Well, i bought this -64 Riviera, it´s a little rough but pretty straight and runs like clockwork, it´s got the stock 425/400... I´m gonna lower in and change the wheels and tires, i´ve got a hook on some chrome reverse that i can swap for some parts. it´s brown and copper inside so i´m probobly gonna paint the roof copperflake or spray some copperflames, looks little boring and common with just flat black, gonna keep it low budget and just have it as a daily driver, rather put my money in my -53 Buick... And i got a complete -63 rivi in parts without body and frame, but with a 401/dynaflow with it. And now for the questions! Does -65 headlights and headlight doors fit on -64 fenders? is it much work to make em fit? And the 425 has a -63 401 carb, is there any differenses between the carbs? Do i need to change any jets or anything? it works fine...
Chrome reverse sounds good. Beware the 1st year ST400 trans, it's really expensive to fix, parts are hard to find. As far as carbs go, I've got a 63 Buick carb on my 60 Buick's 401, works great. Only difference would be external, cuz 63's have dynaflow kickdown linkage and the 64 would have linkage to kick in the ST400's switchpitch stuff. If it works, and the switchpitch is kicking in, leave it alone. I think the 65 doors would fit. I think most of the style changes were minor and cosmetic, no big bodypanel changes or anything.
fraz, expense wasn't a problem with rebuilding my st400 in the wildcat. the wait was. got the kit for just a little more than a turbo 400 kit, but because the good ole boy who rebuilt it got the kit thru a buddy who had to go thru a buddy. i waited almost 2 months for my trans to be rebuilt. to make it worse the trans went out on the way home from the tire store the day i put the supremes on. pulled into the parking lot. ran into check on my store at the time came back out and it had finally taken it shit. it had been slipping for a few weeks. well of course now they make adapters to put newer trans behind 'em. oh well...ken....
http://www.rivowners.org/ http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/NailHeadBuick/ Both are very good resources.
Not trying to be a butt, but I am basing my opinion on what I've found out on the net. Seems the 64 trans had some parts that were just-64-only and they won't interchange with the later stuff. I'm headed down to just north of Dallas/Ft. Worth tomorrow to pick up a 65 Rivi trans. Gonna get rid of the Dynaflow in my 60 finally.
fraz, its cool not tryin to bust chops with ya or nothin. yeah the '64 is a little harder to find but we found a guy in ca that says he's got enough of the parts to last for many many years. i'm changing it out anyhow so i'm not worried about mine even though there wouldn't be anything to worry about for a long while...ken....
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