The Australian - Buick Car Club of Australia Inc. (Qld.)

VOLUME 8, ISSUE 2
MARCH 2016
Riview
The Australian
ROA AUSTRALIAN REGION
White Line Photography
THE AUSTRALIAN RIVIEW
Page 2
Editorial
March 13th will be a great
day for the ROA Victorian
Region as they gather at
Ralph Plarre’s collection of
automobiles at Essendon
in Melbourne.
John Forster #13148
“If you would
like to review
past editions . .”
Tom Kunek, our man in the
south, has provided email
information on this event
over the last couple of
months but this edition has
been our first real chance
to spread to the wider Australian ROA membership.
If you do get into Melbourne from time to time
and this is one of those
times then please contact
Tom on 0419 658 500 to
ensure your spot at this not
to be missed event!
The number of persons to
whom we distribute the
Australian Riview continues to grow along with the
popularity of the Riviera
here in Australia. If you are
not getting your copy every two months you may
have inadvertently fallen
off our mailing list or there
could be an issue with
your ISP. We do get some
messages regarding nondelivery and whilst we
attempt to rectify these, it
is not always possible from
our end.
If this applies to you or
members that you are
aware of, then there is an
alternative as noted below.
You may also be aware
that we have the eMagazine placed on the Buick
Car Club of Australia
Queensland Inc. website
to again expand the opportunities for everyone to
Share the Pride. Additionally, if you would like to
review past editions you
can find them here: http://
buickcarclubaustralia.com/riviera-ownersaustralian-region/
The Qld ROA’ers are having a combined run with
the Buick Club on May 1st
departing Cameron Park
in Ipswich at 9 am. Lunch
at a country pub—come
along please and enjoy a
day in your Riv!
G’day from the Regional Co-Ordinator
2016 has kicked off with
some wild weather across
our country with disastrous
bush fires in WA, SA and
Victoria, damaging storms
in Sydney and hot dry
weather in Queensland
with some areas still in
severe drought. Our
thoughts are with those
who have suffered loss and
damage due to the unkind
weather.
Linda Hall
#10723
Regional Co-ordinator
In Queensland we have
enjoyed our first Buick
club run for the year and
there are some interesting
runs planned - so there are
plenty of opportunities to
get your Riviera out and
enjoy the drive. The annual Australia Day Rally was
recently held at Ormiston.
This event always attracts
around 500 plus cars to
this Bayside area. There
was a huge variety of
makes and models but at
least 4 Rivieras were in
attendance - a 1967, two
1968’s and a 1978.
I am aware of a couple of
Rivieras being sold recently here in Queensland so
we hope that the new owners join the ROA and become part of the ROA family. It is so much easier to
find out information about
your Riviera, where to
source parts, advice on
restoration etc. if you are a
member and are able to
contact other members for
advice. We are fortunate
that we have two very capable and knowledgeable
men as Regional Coordinators - Tom Kunek for
Victoria and Tasmania,
Tony Gentilcore for New
South Wales and South
Australia. Technical advice is also available from
the various Technical Advisors listed in “The
Riview” - the official ROA
journal. Help is only an
email click away once you
know who to contact.
Riviera owners in South
Australia enjoyed a pleasant run over the Christmas
break - from all reports a
most enjoyable day was
had by all. Rivieras in Victoria will be gathering for
a very interesting Meet on
13th March organised by
Tom. In Queensland, we
will be holding a joint Riviera/Buick run on 1st May.
Details will be advised as
soon as possible.
Don’t forget if you are able
to get away for a week or
two in late June, the 2016
ROA International Meet
will be held June 27-30 in
Williamsburg, VA. This
promises to be another
great ROA Meet with Rivieras from all across the US
in attendance.
In the meantime, enjoy
driving your Riviera and
keep those beautiful Rivieras rolling.
VOLUME 8, ISSUE 2
Page 3
What Was Wrong With This Riv?
Riv sales had been declining since the high point in
1969 when over 52,000
were sold as the 1975
model year dawned.
What happened to this Riv?
Sales for the model year
fell to a record low of a
mere 17,306, including
3,101 Rivs that were optioned with the available
GS handling package.
By 1979 sales were back
up over 50,000 and we
wouldn’t see the 1975 low
point return until 1987
which was the year that the
great sales slide began
and continued with only
one reasonable year
(1995, the year after the
non-production year of
1994) until the Riv met its
final demise in 1999.
So what happened to the
1975 model year Riv?
It became a standout for all
the wrong reasons. Sales
had been slipping since
the boat-tailed Buicks finished production in 1973
and this year they bottomed.
Was the 1975 Riviera particularly bad, not according to the reports and from
the advice of current owners, the 1975 Riv is a great
car. The ROA website
quotes phrases like – “the
1975 Riviera was a magnificent automobile” and “it
was a leader in its class”.
Bold statements and possibly not supported by the
data.
The Thunderbird, natural
competitor for the Riv, was
suffering a similar fate in
the sales graph although at
over 40,000 sales for 1975,
not to the level of the Riv.
However, as a percentage
drop over the 1974 production year, the Thunderbird was doing abysmal
business in 1975!
The graph below tracks
the sales of Riviera over its
life and also includes a
snapshot of Thunderbird
sales from 1972 through
1976. Interestingly, it
shows that by 1969 Riv was
closing the sales gap but it
also shows that Thunderbird made a remarkable
upward surge in 1974 with
the release of the new
model. This did not last
and sales tumbled over
40,000 units within two
years.
So what does this indicate
about the 1975 Riv. Perhaps it was not the Riv itself but the marketplace
that created the tumble
having a similar effect on
the Thunderbird sales.
The fuel crisis springs to
mind of course. The Riv
was never going to win
any economy race with its
de-rated 455 (205 hp) and
5000 lb kerb weight.
Advice from the time indicated that you might expect anywhere between 9
and 20 mpg (imperial gallons) dependent upon
where you were (city/
highway) and your driving
style. Still, this is not terribly worse than previous
years however the cost of
fuel was on the rise from
1973.
The oil embargo set in and
prices rose incredibly fast
in two jumps and peaking
in 1980, at which point Saudi Arabia, with most of
their earning assets mothballed, elected to go it
#13148
alone and broke forever
the OPEC stranglehold on
oil prices. That is another
story and not for here and
now.
Given the Rivs resurgence
in sales in 1979, just as the
fuel prices peaked in 1980,
it seems doubtful that fuel
price was the demise of
the 1975 although it can’t
be ruled out as a contributor. A bit like mini stickershock and perhaps the
public just got over it.
The release in 1977 of the
seventh series Thunderbird may have been the
proof of the fuel cost theory. For 1977 the Thunderbird shrank to the size of
an intermediate car, and
with an associated price
drop of $2700, it became
the biggest selling Thunderbird series ever!
The Riv didn’t get the hint
until the sixth generation
Rivs became available in
1979. This brought the Riv
a new platform with front
wheel drive and reduced
body size and weight with
available V6 power.
Sales, comparatively, took
off for Riv and back to the
halcyon days of ’69.
So what was wrong with
the 1975 Riv, it was just the
wrong car at the wrong
time.
Real
nice, but
the public was
running
scared!
https://
www.youtube.
com/watch?
v=KfGDUn2o3
PM
“The public
was just
running
scared!”
THE AUSTRALIAN RIVIEW
Page 4
1963 Riviera Second Time Around
I bought my first 1963 Rivi-
era in Sweden in 1976 at
the tender age of 19. It was
my second American car
(a 1966 T-Bird was my first)
and the Riviera was so
much better on the road
than the Ford.
“Lots of things
had to be
fixed . .”
Lots of things had to be
fixed on the Riviera and,
being rather unpractical, I
was lucky to have met a
young woman that was/is a
welder by trade. She spent
many hours fixing rust on
the car. The engine (401)
and the Dynaflow transmission was renovated (I
have a very nice mechanically inclined brother in
law, in fact there are two of
them) and the car was finally painted in red flake. I
had that car for 6 years
until I regretfully had to
sell it.
The registration number
on that car was DPL 846 in
case it is still running
around in Sweden and is
owned by a ROA member.
I have always missed my
Riviera and finally (a few
months ago) I bought another 1963 Riviera from
Nick Lo Presti in Sydney
(Australia). So now I have
the pleasure again to drive
a car that I always loved
although it feels somewhat
strange to ride on the left
hand side of the road
Down Under with a car that
also has the steering wheel
on the left hand side.
I had the new car at the
American Car Nationals in
Queanbeyan in November
and we got the Best Survivor price. I assumed that it
was the car that deserved
the prize and not me, you
never know at my age.
Thank you Nick as I haven’t done anything more
than bought the car.
The car came with all the
Chassis and Body service
manuals (paper and pdf)
#14917
and the rare original 1963
owner’s manual (as new)
together with the 1963-2006
service records from Portland, Oregon. Jim Cannon
(ROA Tech Adviser) supplied me (thanks) with the
1963 BUICK Service Bulletins and the 1963 BUICK
master parts book. I just
need another 10 years to
read it all (although I had
the Chassis Service Manual
in Sweden before so I do
recall some of it).
Anyhow, the car is in OK
shape but I will do a couple
of changes/upgrades that I
intend to document
(possibly not in this order
and it will take some time to
get all done as I also would
like to drive a little in the
Australian summer). Thank
you for all the good posts in
the ROA Forum that have
assisted me a lot in this
planning and selecting what
to do and from where to get
what I need.:

3-point seat belts
both in the front and in
the rear. (Sorry, I used
to work for Volvo in
Sweden and yes I know
that this will never become a modern car..). I
need an Engineering
Certificate for this in
Australia and the engineer is picky (in a good
way) so it will look
somewhat different to
what I have seen in the
Forum. I will post pictures later of what my
wife (yes it is the same
woman as mentioned
above) is creating for
this. I have bought the
seat belts from Seatbelt
Solutions in Australia as
they need to conform to
Australian standards...
VOLUME 8, ISSUE 2
Page 5

A dual MC (Aussie
made thanks to Tony Gentilcore) but I will keep the
Drum/Drum setup as the
brakes are really good,
waiting on some tools from
Eastwood for this. I will
also replace all the brake
lines (thanks to Inline
Tube). Engineering Certificate for the new MC…

Fix up the padding in
the driver seat bottom and
also new leather in that
seat (Clark’s Corvair).

New 65 GS coils (yes, I
know it is probably called
something else) and Bilstein shocks (George Hussey). Coil Spring Insulators
and Bumper Set from Classic Buicks (uncertain if the
rear Bumper set that is for 64-70 will fit a 63, anyone?). Original Performance Super Front End Kit
from P-S-T. I will involve
my mechanic for this as
soon as I have all the parts,
there is a limit to how
much fun I can handle with
the thumb in the middle of
the hand.

I have received front
and rear sway bars from
Tony Gentilcore to be installed very soon.

I also wait
on a number
of parts including a
Brake Overhaul Kit (just
in case) from
oldbuickparts.
Not the fastest
to deliver (or
come back on
email) so far
but hopefully
good quality
when the
parts arrive.
Would love to
have the
brake hoses
soon… I might
be somewhat
spoiled from
buying Volvo
parts to my
940’s (daily drivers, I am
Swedish …) from ipdusa,
which website and order
info/tracking is probably
the best I have seen.

Repair the Windshield
Washer Pump (not looking
forward to this one, very
tempted to put in another
pump instead).

Maybe I should fix up
the cruise control but that
isn’t too important. This car
is a pleasure to drive anyway.

Engine refresh: Timing Chain and new improved Timing Chain Cover, new water pump, possibly a new oil pump and
gaskets (small leak). Possibly also a good oil pressure and water temperature gauge meter.

In a few years I need
to look at Vintage Airs A/C
(no A/C at all in my car)
which I think is very much
necessary in Australia. The
amount of work that seems
to be necessary to get that
in place means that I will
postpone that for at least
another year. I need to
enjoy the ride first.
Might consider adjusting
the driver seat position.
My old Rivera had a power
seat that was better in allowing for a more comfortable ride. If I could put a
Volvo 940 seat in it I
would…
Comments/suggestions
are welcome.
As mentioned we live in
Australia, just outside of
the capital (Canberra) on a
small hobby farm in a
straw bale wall home that
we built ourselves (mainly
my crazy wife again as I
was more responsible for
the planning). Our straw
bale house in case you like
something different
(superinsulated with triple
glass):
http://glassford.com...e
wall builder)
https://
www.facebook...=1&l=23e
8defbf8
Jan Norback
1963 Buick Riviera
ROA #14917
0407 217204
“..which I
think is very
much
necessary in
Australia.”
THE AUSTRALIAN RIVIEW
Page 6
The new and
the old!
VOLUME 8, ISSUE 2
Page 7
ROA Hits South Australia
Barbara and I regularly
visit Adelaide due to both
our families living there
and this Christmas/New
Year was no different to
the previous 3 years where
we have spent the festive
season.
I let Grahame Line know
we were visiting with the
idea of getting together to
talk Rivs etc. Before I knew
it Grahame contacted a
few other ROA members
and organised an 80km
run down to the beautiful
seaside township of Victor
Harbor for lunch.
It was a lovely drive in the
country heading south of
Adelaide. We noticed how
dry the country is without
decent rainfall for 3
months and many days of
temperatures in the 40's.
Grahame and Terry drove
their 64 Riviera, Tim Harper and mate Luke the 65
Riviera and Grahame's
friend Ross Fisher in his
beautiful black 1960
Chrysler 300. (We first met
Ross at the ROA Wagga
meet) A rare and pretty
special classic that has
been meticulously restored to factory specs.
413ci V8 with an amazing
intake setup with dual
quads, push-button everything...
#10107
about what a fun job it is to
replace the heater core
too :)
I was very lucky to drive
Ross' 300 back to Adelaide
which was awesome. I was
very impressed with the
way it drove. Thanks Ross.
Recently joined Encounter Bay locals Rodney
Beachamp and Jo kindly
organised lunch at a Victor hotel and had us at
their place twice. It's
called southern hospitality! Thanks very much
guys.
Once to check out Rodney's recently acquired
white/red 63 Riviera
which came out of Michigan and then back in the
afternoon for a cool drink
before heading back to
Adelaide. Rodney had
many questions answered
by our group of "experts"
and now has no excuse to
get the Riviera up and
running reliably for many
fun runs. We advised him
Here are the
ROA
enthusiasts, to
see the cars
please turn
the page.
NEWSLETTER TITLE
Page 8
Black (well,
really dark
blue) looks
popular this
year with an
odd white one
or two!
VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1
Page 9
Not a Riv, but
definitely
worth a look!!
THE AUSTRALIAN RIVIEW
Page 10
Power Steering on My 66 Riv
I have owned my Riv for
25 years now and have
never been happy with the
light steering, especially at
high speeds or on country
roads. While attending the
ROA nationals 2014 at
Bathurst I met with other
Riviera owners and discussed the steering with
some of the members to
find some had the same
thoughts.
“The
difference is
amazing . .”
The answer was to install a
lower ratio box as used in
later models. Two members had done this and
found it to be the answer.
After talking to Tom Kunek
and Steve Moore, Steve
suggested a Variable ratio
box 16-13 to 1. This is a
Saginaw 700 used on later
model Buicks, 1978 and
on. The later boxes have a
3 bolt pattern against the
original 4 bolt pattern but
still fits on your chassis.
I got on line and looked up
Borgeson steering in the
US, they have a full range
of rebuilt boxes for around
$350. The variable part
number for Borgeson is
#800205.
To use this box you need
to buy a coupling rag joint
kit #990012 for this box as
the input spline is less than
the steering shaft spline.
The original coupling rag
joint needs to be parted,
removing the original rivets and replacing them
with the new kit which
bolts together to the original steering spline. The
hydraulic lines from the
pump are a flared fitting so
two inverted flare fittings
also need to be ordered,
as this later box uses an Oring type connection.
These flare fittings just tap
into the entry on the box
without any trouble. The
difference is amazing and
now I have light steering
16 to 1 for parking and
down to 13 to 1 on the
open road.
Tom Kunek installed a Borgeson reconditioned box
15 to 1 fixed ratio to his 65
and is very happy with the
result
Follow the link for more
info on Borgeson products.
http://www.borgeson.com/
VOLUME 8, ISSUE 2
Page 11
#13148
The Lost Rivieras #1
This particular Riv was for
sale in February 2015.
Posted on Gumtree the
owner was asking $24.5k.
The Riv needed some minor cosmetics to finish off
the restoration including
door cards, roof lining and
wipers.
From the available photos
it appears to have been air
-bagged, the door handles
are gone and the paint is a
subtle shadow tone used to
good effect.
The deluxe interior appeared to be in good
shape and it had the desirable rear centre armrest
included.
It was reportedly a Gran
Sport, so a desirable Riv
for sure!
Last seen in NSW, is it now
in the ROA fold?
If you know, let us know.
Have you seen
this Riv lately?
THE AUSTRALIAN RIVIEW
Page 12
More on 65 Steering
Tom Kunek #3845
I performed the following
mods on my 1965 riv.
Fitted 7” Rims
and run 235/70/15
tyres
Fitted a remanufactured steering
box 15:1 ratio
from Lares Manufacturing.
Replaced lower
control arm bushes and ball joints.
Set alignment to
positive 2 degrees.
Following on from Tony
“.. the
changes made
a HUGE
difference.”
Gentilcore’s article on GS
suspension springs in the
Jan 2016 magazine, this
article follows on with
steering improvements.
We must remember that
our 60’s Rivs were designed and fitted with Bias
ply tyres from the factory
in Flint.
These cars came with zero
to 1/2 degree of negative
caster. When they were
originally engineered, this
was a reasonable setup.
Negative caster makes the
car easier to turn, and
gives greater control on
mud/ice and other bad
road conditions. Now that
we drive with radial tyres
the geometry will obviously be affected. Radial tyres
with factory specs settings
of negative caster will tend
to make the front end plow
and poor mileage.
I have found that 2 to 4
degrees positive works
best for cornering and
straight line driving.
The above changes made
a HUGE difference in the
way my Riv Drives, Steers,
Corners and Stops. And
without adverse tyre wear.
It goes without saying that
you need to take your car
to someone who knows
what they are doing. I took
my Riv to Computalign at
Metropolitan Ave Nunawading Vic (Ph 9878 2666)
and they really understand
the passion of Old School.
Best of all the above mods
do not infringe on the visual look of the car.
At The End of the Line . .
Just in case you thought
order of production.
that the Riv got different
treatment to other Buicks,
this photo from the line in
Flint indicates otherwise.
A Riv, followed by a number of other Buick products.
Buicks getting their final
inspection at the end of a
two mile long process of
construction.
It must have made for interesting assembly processes and possibly some
confusion for the workers.
They come off the line at
this inspection area in the
#13148
VOLUME 8, ISSUE 2
Page 13
Ex-John Slater 65 and Shannons Auction
You would recall from the
last edition of the Australian Riview my comments in
the editorial regarding
John Slater’s 65 which sold
at their Sydney Auction
This is a remarkably well
preserved 1965 Riviera
that has an original 42k
miles on the clock.
The original paint and everything else made this a
very desirable car.
At the Wagga national
event in 2015 John was
preparing to sell the Riv
and this transpired once
he returned to Sydney and
placed this beautiful car in
to their auction.
It is probable that it has set
a new benchmark for the
65 Riv in Australia.
We have some photos
of John’s car that we
were preparing for a
story and so thought
that we would share
them with you here.
Most recently, a 65 Riv
sold for over 120k in
the US at auction. They
are becoming the
money car!
If you would like your
Riv featured in the
magazine, please send
us some photos and a
short story and we will
be pleased to include
you in a future edition
of The Australian
Riview.
#13148
THE AUSTRALIAN RIVIEW
Page 14
Qld’s Loss is Victoria’s Gain
In the November 2015
issue of the Australian Review there was a full feature article on a 1965 Riviera owned by Queenslander Ari Blinnika.
“Yes,
Queensland’s
loss and
Victoria's
gain!”
This car has a really interesting history. The first
owner was Finnish who
was living in New York.
While there he bought a
new 1965 Riviera. When he
returned to Finland he
took the Riv with him back
to Finland.
He registered the Riv with
NY-65 number plates in
memory of his life in New
York.
Ari (living in Finland)
bought it from the Finnish
owner and sometime later
returned to Queensland
with his Riv.
Late December Ari sold
his Riv to a young gentleman from Victoria by the
name of Sam Thomas who
does not live far from me.
Sam has asked me to help
him obtain a RWC so some
work needs to done.
Sam’s Riv will spend some
time in my garage while
the parts are obtained and
work executed.
As you can see by the photo, the two white Rivs make
nice garage partners.
Tom’s left – Sam’s on the
right. Who knows, they
might reproduce!
Yes, Queensland’s loss
and Victoria’s gain!
The best part is that we
now have a young enthusiast who has discovered the
joy of owning a landmark
design automobile.
Photo with Sam and his Father Ross in Riviera Lane.
VOLUME 8, ISSUE 2
Page 15
“.. make nice garage
partners.”
THE AUSTRALIAN RIVIEW
Page 16
1955 Biscayne—Why Here?
I was reading a history of the
Riviera not long ago and in it
was mention of a number of
sources for the inspiration that
was to eventually become the
Riviera.
Somewhat oddly, a four door
concept car first seen at the
1955 GM Motorama got a mention.
Motorama aficionados will recall the Biscayne was one of the
dream cars that introduced the
new 265 cubic inch V8 to the
Chevrolet world. It was later
claimed that this particular
dream car influenced a number
of cars from that point going
forward including the Corvette,
the Riviera, The Corvair and
the Cadillac Eldorado Brougham.
“perhaps the
four bucket
seats is a
clue.”
That’s quite an impressive list
of cars to influence!
The Biscayne ended up in a
Detroit wrecking yard but was
eventually saved by Joe Bortz
many years later. Only in the
USA could you come across a
GM dream car in the local
wreckers! Imagine coming
across the Hurricane or GTR-X
at a wreckers in AUS, never
going to happen.
Due to the perceived linkage to
the Riviera I thought it appropriate to include some shots of
the Chevrolet Biscayne in this
edition so that you can make
your own call.
I can certainly see the Corvair
connection from the rear . . .
perhaps pillarless look and the
four bucket seats is a clue.
See it in action here:
https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=-N9hZnmivMM
This video clip was done before it was completely restored.
#13148
VOLUME 8, ISSUE 2
Page 17
Modified Riv of the Month—XP 600
Jack Florence from Fosto-
ria Customs (Flint, MI) created this 1963 Riviera show
car and it was featured in
the winter edition of Popular Custom Magazine in
1963.
Interestingly, the photos in
that magazine were taken
by George Barris.
Being a new car at the
time, it is possible that this
qualifies as the first customised Riviera in the
world!
The car includes a number
of features that appeared
on Motorama cars in the
fifties but never made it to
production. The most obvious being the cut-away
front and rear guards.
The removal of the standard headlight arrangement
gave the creators the ability to deepen the grille
area and give the car a
very purposeful look, not
unlike the Chrysler 300 of
later years.
Originally finished in red
and gold Candy the car
has since gone through a
number of colour changes
and other modifications.
This Riviera was originally
modified for Merle Taggart
of Ohio but has seen a
number of owners including Larry Kramer and Eugene Vik over its life. Apparently
it was under Larry’s
ownership that the roof
was changed to one
from an Oldsmobile
Cutlass – chopped of
course. This is apparent
in the later photos for
those who take in the
details.
The car was offered for
sale a couple of years
ago for $24 k and had
only 29,000 miles on
the clock at that time.
#13148
THE AUSTRALIAN RIVIEW
Page 18
Rivs Gather for Xmas Lunch
This item missed the earlier magazine this year but
is worth inclusion here.
Festive season in Ipswich
when the Buick Car Club
met at the Ipswich Country
Club for their annual
Christmas lunch.
Amongst a great range of
giveaways to get members
into the seasonal spirit, the
President, Laurene Forster, presented the Club
Person of the Year award
to John and Margaret Bark-
Red did
appear to be
the colour for
the day,
although not
for the Rivs.
#13148
er.
larity stakes.
Red did appear to be the
colour for the day, no surprise there!
John and Margaret were in
their very gold Boat Tail
which they have recently
sold on to a new owner.
Don’t panic though; they
have another Boat Tail on
the build platform as we
speak.
It was a great day and enjoyed by the members
present. This year the carpark was full of Rivieras as
this model continues to
gain ground in the popu-
VOLUME 8, ISSUE 2
Page 19
Say That Again?!?
The November/December
Issue of the Australian
Riview included timely
advice on the meanings of
some advertising blurbary.
This edition the master of
spin, Mr Kunek, has provided more sage advice on
how to interpret the spin
doctors’ approach to personal behaviours.
Over to you Tom,
#3845
What They Say
What it Means
Active socially
Drinks a lot
Character above reproach
Still one step ahead of the law
Zealous attitude
Opinionated
Quick thinker
Offers plausible excuses for mistakes
Conscientious
Scared
Careful thinker
Won’t make decisions
Takes pride in work
Won’t make a decision
Plans for advancement
Buys drinks for the boss
Forceful
Argumentative
Aggressive
Obnoxious
Uses logic on difficult jobs
Gets someone else to do the hard work
Keen analyst
Thoroughly confused
Meticulous attention to detail
nit-picker
Exceptionally good judgement
Lucky
Strongly principled
Stubborn
Well qualified
made no major blunders yet
Retroautos Looks at Rivs, Again!
The January 2016 issue of
Retroautos looked at the
boat tail Riviera and included a great article
about Tony Gentilcore’ s
superb 1971 Riv.
Of great interest was a
collection of GM archive photos of the
original design model
for the smaller planned
Riv.
You would be aware
that the bean-counters
required Buick to reuse frames and body
panels from the larger
series Buicks and that, in
some peoples mind, ruined the original intent. I
have included a photo for
you to make up your own
mind.
I highly recommend that if
#13148
you do not receive Retorautos already, you
contact David Burrell and get yourself on the
mailing list.
Here is the magazine link:
http://issuu.com/retroautos/docs/
retroautos_january_2016
THE AUSTRALIAN RIVIEW
Page 20
The Riv Wizard
This issue we are starting a
new column provided by
the Riv Wizard.
Each issue the Riv Wiz will
provide helpful hints and
tips that should assist you
with your Riv issues.
We start this series with
the Wiz’s advice on purchasing that perfect Riv.
Over to you Wiz:
The first place people look
to buy their classic car is
the internet.
You can spend days in
front of the screen typing
away.
“No bargains
here.”
There are periodicals like
Unique Cars which is a
monthly magazine. There’s
a colour section and a
Black and White section.
Obviously the colour ads
are more expensive and
generally run for only one
issue. B + W ads generally
run for two issues.
Why am I telling you this
boring stuff. Has the penny
dropped? You ring when
the next issue appears and
the ad does not. Do not be
the first to call.
In fact you can ring in response to ads 3 months old
and most cars are not sold.
Don’t assume it’s because
the car is no good. It’s often because the people
who are trying to sell just
don’t know how to sell.
So don’t call on the first
add unless this is exactly
the right car that you have
been looking for.
If the car is in the condition
that you are looking for,
has all the options that you
want and the correct colour trim and paint, then
you really are going to pay
the asking price for this
car. You will not be able to
help yourself.
The only thing that will
stop you will be that you
do not have the “Charlie
Ash”.
Auctions:
If you’re considering buying at auction, I suggest
you think again.
It is not likely that you will
buy a bargain here.
Auctions are appropriate if
there is only one make and
model of the car you want
and you have found it at a
forthcoming car auction.
At auctions you and other
bidders are all hyped up
in an atmosphere designed to maximise the
selling price. Why would
you put yourself through
that?
Even if you are the only
bidder for the car, do you
realise where the money
you pay goes when you
buy at auction.
The hammer goes down to
you on your final bid. You
have paid $30,000 for your
mid-fifties classic. The seller had to pay an entry fee
to have his car included in
#0455455
the auction. Also the auction house’s commission
will be something like
15%. The vendor will factor in the above costs to his
reserve.
No bargains here.
The best and most enjoyable way to look and buy
your next Riviera is to be
patient and be in no hurry.
Take your time, be as relaxed as you can, ask plenty of questions. Drive the
car. Forward and reverse!
This is good for the buyer
as well as the seller. Take
time to get to know the car
and the current owner.
Best when the car comes
with known history and
plenty of documentation.
No matter how well you
know your classic car I
think it a sensible idea to
have a like-minded friend
or expert come with you
on one of the inspections
so that you have a point of
view from someone who
has not fallen in love with
the car. They can help you
be objective.
The joy of owning a Riviera
can start long before you
have a Riv siting in your
garage.
VOLUME 8, ISSUE 2
Page 21
Victorian/Tasmanian Event Set for March 13
All ROA Members are in-
vited to Ralph Plarre’s collection of automobiles located at his awesome subterranean garage. Ralph
has one of the finest private collections in Melbourne.
His collection is accommodated in one of the most
impressive man caves you
will ever experience. This
is a rare opportunity to see
this amazing private collection.
Ralph does not have a Riviera in his collection however he fully appreciates
the marque and hence the
reason for our invitation.
Light refreshments will be
provided at no cost. Ralph
does have a number of
charities that he supports
and I think it would be only
reasonable to give a few
Gold coloured coins per
attendee.
If you intend to except
Ralph’s invitation, please
let me know your numbers
for catering purposes.
Email me on
[email protected] or
phone me on 0419 658 500
Date- 13 March 2015
(Sunday)
Time - 1:30pm onward
Location - 14 Riverview
Street, Essendon
Tom Kunek #3845
The Australian Buick Nationals in NSW in 2016
The Buick Nationals are
being held in the Illawarra
District south of Sydney in
August/September of this
year.
The NSW Club has put a
huge amount of planning
into this event and is inviting Buick members and
drivers to attend for a couple of weeks of great fun in
your Buick. The event, to
be held on the South Coast
of NSW, is followed by an
after-tour into the ACT.
Virginia Russell is the
President and, along with
husband Jim, the contact
point for the NSW Club.
You can get details from
the NSW Buick Club website or contact Virginia
directly on 0416 006 182.
We will include additional
information about the Nationals as the year progresses, however you
must do one thing immediately.
Make your accommodation booking now!!
#13148
THE AUSTRALIAN RIVIEW
Page 22
Suppliers and Repairers
We will run ads until advised to withdraw
them. Please ensure that when your items
are no longer available you let us know so
that we can ensure the freshness of the
information contained w thin this section of
the magazine. Many thanks!
If you have had a job well done from a repairer, then why not let others know about it.
Send in details of your good experiences so they can be printed here.
Dan’s Classic Auto Parts of Portland OR - www.dansclassic.com
Spectrum Rubber and Panels
Pty.Ltd.
P.O. Box 328,
Rob Croxford has had dealings
with this firm and advises their
prices are reasonable, their
communication is terrific and
they are very good to deal with.
St. Marys. N.S.W. 1790
BJ Panel Restoration and Fabrication,
Website:
www.spectrumrubber.com.au
Thornlands. Qld.
Bill - 0403 120 921
(panel beating, rust repairs,
fibereglass repairs, modifications)
Bill works in conjunction with Carr Creation Auto Refinishing,
Graham Carr - 0411 588 272
Thornlands. Qld.
(spray painting specialists).
Annvid Auto Upholsterers,
24 Smith Street,
Capalaba. Qld. 4157
Tel: 07 3390 3444
Mt. Cotton Auto Electrics,
Mob: 0429 193 815
Tel: 02 9623 5333 Fax: 02 9833
1041
Email:
[email protected]
Go to www.knfilters.com and
click on BUY you get a list of suppliers and installers for your Australian postcode.
Parts for 60s Rivs
Dick Sweeney operate a parts
supply business for 60s Rivieras.
Visit his web site at
www.RivParts.com
Tim Harper has advised the following Repco now stock K & N filters for
Rivieras.
The K&N E-1360 Aircleaner suits
single carb Buick and Riviera applications from 1965-1967,
see listing:
http://www.knfilters.com/search/
applications.aspx?Prod=E-1360
Note: There was a Dual Quad filter, if you can’t find listing try by
Dimensions.
The K&N HP-2003 oil filter suits
Nailheads and Rivieras up to
1978, check listing:
http://www.knfilters.com/search/
applications.aspx?Prod=HP-2003
The Market Place
For Sale
NEW! 63 64 65 Riviera Remanufactured fibreglass Fan Shrouds - $250
63 64 65 Riviera Console Ash Tray Lid - New
Wood - perfect chrome - $60
65-66 Wildcat Electra Remanufactured fibre-glass
Fan Shrouds - $250
67 - 69 Riviera Top Radiator Support Panel - $30
66 - 70 Rear window exterior louvre (smooth and
for vinyl tops) - $40 each.
69 Riviera Stainless Steel Centre Hood Spear - $30
71 Riviera Tail Light bezels - need rechroming $30
63 64 65 Buick Riviera Power Steering Internal
Gears 18:1 ratio - $40
63-65 Riviera Factory Radiator Top and Bottom
Tanks - $40
Buick Centre Caps restoration
and replacement, highly recommended
Mitch Romanowski,
www.buickcenters.com
Note: This is not in any way an
endorsement of these businesses. It is just giving members
leads to businesses that other
members have had a good experience with.
Shipping not included, email me for photos or more info.
Tony Gentilcore 0408 964 217 email to:
[email protected]
Parting Out 1968 Riviera, complete car, was weekend
driver before rear end smash. Car is in USA but can be
dismantled and parts posted to Australia or packed in
my next container coming over for nominal shipping fee.
Ring Doug Hawkins. 0418 631 233 or 07 5543 6927
For Sale 1974 Riviera. White with black roof. ONE
OWNER. Original paint. RHD. Comes with spare tyres
and spares. Rego LUE-666 $18,500 ono John Stewart 03
5358 1787
VOLUME 8, ISSUE 2
Page 23
The Market Place continued
For Sale: 1 x 1968-69 n/s fender with small marker
light, excellent cond., no rust or damage.
1 x 1966-67 headlight motor, good working order,
includes one flexible coupling.
3 x 1968 rear side marker lights (tri shield design).
1 x 400-430-455 waterpump used or will trade on
any 1965 parts.
Steve Moore 02 6884 9904 Email: [email protected]
For Sale: Riviera parts
1966-67 door shells R,L, straight, no rust $300 each
1966-69 door window glass R,L $90 each
Electric window motor $120
1966-67 air grille panel (base of windscreen) $30
1969 RH front mudguard straight, no rust $300
1969 rear window guides $25
1969 sun visors (black) $80 pr
1975 tail light assemblies $90 each
NEW - Riviera script, the one with large R, early
60’s ? $80
1963-65 lower chin parking light assemblies VGC
$250 pr
1975 bonnet emblem (new) $70
Riviera Sales brochures 1963 - 8” x 10” colour 6 pages $40
1966 - 10” x 10” colour 6 pages $40
1968 - 10” x 10” colour 8 pages $40
1995 - 5” x 10” colour 4 pages foldout $20
Ron Noonan 02 9631 4763 Email: [email protected]
For Sale 1979 Riviera. Concourse winner, 2012
Griffith Riviera Owners Meet - Top Car. On full
rego, engineered to ADR ($3,000). No rust whatsoever and in top condition. $3,000 of spares with
Buick workshop manual and memorabilia. Contact
Peter Caleo for more information and pictures.
Price $21,500. Call 0415 671 361 (Windsor area
NSW)
For Sale 1967 GS400, Complete and 90% assembled and running. Greg Naris
[email protected]
Wanted 1965 Riviera, Alan Wren 07 3282 3474
For Sale
1965 Riviera. Dual Quads. Sahara Mist, excellent
Deluxe saddle interior and carpet, rally sport rims.
Original and unmolested with many options inc
Rare 4 note horns, Air/con, rear defroster.
New chrome front bumper, all chrome and stainless nice, reco steering box and pump,2 x 4 Carbs
reco’d. New windscreen. New universal joints in
drive train and balanced, new brakes prior to importing, new water pump, starter motor and fuel
pump. Drives and steers like new. Past winner ROA
Griffith meet
Ph. Rob : 0402829497
$39,950
Wanted for 65 Riv
List of parts required for fellow ROA
member Bidstrup by his repairer.
Robert Haken <[email protected]> Logan Village Smash Repairs
(07) 5546 8673 6 Centenary Place,
Logan Village Qld 4207
Front Guard Badge "Riviera"
Boot Lock Outer
Upper Windscreen Mould
R/H Front Door Mould
L/H Front Door Mould
Lower Rear Windscreen Mould
R/H Front Guard Mould
L/H Arm Rest (Complete)
R/H Arm Rest Rear Section
R/H Headlamp Brackets for Mudguard
Head Link Assembly and motor
L/H Headlamp Rim
R/H Headlamp Rim
Front Seat Cover Trim
Rear Seat Cover Trim
L/H Front Kick Trim
R/H Front Kick Trim
Window Switch (Ele) (All Four) Tested Not
Working
Front Bumper Bar Bolts
R/H Front Guard & Bumper Support
R/H Door Mirror Cables
Wanted: Australian Number Plates
If you would like to sell an Aussie number
plate to one of our US ROA friends please
contact:
James "Bob" Reed
3709 Masters Drive
Hope Mills, NC 28348
Phone (910) 425-5402
Email: [email protected]
For Sale
62-70 Full Size Buick Front Disc Brake conversion kits
www.mako.com.au
Why not take
out an ad in
the Riview?
All new ads
are also
emailed to the
Australian
ROA group as
soon as they
are received!
ROA AUSTRALIAN REGION RIVIEW
Share The Pride
ROA AUSTRALIAN REGION
AUS + Qld National Co-Ordinator
Linda Hall #10723
PO Box 383
Cleveland Qld 4163
[email protected]
Vic + Tas Regional Co-Ordinator
Tom Kunek # 3845
[email protected]
0419 658 500
NSW + SA Regional Co-Ordinator
Tony Gentilcore # 10107
[email protected]
02 9453 9199
This e-magazine is produced under the auspices of the Riviera Owners Association USA and the Buick Car Club of Australia Qld Inc. to cater for the needs of car enthusiasts with
an interest in the Riviera produced between 1963 and 1999.
Riviera Owners Association – PO Box 261218, DENVER, CO
USA, 80226
303-233-2987, [email protected] , www.rivowners.org
It is a medium created for the exchange of stories and ideas. Its aim is to support enthusiasts in Australia in the
preservation and use of the Buick Riviera built between
1963 and 1999.
The editors welcome contributions at
[email protected]
Membership
Please encourage any Riviera owners you meet to join
the R.O.A.
W E’ RE ON THE WEB!
WWW. RIVOWNERS. ORG
It's simple, just log on to the R.O.A. web site.
DON’T FORGET, IF YOU DO SELL YOUR RIVIERA, LEAVE DETAILS ON JOINING THE ROA IN THE CAR
Boat Tail Advertisement
If you enjoy reminiscing then
you might enjoy this link to a
seven plus minute video advert for the last of the boat
tailed Rivieras.
Not sure where this would
have been played other than
in a dealership, the cost to put
it up on a screen or television
would have been phenomenal.
The vison is a little blurry (see
right) in parts and no doubt
attributable to the age of the
original but still worth a look.
Control/click to follow the link
below:
https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=lzgl7pXhZWA
Any Riv vision is good vision!
Buick Nationals Meet 2016 – Registration Form:
(Office Use Only)
Entrant No:
This form registers your Buick for the event and books your attendance to the
activities for the Nationals and Post Tour. Registrations close June 30, 2016
PAYMENT SECTION
TWO PAYMENT OPTIONS AVAILABLE:
(tick preferred option)
1) Remit $110 now and the balance of $________ by July 31st 2016.
2) Remit the GRAND TOTAL on page one with this application form.
Payment Details and Options – tick a box below
Option One : I have enclosed a cheque/money order payable to Buick Car Club ECM and
posted with this Registration form to:
Buick Nationals Meet c/- 33 Clancy St Padstow Heights NSW 2211
Option Two : I have paid by Direct Deposit into the account below, using My Name as a
reference. *Optional - scan and email both pages to: [email protected]
Account Name: Buick Car Club ECM
Bank: CBA BSB: 062622
Account Number: 1036 1664
Any Special Needs or Dietary Requirements?.......................................................................................................
Are you celebrating a birthday or anniversary at the time? ..................................................................... .............
Indemnity: I hereby acknowledge that the owner of the vehicle entered and the driver thereof and passengers whilst participating in this Meet, shall do
so on condition that the vehicle attending is insured for Third Party Property damage at the time of the Meet, is registered with a relevant state Road
Transport Authority and that they will have no claim against the Buick Car Club of Australia in NSW Inc, local members and other Clubs and Officials,
Servants or Agents for any personal or damage to vehicle, whether the same shall be caused or contributed by an act of omission or negligence on the
part of the Buick Car Club of Australia in NSW Inc, local members and other Clubs and Officials, Servants or Agents. I hereby acknowledge and give
permission for my name, car information and contact phone number to be included in the Meet Booklet.
Sign here:
Date:
Registrations: Geraldine Massey (02) 9773 6899 Email: [email protected]
Registrations Close June 30th 2016 to assist event planning!
www.buickclub.org.au/nationals