't fire right up I question if I missed an adjustment or what is wrong.  When it's just fuel hasn't gotten to the carb yet . I worry about operating temps cause there is no gauge.  The other day the headlights didn't open because of a lose connection at a relay but my blood pressure was thru the roof . I know every flaw in the paint and they stick out like a sore thumb"

 

The famous "They" were supposed to tell you that when you started taking the car apart.  I think everyone sees flaws jumping out at them, especially when they know every square inch of their car. I know I can find more and deeper flaws than any self appointed judge at a cruise night. In fact, I have left obvious flaws just so spectators kind find them easily and we can get that part over with right away. Another secret, that body shop guy with the real nice paint job; he might have painted his car two or three times to get it that nice, but he might not ask me for T&M to do mine three times.

 

The good part is that yours will come apart easy and there is a good base for some paint touch up. "The level of perfection one can achieve is directly proportional to the number of times they are willing to do it over." I think that is a quote from Benjamin Franklin on making waterproof kites.

 

I would say keep the car for 5 or ten years, sort it out, and redo those little jobs. Especially if the motivation is a Dave Ramsey style debt pay off. Old Dave don't know crap about cars. In fact he is downright ignorant about them. I had a boss who made clear distinctions between stupid and ignorant. Dave's ignorant.

 

Given a choice between a first generation Riviera and money, the Riviera is the only logical choice. The only car to replace it would be a lesser car and money is not that hard to get. Keep the car. You already cut the diamond. Now just polish it.

Bernie

[DAVES89]

This is interesting. JZRiv did such a good job he's afraid to drive it. You did a great job [with some flaws you don't like] and you want to get rid of it. I have 3 daily driver Reattas that I wanted to make look better. Started in, but gave up. Why? Because of things happening out of my control. Gravel and debris on the road getting kicked up, door dings from other cars no matter how far away I park [someone always has to park next to you], people who spill coffee/liquids in the car, and general wear and tear.

So I have now reconciled myself to keeping the car as nice as possible without getting crazy about it. 

 Take other's advice, drive the car and I am sure the flaws you believe to be there will fade away leaving you with pride of ownership knowing that you know everything about your car because you did all the work.

 However if it is a money thing that is a different issue altogether.

 

[60FlatTop]

Yeah, put 'em on a pedestal and treat them gently. I always do.

Bernie

[alini]

I just replaced the fuel sending unit in the tank, I had installed the wrong one during the build (and intended on having this done today so it was not a point of interest in the original ad since it would be completed before the sale ended)  My son and I went and got gas to check the unit, I put about 8 miles round trip just cruising around.  Tonight my wife and I will take it out and cruise Las Vegas.  My plan all along was sell it til an offer came and for some reason I jumped the gun and put a ad on ebay.   I need to do what my heart told me from the beginning and what you guys are all saying.....own it til the offer comes.  So in a few hours my wife and I will jump in the car and drive around the Strip and have fun.  The money will come, I dont need to sell it, Im not desperate...but boy would it be nice to be debt free....and have the garage space to start my next project.

[KongaMan]

On 9/15/2016 at 11:14 AM, alini said:

The starting bid is just to keep the looky loos away but it's still a profit in itself.

What value do you put on your time?

[Bill Stoneberg]

If you keep the car Chris, make sure you drive it regularly. They go to hell much faster if they are not driven.

 

I was in Vegas last week, I am not sure about driving the strip on a Saturday night, looks crazy to me and I grew up driving in Houston.

[RivNut]

Chris,

Abbot a year after you sell it, you'll miss owning one.  Then trying get one to replace it will be really hard because you'll be really picky and you'll end up spending way more than you sell this one for. You might as well resign yourself to keeping it and enjoying it.

 

Ed