Aust Riview May 2015 - Buick Car Club of Australia Inc. (Qld.)

MAY 2015
VOLUME 7, ISSUE 3
THE AUSTRALIAN RIVIEW
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ROA AUSTRALIAN REGION
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THE AUSTRALIAN RIVIEW
Page 2
Editorial
We have all suffered a
tragic loss to our ranks in
Australia with the passing
of Mr ROA in AUS.
Brian Hall passed away on
18th February, 2015 after a
battle with lung cancer.
John Forster #13148
“We have all
suffered a
tragic loss . .”
Brian was a driving force
in the Buick community in
Queensland for many
years. He was one of us for
twenty years and he will
be long remembered.
Twice nominated Clubman
of the Year, Life Member
and often President of the
Buick Club in Queensland , he was an integral
part of the Buick scene in
Queensland.
Brian’s passion for the
Buick Riviera was his driver for starting and heading
the Australian Regional
Chapter of the Riviera
Owners Association. To
many, Brian was the ROA
in Australia.
I am sure that the influence
he was able to exert over
the Australian Regional
ROA was just the hallmark
of the way he managed all
aspects of his life, and that
this influence was significant.
Laurene and I became firm
friends of the Halls, and to
suggest that Brian had become a mentor of mine
would be to understate the
true relationship. He took
us to the USA, along with
his wife Linda, and
brought us back with a ’65
Riv in our luggage
(albeit a 40 foot container). Something
we have been
grateful for ever
since.
certainly tangible, but
more over he brought to
this ROA region an esprit
de corps that enable members to be part, and to be
proud, to belong to the
ROA - that is the intangible, but more important
legacy of Brian Hall.
Thank you Brian.
I have included a report on
Brian and Linda’s ‘67 as a
tribute to the man and his
love for the Buick Riviera.
More widely, his gift
to the ROA in Australia is both tangible and intangible.
Sure, Brian got us all
together, and that is
G’day from the Regional Co-Ordinator
Hello everyone.
Firstly, I would like to
thank those many ROA
members who have very
kindly contacted me with
their condolences and
kind thoughts on the passing of Brian. He would
have been very pleased to
see so many beautiful
Buicks, in particular Rivieras, at his funeral. Your
friendship and support is
much appreciated.
Linda Hall
#10723
Regional Coordinator
As you will read on another page in this Australian
Riview, there have been
some changes to the Australian Regional representation of the ROA. My
thanks to Tony and Tom for
stepping up as Regional
Co-ordinators for New
South Wales and South
Australia, Victoria and Tasmania. With an enthusiastic team like this the future
of the ROA Australia Region looks bright.
If you haven’t already got
your entry in for the 2015
ROA Australia Region Meet
to be held in Wagga Wagga, then best get your entry in now. Tom has a
great Meet organised with
lots of fun and interesting
activities and he will need
to know numbers for venues planned for the Meet.
I’m looking forward to
catching up with our Australian ROA family in Wagga Wagga.
John Forster has once
again done a fantastic job
producing our Australian
Riview. I’m sure John
would appreciate your
Riviera stories and articles
of interest for future editions.
Keep those beautiful Rivieras rolling
VOLUME 7, ISSUE 3
Page 3
Tribute to Brian
I have not known Brian
Hall for any significant
length of time. Brian lives
in Queensland and I down
south in Victoria.
Having been to his home
only once and the other
times were during our
ROA Regional meets held
bi annually.
Based on the above I can
say I have only seen Brian
Hall in person for a total of
14 Days!
I am sure that there are
many other ROA members
who have had a similar
association with Brian due
to the fact we are spread
all over Australia.
ter and then (with the obvious assistance of Linda)
organised the inaugural
ROA Australian meet at
Coffs Harbour and a second meet at Griffiths and
then a third meet last year
at Bathurst. Yes that’s right,
a Hat trick.
Due to Brian Hall we have
made and hold many
friendships dear to us. We
have been and seen places
we would not have otherwise experienced. Due to
his vision we would not
have had the joy and
pleasure of admiring so
many Beautiful Rivieras in
one location.
Yet how can we have been
so influenced by Brian with
such brief encounters.
I hope all of us do Brian
proud and keep his legacy
alive. He will be missed
and impossible to forget.
Brian had the vision to start
the ROA regional chapter
in Australia with a newslet-
It’s easy to imagine Brian
saying the following
words:
Tribute to Brian
It was very sad to hear of
Brian's passing. He was a
driving force behind the
Buick movement in Australia and largely responsible for the Qld club's success with events like the
annual Auto Spectacular
and more recently the
birth of the Australian ROA
Chapter.
We have all enjoyed many
successful events organised by Brian and Linda
from the 2008 Nationals in
SE Qld, several East Coast
Meets and three ROA
meets. The events were
always well planned and
well executed by Brian
and his team.
I will miss his jolly laughter
and booming voice when
making announcements at
future events but I'm sure
he would want us to have a
great time and continue
enjoying our Rivieras.
Looking forward to seeing
you all in Wagga Wagga
for the upcoming ROA
meet which Tom Kunek is
putting together.
Tony Gentilcore
#10107
NSW
Stay Positive and never give
up. Be confident in whatever you do. There may be
tough times but the difficulties will only make you
more determined to
achieve your vision and
goals. Live your Life.
Tom Kunek
ROA #3845
THE AUSTRALIAN RIVIEW
Page 4
Our Riv From Florida
We had always wanted to
The first appearance
of the 430 was in
1967
“It was a day
of great
excitement, “
join in a BDE (Buick Driving Enthusiasts) Tour. So
when our plans brought us
to the US in September
2009, what a wonderful
opportunity to come along
on the BDE Fall Tour.
Naturally, we had to have a
Buick to drive while in the
States so when our friends
in Florida found a 1967
Riviera for sale, we immediately arranged to buy
this car (after the usual
checking out etc.). The car
was originally from Pennsylvania but had more recently been in Florida.
The Riv was stored for us
awaiting our arrival in late
August. Our friends arranged for the car to be
checked over, brakes
checked, all hoses and
lines replaced, all oils and
fluids replaced and new
tyres, and anything else
that needed doing to the
car to prepare it for the
drive.
It was a day of great excitement when we finally
arrived and picked up the
car.
We were very pleased
with the Riv although we
did notice that the brakes
were pulling to one side.
We drove the car from
Tampa to Orlando as we
wanted to see Disneyworld
and the Kennedy Space
Centre (wow! what a place
that is.)
When we arrived in Orlando, we were fortunate
enough to contact a BDE
member who arranged for
his mechanic to have a
look at the brakes. With
brakes improved, we
headed north into pouring
rain. A second day of torrential rain got us to Kingsland just over the border
ROA # 10723
in Georgia. At least we
knew the Riv didn't leak!!
By the time we arrived in
Savannah the brakes were
a problem again and we
had another problem - a
leaking exhaust manifold
gasket. We found a mechanic to do the repairs for
us but unfortunately it wasn't just the gasket - the
manifold had a crack
which could get worse.
We had originally intended to drive the Riviera on
our tour and then return to
Savannah where we would
ship the car home to Australia. With the problem
we now faced and no
chance of getting a replacement manifold in
time to make the BDE Fall
Tour in North Carolina, we
decided to put the car into
the shippers and hire a car
for the rest of the trip.
VOLUME 7, ISSUE 3
Page 5
Our Riv From Florida . .
Whilst in Savannah we
came across another Buick
which took Brian's eye - a
1962 Le Sabre 2 door post.
So we bought that one too!
We now had two Buicks to
fill our container for the
trip back to Australia.
The motel operator must
have been wondering
about these crazy Aussies
who now had three cars in
the car park (2 Buicks and
a hire car).
After delivering both
Buicks to the shipper in
Savannah, we headed off
in the hire car towards
North Carolina. Naturally,
we stopped a few days in
Charlotte to go to the
Charlotte Auto Fair on the
way.
The BDE Fall Tour was
great fun. We greatly appreciated the rides that
other members offered us
and the fellowship of the
BDE members.
After returning to Australia, we anxiously awaited
the arrival of our two "new"
Buicks. They finally arrived in November but due
to the time taken to clear
customs in Australia and
do all the necessary compliancing to get them registered to drive here, it
was the beginning of December when we finally
got them home.
The 1967 Riviera which we
had bought for our US tour
and which we had paid a
lot of money for repairs
carried out in Florida, had
some problems which required repair before we
could register the car
here.
Unfortunately, the workshop which did the repairs
for us in Florida was less
than honest. Of all the
work that we requested be
done on the car and paid
for, only the new tyres and
a few new belts had been
done. The brakes had not
been touched and were in
a dangerous state of repair. No oil or other fluids
had been replaced and the
oil in the power steering
was almost totally dry.
As it turned out, we were
lucky we did not continue
to drive this car all the way
through the Carolinas,
Virginia and Tennessee.
We will certainly never
use George's Wholesale
Tire and Auto Service in
Beverly Hills, Florida
again.
So after paying again for
all this work to be done in
Australia, we were able to
finally pick up the car and
get it registered to drive
home. After Brian’s usual
scrutiny of everything in
and on the car, our ’67 now
runs like a charm.
We have taken the ’67 on
many club runs over the
last few years and most
recently our Buick friends,
John and Aileen Curry,
drove the car to the ROA
Australia Region Meet in
Bathurst.
Brian and Linda Hall
From Florida
to as seen in
Bathurst, a
well travelled
Riv for sure.
THE AUSTRALIAN RIVIEW
Page 6
Shanghai Surprise 1
#13148
tion source I think
I still like the English version with
the typical Riviera
swish R. Both appear on the 2008
concept car. Since
then of course the
2013 concept Rivi-
What might be the future
for the Riviera line?
Since 1999 no new Rivieras
have come out of the USA
and indeed it is only China
that gives us any hope of
seeing a Riviera for the 21st
century.
Which badge
to chose . .?
So what might the future
look like?
The concept Rivieras from
2008 and 2013 may give us
some clues of course and
whilst concept cars rarely
come to life, some actually
do.
Is this likely with the Riviera, I feel not, as the engineering in this concept car
is both remarkable and
quirky. Quirky rarely gets
to the public domain as it
is just as likely to put peo-
ple off than attract their
interest.
Certainly concept cars are
pointers to a future, however, and if this is the future of Riviera then it looks
good, at least to me.
Perhaps the biggest question may be what badge
will it wear and there have
been two used to date.
Whilst I am happy to
acknowledge the produc-
era has come out and is
possibly even more radical.
With Holden onshore production halting in the next
couple of years anything is
possible once we become
a purely import nation of
car users.
This assemblage of photos
provided here is all well
known to us but worth a relook.
I like it!
2008 Riviera
Concept car
this page
VOLUME 7, ISSUE 3
Page 7
Shanghai Surprise 2
The 2008 concept Riviera
appears on the previous
page, this page is the latest incarnation of the Riviera concept.
Trickery with the lights
seems popular in both
models but I wonder what
the road authorities
would think of the distraction factor.
I expect that this is the
beauty of the concept car,
no need to be worried by
reality.
Apart from this it looks
road ready to me and
very desirable as well.
Will we get it. I wouldn’t
hold my breath but I will
live in hope.
The 2015 Riv is reviewed
later in this edition.
“.. but I will
live in
hope.”
THE AUSTRALIAN RIVIEW
Page 8
What Happened to This Riv?
Last edition we took a look
at an unusual boat tailed
Riv with a pre-war frontal
treatment.
This edition we go to a
Branson auto museum to
have a look at an armoured Riv.
I’m starting to think that
there may be quite a few
odd Rivs out there.
Although I am not sure that
you could call them improvements!
Not the 2015 Riviera Concept Car?
Believe it or not Buick sold
“The concept
Riviera keeps
evolving to a
retro-look.”
over 900,000 cars in China
in the last year!
No wonder that is where
Buick is concentrating
their efforts to promote
and sell Buicks and that is
where the Riviera concept
cars continue to appear.
In the March edition of the
Australian Riview I made a
comparison of the new
Holden produced Buick
Avenir concept car that
went on show at the January Detroit International
Auto show and included,
for the comparison, a shot
of the 2015 Riviera concept
car out of China. That 2015
concept was actually another Buick concept car
from 2010, a Roadmaster
Coupe.
On the page 22 concept, I
have had considerable
comment on the car and
there is some suggestion
that it may not exist. It
looks real to me, but that is
all I can say at this stage.
However, if it does exist
you can put me down as a
willing prospect!
VOLUME 7, ISSUE 3
Page 9
Not the Riviera .. Continued.
Here is a shot of the 2009
Wildcat Gran Sport concept.
Not quite the same as the
previous photo but certainly similarities exist.
You be the judge.
I think it would have a
large following amongst
the Corvette fraternity as
well!
What’s Wrong with This Photo?
troit in winter
but I suspect it
would have
been a problem here in
Australia at
just about any
time of the
year.
You may think it is the
strange front end treatment of what could have
been a 1963 Riviera and
you would be partly correct. This is one of many
clay prototypes that were
fabricated to test the design before Buick settled
on its final shape and detail.
The very small grill/air
intake below the bumper
may have worked in De-
However, I think we can all
agree that Buick did the right
thing when it elected not to go
with a four door Riv!
The real problem with this Riviera prototype is seen from the
front three quarter view.
It has four doors!
This angle makes it look like an
Electra with a short boot and a
long nose. Potentially a hark
back to the Riviera models of
the fifties.
THE AUSTRALIAN RIVIEW
Page 10
Phil Harmer
Phil Harmer’s ‘64
My love of the 1964 Buick
Riviera began when I was
a young boy and I purchased a Corgi model of
the car in metallic gold
which I still have. I am
now an architect and have
admired
wellproportioned design since
that young age when I
dreamed of owning the
real thing.
Phil Harmer still
loves the Riv
“For the
purists . . “
My first American car was
a 1970 Buick Electra (ex
Portland Oregon USA) purchased here in Melbourne
Australia but I always
hankered after the classic
Riviera. Like my dad, I am
a bit of a Buick fan and
have also owned a ’66 Riviera and a ‘69 Electra. A
friend on a trip to Los Angeles in 1996 knew I was
looking for a ’64 Riviera
and he spotted an advertisement in the LA Times.
This now very good friend
rang me in the middle of
the night to say he had
found exactly what I was
looking for.
This Riviera was a one
owner car owned by an
attorney in Lake Forest
with 94,749 miles on the
odometer and California
registered OZM 200. This
very kind gentleman told
me all about the car and
offered to drive it to Longbeach to have it loaded
onto a container for shipping to Australia. He also
mailed me detailed photographs of the beautiful
black paint and red interior.
I paid the asking price of
$8,500 US dollars and of
course gratefully accepted
the gracious offer to deliver the car to the port.
When the container arrived in Melbourne I made
sure I was present when it
was opened and the car
was untied and carefully
pulled out after making
sure the workers at the
#5350
wharf were presented with
a case of beer to encourage their careful attention.
I was overjoyed to see the
car in as new condition,
way better than I expected.
I have owned this Riviera
since then as the second
owner and the exhilaration
I felt looking at this newly
arrived car is still there –
the 1964 Riviera is to me
one of the most beautiful
cars ever designed and I
am so proud to own this
wonderful example.
For the purists this Riviera
has a standard interior and
is fitted with air conditioning. The previous owner
had repainted the car, retrimmed the seats and rebuilt the engine with hardened valve seals so that
unleaded fuel can be used.
VOLUME 7, ISSUE 3
Page 11
Phil Harmer
Phil Harmer’s ‘64
Everything else is original
and I have covered 8,283
miles in the 19 years I have
owned it and have had
only minor repairs to manage.
My aim, despite
many suggestions to the
contrary
from
wellmeaning fellow Riviera
fanatics, is to avoid modern improvements and
modifications and keep
this beautiful car as original as possible.
I do confess however to
fitting an electric fuel
pump and battery cut off
switch to help engine starting after the inevitably
long periods between outings.
I am a big fan of the television series Mad Men and I
was delighted to see a ’64
Riviera parked at LA Airport in the latest and final
series.
It seems the older this Riviera gets the more admiration it receives from people when I drive it. Being
in the left hand seat over
here in Australia means at
the lights you can be right
beside another driver who
is in the right hand seat so
the inevitable conversations are frequent such as
“love that car”, “what
make is that” etc etc.
The 1960’s was an exciting
decade full of radical shifts
in politics, art, architecture
and design and the Riviera
is an outstanding symbol
of the time.
#5350
THE AUSTRALIAN RIVIEW
Page 12
Phil Harmer
#5350
Phil Harmer’s ‘64—Photo File
From the Buick Brochure for 1964
“It seems the
older this
Riviera gets
the more
admiration it
receives from
people when I
drive it.”
VOLUME 7, ISSUE 3
Page 13
Phil Harmer’s Other ‘64
Phil’s other ’64 Riviera is a
Corgi 245 Buick Riviera.
#13148
https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=Q8tuwZbZMHw
This is where Phil’s love of
the Riviera commenced.
From a boy’s favourite toy
it has become his adult
passion and who could
blame him!
Just out of interest we
can advise that currently such a model in A+
mint condition is valued
at just under AU$200.
Less than the actual car
perhaps, but no less
desirable.
For those who would
like to see a Corgi enthusiast reviewing the
Riviera model please
check out this link:
“They come in
all sizes and
they are all
good”
THE AUSTRALIAN RIVIEW
Page 14
#13148
So Why No Newer Rivieras in AUS ?
So why don’t you see newer Rivs in Australia.
At the risk of stirring up a
hornet’s nest it appears to
be, at least in part, due to
some very strange registration rules that may be
different from State to
State.
“It may be for
reasons of
limiting
imports . .”
I expect that there are a
number of Riv drivers out
there that wouldn’t mind
getting their rear ends into
a Silver Arrow from 1999
or any number of other
Rivs manufactured up to
that date.
Depending upon what
State you come from there
is an aversion by the authorities to register some
left hand drive cars. Not all
mind you, just some cars.
Typically
the
some
equates to newer left hand
drive cars. See if you can
figure this out.
We can have a fully registered left hand drive 1965
Riviera in Queensland but
not a left hand drive 1999
Riv.
This quirk is created by
the authorities in as much
as they will not fully register any left hand drive car
that is less than 30 years
old.
It may be for reasons of
limiting imports of new or
second hand cars – likely
and I may even admit kind
of understanding that.
It may be because it is
seen as dangerous to drive
on the right hand left hand
side of the road in a left
hand drive car – not so
likely, and done in many
countries with limited issues.
There is a way around it.
Find an importer who is
prepared to do the necessary paperwork to obtain a
licence to change over the
LHD car to RHD. Not sure
how many takers he would
get. A Corvette can cost in
excess of $50k to get converted at the moment and
this cost is based on doing
Spot the difference . .only the rego guys can see it.
quite a few to defray the
original investment. However for a limited number
of Buick imports, possibly
only one of any particular
type, this would add quite
a load to the price of your
$10k import.
So, why no registration for
newer LHD cars here in
Queensland (and some
other states, but not Territories)?
You tell me, happy to take
your comments at our
email address or by return
email.
Until we work it out I guess
that Rivieras will continue
to appear on the basis of
the rolling thirty year rule.
Expect to see some nice
Left Hand Drive 1985 arriving next year and so on in
to the future until 2029
when we can all run out
and get our Silver Arrows!
If you can work out a better way then let us know
about that also here at The
Australian Riview.
VOLUME 7, ISSUE 3
Page 15
#13148
1974—Oh, What a Year!
20,129 Rivieras rolled off
the production line for the
1974 model year.
Of that total 4,119 wore the
GS badging and a mere
1,698 were blessed with
the Stage 1 engine option.
This was the first year after
the controversial boat tails
of 71-73 and may have
been aimed at moving a
little bit back towards
mainstream design.
Riviera came as a Hardtop
Coupe only but was available in Standard and Special formats. It also could
be options with the GS and
Stage 1 options as previously noted.
The GM wordsmiths of the
day referred to the quality
of the handling and the
“road feel” that Riviera
had but also added that the
level of luxury was now at
a new high.
With regards to styling
prospective buyers were
pointed to the sculptured
front and rear and the long
hood as indicators of a
classic look – indeed they
even referred to the European flavour of this 1974
Riviera.
The Standard Riv came
with standard 455 V8, Turbo 400, variable ration
power steering and power
front disc brakes, a custom
steering wheel, electronic
digital clock, single wipe
wiper control, tilt steering
and optional low fuel indicator and GM designed
steel belted radial tyres.
Of course the Special Riv
offered even more. A new
metal sliding sunroof in
either electric or manual
format, a tailored and padded vinyl Landau top, multiple interior finishes including genuine leather in
two available colours.
The list of standard and
options items goes on but
it is clear to see that Riviera was aiming high in
1974, unfortunately production dropped by 25%
and stayed there for a couple of years.
Production would not recover until the new model
arrived in 1979 when production soared above
50,000 units.
You might therefore as-
sume that the 1974 (and
later versions) are now
rare and thus worth more,
well perhaps.
For fans of the US 70’s style
there are certainly some
bargains to be had for
what are essentially good
solid cars.
The following YouTube
connection will present
one that was recently on
the market. Importantly it
will give you a good look
around and into the 1974
Riviera. Please enjoy.
https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=Lr54TKhdCcU
“Production
would not
recover until
the new model
arrived in
1979 . .”
THE AUSTRALIAN RIVIEW
Page 16
#13148
Only a Filler, Really?!
slowly put on and then
when we want it gone in a
hurry it is no easy task.
The 1977-78 Rivieras are,
to many enthusiasts, the
filler Rivs.
When we say filler we
need to consider the time
and conditions that existed
when the 77-78 Rivieras
were delivered to the market.
“So what does
that mean to
us now, in
terms of
collectability”
The oil crunch was biting
hard into big car sales and
Buick, indeed GM, was
keen to shed some weight
– and fast.
A decision to align Riviera
with the Toronado and
Eldorado lines and front
wheel drive was taken but
not deliverable in time. So
enter the filler 77-78 Rivieras. It appears that this
Riviera that was meant to
be the page marker whilst
the page was re-written.
A 650 lb drop in weight
was not bad considering
the years it had taken to
put this weight on. Rather
like the adding of weight
to our own bodies – it’s
The B Body Le Sabre became the donor car for the
Riviera. How does a salesman seel an upmarket luxury coupe when the lower
grade business version of
it might be sitting at the
other end of the showroom?
The answer may be partly
answered by the subtle
tweaks to the exterior
lines, the rounding off of
the squarer looks of the Le
Sabre, the addition of the
kicked up (coke bottle)
style line to the rear quarter opera window area and
no port holes in the front
guards. A different grille
always helps also!
Technically the Riviera had
less engine options but it
did offer four wheel disc
brakes and a real selling
point for many was that it
retained rear wheel drive.
The level of luxury that
Buick poured into this series is considerable, with
burled walnut look veneers only the beginning
of the story. Dimensionally
this was a large car inside,
bigger than its predecessors in all the important
dimensions (cabin and
trunk size).
Three V8s were available,
two 350 ci and a 403 ci
option.
Importantly this model
would mark the 75th anniversary of Buick and carry
that banner in the uberluxury/sports edition the
LXXV. So, whilst this may
well have been a page
marker it was a page
marker with considerable
kudos.
The LXXV carried unique
black and silver livery with
special badging and brush
chrome used extensively
throughout. A special silver leather interior and
plush Tiffany carpet complete the package that
spelt out Luxury.
Collectible? Check out this
Norway based LXXV
owned by Anders Andersen at the following link:
http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=yzDVsRENwzY
Only 2,899 LXXV models
were produced which
must surely enhance their
collectability even when
considering that for both
years overall production
was down to 26,138 and
20,535 respectively.
For model year 1979, production rocketed to in excess of 52,000 and that in
itself makes for another
story in the history of Riviera.
So what does this mean to
us now, in terms of collectability?
The short model cycle ensures that not too many are
built initially and thus with
the loss of cars over time
this model is becoming a
little rarer than most.
The style of Riviera it represents also ensures that
when they do come out of
the woodwork their history
is more likely to be associated with older wellheeled customers who
have put very little miles
on them.
Their pedigree ensures
that replacement parts are
available, plentiful and low
priced.
If you like the look of the
77-78 Riviera, now could
well be the time to get
yourself the last of the rear
wheel drive bargains!
VOLUME 7, ISSUE 3
Page 17
THE AUSTRALIAN RIVIEW
Page 18
The Restoring Game
Do you feel like restoring a
Riviera?
Some good advice
from Riviera Lane
So you have been thinking
that you would like to restore a Buick Riviera. Just
imagine the pride and satisfaction that you would
feel when you complete
the challenge that you
have set for yourself. Just
think of the admiring on
lookers asking you if you
bought the car in its finished glory.
Well, before you rush out
and buy the latest auto
trader looking for your
Riviera you should ask
yourself some hard questions first.
“You can’t put
a price on a
labour of
love!”
Some of the questions may
appear obvious but it is
amazing that people still
buy a car that they know
they have no hope of completing.
Q1
Can you afford to
restore a car?
A full restoration is big
bucks. It is quite easy to
over invest in a restoration
leaving you with a car
worth much less than you
have in it. I have never
heard someone restoring a
car for less than they have
budgeted for.
A Buick can be a fairly
complex car. When making an estimate on costs,
don’t forget to include contingencies and also allow
for the unexpected.
There are also the incidentals like long distance
phone calls for tracking
down parts and driving
around looking for parts or
services that are needed.
Naturally we don’t include
our own time but you
should not forget that your
time has a value component also.
However, if you want the
satisfaction and pride of
restoring a car from the
ground up, money may not
come into it.
You can’t put a price on a
labour of love!
Q2
time?
Do you have
Again don’t under estimate
the time required for a
restoration. How good are
you at managing your
time?
Q3
Do you have the
skills?
Are you good with your
hands and do you have a
good understanding of
mechanical principles.
Q4
Do you have the
endurance?
It takes determination to
finish such a large undertaking. How often have you
walked into a garage or
#3845
factory and seen unfinished projects lying
around collecting dust. If
you try and sell a car in a
dismantled state don’t expect to get anywhere near
the value of the car if it
were complete and running. There is also the frustration factor to consider.
Like when you send your
metalwork out to get
chromed and they tell you
to come back in 5 days and
you have been waiting for
them for the past 4 weeks.
Or you had a $4,500 paint
job on your car and defects in the paint job are
coming through 3 months
later. A Riv is not the easiest car to restore. Thankfully the parts are not in
the expensive category .......yet!
Q5
Is the model you
wish to restore worth it?
Some models are in greater demand than others. I
will not be specific because I do not want to offend, but we all know that
some cars are just not
worth restoring. (However
you may have personal
reasons i.e. car has been
in the family since new.)
VOLUME 7, ISSUE 3
Page 19
The Restoring Game . .
Q6
Do you have the
facilities?
Having adequate accommodation for your Riv and
workshop complete with
all the basic tools and facilities goes a long way in
making a restoration enjoyable.
This question would have
to be the most important to
consider. The better the
condition the car that you
intend to restore the easier
your restoration will be.
Here are some tips on how
to improve the progress of
your restoration.
Before starting a restoration talk it
over with your
partner and family
and let them know
in advance that
you have a commitment to finish
your project and
ask them for their
understanding.
When you have
the support of
people close to
you it makes a
huge difference.
So try to win their
support before
you start.
One job at a time Unless you really
know what you
are doing .......never pull
every part of your
riv to bits and
then expect later
to remember how
it goes back together again.
Divide and conquer Divide large tasks
into several smaller parts and complete one at a
time.
Interruptions - Can
eat up massive
chunks of time.
Learn to say no!
Not so easy to do.
Be polite but assertive.
Avoid perfectionism Unless perfection
is called for don’t
waste time trying
to make every
aspect of your
project perfect.
Know what you are
doing - There is
no greater time
waster than going
in the wrong direction. If you are
not sure don’t be
shy to ask other
members for
advice.
Beat procrastination - It’s one
of the worst
enemies of
restoration
success. Get
psyched up.
Feel the pride
and achievement to help
you get motivated again.
Plan - Develop
your planning
list. “Those
who fail to
plan....plan to
fail” And another. “Plans
are nothing...planning
is everything”
Wouldn’t you really rather restore a Riviera?
Tom Kunek
ROA#3845
THE AUSTRALIAN RIVIEW
Page 20
A Commercial Adventure
There is nothing new
The original Dodge
Deora concept car
“the star car
has to be the
‘65 Riviera . .”
about a short hood and
real long deck when you
look around at the available cab forward designs
that have graced the auto
world for a long time
now.
In terms of what set the
pattern for car based versions, one need only look
to the Econoline or Corvair series utes.
It has been suggested
that the Dodge Deora set
the real path forward in
the mid to late sixties and
became the inspiration
for a number of copy utes
based on regular series
autos of the day.
I’ve included photos of a
couple of the utes that
were based on the Dodge
but of course the star car
has to be the ’65 Riviera
based version below.
#13148
VOLUME 7, ISSUE 3
Page 21
What’s Happening in Australia with the ROA ?
Since the loss of Brian Hall,
our original Regional CoOrdinator, the team has
been working with the USA
to establish new protocols
and methods of doing
business in line with advancing the ROA in Australia.
We have been fortunate in
having Linda Hall carry on
the good work of her late
husband and below Linda
outlines the new structure
of the Regional ROA in
Australia.
Australian Co-ordinators
for ROA
Following the passing of
our Australia Region ROA
Co-ordinator, Brian Hall,
there has been some discussion as to how the Australian Region of the ROA
should be structured to
best serve the Australian
membership.
With considerable distances between states in Australia, as in the U.S.A., it
was a suggestion of Ray
Knott (ROA #1) that the
possibility of having Regional State Co-ordinators
be considered.
After careful consideration
and discussion between
interstate members and
Ray, it has been decided
that Australian Regional
representation will be as
follows.
Australian National Coordinator and Queensland
Region Co-ordinator
Linda Hall - Redland Bay,
Queensland
Phone: 07 3829 2222
Email: [email protected] or
[email protected]
Australian Regional Coordinator New South
Wales and South Australia
Tony Gentilcore - Sydney
Phone: 02 9453 9199
Email: [email protected]
Australian Regional Coordinator Victoria and
Tasmania
Tom Kunek
ROA# 3845
Tom Kunek - Melbourne
Phone: 03 9877 3718
Email:
[email protected]
Editor - The Australian
Riview
John Forster - Queensland
Phone: 07 3282 5544
Email:
[email protected]
m
We have a growing number of Riviera owners in
Australia and hopefully we
will also have a Western
Australian representative
in the future.
Members looking for advice on parts, cars, etc. or
any other ROA issues
should first contact their
State Co-ordinator. Any
matters which require referral to ROA Head Office
should be directed
through the Australian National Co-ordinator.
I would like to thank Tony,
Tom and John for taking on
these roles which will only
add to the appeal of our
already strong Riviera
family in Australia.
I am sure with this team,
we can look forward to
many more successful ROA
Australia Region National
Tony Gentilcore
ROA #10107
Meets and the great fellowship of ROA’ers in
Australia.
Linda Hall
Australian National Co-ordinator and Queensland Region Co-ordinator
If you are in Melbourne on 24 May there will
be a BBQ at Riviera Lane Blackburn hosted by
our Vic Coordinator, Tom Kunek, 0419 658 500
Details are:
Venue: Riviera Lane, Blackburn
Date: 24th May 2015
Time: 11:30 am
Nice BBQ Lunch will be provide at $5.00
p.p.
Soft drinks provided but anything else is BYO.
Contact Tom for details.
THE AUSTRALIAN RIVIEW
Page 22
#13148
Concealed Headlights
Never had a problem with your ’65 visors?
No, me neither.
Lights, camera, action!
However, this was a problem during
their first lives back in 1965. Even upon
release of the design, customers were
heard to murmur that they had their
doubts that the mechanism could survive
the snow and the mud and the slush of
some of the US states.
Buick undertook a campaign to convince
prospective customers that the system
was okay and had been rigorously tested
in such conditions.
In fact a press release included these
following facts:
“No, me
neither.”
During the development of the 1965
Riviera, the headlamp visors
were subjected to freezing rain,
ice, slush and snow, and in no
case was a failure experienced
due to those conditions. The test
vehicles were driven in slushy
snow to pack as much around the
visors as possible. The cars were
then parked and exposed to temperatures of zero degrees. After
allowing 12 hours to pass in an
attempt to freeze the visors shut,
the visors were tested and found
to operate as designed without
exception and without any difficulty whatsoever. Buick felt this
represented the worst possible
conditions a Riviera would be
exposed to during its lifetime.
But that wasn't good
enough for Buick.
In a deliberate
attempt to create
conditions more
harsh than Mother
Nature herself,
Buick manually
directed a spray
of water on the
visors under frigid
temperatures to
build up as much
ice as possible on
the visors. At temperatures below
zero, ice was
packed approxi-
mately 1/8" thick all over the visor by directing a flow of water
horizontally on the visors. Conditions such as this would rarely
occur in nature. Under these man
-made conditions alone, Buick
was able to stick the visors
closed. It was determined that
only a light tap of the hand on
each visor was required to break
the ice loose, and allow the visors
to operate.
The same test vehicles were exposed
to long periods of natural freezing rain, and no failures were
noted under those conditions.
The Riviera headlamp visors were
designed to be protected by the
fender, which explains their being recessed inward far enough
to eliminate malfunction due to
ice and snow.
Multiple test cars were driven through
mud baths at the General Motors
Proving Grounds, and even with a
heavy build-up of mud covering
the visors, they still operated satisfactorily without a single failure.
Buick noted that other manufacturers
had experienced failures with
concealed headlights, but their
design differed from the Riviera
in that the covers were not protected from above.
Sounds good enough to convince even
the most cynical customer.
VOLUME 7, ISSUE 3
Page 23
#13148
More Concealment, However . .
Unless of course he got a look at this
next Buick release:
Emergency Procedure to
Open Visors and Preventive Maintenance Tips
1965 Buick Riviera—
Manual Operation of Headlamp Visors
If the headlamp visors fail to open when
the lights are turned on, leave the lights
on and allow one minute for the circuit
breaker to reset itself and close. If the
visors fail to open after one minute, it will
be necessary to open them manually until
repairs can be made. These procedures
are only for emergencies, in which the car
must be operated before repairs:
Open hood. Reach down in the center
grille area between grille and
radiator, and firmly grasp both
the right and left horizontal links
(the "arms" that connect the motor to the shields) as close to
visor motor as possible.
Jerk straight up on each horizontal
link to snap socket in link from
ball stud on motor arm.
(Cleaning and lubricating this
area before attempting to remove might be helpful.)
Support each corresponding horizontal link while manually opening
the visors with your other hand.
Do this one visor at a time, by
pressing on the shields themselves. Once both visors are
open, tie or wire the horizontal
links to the grille to prevent them
from moving and rattling while
the car is being driven.
One of the most important steps a 1965
Riviera owner can take to prevent damage
to the motor and malfunction of the headlamp visors is to keep the rotating parts of
the mechanism clean and well lubricated.
Dirt build up around the area as well as a
lack of lubrication is the number one
cause of premature failure of this system.
A couple of times a year, check the mechanism to ensure it’s free of dirt and debris, and once a year or so lightly lubricate all moving parts to ensure free
movement.
So perhaps there may have been a
problem or two encountered over time.
Nevertheless, Buick persisted, along
with other GM brands, up to the end of
the decade before relegating concealed
headlights to the history books for Riviera.
A tradition of
concealment.
THE AUSTRALIAN RIVIEW
Page 24
The Tucker-Riviera !?!
otherwise of Roy’s efforts.
Roy’s nephew put the car
on eBay in mid-2014 to see
about selling the car after
Roy’s death. I am unsure of
the reserve price, however
I did note that it had
reached $16,350 without
meeting the reserve. I suspected that it may not have
reached the reserve but
would be intrigued to
know what selling price
the owner is looking for.
The Original
Design by Alex
Tremulis
shown above
In the last edition I included a photo and brief comment on a weird looking
boat tail Riviera and promised more, well here it is.
A chap in the USA, Roy
Tucker, took it upon himself to re-create the original Tucker prototype as
designed by Alex Tremulis
in the 1940’s. I have included a brochure
shot of
the original design so that you
can judge the success or
Importantly, it is one man’s
dream come true and Roy
had certainly put some
effort into the re-creation.
The Riv has outer headlights that turn with the
wheels, no small feat in
itself, that kind of mirror
the original design. A tapered bonnet and tapered
tail (courtesy of the boat
tail body by GM) and a few
fins including a
dor-
sal fin
certainly make the car
stand out.
Some writers have sug-
gested that the rear lacks
some of the attention that
Roy lavished on the front
but when comparing the
outcome with the original
brochure shot I can see
why Roy may have left the
rear alone to some extent.
Unlike the Tucker, which
had doors that extended
into the roof, Roy has simulated this by having panels
that hydraulically lift up
when the door is activated
and these can be seen in
the photos attached.
Is it any good? You be the
judge, it is certainly different and you would absolutely attract a lot of attention at any car show in this
one-of-a-kind tribute to
one man’s vision. We present the The TuckerRiviera.
VOLUME 7, ISSUE 3
Page 25
!?!
Sadly, Roy’s craft did not
make it into the interior in
any significant way.
However, after the outside
perhaps that is not so bad!
THE AUSTRALIAN RIVIEW
Page 26
Suppliers and Repairers
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
Mt. Cotton Auto Electrics,
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.
Mob: 0429 193 815
Spectrum Rubber and Panels
Pty.Ltd.
BJ Panel Restoration and Fabrication,
St. Marys. N.S.W. 1790
Thornlands. Qld.
Bill - 0403 120 921
(panel beating, rust repairs,
fibreglass repairs, modifications)
Danny
P.O. Box 328,
Tel: 02 9623 5333 Fax: 02 9833
1041
Email:
[email protected]
Website:
www.spectrumrubber.com.au
Bill works in conjunction with Carr Creation Auto Refinishing,
Graham Carr - 0411 588 272
Repco now stock K & N filters for
Rivieras.
(spray painting specialists).
The K&N E-1360 Aircleaner suits
single carb Buick and Riviera applications from 1965-1967,
Annvid Auto Upholsterers,
see listing:
24 Smith Street, Capalaba
http://www.knfilters.com/search/
applications.aspx?Prod=E-1360
Thornlands. Qld.
Tel: 07 3390 3444
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
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.
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!
63 64 65 Riviera Power Antenna chrome bezel only - $30
The Market Place
65-66 Wildcat Electra Remanufactured fibre-glass Fan
Shrouds - $250
For Sale 1972 Riviera - only 3rd owner - have
replaced exhaust with stainless and all belts, hoses and tyres, overhauled the carby and dissy 90,000 miles believed to be genuine. Ill health
forces sale of this car. $25,000 negotiable. Test
drive any time. Car is located in Caboolture,
Queensland. Dennis Jennings - 0417 291 290
email: [email protected]
67 - 69 Riviera Top Radiator Support Panel - $30
For Sale Set of four Series I hubcaps. Slight damage to two. $100 for set.
Sue [email protected] Ph 0413 799 709
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
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
65 66 Buick Wildcat Electra Le Sabre Locking gas Fuel
cap - $25
63 64 65 Buick Riviera Power Steering Internal Gears
18:1 ratio - $40
66 67 68 69 70 Buick Riviera RH Rear Drip Rail Section $20
66 Wildcat Electra AM Radio - $50
63-65 Riviera Factory Radiator Top and Bottom Tanks $40
VOLUME 7, ISSUE 3
Page 27
The Market Place continued
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
Bob for more information and pictures. Price
$25,000. Call 02 45777269 (Windsor area NSW)
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
For Sale Parts for 1964 Riviera
1975 bonnet emblem (new) $70
Good door sill plates alum., horn, door window
crank (vents), seat belt sleeves (black), door panel
chrome that holds switches for window left and
right, two L brackets that fit around headlight, inside door handle, centre cap with tri shield, windshield hoses and metal nozzles that fix under hood
for spraying on windshield, cigarette lighter for
console, trunk lock with key and inside latch, hood
ornament, dimmer switch, choice vacuum pull off,
head light switch, distributor cap, front and back
stainless wheel well trim, right hand chrome door
trim bottom 375-298RT.
Riviera Sales brochures -
John Williams, Charleston, IL.
[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: 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
Why not take
out an ad in
the Riview?
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 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
All new ads
are also
emailed to the
Australian
ROA group as
soon as they
are received!
For Sale 1967 GS400, Complete and 90%
assembled and running. Greg Naris
[email protected]
For Sale
1967 Riv
Linda Hall 07 3829 2222 [email protected]
Wanted 1965 Riviera, Alan Wren 07 3282 3474
For Sale
1967 Riviera - excellent condition - 94,857 orig
miles - LHD - always garaged and well maintained - $27,500
1962 Le Sabre - very rare totally original car factory air - LHD - excellent condition - 90,487
orig miles - $26,500
Contact Linda Hall 07 38292222 Email: [email protected]
ROA AUSTRALIAN REGION REVIEW
Share The Pride
ROA AUSTRALIAN REGION
AUS + Qld Regional 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
But You Already Knew, Didn’t You!
In June of 2010 Hemmings decided to review and nominate
the best 32 cars to restore and
naturally the first one on the
list was the Riviera Series I.
Rather than summarise here is
the content and the link.
“Buick Riviera -- 1963-'65
There's no question that this is
the absolute best-designed
American car of the post-war
era--it's simply spectacular. As
a result of that fine styling,
more people are starting to
restore and collect these beauties. Expect to pay a premium
for the 1964-'65 versions with
the dual-quad carb setup,
though all models are well
worth restoring. Several companies are now beginning to
offer reproduction parts, which
will make future restorations
less difficult than they are now,
should your car require replacement panels and trim;
reproduction seat covers and
door panels are already available, and they're excellent.
Restored correctly, an early
#13148
Sixties Riviera will remain forever on the Most Wanted list.”
http://www.hemmings.com/
hcc/stories/2010/06/01/
hmn_feature2.html?
1=1&refer=hccweekly