New '63 Riviera - Give me an "I" :)

[Aaron65]

Hello,

I'm not new to the AACA forums (I've been here 17 years), but I just got a '63 Riviera, which is one of my favorite cars.  It's a nice not-too-messed-with driver, which is the kind of car I like best (old paint, some signs that it's seen some stuff).  Anyway, it's been off the road the majority of the last 40 years, so I'll be doing a lot of work on it over the next rest of my life.  But for now, I'll be looking for a couple Riviera specifics.  I already have a post out for a spare wheel that I haven't had a chance to sort through much yet (out making a car list today).  

But I need an "I" for the trunk, and most likely the tang to hold it into the trunk.  If anyone has any leads on one of those, I'd appreciate that, too.  Thanks!

Aaron

[TexRiv_63]

Welcome to Riviera land. That looks like a very nice car for sitting 40 years! Looking forward to following your project.

[EmTee]

Maybe this was the previous owner?

 

Edited November 5, 2022 by EmTee (see edit history)

[Aaron65]

19 minutes ago, EmTee said:

Maybe this was the previous owner?

 

Uh, why is that?

[kegart]

I think Uncle Buck drove a Lincoln. 

 

Kevin 

[NailheadBob]

Great looking car, and a nice project.

 

 

 

Bob

 

EDIT: Friend of mine just purchased a '63 Riviera and the "left side center console heater tube air vent" is missing like yours. see group # 9.784 in parts book.

 

Please could you post a photo of body tag, located on drivers side firewall area by brake booster.

 

Bob

Edited November 6, 2022 by NailheadBob
update (see edit history)

[Aaron65]

10 hours ago, NailheadBob said:

Please could you post a photo of body tag, located on drivers side firewall area by brake booster.

 

Bob

This is from the ad for the car; it doesn't have too many options (which is good, in my opinion).  I'd even prefer crank windows. 

[NailheadBob]

The crank windows usually have no problems, so when it comes up a rain when your out with your antique car you can put windows up, unlike power windows that's when they will not work lol.

 

Bob

[Aaron65]

15 hours ago, EmTee said:

Maybe this was the previous owner?

 

I'm an idiot, man.  I wasn't even thinking about the trunk lid letters; I thought you were making some smart comment about my new car.  My fault, carry on. 

[Pat Curran]

Welcome to the group.  It looks like your door jamb switch is working so you are off to a good start.

[EmTee]

1 hour ago, Aaron65 said:

I wasn't even thinking about the trunk lid letters

Sorry, it was a little obtuse; just noting that without the "i" it's "BU CK"...  Definitely not a dig on your car - to the contrary, I like it!  I like the color and it's refreshing to see one wearing its original wheel covers.  That tells me that whoever owned it previously didn't mess with it and the overall condition shows they took good care of it.

 

Edited November 6, 2022 by EmTee (see edit history)

[Jim Cannon]

I agree, the car has been kept very clean. Those are the correct hubcaps for the '63 Riviera, with the center tri-shield all silver. (The other full-size Buicks in '63 had the red-white-blue tri-shield.)

 

Your body was built in the 3rd week of December (the 12C in the upper left corner of your data plate). Your ribbed dash is correct, it was introduced in very late-November '62.

 

That paint is called Fawn Mist.  My car was painted the same color.

 

Please look at the engine block on the top of the deck, behind and to the left of the thermostat housing, and report on the engine code you see there.  It should be something like JT429, something like that.  The VIN is stamped to the right of the thermostat, behind the water crossover.  I don't want the VIN.

 

The little heater outlet on the driver's side of the center console just needs to be glued back into place.  You can do it by putting a little glue around the edge of the vent piece, slip a piece of coat hanger wire, with the end bent to an angle, into the vent, and pull it out, into the hole. Wait for the glue to dry.

 

 

[Riviera63]

1 hour ago, Aaron65 said:

This is from the ad for the car; it doesn't have too many options (which is good, in my opinion).  I'd even prefer crank windows. 

Hi Aaron, Never mind I see Jim has already found the thread.

 

Welcome to you and your 63. There is a member of the Forum and one of the tech advisors for the Riviera Owner's Association. I would join if you have not already. A wealth of tech advice and sources for parts. https://www.rivowners.org/ Jim is also compiling a data base for the 1963 model year. I am sure he would like the shot of your Fischer body plate to add to his data base. He probably will ask you some other questions about your car. Part of his data base project is determining when certain changes occurred during the production year. His name is Jim Cannon and that is also his handle for the forum. 

 

Bill

Edited November 6, 2022 by Riviera63 (see edit history)

[Aaron65]

Jim,

The VIN stamp on the engine matches the car's VIN.  The engine compartment is a mess and will probably stay that way (I'm not big on detailing...I just drive them as much as I can), but there are remnants of the original silver paint on the valve covers.  This car remained in the (distant) family of the original owner until I bought it, so I have paperwork going back to when it was new, even the "Glove Box Copy" of the car's build, including the date of production, which was 12/26/62.  Pretty cool stuff; it's very much the perfect car for me.  
 

Unfortunately, the PO did all the brakes and it seems that he got a bad booster out of the box (I've checked for vacuum, etc.; there is no "boosting" taking place).  

 

Also, this is my first car with a Nailhead.  Is there a plug on the bottom of the intake manifold?  There are some exhaust leaks everywhere, but it seems that I hear one coming from that area.  Easily fixed, I'm sure...the manifold looks easy to remove compared to most other engines.  

 

I'll check the other engine stamp when I go out and rebuild the driver's side parking light sockets today.  

Edited November 6, 2022 by Aaron65 (see edit history)

[EmTee]

11 minutes ago, Aaron65 said:

Unfortunately, the PO did all the brakes and it seems that he got a bad booster out of the box (I've checked for vacuum, etc.; there is no "boosting" taking place).  

Don't assume - I did the same with my '67, only to discover later that the hard pedal was due to an internally collapsed rear brake hose.  I too thought my booster was bad until one day my rear brakes began dragging badly and got hot.  My hoses were all original at the time.  I replaced all of the hoses and my power brake boost 'magically' reappeared.  Going back to the shop manual, I found that 'restriction in the hydraulic circuit' was listed as one of the possible causes for 'hard pedal'.

[EmTee]

17 minutes ago, Aaron65 said:

Is there a plug on the bottom of the intake manifold?  There are some exhaust leaks everywhere, but it seems that I hear one coming from that area. 

Yes - others here will tell you where to get a replacement core plug.  Or, search this forum for an old thread, as this issue pops up pretty regularly...

[Jim Cannon]

Aaron, if this car has been sitting for a long time, I recommend you disconnect the wire link between the heater blend door on the firewall to the heater hot water valve and operate the hot water valve manually to make sure it is freed up. Consider just leaving the hot water valve open in the winter and manually close it for the summer, don't reconnect the wire link.  Then heater temp is controlled only by the blend door (which is adequate.)  This hot water valve sticks and you will break the potmetal temperature control lever inside the car when it does.

 

 

 

Edited November 6, 2022 by Jim Cannon (see edit history)

[Aaron65]

Sounds good, Jim.  BTW, the engine stamp is JT428.  Emtee, I still have to check, but the PO said he replaced all the brake hoses.  

[NailheadBob]

The exhaust leaking from under hood in engine compartment is from the "expansion" plug on bottom of intake manifold, not bad to replace, Buick part # 1189802, I purchased mine from my local auto parts store, it took them 1 day to get Dorman # 550-031 it is 2 1/4" diameter, OR CARS has them # MP596-4.

 

You can search the forum for members that have replaced that on "NAILHEAD" engines.

 

I do have a detailed instruction sheet of the process to replace expansion plug, if you are interested I could e-mail it to you.

 

Bob

 

EDIT: to widen your search for letter "I" Buick part number is 1359439.

 

2nd EDIT: @Jim Cannon 

The little heater outlet on the driver's side of the center console just needs to be glued back into place.  You can do it by putting a little glue around the edge of the vent piece, slip a piece of coat hanger wire, with the end bent to an angle, into the vent, and pull it out, into the hole. Wait for the glue to dry.

 

Jim, does that mean you seen the outlet inside his console? and were going to glue and fish it out to reattach it?

 

Edited November 6, 2022 by NailheadBob
update (see edit history)

[Jim Cannon]

4 hours ago, NailheadBob said:

 

2nd EDIT: @Jim Cannon 

 

Jim, does that mean you seen the outlet inside his console? and were going to glue and fish it out to reattach it?

 

Yes. You can see the little vent inside the hole and dropped a bit. You don't fish it out, it has the flexible hose still connected to it. You just work it back up and in the hole while the glue dries.

 

 

[NailheadBob]

Thank You Jim, great advice.

 

Bob

 

EDIT: @Aaron65 When you replace expansion plug, please could you post a photo before you remove it?

 

Thanks

Edited November 6, 2022 by NailheadBob
update (see edit history)

[Aaron65]

1 hour ago, NailheadBob said:

Thank You Jim, great advice.

 

Bob

 

EDIT: @Aaron65 When you replace expansion plug, please could you post a photo before you remove it?

 

Thanks

Hi Bob, I probably won't do that job until next spring.  I have four cars at home and four in storage at all times, because I'm crazy.  The Riviera badly needs new tires, but I'll wait until spring for that.  No point in putting on new tires just to store the car for the winter.  😊

[Aaron65]

By the way, I found a set of letters on the ROA Facebook page, so they should be here later in the week. 

[65VerdeGS]

11 hours ago, Jim Cannon said:

Aaron, if this car has been sitting for a long time, I recommend you disconnect the wire link between the heater blend door on the firewall to the heater hot water valve and operate the hot water valve manually to make sure it is freed up. Consider just leaving the hot water valve open in the winter and manually close it for the summer, don't reconnect the wire link.  Then heater temp is controlled only by the blend door (which is adequate.)  This hot water valve sticks and you will break the potmetal temperature control lever inside the car when it does.

 

 

 

Hi Jim,

 

Not wanting to hijack this thread, but does this apply to the '65 model also? 

 

Thanks.

[telriv]

No, it's vacuum operated.

 

Tom T.

[Chasander]

I would like to find a “I” retainer for my letter I. Presently using Dum Dum. 

[Aaron65]

I was able to get an "I" and a spare wheel locally.  I forgot to nab the clip for the trunk letter (not that I would have been able to remove it in one piece anyway), so I used some marine electrical heat shrink on the letter's tab to hold it into the trunk (after I heated it with a heat gun, of course).  It should stay in there for good (I hope!).  

[NailheadBob]

Looks Great, was there a local junkyard close to you that had a Riviera parts car?

 

I noticed your "Qiick Jack" located under your car, how long have you had it and how well does it work for you?

 

Bob

[Aaron65]

There's an old time junkyard about 20 minutes away that I was going to visit before I had such good luck with Riviera people!  There were a few Rivieras in fairly bad shape (they've been there for about 40 years and have mostly been wrecked).  I might be able to salvage a few things here and there though, but they're not going anywhere for now.

The Quick Jack is not bad.  My dad got it for me for Christmas about five years ago, and it lifts the car a couple feet in the air, which is handy for all kinds of things, especially since I'm accustomed to being on my back under a car.  I haven't tried it on the Riviera yet, and I'll have to see where on the frame I can pick it up.  I know that I have to turn them sideways to pick up my Thunderbird, because the jacks aren't long enough to reach the subframe pickup points.  

[drhach]

On 11/5/2022 at 5:14 PM, kegart said:

I think Uncle Buck drove a Lincoln. 

 

Kevin 

Mercury

 

[kegart]

You  are correct. 

Another John Candy memorable car was in Trains planes and automobiles. 

 

Kevin 

[EmTee]

On 11/14/2022 at 12:31 PM, kegart said:

Another John Candy memorable car was in Trains planes and automobiles. 

My favorite:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q28v8TrrjvI