Serious about the repaint now.

[60FlatTop]

I painted my '64 Riviera in 1980 with 8 coats of Claret Mist lacquer. It was due for a fresh job a decade or more ago but my ;60 Electra became our primary old car driver right after the turn of the century and the Riviera took a back burner, getting driven under 500 miles a year. My wife can't get in and out of it any more, osteoporosis.

 

I am committed now.

 

The maroon on the floor is old lacquer shaved off with a razor blade or two. Next week I plan to have the rear quarters and deck lid in Marhyde Ultimate II polyurethane primer and working my way forward.

 

The car was originally bronze mist. I am vacillating between that and a custom tutone with black cherry and silver. We will see as work progresses.

 

I was closing up the garage tonight and thought that was a real picture of commitment.

[Seafoam65]

Bronze mist is a gorgeous color.......I would go with that.

[RivNut]

What color is the interior? When you repaint, will you retain the vinyl top?  I think the original color would be really nice.

[dship]

IMO I'd go with the black cherry and silver.

[NTX5467]

Possibly, the end result will better accent the beautiful lines of the car and the various contours of the sheet metal as the light hits it.

 

Enjoy!

NTX5467

[60FlatTop]

Here is the car the first year I had it. At 15 years old there was one repaint in the original color that was wearing thin. That was 1978. I never cared for brown cars whatever the shade and always favored Ford Heritage Burgundy, already color changed a '68 Riviera from brown to that. The Ford was a summer car as people up here in the Salt Belt tend to own. And red.

My girlfriend and I had just returned from the ACD museum where the revival Duesenberg was on display. Maroon was in my blood.

 

The car has always reflected well in varying light. The black cherry and silver come from a recent model Rolls-Royce, The Velsheda.

 

 

If I deviate from the original it will be in the paint scheme only. The chassis was removed and restored in the early 1990s so this is the cosmetic job, 20 years will get me to 95 years old. Knowing the car has origins as a Bentley Continental continuing to "Shadow" the Rolls-Royce theme extends Mitchell's fun.

[XframeFX]

15 hours ago, RivNut said:

What color is the interior? When you repaint, will you retain the vinyl top?  I think the original color would be really nice.

A custom finish is nice. But any car will look good with a fresh quality re-paint, especially the 1st Gen Riviera.

 

Considering our age bracket, I'd paint it a colour that will maximize its value. I would assume that would be the original Bronze Mist. I would also assume you'll enjoy the original colour just as much because the paint will be fresh and Riveiras already look good!

 

I did not re-paint my Riv the original "Arctic White" back in 1992. I chose a 1991 Chrysler White in a Dupont ChromaBase with 8500 Clear. No regrets, people still comment on my "fresh paint job". It's 30 years old!

[Guest]

I wouldn't worry about resale value as you don't want to sell it so go with what you want.  I have several friends who comment along the lines of "keep it protected to protect it's value."  All fine and good if you buy and sell but when you don't the only person you are "protecting" it for is yourself which in my mind defeats the purpose.  It's like the people who cover up the new _______ they got and end up passing with the covers still on it.

[60FlatTop]

I contacted Darryl Starbird a couple of years ago and got the paint numbers he used for his Lincoln.

That is probably where I will end up.

 

My cars are toys in every sense of the word. Value does not mean a lot to the keepers. I have fairly high prices as I live and breath. But under other conditions my wife has my list of low, move 'em out, prices so she doesn't have to deal with any of what I call "widow protectors" that may slither in. The cars amount to a small percentage of the estate, as they should. Financially I would call them disposable. If they were not I might even question my own priorities.

 

A while back a member of one club was promoting a life insurance company's collection management policies. They audited, valued, and assisted in final disposition of things other people and myself have found to be "too good to throw away". I told him my wife knew who my friends were and they could pretty much have a tool or collectible as a memorable token. I told him he could be considered among them. Well, that kind of took the fiduciary wind out of the collection management program.

 

When I first got into the hobby, around 1959, it was populated by misfits, crackpots, and malcontents. Seemed like a fun thing to do. When the wise investors stated showing up after the Nixon default I got a little uncomfortable being lumped in with the neophytes, still am with the successive waves.

 

Like the old sailor joke goes:

"Who you gonna impress with that paint job?"

"Me".

 

[RivNut]

 

flipped paint scheme 

[steelman]

I have several first gen Riviera pictures in my collection. Some two toned very well. others, not so much. Maybe these help, maybe they don't. In the end, Bernie has to be happy with what Bernie chooses. Nobody else. But I really like the tri-tone, black, silver, black here. Would work well if you go back with the vinyl top as well.

[60FlatTop]

I have seen those poorly conceived tutone jobs. I would never break the colors at the point they chose. That kind of styling always makes me think of the guy at the cruise night who carries a tape measure and holds to up to windshield posts saying "Take about 5" out of here".

 

My razor shaving of the lacquer is going well. The underlying primer is fine and sanding with #240 looks right for the first coat of Ultimate II.

[dr914]

always repaint the original color, and polyurethane base coat clear coat

[gungeey]

Nectar of the Car Gods

[60FlatTop]

Quite a coincidence! The last car I had painted by a "professional" was a 1977 Cadillac Sedan de Ville in mulberry. He claimed his air hose blew apart and loaded the hood with dirt. "Let it dry a week or two and bring it back. I'll buff it out."

 

 

[65VerdeGS]

No, no, no  - please don't paint your 1st Gen Riviera in two tone.  This breaks the design integrity of the car by adding a distracting second color.  The factory didn't do it, and while we're at it, I don't think vinyl tops exactly 'enhance' the look of these cars either.  They do enhance the chance of rust forming under they vinyl, though!

 

Of course, these are my biased opinions on the matter.  Your car, your choice, of course!

[RivNut]

Bill Mitchell painted his 1963 Silver Arrow I two toned silver to accentuate the body lines. I'm wondering if he had his way would two tone paint been a standard feature for the first generation Rivieras?

[60FlatTop]

I came home from the village Buick dealership in 1963 with the new brochure in my bicycle basket and have been following the Riviera and its stories ever since. The stories of the Rolls-Royce influence have always intrigued me as well as Buicks and the Royal family purchase of the 1936 Buick Limousine. All Buick family stuff. Over the years I became nearly as familiar with the Rolls-Royce cars as Buick and have made many styling comparisons.

 

A couple of years ago a Silver Wraith coupe came into my friend's shop for service that closely resembled my mental image of the Riviera tutone. Unlike the typical examples this car followed the body lines. It also had full sail panels of the sedan. Most RR/B coupes have thin, airy sail panels.

 

My phone took lousy pictures that day but the idea is here. The deck lid, roof, and partial quarters are the limits, and not the hood. The edge is bordered with a fine pin stripe.

 

My paint advisor just left from our Tuesday coffee meeting and we went over it. Still both think it is a good idea. And the new paint would make a fine base to just reshoot it if my expectations are not met.

 

I'm still sanding!

 

 

 

[RivNut]

A good picture of the Silver Arrow I will give you the idea of what Bernie is talking about.  The sides of the body below the body line and the sail panels ( to include the vertical portion above the doors) up to the vertical part of the roof are a shade darker than the vertical surfaces. No pinstripes. It does not look two toned, it appears to reflect light at different angles.

 

[60FlatTop]

I have a lot of details on the Sliver Arrow. Here is a good shot.

 

That doesn't do it for me. Owning the car for 45 years I know the natural highlights of the body and how the color changes. My Claret Mist did that on its own on the sides. The sail panels do not look like the Silver Arrow in natural light.. If I do it my goal will be to separate the expanse of deck and top into one flow that will enhance the semi fastback look and capture that classic Silver Shadow look. I also intend to buy a set of plain 1956 Olds wheel covers, not spinners, to see how they flow.

 

Today we talked about non-metellic Royal Marroon and a Desert Rose upper.

 

Good brain exercise.

Edited May 16, 2023 by 60FlatTop (see edit history)

[RivNut]

How about a set of Dodge Lancer wheel covers.  It’s either the “Lancers”, the Oldsmobile “Fiestas” or the Cadillac “Sombreros” if you want to run with the kool kats.

 

[60FlatTop]

Here is a '56 Olds wheel cover, a lot like the Silver Arrow and I can mask the logo.

 

Kool Kat is not on the menu. I don't even have a Hard Rock Cafe T-shirt, ear ring, or old man Kung Fu warrior pigtail.

[Matt56]

Through a combination of my project being a recommission only and trying to avoid scope creep, paint that did not match, and factors of the car condition, here is the two tone I ended up with. Its not as terrible as I thought it would be.

[EmTee]

6 hours ago, 60FlatTop said:

If I do it my goal will be to separate the expanse of deck and top into one flow that will enhance the semi fastback look and capture that classic Silver Shadow look.

You need to find someone fluent in Photoshop to test some ideas... 

[Turbinator]

29 minutes ago, EmTee said:

You need to find someone fluent in Photoshop to test some ideas... 

EmTee, outstanding idea. Nothing like photograhic and computerized art to bring ideas out to give a good look.

Turbinator

[lrlforfun]

Bernie: The Claret Mist, GM burgundy is a really fabulous color. That color when done right is the ticket on a First-Gen Riviera. The prep, blocking and final rub out are  critical .  This car has wire caps but if I had an extra set of turbines I believe it would add tremendous sex appeal.  Mitch

    

 

[60FlatTop]

I agree. Here is my car in 1988 when I had my garage built. Eight coats of Claret Mist lacquer and the wire wheel covers.

 

 

I bought my car in 1978 with a presentable but worn through bronze mist repaint.

 

My first car show.

 

From 1980 when I shot the new paint until 1988 when I had the garage built I worked out of two rented garages. The times I kept the car at home I would hurry out to wipe the morning dew off the car before the sun hit the dew drops. I saw paint damage start at that time. And the paint job was not done under ideal conditions. A number of underlying issues literally came to the surface. I had just turned 30 at the time and my profession was in another field. The car continued to look good.

My focus is on mechanics and reliability. In the early 1990s I removed the body and did a thorough refurbishing of the chassis.

 

That got me up to the turn of the century when I bought the 1960  Electra. It became our Go To old car because of the ease of entry for my wife. And the Riviera spent more time in the back of the garage.

 

Up to now, when I removed the vinyl top and installed a crystal clear new windshield. And, hopefully, I do the one last paint job.

 

I opened this topic in a time of $12,000 to $20,000 paint jobs to show what I am doing with a $3,000-$4,000 material budget and a quote from a good friend.

"The level of perfection one can achieve is directly proportional to the number of times they are willing to do a job over." Willing being the key word and the budget is flexible. One thing for sure, the end product will be very conservative in appearance.

Edited May 17, 2023 by 60FlatTop (see edit history)

[gungeey]

I could live with that

[RivNut]

If you’re considering Claret Mist as a color but want to add some “pop” to it, look at Lexus’ Claret Mica.

[drhach]

I'm curious to know why you're scraping the paint with a razor blade. 

[60FlatTop]

The razor blade finish removal is fairly common with my friends. It removes old paint fast, a full layer at a time and with minimal abrasive marks. I have one friend who has stripped vanish wood garish moldings using glass. He even broke the glass to get the right curvature.

 

I move fast with the technique and as long as I avoid gouging with the edge of the blade I start sanding with #240 to prep for primer. I am sure a few areas will need traditional methods. I want to minimize the #120 and lower though.

 

It is not for a production shop or a for hire job but working well for me.. I am about a week behind the schedule I set for myself. I am grooming the borders of my back yard with this spring weather.

 

Deck lid sanded with 240.

Quarter just shaved, not sanded.

 

Of course the trim will come off for the final prep.

 

I have a professional coach. A glance or two on Tuesday morning and we switch to coffee drinking at the bench.

[60FlatTop]

I should add that the single coat of original paint that was under the vinyl top is hard to scrape at the point that have compound curves. Those areas will get more aggressive sanding.

[gungeey]

Looking good Bernie. The razor blade keep the dust down. A couple quick passes with a heat gun has helped me continue on where the stubborn areas were.

[RIVNIK]

scraping stuff off with a razor blade is oddly satisfying. makes me wanna go look for something to scrape

[Frank DuVal]

On 5/17/2023 at 5:15 PM, 60FlatTop said:

The razor blade finish removal is fairly common with my friends. It removes old paint fast, a full layer at a time and with minimal abrasive marks.

A very common removal method of lacquer finishes. Way easier than trying to sand them off.

[RivNut]

Eastwood’s paint remover tool / body surfacer. If you’re interested, check out their video.

Edited May 19, 2023 by RivNut
Typo (see edit history)

[60FlatTop]

I have stripped a few jobs with a razor and found the Stanley 28 500 to work the best. Get it resting in your palm at just the right angle and a blade width 2-4 feet long will just roll off.

 

After some use the blade holding end will spread and it is best to buy another. They are about $8.

 

Yesterday morning I told that to the 80-some year old painter sitting with us. "$8 for a scarper! Those are a dollar anywhere. I have a bunch of them."

 

My wife says I shouldn't stereotype people. And I tell her I wouldn't if they didn't keep doing the same things over and over.

[RivNut]

I once saw a video of a dude using a razor to remove paint from a car. He made a nice arc with his blade and took off quite a bit of paint with each swipe. He didn’t waste much time using a blade like the one pictured.

[RivNut]

My 1964 after some Aircraft paint stripper and a 4" blade like the one I picture previously.  The car had been repainted, with a primer coat between the original paint and the new paint, and had some bad patch paint work to boot.  Prepped, reprimered in epoxy primer, then scuff coated and blocked.  I'm not much further now. 😒 It's tough getting old and going through all the ailments that go along with aging. 

Edited May 19, 2023 by RivNut (see edit history)

[71GS]

1 hour ago, RivNut said:

It's tough getting old and going through all the ailments that go along with aging. 

My 97 year old Grandmother told me the other day that getting old is not for wimps. 😁

 

The chop on the silver arrow is perfect 👌