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HELP buick gears

9K views 26 replies 7 participants last post by  Marks63PontiacGasser 
#1 ·
hey guys I need help I must have the only car that nobody makes gears for.. no one makes anything for the 63-65 riviera i want 3:90,4:11 but there is no such thing i have 3:42's now does anybody no of any gears out there.( dont tell me to change the rear)





real men drive gassers
 
#2 ·
Boy, if I'm not mistaken you have a Buick only rear end in there. I don't think you're going to find gears let alone 3:90/4:10's. Hate to say it but you may have to change it out. If it is a posi unit then 3:42's are not half bad. I don't remember without going back to your introduction, what motor you are going to build/install. If it was a big block then stay with the 3:42's. If you were going small block. Then you are probably in for a rear end change. Sorry that there is not a gear out there to buy. But go on some of the Buick boards. They may have better info for you. Mark L
 
#3 ·
i built a 434 small block for it.. its the factory 3:42 posi that comes in a GS only.. if i did change it out it would drop close to 100lbs off of it these rears have an 11" pumpkin and 4" axle tubes as compared to a ford 9" and 3" axle tubes. i picked up a 9" for $200 but its 4" shorter.... hhmmmm bigger tires?
 
#5 ·
I think you're on to sumpin'. The 9 inch will open you up to so many more choices and future changes if desired. Plus, once done you can forget about it causing any surprises. Mark L
 
#7 ·
I don't believe those are for his axle. Especially if they are selloing 8.2 gears. He has a unique axle to Buicks. Although I'd still contact them for sure, just to be sure. Mark L
 
#9 ·
Sell the GS only rear to a restorer and use the $$$$ for the 9". The Rivi rears are junk if you have high HP and torque. Maybe go with a fab-style housing to save even more unsprung weight.

Try selling it here: http://forums.aaca.org/f177/ I'm a member on that forum also and there are quite a few people in your neck of the woods doing work on GS's.

Still a bit queasy about this build... :D

Mike
 
#10 · (Edited)
You know, you may have picked one of the heaviest cars to build as a gasser. Just sayin....

If it was my build, I'd go mid 60's style and use an 8 lug Dana 60 or early corporate truck rear with 4.56 or 4.88's and a set of aluminum slots w/piecrust slicks. Add a nice LONG set of home made ladder bars that'd complete the package.

You've already gone outside the box with your choice of car, why not keep that going and use a "non-traditional" rear? Dana's are plentiful and strong enough to get the job done. And, they come with good gears already in them. And if you went with an early corporate rear, they kinda resemble the Buick rear in appearance and would be more "period correct" looking. These rears are strong. Just ask any 4x4 guy.

Pointed in the right direction, this car has the potential to be one of the "sickest" gassers I've seen in a long time! :p
 
#12 ·
well mt94ss we are fresh out of 55 chevy's in NJ.. they are long gone englishtown raceway park is my home track.. everything that can be used for drag racing around here has been used up. besides you can say that you know the only 1965 riviera gasser ever built. a true gasser man doesnt care about the car just what class he's in and who's next at the line!!!!




real men drive gassers
 
#13 ·
i have a dana 70 with 4:56 but the 8 lug thing stinks..and as far as heavy cars go.. the 65 riv has the same wheel base as a 67 chevelle. the weight of my riv is 3525 lbs and i still have to lose my grill and fenders...they look heavy because everyone make's them low.. i will have the car at 3300 lbs with out me in it..
 
#14 · (Edited)
Any more pictures of your car? How did you get the weight down so much? A stock '65 is rated at 4036lbs. You've already shaved 500lbs! What have you removed? I know that for every 100lbs lost, you gain a 1/10th. That should really help your times. I know the side glass is pretty heavy as I am rebuilding my doors and have mine out. See attached.

Are you going to make fiberglass fenders? If you do, post pics for a how-to. I've seen it done on TV but...

Keep it going.

Mike
 

Attachments

#15 ·
the first thing i did loose the nailhead. i love them but they weigh to much. now the motor and trans are gone.. now there is a small block chevy and 350 trans.i made the headers both of them weigh as much as 1 ex. manifold.the elec. window motors i swapted out for mini motors from a dodge neon that was about 10lbs.i took of the front bumper. and i have the stock grill but i cut the slats to 1/2 " from 1"(the grills are real heavy pot metal) aluminum radiator.fuel cell,1 seat,lexan rear window,aluminum rear bumper brackets,guted the interior all duct work is gone ,console is hollow, no heater core, no wiper motor,i god rid of the giant truck shocks in the back and have heavy duty shocks from a dodge caravan with home made coil over set up on the and i fabbed up new mounts they are 1/3 the size, the list goes on.. but pulling the the nail head was the bulk of it.if i can lose that giant rear it will get lighter.. my friend is a fabricator and hes trying to make me an aluminum rear bumbper.. the fugitive should turn some heads.. i have loads of extra riv parts if you no any one who needs....
 
#18 ·
You've done a lot to the Riv' and it all show that you are serious. Way to go. Glad that you came here and let us be a part of the journey.

Hey Mike!!!! Most people I know take the inner panel off and the window out the top, leaving the outside skin on. Way to go being different!!! HA!. Mark L
 
#20 ·
Sorry I "cha-chinged" ya then. I never knew that. If it is a simple unbolting then I agree. That would make many repairs simpler. Including replacement from rust or damage. Now I have another reason to like the Riv's. I almost bought a black on black '66 back in '73. Still kick myself for not doing it. Mark L
 
#22 ·
Now that is interesting. Cadillac really could have used a downsized addition to their lineup. Just shows you how stodgy they were about their image. Their only worry was the biggest and the most costly. Have to remember that Buick had a really strong following back in those days. The Riv was a luzury performance car like the Pontiac Grand Prix. People were buying these cars like crazy. Cadillac could have really capitolized on that type of car. But Buick was the smart one. I always wondered why Pontiac didn't try to get that body for the Grand prix? Although I love full size Grand Prixs I think they would have been better off with that size as the Grand prix. GM probably gave Buick exclusive rights to it since they wanted it more than Cadillac. Lots of infighting between the divisions back then. Mark L
 
#23 ·
Of course we're talking 60's, and no sign of gas prices changing. Cadillac had a reputation for full sized luxury cars, and throughout their lineup there was one thing that was common, large luxury models. I think their reason for not using the Riviera wasn't anything against the body style, it was just a little smaller than the rest of their lineup, so they passed on using it.
They did learn from their loss, and eventually came up with a variety of cars, but some were dismal. Anybody remember their small economy car the Cimmaron back in 1981? A horrible little car that was a big loser from the start!
 
#24 ·
.......Anybody remember their small economy car the Cimmaron back in 1981? A horrible little car that was a big loser from the start!
More recently.... anyone remember the Cadillac Catera???? I was an "Opel".

The Cadillac Catera was a mid-sized automobile manufactured in Germany, as a rebadged version of the Opel Omega—and marketed by Cadillac in North America as an entry-level model Caddy back in 1997–2001.
 
#26 ·
hey mark to bad your in Arizona.. i have a car for you. my nieghbor has a 1967 GTO with 78k original mile hes selling for $1.500 yup 1500. it was hit in 1978 and sat ever since. it was in a garage till 86 the he pulled it out and left it in his yard to rot. it got hit in the rt rear 1/4 and the body was knocked of the framw but the frame isnt bent. its need everything new from the doors back. it is still 100per. orig the onlything missing is the shifter knob on the dualgate it is roted sobad i lifted the hood and it folded over but the interior if perfect.it stillhas the louverd air cleaner on it . I offerd him 500 for it to full power train and int. he saig no he want 1500..if you want it let me hnow it willchew the fat with him and try toget it down...






real men drive gassers
 
#27 ·
Sounds like not much left to save. Too bad that someone would allow a car to rust and rot that could be saved by someone someday. Thank you for the heads up and thinking of me but I have to pass. I'm not one to restore and there are plenty great bodies out here to clone or to modify. If the powertrain and interior is really still good and original then you would be good to get him down. Especially if the frame is not rusted you could sell the entire frame/powertrain for a good amount. Mark L
 
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