Riviera63 Posted May 23, 2019 Share Posted May 23, 2019 Got my original license plate frames on today. I did not know about this original item until reading about it on the forum. My thanks to the members of the forum that discussed this and brought it to my attention. I bought 2 as I switch out plates at shows. I did not want to have to keep switching back and forth and stress or break the tabs on the back. I was able to find two frames in good condition. My thanks to Gene G. and Tim S. for that. I was able to really get them looking good using the information that I got on the excellent article in the Riview on stainless steel polishing. My thanks to Jason Z. for his great article and some help along the way. This was a fun little project. It is always a great feeling to find and add one more little piece of the puzzle that is the Buick Riviera. Bill 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seafoam65 Posted May 23, 2019 Share Posted May 23, 2019 very nice! My car doesn't have these, but on my rear license plate holder/fuel door, there were two factory spacers installed where the hinge bolts to the rear bumper that I figured out were there to allow a frame to be installed on the license plate and still allow the door to open without hitting the rear bumper. I removed them to close up the resulting gap between the plate and the rear bumper for a better appearance. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schmiddy Posted May 23, 2019 Share Posted May 23, 2019 How cool is that plate!!!! The month and year I was born! 😉 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riviera63 Posted May 23, 2019 Author Share Posted May 23, 2019 2 hours ago, Seafoam65 said: very nice! My car doesn't have these, but on my rear license plate holder/fuel door, there were two factory spacers installed where the hinge bolts to the rear bumper that I figured out were there to allow a frame to be installed on the license plate and still allow the door to open without hitting the rear bumper. I removed them to close up the resulting gap between the plate and the rear bumper for a better appearance. Thanks Winston. What did those spacers look like? Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riviera63 Posted May 23, 2019 Author Share Posted May 23, 2019 1 hour ago, Schmiddy said: How cool is that plate!!!! The month and year I was born! 😉 Hi Schmiddy, That is a pretty cool coincidence. I used to have real set of 1963 plates that I would put on at shows. My wife's dad and then grandma used to have an Arctic White 1963 Riviera. Hers had the tan leather interior though. This is one of the reasons we bought our car. My wife remembers her grandma letting her drive the Riviera while she had her learner's permit. Anyway, we got rid of the real license plates and had these replicas made up with grandma's license plate number in honor of her. See pics. If you look at the picture with grandma in it you will see a couple of other pretty cool cars. My brother in law's 1957 Oldsmobile on the street and the tail end of my father in law's 1962 Lincoln Continental. He was not a car guy but, he always managed to have cool cars. Bill 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jframe Posted May 23, 2019 Share Posted May 23, 2019 I'd like to find one of those original license frames to go on the back of mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riviera63 Posted May 23, 2019 Author Share Posted May 23, 2019 (edited) 13 hours ago, jframe said: I'd like to find one of those original license frames to go on the back of mine. Contact the vendors in the Riview. I am sure that one of them will have one. I know Tim at Rivi Central had another one and I know Dan Jackson in MI had a couple but, he is very slow in responding. Contact info for both is in the Riview. Bill Edited May 24, 2019 by Riviera63 (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted May 24, 2019 Share Posted May 24, 2019 Can anyone "decode" this license plate thats on my '64? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsgun Posted May 24, 2019 Share Posted May 24, 2019 1 hour ago, RivNut said: Can anyone "decode" this license plate thats on my '64? Chassis number. I got a variation for my 64 too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsgun Posted May 24, 2019 Share Posted May 24, 2019 I went with a period and location correct dealer frame. Mine aren't this nice, paint needs touched up. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted May 24, 2019 Share Posted May 24, 2019 (edited) 14 minutes ago, jsgun said: Chassis number. I got a variation for my 64 too. Not quite. In Kansas, license plates were issued by county. Kansas has an Edwards county, abbreviated ED. The 64 is self explanatory. The number 4747 is on the data plate of every 1964 Riviera, the model number as assigned by Buick. When put together in the proper sequence, you get ED's 1964 RIVIERA. 😎 Edited May 24, 2019 by RivNut (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted May 24, 2019 Share Posted May 24, 2019 Mine is a '64 X-perimental. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seafoam65 Posted May 24, 2019 Share Posted May 24, 2019 18 hours ago, Riviera63 said: Thanks Winston. What did those spacers look like? Bill They are silver metal and about 1 inch in diameter and about a 1/4 inch thick. On the 65 riviera, without these spacers the license plate frame will hit the bumper when opening the fuel filler door. It may be that these weren't necessary on a 63 model as the bumper is very different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1965rivgs Posted May 24, 2019 Share Posted May 24, 2019 2 hours ago, Seafoam65 said: They are silver metal and about 1 inch in diameter and about a 1/4 inch thick. On the 65 riviera, without these spacers the license plate frame will hit the bumper when opening the fuel filler door. It may be that these weren't necessary on a 63 model as the bumper is very different. I`ve owned quite a few `65 models with the factory license plate frame and never needed spacers. I have seen and used spacers when the return/retracter spring has become weak or is binding due to corrosion and will not firmly retract the plate against the rubber bumpers. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsgun Posted May 25, 2019 Share Posted May 25, 2019 19 hours ago, RivNut said: Not quite. In Kansas, license plates were issued by county. Kansas has an Edwards county, abbreviated ED. The 64 is self explanatory. The number 4747 is on the data plate of every 1964 Riviera, the model number as assigned by Buick. When put together in the proper sequence, you get ED's 1964 RIVIERA. 😎 Ah ok, I didn't see the "Ed" on it. Is it an original plate, or custom made? I tried getting "R 4747" for mine, like on the factory photo, but it was taken. Same with "64-4747". Did manage to get a CA black plate of "Riv4747". with the Irv White plate frame, should look good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwedeDownUnderR63 Posted May 25, 2019 Share Posted May 25, 2019 I obviously lack in fantasy, 4747 would have been nice. Here’s my new number plate from Down Under. I just need to build a garage around the car too in our new home, luckily we don’t get snow here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seafoam65 Posted May 28, 2019 Share Posted May 28, 2019 On 5/24/2019 at 11:06 AM, 1965rivgs said: I`ve owned quite a few `65 models with the factory license plate frame and never needed spacers. I have seen and used spacers when the return/retracter spring has become weak or is binding due to corrosion and will not firmly retract the plate against the rubber bumpers. Tom Wow Tom, perhaps my car has a "one off bumper" because without the spacers there is no way in hell a license plate frame would fit on my car. The face of the plate protrudes down into the opening in the bumper and without the spacers the face of the plate is about 1/32 of an inch from hitting the bumper. A license plate frame is a hell of a lot thicker than that.With the spacers there is plenty of room for a frame to be attached. These spacers look like GM parts....you would never find anything like them in a hardware store or Auto Supply. It's going to take a lot of convincing for me to believe this isn't a factory setup. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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