Customs Riviera mild custom.

I pulled the gas tank out of the Riviera, dumped about 5 gallons of probably 20 year old gas out of it, and proceeded to try to think of a way to save it on the cheap. My first though was the poly '93 Cadillac tank I had under our '48 Pontiac convertible, that my buddy who bought the car pulled out, but it was too wide to fit between the Riviera's frame rails.
So, being frugal (OK, cheap), I took the sending unit out of the Riviera tank, and peeked in. Terribly rusty, scale-y, nasty. I dumped a gallon of muriatic acid and two gallons of water in, the tire chains from my dually, sloshed it all around until my arms ached, and let it soak for 2 days, occasionally turning it so as to get all sides.
It looked even worse. I'm cheap, but I'm not stupid, and I'm too old to be stranded somewhere along the road with a plugged fuel filter or ruined pump.
My pal Steve from "Steve's Antique Auto Repair" in Grand Rapids came to my rescue with this nearly new "Tanks Inc" unit he pulled from a car that they did some repairs to. It's a little different shape, being narrower and a couple inches longer, but, it'll fit, AND it'll let me put a hitch receiver behind the license plate where the original filler was. I'll get some kind of flush, stainless steel marine cap like the photo, and put it on the top of the quarter at the forward edge of the trunk, with the filler tube up through the trunk floor.
I've had a bad experience with gas tank sealers, there was no way I was going to get the old tank clean enough to use, and I didn't want to have it poly coated. That money can go somewhere else...

 

Thanks! I dig it too.

 

Really like the idea for the running light/turn signals in the lower trim piece. Also would never have thought about no bumper, but your front pan conversion looks good. Nice out of the box thinking.

 

What...wait...when did you get a Rivi!!?? LOL I guess I missed the boat on that one. hahaha
I love what you did with the front end, i.e. no bumper and the headlight treatment. This is gonna be fun if its anything like what you've done in the past!!

 

Ha! I bought that 4 years ago already, under the pretext of it being my wife's car. The plan was that I'd have it and the T'bird done by now as we enter retirement, and these two were intended (that's my rationalization) to be our fair weather daily drivers as our two Ford Fusions (an '06 and an '09) got elderly and would be designated "winter-beaters". Kim has, until recently, gone along with this rationalization, but yesterday when I was telling her about how I could now hide a Reese style hitch receiver behind the license plate, "You're not putting a hitch on MY car!"

Kim's '09 was totaled a year ago when some idiot texting rear-ended her as she waited for a school bus unloading (nobody was hurt but the two cars, at least she drove the then shortened Fusion home) and we bought a lovely '14 Chrysler 300C AWD with the 5.7. So, the pressure is off, but she won't let me put a hitch on the 300!

 

Was looking at the front end in the shop as I did the headlights, when the fact that the bumper bolts not only to the frame, but to the die cast lower headlight trim and the front fenders caught my attention. I was considering removing the bumper ends and making the center "float" between the headlight nacelles when it occurred to me that the slightest contact with anything would mangle the entire front end. Why have the bumper on there at all? If I hit something it's gonna be wrecked anyway, right? So off it came...

 

Have you ever seen an early 70s Corvette color called "Steel City Gray"? I thought of posting a sample of it here but viewing it online doesn't really do it justice. You need see an actual sample in daylight. It's fairly dark but it does respond to changes in lighting and picks up some blueish green highlights under certain conditions.

 

I've got PPG color chart books back to the mid 70's, I plan on going through them when the time comes. That's a good idea.

 

The secret to repairing a rusty gas tank. Shhhhh, don't tell anyone... This is going to work very well. The filler in the tank exits directly in front of an existing access hole in the trunk floor, handy for running the fill tube up through the trunk to the top of the quarter panel by the deck lid, and there's plenty of room now a the rear for a Reese style frame hitch and receiver to be hidden behind the bumper, access via the flip down license plate. Don't mind the scaley trunk floor, it'll get treated and painted along with the undercarriage. It's surface rust and Oklahoma dirt.

Edit: Before doing any work on a tank, I rinse with soapy water, rinse again and drain, then purge with exhaust for about 10 minutes. I haven't blowed up yet...

 

So, here's a helpful hint if you're using an Air-Lift system: Don't let the battery get low. I drove myself insane last weekend trying to figure out what I'd done wrong wiring up the system, which worked perfectly jumping from a temporary battery in the trunk. I wired it to a switched "hot" lead, and suddenly it didn't work. Weird messages on the controller, wildly fluctuating pressure readings, and it wouldn't pump up over 100 psi. Then it occurred to me that I'd been using the battery to wire the headlights, turn signals, and had run the compressor for the air LOTS without charging it. Turns out, at 12.1 volts at the battery, not enough voltage all the way back to the trunk for the Air-Ride.

All's well now, wiring tied, wrapped, and a couple of leaking fittings tended to. Now I'm struggling to get the rear power windows motors working. What a miserable job servicing those things.

Note: The car will be used primarily for towing our '47 Spartan Manor, and occasionally towing the enclosed car trailer for the '34. I want the suspension for the adjustment for loads, or it'd still be on coil springs. I know it's not "traditional", but it's out of sight, and, hopefully now, out of mind.

 

""Note: The car will be used primarily for towing our '47 Spartan Manor, and occasionally towing the enclosed car trailer for the '34. I want the suspension for the adjustment for loads, or it'd still be on coil springs. I know it's not "traditional", but it's out of sight, and, hopefully now, out of mind.""

Now, now Brian....Didn't wifey tell you not to put a hitch on that car!!??

 

She DID say that, but we were talking about her new Chrysler 300C.

OMG. I'd forgotten she said that about the Riviera, until I read my own post. Oh man, I'm getting dementia...


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Looks sooo much better without that big clunky bumper on there. Gives it a kinda sinister look. Sure would look good black.

 

So, that’s not a very exciting, or even meaningful photo, but it DOES show the passengers side rear window up and alied with the door glass. I’ve gotten all the power windows working, switches all repaired, and both motors replaced for the quarter windows. I had saved power window regulators from a ‘68 Cadillac I parted out decades ago, and amazingly, I knew where they were! For once saving junk paid off.


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Very nice, gives me hope for my '60 LeSabre.

 

Why does your t-bird look upset and neglected in the background? Remember what Otis said;
You know she's waiting
Just anticipating
The thing that you'll never, never, never, never possess, yeah, yeah
But while she's there waiting
Without them try a little tenderness
That's all you got to do

 

Spaceship!
In case you hadn't seen this yet, sir...
https://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/pts/d/dearborn-heightsbuick-riviera-parts/6758404407.html

 

I sold that guy the gold Riviera that I bought with this car, and got some things I needed from him afterwards. Straight up guy.


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It looks jealous, doesn’t it?



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Wouldn't it be easier to just put air in the wagon?

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The T-Bird does look sad...awww...lol.
And the Riviera is like, "Tough titties."

 

Rivis are sooo much cooler than T-birds. It should be sad... sad it's not a Riviera.

 

Yes, and you know what the sad part is? I HAVE under dash air in the wagon, I've never gotten around to have lines made. Sad.

 

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Just because I’ve been busy with my son’s wagon doesn’t mean I didn’t work a little on the Riviera. The rotted rear window trough and package tray are (mostly) done, new gas tank in, most of the wiring is done. I have a persistent leaky fitting on the left front bag, but I’ll get that when I pull the dog house to paint.


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subscribed.

 

When life hands you a big sack of lemons, cash the check and finish the ‘63 Riviera custom project. That’s what I’m gonna do. My pal Jake Moomey is going to lend a hand getting the car mechanically finished. I’m retiring the end of next month, I’ve pulled the car to the front of the garage and I’m ready to rock.


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Glad to hear you’re getting back on your horse and moving forward with your next project. Good luck and god bless.


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Go Brian ,Go.

 

A young from Grand Rapids is picking the wagon up today, it’s drivetrain going in his Camaro, a guy in Utah is interested in the interior to use in his Tin Woody project. So, it’ll live on.


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