Found a Riviera for my dad!!!

[tjthorson]

WOO HOO!! Score!!! I am still shaking and had to tell somebody. As you may remember, I have been looking for a 63-65 Riviera for my parents (dad). My dad is getting up in years, his 65 Riv was the only car he said he ever regretted selling.

Even though i really can't afford it right now - I decided to get him one that he can enjoy before he really gets too old.... He gave me the love of Buicks at a very young age.... and I want to pay it back...

So, I have looked at every rust-bucket from Rockford to Iowa, and on ebay, craigslist every day. I was half asleep doing my morning default searches when i stumble onto this:

eBay Motors: Buick : Riviera (item 110144139907 end time Jun-29-07 04:06:19 PDT)

A 1963 that is all original, looks VERY solid and has been sitting in a garage for 36 years (I was 1 year old when it was parked, BTW...)

Then I see its a new auction and has a buy-it-now of $2500.....

Mind you I have been looking at rust-buckets with holes everywhere for $5K or so. It has been real discouraging.

The wife was on the way to work - I made her turn around to be sure I had "clearance from the tower" to buy it. The goal is my parents anniversary this November.....

She asked how we are going to pay for it.... I have no idea.... but I better get it straightened out before next week.... I think a cash advance is in order....

I am still shaking.....

 

[OConnor]

Congrats! Nice Find!

 

[SouthernCal GN]

You have my total respect and admiration!

 

[TurboDave]

What a great thing to do for your Dad!!

 

[TurboRegal84]

Todd,

Best of luck with the car....I am a big ran of the GS Riv's but the overall body style of the car is very nice.

 

[TURBOTWIN2]

Wow, barn find and cheap. Looks like A/C delete and a Midas Lifetime muffler in the trunk? Flush the gas tank and fuel lines, replace the rubber fuel lines, overhaul the carb, new fuel pump and tune-up should make it run. All new brake hydraulics to make it stop and drive it. Looks good. Good luck with it.

 

[6APPEAL]

Sweet score!
John

 

[Evans Ward]

Very impressive! Let us know how your Dad reacts to your act of love and kindness?

 

[tjthorson]

Very impressive! Let us know how your Dad reacts to your act of love and kindness?

It will be interesting to see. He was a big Buick guy back in the day... several widcats, lesabres, the riv. He was also a big studebaker guy. Being a computer progammer in the 1960s was a pretty good gig back then.

My dad was a COBOL mainframe programmer and my mom was a keypunch operator. That's how they met. Maybe that explains my Buick fascination and my natural mechanical and computer knowledge.

Ill see how they take it. The only problem I see so far is his beloved Subaru Forester XT turbo might have to sit outside since the Riv will need his side of the garage...

 

[ChavoLC2]

Rivy

That's cool what your doing for your oldman. I don't want to sound pessimistic or bust your balloon but you mentioned he's getting up there in years will he enjoy having to restore/rebuild/repaint this car. Are you going to rebuild the motor and get it running safely(brakes) for your dad before you give him the Buick. The car looks to be repainted door jams look different, that rust around the bottom of the rear window where that chrome is looks scetchy. If the rust looks that bad on the panel imagine where the rear window and rubbers meet. If it was parked in a garage why so muck rust on the bottom of the car. Iowa gets alot of snow and they must salt the roads.

Think you ought to wait if you can't really afford it right now. Factor in what it'll cost your Family to get dad's dream car running. Wait especially if you wife isn't in total agreement,you can't put a price for a peaceful household. Wait another will come up that's running( I don't think it was parked because it had a bad muffler bearing)a car that's running and doesn't have the cancer this car has, there is alot more hiding then meets the eye. How do I know because I jumped on a deal without inspecting a 56 Chevy pickup with a Awesome paint job flames and all, it's amazing what paint can hide. What looked like surface rust was actually spreading under the paint and some areas flaked off. But I Couldn't pass up the deal either. My wife reluctantly let me get it always knowing something was up. Too good of a deal to be true, it was a loss,but it did run. Also looked at a 71 440 GTX a Canadian built car (alot of snow) the frame you could scrape flakes of rust like it had gone thru a galvanic state. Pushed on the bottom of the trunk and the floor would wobble I probably could of pushed my hand thru, hey it was painted correctly .If you can wait I'll check around here in New Mexico as I've seen some 62-65 Rivys around here that are running ,no rust for 3-5k. Get your dad a Rivy that runs not a project.

The guy says "Don't take me wrong as it will take ALOT of WORK to get it running!" in looking at pics he is telling the truth. ALOT to get running like a engine rebuild , what's the tranny like a slush box. Alot = $$$$$$

 

[tjthorson]

That's cool what your doing for your oldman. I don't want to sound pessimistic or bust your balloon but you mentioned he's getting up there in years will he enjoy having to restore/rebuild/repaint this car. Are you going to rebuild the motor and get it running safely(brakes) for your dad before you give him the Buick. The car looks to be repainted door jams look different, that rust around the bottom of the rear window where that chrome is looks scetchy. If the rust looks that bad on the panel imagine where the rear window and rubbers meet.

Its all original and relatively rust free. You should see the roach coaches I have been looking at. I got the story on the muffler. I guess it was one of the "old stories" the father-inlaw used to love to tell. He parked the car because of the loud exhaust. Midas wouldnt give him a new muffler - so he fought and yelled for a new one. Finally he went outside the store and started talking to anyone that pulled up. Then he came home with a brand new muffler. Shortly after thats when he got sick. He never was able to work on it before he died. The mother-in-law couldnt part with the car until 2003 - when she gave it to her daughter and son-in-law. He always wanted to fix it - but has several classic muscle cars already. A 70 Chevelle SS and some other he talked about. After he decided the Chevelle didnt "fit" with his normal muscle cars, he got permission from his mother-in-law to sell it since they are going to use the money as a down payment on a new boat.

Hence the auction. He said he knew he could have gotten more $$$ - he just wanted quick sale since they are boat shopping next week.

Anyway - I am going to be doing all the work - pull the engine, new gaskets, seals, rings, etc. New torque converter and input seal. new brakes, wheel cylinders and master cylinders all the way around. Hopefully I can salvage the brake and fuel lines - or else those will be replaced too.

This is hands down the best one I have seen so far that isnt over $6000....

It will be a nice running/driving car that he can enjoy with about a gallon of POR-15 covering everything by the time I get done....

I pick it up Monday night.... Thanks!

PS - I could have had either of these for $3000.....

 

[ChavoLC2]

Dad's Rivy

. I apoligize for being a gloom and doomer, just wanted you to give it some serious thought, in my compulsiveness I've bought a few that turned out to be more work then they was worth. That's awesome that you can do all the mechanical work it will be much appreciated. Infact being a father myself I think the car would mean more to a dad knowing their son put blood ,sweat and ALOT of money into the car more so then if they just went out and bought a car someone else restored. It still wouldn't hurt my feeling if a Z06 or a GNX was in the driveway, like that show on Speed called PAYBACK, Ken Shamrock gave his step dad a Caddy Roadster forget the model but it's on a Corvette platform, he two toned it and put some kind of SS top(one of a kind) on i, tricked it out. Your Dad will be blown away when you present the Riviera you did for him. It will be a Kodak moment, then you can have the kids give him a backup bucket of POR15 with his own personal paint roller. Just kidding just yanking on what's left of your rusty chain. Well be safe on your trip transporting to and fro! I hope someday my son will do what your doing it would kool. A 1967 Nova SS with a twin turbo LC2 would do! a Nova SST Your Dad will be Blessed, I know he'll shed tears of happiness when he gives you that big bear hug. Be safe!

 

[tjthorson]

no hard feelings at all - its just your opinion.... I talked with the guy extensively on the phone. My wife calls it my "feminine intuition" - I can sniff out people that are scammers and liars once I meet them. I didnt get that from this guy... Ill see it up close - if its not what he says it is, I am out the $200 paypal and $49 for the trailer rental and gas.

He sent me more pictures explaining about the back window and trunk floor. I think its on the up and up.

I have had too many experiences of buying cars without checking them out totally first - and I am not afraid to walk away. I have done it. (Too many bad ones I impulsively bought). Its just this Riv was the hardest one to find. There arent too many of them - and the few there are are restored....

And I was only looking for a few specific years - 63-65....

Little more info - Spruce Green is the color and it has the saddle leather option. It has the speed sensor option (first year) - that where you set a needle on the speedo to a speed (say 65) and if you go over it , the dash buzzes at you. Most people set it to 85 (max) and leave it alone. It also has the wonderbar. Push a button on the floor with your left foot and it cycles to the next radio station. All of the AM band baby!

Probably has the 401 in it. The 425 was a rare option in 63. But the difference is 325hp vs 340hp.... Ill be pulling the motor - so ill clue you all in how original it is....

It also has the Dynaflow trans.... (sigh... the 64-65 at least had a powerglide or a turbo 400)

The dynaflow is basically a switch-pitch torque converter that acts as an automatic trans. No gears, no shifts, smooth up to redline.

 

[ChavoLC2]

Hey TJ an article on Sharp dressed muscle!

Just picked up the latest issue of Muscle Car Review picked it up because it had some History on the genesis of Turbocharged Regals a very good article. In thumbing threw the pages they have an article titled SHARP DRESSED MUSCLE it's on the 1965 Riviera GS a Sahara Mist gold beauty.

For 306.38 dollars you could check the A-9 box on the order sheet and recieve all the Gran Sport options which included a 360hp, 425ci Wildcat V8 with dual 4 barrel carbs and dual exhaust a modified Super Turbine 400 tranny a posi 3.43 rearend, 8.45-15 tires with special wheel covers and Gran Sport emblems the handling package it came with allowed the car to sit lower then a regular GS optioned car. TJ you would appreciate this 33k mile car the way they go on in the article is to say.

" The simpilist way to describe how original it is, is to describe what has been replaced, the owner said a few pieces of the exhaust has been replace but it's mostly orig. and obviously the tires were changed in the 80's because he said she's riding on Goodyear Tiempos P215/75R15's. Even the vacuum operated trunk release still works.

If you can't find a copy I'd be more then happy to send you mine.

 

[tjthorson]

Its home! Looks great. All the documentation was in the glove box.
Owners manual, accesory catalog, paint chips, etc.

Seat belts were a $9 dealer installed option!

He paid $188.13 at the dealer for the "Rusty Jones" rustproofing. I took some pics myself....but this page is hidden from the main page in case my dad is nosing around my website....

63 Buick Riviera

 

[sawmillman]

I just wish I could afford to buy my dad the car that he want's he has helped me alot over the years and started a busness with him of course he want's somthing almost impossable to find 1963 impala ss 409 425 hp 4-speed black on black.

 

[tjthorson]

I just wish I could afford to buy my dad the car that he want's he has helped me alot over the years and started a busness with him of course he want's somthing almost impossable to find 1963 impala ss 409 425 hp 4-speed black on black.

Well, all I can say is just go ahead and do it. Life is way too short. I am in no financial position to get this car - even took a cash advance (1.9% until Jan 08) on a credit card to afford $1500 of it....

I just feel if I keep putting it off, eventually days turn into months turn into years, turn into regrets.

I couldnt really find my dad a decent 65 like had with a 425 and so on. But, I know he is going to go crazy over a 63 with a 401..... Maybe you can find an impala thats in nice shape with no engine and throw a newer 350 in it for example....

For me, within the next year I wanted to find my next turbo regal. I put that off for a few years to do this.....