'63 Riviera radical custom

[dino246gt]

I found a floor pan, frame and firewall to use! First I sanded the rear to fit the Riv body around the back.

Then I cut the back of the frame off, because the riv body was shortened at the back.

Made sure that both rear rails were cut to the same length.

Then I glued the rear of the frame back on.

[dino246gt]

Up front of that floor pan, I wanted to move the firewall back just a touch, but keep the "pegs" for mounting the frame.

Even though I cut everything straight, I still needed fillers due to the irregular shapes being cut where I did.

I modified the firewall to fit, and I'll keep the air conditioning, why not, it's a Riviera, gotta have air! LOL

Once the firewall was in place, I added tiny scraps to fill all the voids.

Everything up front will be going and replaced with something better.

[dino246gt]

I made a headliner, really just a piece of .010 styrene to hide the seam and hopefully add some strength to the roof.

 

[SpikeSchumacher]

Wow, this is really cool!

[Steve H]

Oh boy… this is great stuff Dennis. Slice and dice!! I know you have a plan, I hope that includes a V12 up front, this thing NEEDS a V12, well… that’s just my opinion. No matter what powers it, this is really cool. Very nice work as always.

[dino246gt]

I don't have much of a plan yet, but I'm ruling out the V12 now that I've started with the firewall and floor pan.

Also ruled out tubs and wide pro-touring style wheels. It was a consideration.

 

[Ace-Garageguy]

Like what you're doing getting a believable chassis under it, but REALLY like the shots in primer.

It looks like a well thought-out factory styling exercise, when GM's stylists had lotsa talent, and weren't afraid of trying something different.

Clean scribing work on the door lines too.  

Edited January 21, 2024 by Ace-Garageguy

[Rattlecan Dan]

Coming along very nicely.

[dust collectors]

Really like what you're doing here! Looking sharp.

[Kah puts]

This is a great project to follow, I’m loving it ??

[dino246gt]

I have a re-issue of the '65 Riv that I'm using for some parts as I ONLY had the body from the '63.

I cut up the '65 interior tub and I must say that the styrene is so much thinner and softer than that '63! They don't make 'em like they used to!

I added some .040 strips to the bottoms of the door panels and taped them in place so I could see where the rear half should fit. And I glued some side strips to the rear.

Now at least I have the proper length and depth ready to start making up all the rest of the interior, no back seat.

I'll remove the seat mounts from the floor pan and move the seats further back.

Edited January 22, 2024 by dino246gt

[W-409]

Wow! Very nice work so far with the Riviera! The body proportions look excellent, like someone said, it's really hard to modify a car that is originally as beautiful as the 1st gen Riviera, but I think you pulled it off. I will be following this with great interest.

[dino246gt]

First I fitted the console from the '65 Riviera to the floor pan from the '70 Monte Carlo.

Then I ground away underneath to make room for the automatic transmission on the engine from the '66 Riviera.

I'll be roughing in the interior bucket next but now I'm going out for cappuccio! Ciao for now.

[dino246gt]

I decided to use the stock "65 front bumper but not as it comes in the kit!

First I had to cut it all apart.

This is the piece that I plan to use.

 

[dino246gt]

Today I worked on the interior tub, since there's no back seat, I wanted some "Riviera-ness" back there, so I made a couple of pockets for wine bottles, and some rub strips to protect the leather from luggage. Those will be foiled and maybe I can add thin rubber strips to them.

The door panels got new arm rests and door pulls.

Thinking of using the '70 Monte Carl seats, so I've added .040 strips under them so they don't sit right on the floor.

 

[Moparman18064]

Great modification work, can’t wait to see more

[NOBLNG]

I’m liking all the modifications you’re doing here Dennis! Carry on.?

[Mittagskind]

This is a crazy project, but you've got it, Dennis!?

[dino246gt]

As promised, I removed all the kit stuff from under the hood and smoothed the inner fenders.

Then I scratch built a simple rad wall.

I extended the hood by drilling small holes and using 14 gauge guitar string and super glue.

Shot another coat of primer, I keep tweaking it but there's still a ton of stuff to do, however I'm loving doing it!

 

[Kah puts]

Oooo! Wickedness ?

[espo]

The body proportions look like that's the way Buick did it. 

[dino246gt]

I'm using the frame from the '70 Monte Carlo kit, but the front suspension needs to be moved forward 1/4 inch, so the main supports had to go.

The spindles got drilled so I can mount different wheels.

The one-piece piece suspension got separated, just for a bit more realism.

[dino246gt]

This is supposed to be sort of a "what-if" car from the early 60s, so no big brakes or wheels!

I had an extra set of drums from the Galaxie '48 Chev kit but needed larger holes in the center for the rears.

Up front simple disc brakes would've been a huge improvement over drums so I had these in the junk box and 2 washers the proper size.

I needed room for the battery so I did some cutting.

With the battery test fitted, the radiator was too wide!

I narrowed it, now we have clearance.

[dust collectors]

Really liking what you're doing here. 

[dino246gt]

Onto some mechanical stuff, like oh, the engine!

I used the excellent nail head from the '66 kit, that was the final year for the nail head and it's a nice styrene representation. I mixed my own color.

I drilled out every single hole on these rotors before I realized that there were no disc brakes like that in 1962, which this car will try to be a concept from.

So I used these much smaller disc brakes from the junk box with some small washers. At the rear I used a pair of drums left over from a Galaxie '48 Chev kit that I built.

And I smoothed the middle of the Monte Carlo firewall.