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1965 Buick Riviera

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  • Member since
    May 2011
1965 Buick Riviera
Posted by Mr Mike on Sunday, October 27, 2019 7:34 AM

My new project is AMT's '65 Buick Riviera and it has been a while since I have done a WIP on the Fine Scale Modeler forum.  I would have really liked it if this kit was a GS or Gran Sport version, but the GS version has improvements over stock that you really can't see on the outside.  

My paint will be Dupli-Color Emerald Green Metallic with a Tan leather interior.  The wheel covers will be replaced with Buick's Chrome Plated Road Wheel and they were a gift from streetrod aka Barry Fadden.  Thank you Barry! 

My inspiration for this build is a '65 Riviera GS that I have seen at several car shows.

More Riviera to come...

  • Member since
    March 2005
Posted by philo426 on Sunday, October 27, 2019 9:37 AM

Very cool !

  • Member since
    May 2011
Posted by Mr Mike on Sunday, October 27, 2019 10:40 AM

Based on my research, this model is a Riviera GS and not the standard Riviera.  I suspected that this model was a GS since it came with the dual carb setup and was missing the side vents between the door edge and the rear wheel arches.  Too bad AMT never saw fit to call this model a GS like they should have.  This is also very old tooling since the chassis also includes the exhaust system and most of the front and rear suspension.

I got the engine mostly assembled and I drilled out the distributor cap for ignition wires which were superglued into place.  I may have to find a piece of wire here in the shop to make plug boots from. 

More Riviera to come... 

  • Member since
    December 2018
Posted by Ted4321 on Sunday, October 27, 2019 1:40 PM

Sweet.  More cars by Mr Mike.

Subscribed. 

 

T e d

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: USA
Posted by keavdog on Sunday, October 27, 2019 3:56 PM

Following.  Really cool subject 

Thanks,

John

  • Member since
    May 2011
Posted by Mr Mike on Sunday, October 27, 2019 8:58 PM

Thanks Ted and John!

  • Member since
    May 2011
Posted by Mr Mike on Tuesday, October 29, 2019 5:08 PM

 I have finished the engine at this point minus the air cleaner and painting the transmission.  

More Riviera to come...

  • Member since
    May 2011
Posted by Mr Mike on Wednesday, October 30, 2019 8:26 AM

The more I look at this engine, the more I hate the carbs!  They look like two useless lumps of plastic with vertually no detail to them.  I think I'll dig through my parts box and search for two carbs that have more detail and look more realistic.

  • Member since
    May 2013
  • From: Indiana, USA
Posted by Greg on Wednesday, October 30, 2019 12:55 PM

keavdog

Following.  Really cool subject 

 

Sure is!

Just thinking the name "Buick Riviera" brings back memories. Odd since I never paid particular attention to them, yet still creates happy thoughts of a time gone by.

Engine looking good, whatever you decide about carbs.

  • Member since
    May 2011
Posted by Mr Mike on Wednesday, October 30, 2019 1:31 PM

Thanks Greg!  I did replace the carbs with a better looking pair from my parts box.  They may be all wrong for this engine, but I don't care.  They are much better than the two lumps that came with the kit!

More Riviera to come...

  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: Naples, FL
Posted by tempestjohnny on Wednesday, October 30, 2019 4:27 PM
Watching this one Mike. One of my friends has a 65 that he drove from California to Connecticut when he left the Air Force

 

  • Member since
    May 2013
  • From: Indiana, USA
Posted by Greg on Wednesday, October 30, 2019 5:28 PM

I'll be nobody will object to the carburators, Mike. Surprise

The replacements look better. If somebody starts removing he air filter to inspect hte carbs, you have my permission to slap their hand.

  • Member since
    May 2011
Posted by Mr Mike on Wednesday, October 30, 2019 8:06 PM

Thanks Greg and johnny! 

tempestjohnny, the '65 Riv looks like a long distance cruiser!  LONG DISTANCE!!! 

Greg, it's nice to know that I can exert some form of violence should someone want to peek under the air cleaner!  

  • Member since
    October 2019
  • From: New Braunfels, Texas
Posted by Tanker-Builder on Thursday, October 31, 2019 8:20 AM

Hi;

    After having owned four of them, each two years apart I have to agree with the " Road Car" part. First loaded car other then Ford or Chevy I had owned. The old saw is right . "Ask the Man who owns one " ( I think that was Buick ).

      Went to Ford products because G.M. Got past my Budgetary upper Limits. Why pay X number of bucks for a Bottom line G.M. luxury anything when I could have the Best that Mercury had to offer? For the same price. Never mind Chrysler. They didn't even figure in the Equation!

  • Member since
    May 2011
Posted by Mr Mike on Thursday, October 31, 2019 9:44 PM

Tanker-Builder

      Went to Ford products because G.M. Got past my Budgetary upper Limits. Why pay X number of bucks for a Bottom line G.M. luxury anything when I could have the Best that Mercury had to offer? 

So, you went for an overpriced Ford!  My Dad bought a '71 Cougar and I asked him why not a Mustang?  He said it looked too much like a girls car!  

  • Member since
    May 2011
Posted by Mr Mike on Thursday, November 7, 2019 10:02 AM

Gave the Riviera a bath yesterday and I let everything dry in the paintbooth overnight.

This morning, I gave the Riviera a good coating of Tamiya Light Grey Surface Primer. 

I'll let this dry for a bit and give the body and hood another good coating of primer in prep for the Dupli-Color Emerald Green Metallic.

More Buick to come...

  • Member since
    May 2011
Posted by Mr Mike on Thursday, November 7, 2019 3:52 PM

Paint was sprayin' this afternoon!  I got the body and hood painted with Dupli-Color Emerald Green Metallic.  This is the first mist and medium coats of paint.

The interior has been painted and the dash and console are waiting for detailing.

I painted the chassis, transmission and wheels and wheelbacks.  The chassis will need to be detailed.

More Buick to come...

fox
  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Narvon, Pa.
Posted by fox on Thursday, November 7, 2019 7:25 PM

Looking good!

Jim  Captain

 Main WIP: 

   On the Bench: Artesania Latina  (aka) Artists in the Latrine 1/75 Bluenose II

I keep hitting "escape", but I'm still here.

  • Member since
    May 2011
Posted by Mr Mike on Thursday, November 7, 2019 9:03 PM

Thanks Jim!

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: USA
Posted by keavdog on Friday, November 8, 2019 12:37 AM

Looking awesome Mike - getting to the really good part! Cool

Thanks,

John

  • Member since
    May 2011
Posted by Mr Mike on Friday, November 8, 2019 7:28 AM

Thanks  keavdog!

  • Member since
    May 2011
Posted by Mr Mike on Friday, November 8, 2019 10:23 AM

I did a mockup of the Riviera to set and check on the stance.  I like it!

More Buick to come...

  • Member since
    May 2011
Posted by Mr Mike on Friday, November 15, 2019 9:07 AM

The Riviera got its coat of Tamiya TS-13 Gloss Clear.  This is two mist coats and a medium coat of clear.  A wetter coat of clear is coming soon.

More Buick to come...

  • Member since
    August 2015
  • From: the redlands Fl
Posted by crown r n7 on Friday, November 15, 2019 9:49 AM

beautiful !!

 

 

 Nick.

  • Member since
    May 2011
Posted by Mr Mike on Friday, November 15, 2019 2:36 PM

Thanks Nick!  Even though Tamiya Clear dries quickly, I tossed the body and the hood in the dehydrator for a while.  It seems to help a lot!

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: USA
Posted by keavdog on Friday, November 15, 2019 9:48 PM

Shiney brother!

Thanks,

John

  • Member since
    May 2011
Posted by Mr Mike on Saturday, November 16, 2019 11:49 AM

Thanks John!

After polishing the body and installing the chassis, I went looking for the radiator hoses only to find that there are none!  None in the box nor are any called out for in the instructions!  There no holes in the radiator, either!  So, with ingenuity being the mother of invention, I got out a hose from the parts box and a piece of styrene rod and inserted the rod into the hose and glued it to the intake manifold.  When that has dried solid, I'll do the same to the other end and glue it to the radiator.

More Buick to come...

  • Member since
    June 2014
  • From: New Braunfels , Texas
Posted by Tanker - Builder on Saturday, November 16, 2019 2:52 PM

Now;

  I can see it and yes ,you are getting her awesome!

  • Member since
    May 2011
Posted by Mr Mike on Sunday, November 17, 2019 10:16 AM

Thanks Tank - Builder!

  • Member since
    May 2011
Posted by Mr Mike on Friday, November 22, 2019 8:53 AM

Well, it was bound to happen soon or later.  I reach over the Riviera to reach a tube of superglue and when I had lifted the tube by the cap, the cap came off and the tube spilled onto the Riviera's left front fender.  My heart just sank!  I sanded the fender and got it as smooth as I could, reprimered, repainted and reglossed the fender.  The fender is now slightly darker than the rest of the body.  I'll have to refoil the trim that I had to remove and polish the paint.  Lesson learned...tightly recap a bottle or tube of whatever I had used!

More Buick to come...

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