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

MAY 2016
VOLUME 8, ISSUE 3
Riview
The Australian
ROA AUSTRALIAN REGION
THE AUSTRALIAN RIVIEW
Page 2
Editorial
This edition we have re-
printed an article from the
US about oils. It has been
prepared by an ROA member, John Hellmuth, who
worked in Boeing for many
years and before that in
the aerospace industry.
John Forster #13148
“In the
meantime,
enjoy driving
your Riviera
and keep
those beautiful
Rivieras
rolling.”
Linda Hall
#10723
Regional Coordinator
This caused Tom and I to
be speaking recently, not
about the Rivs that we all
enjoy but the wide range
of folk who have adopted
the Riv as their car of
choice. John’s background
in aerospace might lead
you to imagine him driving
the latest and most technically advanced car there
was to be had, he close the
Riviera as his car of choice.
Perhaps in 1964 the Riv
was the aerospace car of
choice, it certainly led the
field in automotive technology in so many ways!
My background in prisons
and prison design might
suggest I should be driving a large van with
barred windows. I chose
the 65 Riv and I can assure
you there is no similarity
between it and a prison
van!
Next time you get together
with Riv fanatics, have a
look at the drivers and see
what their story might be.
Sometimes it’s not all
about the cars.
If you get this eMagazine
in time, please consider
coming along to the
Queensland combined
ROA and Buick Car Club
run on Sunday 1st May. We
are meeting at Cameron
Park in Ipswich at 9 am for
a 9:15 am departure.
You can chat with the other
interesting people that
think the Riviera is the car
to have!
If you enjoyed the Villa
Riviera story in our November 2015 issue then
you may want to get to the
ROA National in the USA
this year. The Villa Riviera
has been purchased and
restored by an ROA member and will be on display
at the meet. It looks as
good as ever and more
than just a little bit interesting.
Please enjoy this edition of
The Australian Riview.
G’day from the Regional Co-Ordinator
Wow, what a great day our
Victorian Riviera people
had on 13th March when
they visited the private
collection of Ralph Plarre.
What a fabulous collection
of fine cars. The very rare
1957 Eldorado Brougham
would have been a pleasure to see, along with the
Ferraris and the luxurious
Rolls Royce Phantom. Indeed a day of ‘eye candy’.
Thanks to Tom and Norm
Bradford for organising
this wonderful day for
ROA’ers in Victoria. It’s a
shame those of us in
Queensland and other
States were not closer and
able to take in the visit
with our Victorian members. Well done, Tom and
Norm.
As I write this, here in
Queensland, nature has
not yet realised we are in
autumn and we are still
experiencing very warm
summer days. So on cur-
rent trends, we will still
have warm weather for our
Queensland combined
ROA/Buick Club run on 1st
May. We will meet at
Cameron Park, Easton
Street, Booval (UBD 213
Q15) at 9.00 a.m. for a 9.15
a.m. departure. From
here, we will take a leisurely drive to a park in a
country village for BYO
morning tea, then drive on
to a country pub for lunch reasonable prices and
plenty of parking. There
is even a playground area
for the kids. To add to the
fun, we will have a competition for ROA members
only for some special ROA
prizes. Other Buick club
members are welcome to
join us on what promises to
be a very pleasant run in
the country. So get your
Riviera cleaned and polished, pack your morning
tea, round up your Buick
friends and come along
and join the fun on 1st
May. We would love to
see you there.
Don’t forget if you are restoring a Riviera, there is
informative technical advice available from the
various Technical Advisors
listed in “The Riview” - the
official ROA journal. If you
are a Riv owner but not yet
a member of the ROA, it’s
a good idea to join so you
can access advice, stories
of other restorations and
some great Riviera people.
A reminder that if you are
planning on attending the
ROA International Meet in
Williamsburg, VA you will
need to get your bookings
made at the host hotel.
The meet runs from June
27-30 and is a great opportunity to meet with US
members and see a wonderful range of Rivieras
from across the USA. Full
details in “The Riview” and
the ROA website.
VOLUME 8, ISSUE 3
Page 3
Salt Flat Riviera
I wondered whether a Riv
had taken a shot at a land
speed record at one of the
Salt Flats and discovered
that a Buick Super Riviera
from the 50’s had been
pounding that beat for
some years but when it
comes to The Riviera, well
that’s another matter.
I did come across a 1965
Riv being built for Bonneville duty back in early
2013. Being assembled by
Rick and Nick (that’s all I
know of their names), not
sure where it got to but it
certainly sounded like a
serious contender at the
time. The Riv was powered
by a 427 ci engine with GM
Performance LSX block
and Arias Hemi heads. At
that stage the car was yet
to receive an intended
forced induction system
from Exile Turbo Systems,
however the photos show
that it was certainly underway.
The Riv body looks like it
could use a bit more love,
but is essentially there.
ploits in what is sure to be
one of the fastest Rivs on
the planet!!
If you have more information then send it along
to us here at the Australian
Riview so that we can
share Rick and Nick’s ex-
Photos here show the Riv
with and without bodywork.
With and
without
bodywork.
THE AUSTRALIAN RIVIEW
Page 4
Bill and Sue’s 65 Riv
Hello fellow Riviera enthu-
siasts. My name is Bill
McCausland and this is my
story on how I came to own
a Beautiful Riviera.
All my adult life I have
lusted after a V8. I drove
company cars for 30 years
so I was pretty frustrated
about choice of cars, but
the cars and the fuel were
free.
“I was sold!
We bought a Land Rover
Discovery V8 in 2001. It
did what we wanted but it
didn’t sound like an American V8.
We bought a really nice 25
ft. Cruise Craft boat with a
5 litre V8 and a Mercruiser
leg. It didn’t sound like a
V8.
Then my wife rented a replica Cobra for a birthday
weekend. It had side pipes
and it sounded like a V8.
I smiled the entire time
behind the wheel. But, I
was still working, had responsibilities and so I just
kept reading Unique Cars
each month and dreaming.
Finally at 67 years old last
year, with an inheritance
from my dear old Mum
(made it to 92), I began
seriously looking.
The Cobra was ruled out
because I wanted an authentic car.
I started scanning every
site and came across a 63
Riviera in WA and I
thought it looked beautiful.
A phone call told me it had
been sold months back.
The body style had hit me
and from that point on I
was hooked.
I started reading all I could
about them and realized
that the 65 Riv was the
market favourite and I consider it a stylish work of
art.
I found one for sale in Melbourne which was a good
car but needed a total
repaint. I wasn’t game to
buy any direct from the
States even though some
seemed pretty authentic. I
did look at some 67s but
they didn’t do it for me.
Then I found a 71 boat tail
in Qld (a new import). I
rang the owner about it
and in conversation he
said he had a couple of
other boat tails and a 65,
which wasn’t really for
sale. From that point on my
focus was the 65. He sent
photos and it looked beautiful. He was firm with his
price and would not
budge.
He didn’t really have to
sell it to me, I was sold.
VOLUME 8, ISSUE 3
Page 5
All I knew about the car
was that he had it for about
3 years, He had the body
painted in an original colour sourced from the US.
All the chrome and bright
work has been renewed
and it had new wheels and
tyres .The engine has new
leads and not much else
replaced.
There is a lot of work to be
done just to get it roadworthy, and even more to get
it to the standard I would
like.
When I went to Qld to inspect it I visited Linda Hall
to look at the last of her
Rivs for sale. I am so glad I
visited her because she
linked me up with Tom
Kunek in Melbourne and I
know I am going to get the
guidance I need to get the
Riv to the standard it deserves.
There are many things to
do but already I am really
proud of the ownership. I
know I am a temporary
owner because it will pass
on when I go but I will
have taken it back to closer to new than it is now.
The previous ownership is
partly known as I have all
the original books, service and driving history.
Just under the radio there
is a plaque to the original
owners.
The bottom line is
this: it sounds like
a V8 should. It
brings a smile to
the dial and as you
are driving you
can see the smiles
from all the others
on the road.
Photos attached
are of Bill and Sue
during their first
visit to Riviera
Lane in their Sahara Mist Riviera.
Please note that
Bill’s Rivi is not a
GS.
I looked up the
name and address
of the last US owner on the web,
(Mudama Fredrica)
and it lists one of his
friends as Harry Olsen. This means that
Harry bought the car
from the original owner, Donald Spears
around 1970 and kept
it until 2012 until he
sold it to his friend
Mudama.
Seen at Nail Head Alley
So it means Harry owned it for 42 years and
travelled in it maybe around 85000 miles
(2000 approx. per year). So, including the
guy in Qld, I am the 5th owner. I think I will
contact Mudama and get some info. Bill
THE AUSTRALIAN RIVIEW
Page 6
#13148
Riviera Musings—The 1977 Phantom
It would be hard to argue
that by his retirement in
1977 Bill Mitchell had
burned a lot of his bridges
in GM.
Legendary for his treatment of staff (badly) he
found himself with a distinct lack of power as he
approached his retirement.
“The Madame
X Car.”
dered off the site by Howard Kehrl, executive vice
president in charge of production planning and technical staff. Kehrl had risen
through the engineering
ranks of GM and had been
subjected to the Mitchell
management style and
may have seen this as a
chance to get even, perhaps.
Nevertheless as a parting
shot he was able to put
together his idea of the
ideal car. He is quoted as
saying, “Realising that with
the energy crisis and other
considerations, the glamour car would not be
around for long, I wanted
to leave a memory at General Motors of the kind of
cars I love.”
In any event the Phantom
was certainly not the car
for the times but was undoubtedly the car for Bill
Mitchell. It was a clear
indicator of his personal
belief in what a great car
should look like.
He had the styling studio
create the Pontiac Phantom.
There is much speculation
that Bill Mitchell’s idea of
the ideal car was the 1966
Riviera. There is little
doubt that the first series
Riviera has the Mitchell
stamp but he was also responsible for the second
series and later Rivs that
Sadly, when he tried to
have it shown at a styling
show for the GM board at
the proving grounds at
Milford, the car was or-
So why does the Phantom
appear in the Australian
Riview?
first arrived for the 1966
model year.
The matter that a concept
car, if we could call the
Phantom a concept car and
not a parting shot car,
looks remarkably like the
1966 Riv gives us a clue
that this was indeed Mitchell’s idea of the perfect
car, adds weight to the
theory.
Other styling cues on the
Phantom hark back to the
fifties (cut away wheel
arches) and even to the
thirties (extended hood
and short rear deck) as
exemplified by his code
name for the car prior to
completion, that being the
Madame X car.
I have provided a showcase of photographs of the
Phantom for you to draw
your own conclusions. I
have also included one
shot (of dubious quality)
that has the Phantom
shown with a large Buick
logo behind it!
VOLUME 8, ISSUE 3
Page 7
Pontiac with
liberal touch
of Riviera ??
THE AUSTRALIAN RIVIEW
Page 8
#13148
Australian Fashion Sensation Riv
.As Riviera was moving
towards extinction in the
late 1990’s a range of initiatives were developed to
keep the Riviera relevant.
“You may not
be aware that
Richard Tyler
is an
Australian . .”
Amongst the good things
that came of this program
was Buicks involvement
with breast cancer research and the creation of
Concept:Cure. This was a
program developed to
bring together General
Motors and the fashion
industry in what was a
unique collaboration to
raise funds for breast cancer research.
Five fashion designers
were attached to five GM
Divisions to produce a
series of one off cars. The
Divisions involved were
Buick, Cadillac, Oldsmobile, Chevrolet and GMC.
Buick enlisted fashion designer Richard Tyler to
work with Buick designers
and come up with a one off
special Riviera. This one-of
-a-kind Riv was unveiled at
a reception in the General
Motors New York Showroom on 29 October 1996
as a part of the Council of
Fashion Designers of
America (CFDA) annual
press event.
You may not be aware that
Richard Tyler is an Australian designer born in Sunshine, a Melbourne suburb, on September 22,
1946. He had connections
to the pop industry here in
Aus and eventually around
the world. Just prior to
receiving this commission
he was voted Best Women’s Wear Designer (1994)
and then followed this with
Best Men’s Wear Designer
in 1995.
Shortly after the unveiling,
the car was sold via a silent auction in partnership
with Neiman Marcus, with
all proceeds benefiting the
Nina Hyde Centre for
Breast Cancer Research in
Washington D.C.
Tyler commented;
“Designing a collection and
designing a car is exactly
the same. Much like the
Riviera, my clothing comes
from a classic base, highly
tailored and beautifully
detailed. I used the same
philosophy when designing
the car – classic, clean and
also very sexy, which is
important.”
Well you can’t argue with
some of those sentiments!
The one-off Riv came in
two-tone brown which was
the rage at the time. The
accompanying blurb described the colour as “two
rich shades of mocha
brown”. You may recall
other similar car exercises
like the Tiffany LTD here in
Australia.
The lighter shade of brown
is used to separate the
hood, roof and boot from
the vehicle body and
sides.
Inside is the obligatory
hand crafted leather trim
and it came complete with
a leather trimmed baby
seat.
Up front, this
special Riv carried the widelyacclaimed supercharged
3800 Series II V6 engine that we
saw in Australia
in the Calais and
delivering 240
horsepower and
280 ft-lb of
torque. Drive
was through a
four speed automatic.
Where is the
Richard Tyler
Riv now?
VOLUME 8, ISSUE 3
Page 9
The Richard Tyler
Riviera and Press
Kit
THE AUSTRALIAN RIVIEW
Page 10
Tom Kunek #3845
The Plarre Collection and the ROA
The 2016 ROA Regional
meet was at Ralph Plarre’s
private collection located
at his residence in Essendon.
as the street is not very
wide so we had to consider neighbours’ access to
their drive ways.
It was a perfect day to take
a nice cruise to see one of
the finest private collections in Victoria.
Once we all arrived we
were invited by Ralph and
his Wife Marg to walk up
his driveway and into his
marvellous man cave.
We all parked in front of
Ralph’s place but it was not
possible to take a group
photo of the Riv’s together
Even though most of us
have seen the photos of
Ralph’s space and collection it was still breathtak-
ing to walk in and see it in
actual reality.
Ralph introduced himself
and thanked us for coming
along to review his collection. We all made donations to one of Ralph’s
charities which provides
scholarships to gifted
young musicians.
After the welcome Ralph
jumped right into giving a
detailed review to each
“It was a perfect
day . .”
Rachael Kunek enjoying the dream!
car including its history.
Probably the rarest car in
the collection was his 1957
Eldorado Brougham (only
400 made) and which is
the only RHD 1957 Brougham known in the world.
This car was considered
the ultimate in automobile
luxury of the 50’s.
The Eldorado Brougham
was the answer to the Continental Mark 2 and was
considerably dearer than a
Rolls Royce of the day.
Ester McCluskey in a 59 Cadillac
VOLUME 8, ISSUE 3
Page 11
It has centre-opening
doors and brushed stainless steel roof.
and the Rolls Royce club
so you can see that this
man loves to contribute.
Then there was the Ferrari
599 GTB which is the fastest ever road going Ferrari.
Thank you Ralph for being
so generous with your time
and your kind hearted hospitality.
At the other end of the
spectrum Ralph reviewed
his Rolls-Royce Phantom
which also has centreopening doors and state of
the art everything.
A special thank you must
go to Norm Bradford for
being the focal point
with Ralph to make
this event happen.
Tom K
During the afternoon our
very own Jade Offer
played on Ralph’s grand
piano which was just magic.
Afternoon tea was served
with a delicious spread of
cakes from Ferguson
Plarre Bakehouse which
has been baking for well
over a 100 years.
It was a perfect day to take
a nice cruise to see one of
the finest private collections in Victoria.
No one was disappointed
and by the feedback received it was a most enjoyable day for all.
Ralph has been the past
president of the Cadillac
“No one was
disappointed . .”
Ralph speaking to the ROA members
THE AUSTRALIAN RIVIEW
Page 12
ROA# 14425
‘64 Series I Addition to the Line Family
I have to confess that my
love of cars has been long
(mid 60's), but confined
mainly to the GMH division
of the GM Group until recent years.
The need to chase an
American classic started in
early 2013. This stemmed
from attending numerous
American Car cruises in
S.A. with a mate who has a
rare 1960 Chrysler 300F. I
know, I'm a mere novice
compared to the rest of
you, but have ultimately
seen the light.
“I started
looking within
the GM
stable . .”
I, of course, started looking within the GM "stable"
for a suitable candidate.
After passing through the
more well-known Chev &
Pontiac brands and finding
them a little too, dare I say,
common, I quickly moved
on to look long and hard at
the Buick range.
A number of months were
spent looking through the
1955 to 1957 Buicks which
are far and above better
looking and designed cars
than their Chevrolet counterparts.
It was soon evident that to
find one of these in "stock
condition" to meet the
stringent SA Motor Registration requirements may
prove more than the budget allowed.
The search moved into the
1960's Buick range and as
soon as I saw a Series 1
Riviera, knew that this was
the model I needed to find.
Again, in an attempt to
soften the "Registration
process", the search was
confined to within Australia for a suitable car initially.
Success came in November 2013 with the purchase
of my '64 Riviera from WA
which arrived in Adelaide
in early December. Despite the car being imported from the US to WA in
2008, it still took several
trips to our SA Motor Registration to be finally
passed to have approved
registration in February of
2014.
I even managed to get
approval to use the same
registration number as it
had in WA (RIV-064).
My first "cruise season" in
the Riv was "fully booked",
once the car had been
checked out and some
minor repairs attended to.
Unfortunately timing wasn't
with us to take the car to
the ROA Nationals at Bathurst in May 2014.
To think that in 1964 the
Riviera had such luxuries
as cruise control, electric
windows, electric driver’s
seat, power steering and
tilt steering column. Buick,
and many other makes of
the era, certainly make our
home-grown Holden product look basic by comparison.
Perhaps I should have
been wary that things
were going so well with
our 50 year old "new addition" to the family.
In August 2014, we found
out that a group of likeminded Buick and ROA
members were coming to
Adelaide on their way to
Perth for the Nationals. A
great chance to meet up
with them in the Barossa
Valley, be introduced to
other similar enthusiasts,
and discuss the "Trishield make" at great
length.
On one of the cruise runs,
the Oil pressure warning
light came on, and despite all the experts being
available at the time, we
could find no reason or
solution to the problem.
Even the car wasn't giving
me any of the usual warning signs (noisy engine,
loss of power, evidence of
oil loss etc.)
VOLUME 8, ISSUE 3
Given we intended to pull
off the motor anyway, this
was just done earlier than
planned, and the worst
was soon evident. The engine would need a complete bottom end rebuild,
with the sump full of oil
sludge and "metal bits"
being the visual sign.
Three cylinders almost
oval in shape, meant getting the block machined,
and a full Master engine
rebuild kit ordered from
the US with appropriate
oversize pistons etc.
It was a good chance to
also "upspec" the cam
(Isky Racing Cam) a little
to improve torque even
more without compromising reliability and fuel
economy.
After making a very large
hole in the allocated "Car
Budget" and the assurances to my wife, Terry, that it
was all worthwhile and
justified in the overall
scheme of things, we were
back on the road.
We have continued to enjoy the Riviera attending
the many events in SA
available to classic cars
during each season. SA
has a very strong US car
scene, including regular
"US only" cruises, regularly attracting anywhere
between 150 to 500 cars,
covering all makes and
types.
During the "off-season",
more fine-tuning was done
to the '64, including the
very welcome addition of a
dual water temperature
and oil pressure gauge
hidden behind the ashtray
"flap" in the centre console.
Both Terry and I, and my
"Chrysler" mate, Ross all
piled into the Riv in Aug'15
to go to Wagga for the
ROA Nationals meet there,
Page 13
renewing some acquaintances and friendships and
making new ones, and
thoroughly enjoying the
activities and cruises.
We will continue to use our
'64 Riviera as it is something that needs to be driven and enjoyed rather than
being stored away.
The '64 Riv is not the only
"classic car" that we have,
and joins a very nice '74
Holden HQ Statesman with
a factory Chev 350 motor
(what else) and a more
recent purchase of a 1949
4 door Chev Styleline.
We'll look forward to
catching up with you all at
the Buick Nationals in
2016.
Cheers.......Grahame Line
During the off-season . .
THE AUSTRALIAN RIVIEW
Page 14
Tom Kunek #3845
Oils Ain’t Oils
As you all know, the Aus-
tralian Riview is free to
anyone who has an interest
in the Buick Riviera. The
reason it is free is to help
make known that an organization such as the ROA
exists and that it may entice folks to join the ROA
and receive the outstanding bi-monthly publication
called “The Riview”
“developing
oils that are
compatible
with our older
vehicles . .”
Below is an article that was
written by ROA member
John Hellmuth on oils we
should use on our collector
cars. This article is on
page 7 of The Riview - Jan/
Feb 2016 edition. It has
been slightly modified so
that oils that are available
in Australia are listed. It is
not a comprehensive list.
COLLECTOR CAR
OILS
By John Hellmuth #9292
For the last ten years there
has been controversy on
whether modern oils (post
2005) are compatible with
older flat tappet engines.
This question comes up at
every ROA Technical Session and on the various
Buick forums. Personally, I
am not getting into that
discussion as there are as
many opinions as there are
“experts”. What I present
here is partial listing of oils
that the industry has specifically formulated for
collector cars including
our Rivieras. The criteria I
used for putting this list
together was to review the
manufacturer's specification sheets to ensure that
the zinc and phosphorous
contents were at least 1200
ppm, the levels that were
standard before OEMs
introduced the new style
catalytic converters. In
addition, I talked with most
of the technical staffs of
major cam, valve train and
oil manufacturers that
were exhibiting at SEMA
last November. The general consensus was that
these specialty oils have
resulted because of demand, have become a sizable market and an extremely cheap insurance
policy. Additives are no
longer required and, in
fact, discouraged. With
engine rebuilds running in
the many thousands of
dollars, it might be a good
time to consider these new
oils.
Also, there are many questions on what type of oil
should be use; mineral,
blends and full synthetic
based oils. Based on scientific data, synthetics are
superior oils in reducing
friction/wear but may not
be cost effective for our
limited usage. That decision is left to each individual owner. I personally
have been running synthetics in my Rivieras for
over ten years and have
not experienced any of the
initial concerns of oil
leaks, seal damage, etc.
Most of the manufacturers
have responded to the
market place and now offer a full range of oil options.
Another question is what
weight oil is best for our
rides? Generally speaking,
a new engine will run
lighter weights because of
tighter bearing tolerances.
Check your owner’s manual for your OEM’s recommendation. As an engine
ages, heavier weights are
usually recommended. I
personally run a heavier
weight (15W-50) in my
1964 Rivi because it has
accumulated almost 90,000
miles. If I had a new rebuild engine, I would
probably run a SAE 30
weight or multi-grade. The
multi-grades are probably
better suited for the wide
ambient temperatures our
cars experience. As you
can see in the availability
listings, most manufacturers primarily offer multigrades.
One other consideration is
special oils for new/rebuilt
engine break-ins. The industry and engine builders
have standardized and
now recommend mineral
base oils specifically formulated for that purpose.
Oil manufacturers now
offer these along with specific break-in recommendations. Usually these are
straight SAE 30 weights.
Synthetic oils are not recommended by most rebuilders for older engine
break-ins.
The oil industry has spent
a lot of research funding
developing oils compatible with our older vehicles. I suggest now is the
time to take advantage of
these developments and
protect your car/
investment with these new
products.
VOLUME 8, ISSUE 3
Page 15
Tom Kunek #3845
Here’s the Good Oil . .
PARTIAL LIST OF
OILS FOR CLASSIC
CARS AVAILABLE IN
AUSTRALIA
which ran in the "golden"
age of supercharged gassers. The last 25 years he
has been involved with
land speed racing on the
Bonneville Salt Flats.
MOBIL 1 (synthetic) 10W
-40, 15W-50
He has a Masters Degree
in Electrical Engineering
and worked in the aerospace industry for 40
years. Working on the
manned space programs
after graduation and gravitated over time to the
cruise missile world with
Boeing. He was Technical
Director for the Tomahawk
and Advanced Cruise Missiles. When he retired he
was the Program Director
for the Harpoon anti-ship
missile. Australia has that
weapon in our Navy.
VALVOLINE – XLD CLASSIC (mineral) 20W50
VALVOLINE – MAX LIFE
(Semi Synthetic) 20W-50
(Engines over 100,000
miles)
John Hellmuth’s back
ground.
John is a 75 year old gent
who has been involved
with cars since he was a
teenager. He got into drag
racing in the late 50 & 60s.
He had a 1941 Willys
coupe with a supercharged Chrysler hemi
John lives with his wife
Carolyn in rural North
Central Arkansas, 10 miles
outside of the town of Flippin! Most folks think that is
funny. They moved there
12 years ago so Carolyn
could follow her passion
for fly fishing. They live on
the White River, one of the
best trout streams in the
USA.
John joined the ROA in the
early 2000s after he
bought a 1964 Riviera
which he restored. It is a
daily driver and now has
over 30K miles on her.
By joining the ROA you not
only receive the bi-monthly
magazine “The Riview” and
you can also attend the Annual ROA meet where you
get to meet lots of friendly
and interesting people like
John and Carolyn Hellmuth.
They will be at the next
ROA International Meet to
be held at Williamsburg
Virginia 27-30 June, 2016
“you not only
receive the bimonthly
Riview . .”
THE AUSTRALIAN RIVIEW
Page 16
Modified Riv of the Month
engines powered a single,
vertical driveshaft connecting to a single J-58
engine. Once one engine
was started, the cart was
wheeled to the other side
of the aircraft to start the
other engine. It is reported
that the operation was
deafening!
Each Wildcat engine was a
425 single four barrel
Buick V8.
This 71 boat tail was for
sale in the US a little while
back and naturally caught
my eye.
“Oh, and of
course the
twin cantered
tail fins . .”
Bidding peaked around
$6000 and it failed to
move. Interestingly, the
owner had decided that he
wanted to replicate the SR71 Blackbird look
and thus the twin
tailfins mounted on
the boot.
This in itself makes
the Riv interesting
and the addition of
front mounted machine guns I expect
was bound to get
the attention of a
particular sort of
enthusiast, however
the interesting thing
is what I found out
about the SR-71
itself.
The fastest jet in the
world is the SR-71
Blackbird, but what
do you need to start
the fastest machine
in the world.
Well, you need a start cart
apparently.
The original start cart included two Buick Wildcat
V8 engines positioned
under the aircraft. The tow
Later, big-block Chevrolet
engines were used and
eventually a much quieter
pneumatic start system
was developed for use on
the Blackbird main operating bases.
However the start carts
remained to support recovery team Blackbird
starts at diversion landing
sites that were not
equipped to start J-58 engines.
This edition’s modified Riv
of the Month features
shaved doors with poppers to the doors and the
boot lid, halved front
bumper, front mounted 50
calibre machine gun barrels, aircraft style seating,
flame thrower and a range
of other odds and ends.
Oh, and of course the twin
canted tail fins on the boot!
Please enjoy a look at one
man’s view of the combination of the fastest machine in the world with one
of the world’s greatest
automobiles!
VOLUME 8, ISSUE 3
Page 17
The Riv Wizard
In the last issue, your Riv
Wizard gave you a little
wisdom on how to go
about looking for a nice
Riviera to call home in
your garage. In this issue
we continue with some
more helpful hints.
If you are unfamiliar with
the car you are interested
in then the Wizard strongly
recommends you find
someone who does. That’s
where car clubs are so
handy. Don’t take anything
you read as gospel. Lots of
statements and comments
you read are just opinions.
If you want to buy right
then you have to spend
time investigating and researching about the car
you want. It will be well
worth the effort. And you
will have confidence in the
negotiation process when
the time comes to hand
over your hard earned
dollars.
The most important thing is
to take your time and enjoy the process.
Always look close to home
first when looking which is
very often the cheapest
and best way to buy. Buying Local or even interstate
gives you the option of
seeing the car a number of
times for inspection before
you buy.
Ask lots of questions about
the car including the history. If it has a known history, follow up and make
contact with the previous
owners.
Again, don’t be in a hurry
to make a decision unless
the car is exactly what you
are looking for. If the car is
interstate and you don’t
have time to inspect it
yourself, have it inde-
pendently inspected complete with a detailed report. Some state Auto
clubs have this service.
This is a must if we are
talking about a car with
lots of money involved.
If you find a car that has
been stored for many
years (Barn Find) don’t
make the assumption that
it has been looked after
better than a car that has
always been on the road.
If you are not mechanically
minded, the best way to
judge a car and how it’s
been treated during its life
is to have a good look at
the interior. If you are
looking at a car with low
K’s and the interior presents like new or in very
good condition then this is
a sign of a car that has not
been mistreated and has
been looked after well.
If it still has original paint
as well then you have
come across a real gem.
Even if the car has high K’s
but the car’s interior and
paint is original (and still
presents well) then you
are looking at a car that
has not been messed with.
INTERIORS
First of all check the Ergonomics. Are you comfortable in this car? How
does your back feel? Does
your knee hit the steering
wheel? The classic was
designed and built in a
particular period. That is
partly why it’s a classic. If
your daily driver has more
supportive and comfortable seats just remember
that drivers seemed to
manage with those seats in
those days.
How do you feel in the seat
when you go around cor-
#0455455
ners?
Check for simple things like
does the clock work? Check
Door hinges for wear and drop.
Check that all the locks work.
Check every item on the dash
including the windscreen wipers
and horn. Turn everything on
and off to see what works and
what does not work. You do not
have to be a motor mechanic to check
items like the radio, heater and Air/Con.
Can you adjust the seats without much
effort? Do all windows go up and down?
How original is the interior? Does it have
an aftermarket steering wheel which is the
most popular and widely used modification to classic cars? They usually are
smaller than the original and some of them
look really nice. But do not get rid of the
original steering wheel. The next owner
may well want it. In fact, never dispose of
any original equipment if you are making
modification to suit your tastes. No matter
what your tastes, always try to be guided
by the original design. If the car has an
aftermarket stereo ask the seller if he has
the original. The radio is a piece of industrial design locked in time. An old radio
makes the car look as it should. Please
remember that when you are buying a
classic or older car you are buying a car
and not a stereo system.
Avoid cars that have had their interiors
heavily modified. They have been customised to make driving a more pleasurable
experience. These folks haven’t come to
terms with one of the fundamental principles of classic car ownership. “Looks are
everything”
They have fitted Recaro seats, 10 x CD
stacker and stereo, accessory gauges everywhere, the latest cool fabric on the seats
that “somehow” matches the interior. The
owner may well like the interior but do
you as a buyer?
The Riv Wizard will always recommend
that you avoid buying heavily modified
cars. If you still want to buy such a car adjust the asking price accordingly.
Next issue we will look at the outside of
the car.
“Looks are
everything!”
THE AUSTRALIAN RIVIEW
Page 18
2016 Buick Nationals in NSW
The Nationals this year are
based at the Wollongong
Leisure Centre in the Illawarra where entrants will
be steered into a range of
interesting venues to get a
basic taste for the area.
However, this will not be at
the expense of curtailing
your ability to seek out
those extra little bits and
pieces that make up
coastal areas such as we
find in and around Wollongong.
“Bring your ID
for Friday’s
once in a
lifetime
chance . .”
The now traditional meet
and greet opens the event
at the official accommodation site on the Sunday
afternoon. This should allow enough time for entrants to travel from their
home ports to the site over
the Saturday and Sunday,
with the exception of
course for those coming
across the Nullarbor!
Monday sees registration
continuing whilst a coastal
run is planned that lands
us at the Motorlife Museum
at Darkes Road in Kembla
Grange; an interesting
collection of not only vehicles but a full range of interesting exhibits from the
past.
Tuesday and the event
gets into full swing with the
Show and Shine to be held
in a scenic coastal town
just a peaceful drive away
from our base. The area is
surrounded by a range of
interesting shops and
cafes so you will find plenty to do whilst the cars are
judged and the local population gets to see what
Buick has to offer.
Participants get a free
evening to further explore
the eating and entertainment options that night
and this freewheeling continues into the next day
when we are presented
with a plethora of options
to fill in the day on the
coast from Stanwell Tops in
the north to Jervis Bay in
the south. All easily accessible from our base accommodation. However,
don’t wear yourself out
because Wednesday night
is an organised bush
dance and dinner event
not to be missed!
Thursday will see participants on the road to the
HARS Aircraft Museum and
private car collection at
Albion Park Rail. Both of
these venues offer a fantastic experience! A free
evening follows to ensure
some recuperation time.
Bring your ID for Friday’s
once in a lifetime chance
to tour Australia’s only
nuclear facility at Lucas
Heights.
The bus
leaves from
our base
accommodation and
returns us
later that
day after
the tour and
lunch. Look
out if your
lunch is
glowing
though!
We finish
the day with
the presentation dinner and
after an
organised breakfast on the
Monday morning at our
base accommodation we
are off to Canberra for the
post-tour.
If you are able to get to
Canberra expect to see
markets, glass-works, city
tours, the Telstra Tower,
Bungendore Woodworks
Galley, and village,
Questacon (the National
Science Museum), coach
tours of the district, the
Binalong Motor Museum,
Cockington Green, the
War Memorial, Lanyon
Homestead and a whole lot
more in the course of our
week in the capital!!
Get the full story at:
http://
www.buickclub.org.au/
Naturally The Australian
Riview will be there looking for stories, so see you
there.
VOLUME 8, ISSUE 3
Page 19
A New Home in Tassie for the Convertible Riv
Billy Blair is now the lucky
owner of the Colin Healy
convertible Riviera.
We featured both Colin
and Dennis Healy’s Rivs in
a previous edition of the
Australian Riview. Both
were great cars and now
that Colin’s has landed in
Tasmania, Billy and his
family will enjoy it immensely I am sure.
The photo proves the
point!
More From The Plarre Collection Day in Vic
ffer a
O
Jade
t th
rand
ay G
w
n
i
e Ste
o
Pian
THE AUSTRALIAN RIVIEW
Page 20
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 within 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
P.O. Box 328,
Parts for 60s Rivs
St. Marys. N.S.W. 1790
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.
Tel: 02 9623 5333 Fax: 02 9833
1041
Larry Daisey operates a parts
supply business for 60s Rivieras.
Visit his web site at
BJ Panel Restoration and Fabrication,
Thornlands. Qld.
Bill - 0403 120 921
(panel beating, rust repairs,
fibereglass repairs, modifications)
Website:
www.spectrumrubber.com.au
Tim Harper has advised the following Repco now stock K & N filters for
Rivieras.
Bill works in conjunction with -
The K&N E-1360 Aircleaner suits
single carb Buick and Riviera applications from 1965-1967,
Carr Creation Auto Refinishing,
see listing:
Graham Carr - 0411 588 272
http://www.knfilters.com/search/
applications.aspx?Prod=E-1360
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
Spectrum Rubber and Panels
Pty.Ltd.
www.RivParts.com
Email:
[email protected]
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
Go to www.knfilters.com and
click on BUY you get a list of suppliers and installers for your Australian postcode.
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.
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
Shipping not included, email me for photos or more info.
Tony Gentilcore 0408 964 217 email:
[email protected]
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
For Sale 1967 GS400, Complete and 90% assembled
and running. Greg Naris [email protected]
Wanted 1965 Riviera, Alan Wren 07 3282 3474
VOLUME 8, ISSUE 3
Page 21
The Market Place continued
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: 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
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
Why not take
out an ad in
the Review?
Wanted: Aus 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]
Wanted
Rally wheels, Chrome Plated which were
optional on 1965 Riviera. Any condition.
Tom Kunek 0419 658 500
All new ads
are also
emailed to the
Australian
ROA group as
soon as they
are received!
For Sale
1967 Riviera - excellent condition - 94,857 orig
miles - LHD - always garaged and well maintained - $27,500
Contact Linda Hall 07 38292222 Email: [email protected]
THE AUSTRALIAN RIVIEW
Page 22
VOLUME 8, ISSUE 3
Page 23
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
Please make your own accommodation arrangements. Details: www.buickclub.org.au/nationals
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
ROA AUSTRALIAN REGION REVIEW
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
New Members Required for the ROA in AUS
Recently seen in Queensland.
Do you know this car and if so
why haven’t you convinced
him/her to join the ROA?
This is a fine looking 1963 Riv
that has some subtle mods,
most obvious being the wheels
which look good especially in
combination with this dark
blue colour.
As it turns out this Riv is owned
by Michael Cartledge and we
are working on Michael already.
If you see a Riv and have the
chance, approach the owner.
The benefits of ROA membership are many and varied. Go
to the ROA website for full details:
WWW. RIVOWNERS. ORG