1995 tires/wheels - Advice needed

[MotiveLensPhoto]

I can only find one style of wheel covers offered in the 1995, but there is an image on the ROA site suggesting a second style. https://rivowners.org/features/evolution/evpt95.html

 

I ask because I have different from both on my 1995 and there are several issues with them. First, the valve stem is on the inside of the wheel, so you can't check the pressure without taking the tire completely off. Further, the wheel covers are glued on (no, I'm not kidding), so I can't even get to the lug nuts without some damage to the wheels. Ended up having to remove one already since it was flat. I'll post some close-ups of the wheel and wheel cover later.

 

My goal is to get/keep the car as close to factory as possible, but that just isn't going to be possible with these wheels since the rubber is from 1995 and they're really not safe. Undecided what I should do. Maybe you've got a brilliant idea that I'm completely overlooking.

[RivNut]

I believe that is an aftermarket wheel.  The 9th generation Rivieras came with two wheel choices, one painted and one chrome plated.

Chrome

 

 

Painted

 

 

and cap

 

[RivNut]

 

[MotiveLensPhoto]

On 4/13/2023 at 2:14 PM, RivNut said:

I believe that is an aftermarket wheel.  The 9th generation Rivieras came with two wheel choices, one painted and one chrome plated.

Chrome

 

 

Painted

 

 

and cap

 

Could be. The wheel covers were glued on, the valve stems only accessible if you take the wheel off the car, etc. Nothing makes any sense on this car. I've reached out through LinkedIn, facebook, etc., to all the primary design/production people at Buick and GM who were there at the time. None have responded at all. Next is to go thru some relatives who were at GM at the time also, and see if they know anything (they've been under some stress lately so I've avoided asking until now) or can reach the primary people at Buick. Hoping to find some old images and see if/when the wheels were replaced. Still a ton of work to do to get this car to the condition it deserves. And so it goes ...

 

 

[RivNut]

Contact the Buick Heritage Alliance. Perhaps if you give them the VIN, they can tell you what the original configuration of the car was before being converted into a convertible.

[NTX5467]

I tend to concur that the wheels now on the car are NOT GM-issue items, whether OEM production or GM Accessory.  NO factory wheel will have the valve stem inside, period.  Even if the car might have a TPS system on it.  Rather than trying to contact former GM/Buick people, you might have better luck seeking out a Buick parts book for your car, which would show the available options and such for wheels on your car.  Ed has provided images of the available wheels, too.  Or a Buick sales brochure for that model year, too.  The Automotive History Preservation Society might have some of those documents in their online files.

 

LinkedIn is more about people finding jobs and networking with similar people.  Somebody who has retired will most probably NOT be looking in there very often, if ever, I suspect.  Facebook has evolved into more of a "grand parents and businesses" website, from what I can see.  No offense meant, just the reality as I see it.

 

You might also decode the Service Parts ID label on the car.  I don't specifically recall where it might be on that particular car, but they were usually on the spare tire cover (under the trunk mat), inside the console compartment (driver's side), or possibly on the lh front door shell.  THAT would have the appropriate codes for the wheels the car came with from the factory.  I suspect there is a decode website for that.  Otherwise, you might take the VIN to a local GM dealer and see if they can decode it and also print out the equipment list for the car, as produced.  IF the current database goes back that far.

 

Respectfully,

NTX5467

 

[MikeJS]

16 minutes ago, NTX5467 said:

Or a Buick sales brochure for that model year, too.

Not sure if it'll help, but a 1995 Riviera brochure can be found here...

 

https://www.auto-brochures.com/buick.html

 

Later,

 

[RivNut]

I 2nd the idea of looking for the SPID sticker. That should tell you what you want to know.

[dship]

On 4/13/2023 at 3:14 PM, RivNut said:

I believe that is an aftermarket wheel.  The 9th generation Rivieras came with two wheel choices, one painted and one chrome plated.

 

Isn't this the 8th and final Riviera generation?

[ArcticWhite88]

From memory, I believe I saw this car for sale illustrated as a factory concept convertible.  If that's the case, there are likely some differences between this and a standard production Riviera.  If it is the same car, it may have been part of the GM Heritage Alliance collection and had single digit miles.  Again, this is from memory and looking at the photo in the post. 

[dship]

If memory serves me correctly, I believe it was displayed at the 2007 Riviera Owners Association National Meet in Asheville, NC. 

[MotiveLensPhoto]

4 hours ago, dship said:

Isn't this the 8th and final Riviera generation?

Pretty sure #8 is correct but I'm terrible with #, except phone numbers for some reason.

[MotiveLensPhoto]

2 hours ago, dship said:

If memory serves me correctly, I believe it was displayed at the 2007 Riviera Owners Association National Meet in Asheville, NC. 

Probably. After GM sold a lot of the Heritage Collection it was trailered to a lot of national and regional meets.

[MotiveLensPhoto]

21 hours ago, NTX5467 said:

I tend to concur that the wheels now on the car are NOT GM-issue items, whether OEM production or GM Accessory.  NO factory wheel will have the valve stem inside, period.  Even if the car might have a TPS system on it.  Rather than trying to contact former GM/Buick people, you might have better luck seeking out a Buick parts book for your car, which would show the available options and such for wheels on your car.  Ed has provided images of the available wheels, too.  Or a Buick sales brochure for that model year, too.  The Automotive History Preservation Society might have some of those documents in their online files.

 

LinkedIn is more about people finding jobs and networking with similar people.  Somebody who has retired will most probably NOT be looking in there very often, if ever, I suspect.  Facebook has evolved into more of a "grand parents and businesses" website, from what I can see.  No offense meant, just the reality as I see it.

 

You might also decode the Service Parts ID label on the car.  I don't specifically recall where it might be on that particular car, but they were usually on the spare tire cover (under the trunk mat), inside the console compartment (driver's side), or possibly on the lh front door shell.  THAT would have the appropriate codes for the wheels the car came with from the factory.  I suspect there is a decode website for that.  Otherwise, you might take the VIN to a local GM dealer and see if they can decode it and also print out the equipment list for the car, as produced.  IF the current database goes back that far.

 

Respectfully,

NTX5467

 

The people I reached out to had recent online activity and all listed GM or Buick as a place of employment in the 1990's. So I'm assuming they block people they don't know or they just haven't seen it. I doubt anything nefarious such as an NDA about this 28 year old car is in place.

 

Next step is to contact GM with the VIN and then look for whatever other ID I can find, which I've just been too busy to do until today.

[NTX5467]

With all due respect, I suspect trying to directly contact anybody at GM will lead to further frustrations.  Especially when decoding the SPID label will do the same thing!  AND do it quicker.  That sticker and the related VIN decode/equipment listing which the dealer parts database might provide will have ALL of the available information on it, too.  All you need is the wheel code and no more.

 

Respectfully,

NTX5467

[MotiveLensPhoto]

7 hours ago, ArcticWhite88 said:

From memory, I believe I saw this car for sale illustrated as a factory concept convertible.  If that's the case, there are likely some differences between this and a standard production Riviera.  If it is the same car, it may have been part of the GM Heritage Alliance collection and had single digit miles.  Again, this is from memory and looking at the photo in the post. 

Yes, it was advertised that way, at the Mecum auction in 2022 and at Barrett in 2009. But I want to confirm with someone at GM who knows. Who, what, when, etc., was involved in this when it was in production. Who gave the order to chop off the roof, and who stopped it from being finished. The VIn is present, but none of the other labels or plates are to be found. Not on the doors, not under the hood, trunk, nowhere that I can find. Why aren't the standard size wheels on the car, etc.? Next step is to talk to a relative who was at GM in 1995. Maybe she knows or can get me in touch.

Edited April 18, 2023 by Golden73 (see edit history)

[RivNut]

If it’s is the car that I’m thinking of, it was one of the cars that the GM museum in Flint sent to the ROA meet in Eureaka Springs, Arkansas in 2005.  It was one of many concept cars that came out of the Buick styling studios. There was this convertible, a Northstar powered Riviera, and a few others. The two big attractions were the original,Silver Arrow I and the Buick Blackhawk.  Styling studios did many things to standard models to get reactions of the big brass to see if making the car a regular production model would be feasible.  

[RivNut]

9 hours ago, dship said:

Isn't this the 8th and final Riviera generation?

You’re right. For some reason I separate the 86 - 89 from the 90 - 93 when I should know that they’re considered as the same.