Picked up a '65 Rivi yesterday. Saw it in a used car lot in Stinnett, TX. Seems like a pretty solid car. Definitely needs a good tune up. Exhaust smells like pure varnish. For now I want to try and buff the paint, give it a tune up and new fluids and find a straight front bumper for the car. Was curious if anyone has a good parts source for these cars. Original Parts group sells some stuff but it seems like mainly rubber seals and emblems. I bought a clam shell headlight repair manual online so I'll see if I can get the headlights to close also. Anyone know anything about them?
I passed on a 63 a few months ago. Still wishing I hadn't. Looks like yours should be rust free, judging from where it came from and where you are. You got the one I want, a clean 65. Congrats.
Nice clean apparently unmolested car. You know the headlight motor is 1 year only part, so the manual you bought should help a lot. About the only thing yours needs once you sort out the mechanicals and get it running good is a little lowering and some Astro Supremes with skinny whites.
Astro Supremes were invented as the only item a Riv needs to improve its appearance. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Definitely my favorite car from the 60's. 63-65 Rivieras are great and are cool even in stock condition.
Nice! OPG is a good source for rubber. Clarks Corvair Parts is the go-to for interior. The AACA Riviera forum is helpful too
Sweet ride , I like Buicks. If I didn`t have my 72 GS I would have a Rivera. Maybe it needs some Skylark wires....
Looks like a good project, the Rivs had class from day 1. Whats the long term plan? As for parts, check out Owens Salvage Company. They're H.A.M.B. vendors and can find stuff most others can't.
Plan right now is to get it running and driving. Then lower it. Drive it for a little while. Then Supremes with skinny whites. I'm going to try and buff the paint out and clean the interior and just use it for now. I'd love to paint it black and redo the interior in red someday, but don't need another money pit right now, just want a low stress cruiser
Theres a few 65 revi front bumpers on ebay right now, says they need chromed, one doesnt look too bad as is but.....
Ya....there was a nicer one last week but it's listing ran up. They just relisted it and I bought it. I'll glad to get that on. The crooked bumper drive me nuts
welcome to rivi ownership, its excellent! low stress cruising shouldnt be a problem, watch out for the starter getting hot (as I see you're in texas) though. EVERYONE has superemes on their 63-5 riviera, but that's my opinion. I guess if they're all doing it there's something right about em.
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