New Owner of a 1983 Buick 20th Anniversary Riviera with fiberglass roof

Discussion in 'Wet behind the ears??' started by Sean Nehring, Dec 23, 2017.

  1. Sean Nehring

    Sean Nehring Member

    I just purchased a 1983 Buick Riviera 20th anniversary edition. Its I very rough condition but saveable. The car has sat for many many years outside. I am working on bringing it back to being a driver. The car has a fiberglass roof that covers the steel roof and I haven't seen another yet. Cloth fabric in the color of dark brown originally covered the fiberglass. I am having the fiberglass roof repaired and then having the fiberglass top recovered in the same color. The car is needing a lot but is kinda neat and I liked it so I bought it since I always loved the way the real wire wheels and fiberglass roof really seemed to make the car and I always liked rivieras.
     
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  2. Briz

    Briz Founders Club Member

    Welcome to the club!
     
  3. 1972Mach1

    1972Mach1 Just some M.M.O.G. guy.....

    Nice! Welcome to the board :)
     
  4. JZRIV

    JZRIV Platinum Level Contributor

    Good luck with your project. You may know this but just in case the fiberglass carriage roof is an aftermarket item and was not availablefrom factory. Hopefully your car still has all the 24 ct gold emblems!
     
  5. Sean Nehring

    Sean Nehring Member

    We are not sure on the fiberglass roof. If it was an aftermarket item is was installed right after the car was purchased when it was still new. It's been on the car its whole life.
     

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  6. Sean Nehring

    Sean Nehring Member

    another image of my car
     

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  7. alleyyooper

    alleyyooper Well-Known Member

    Usually a dealer way of having a vynal top put on the car.

    :D Al
     
  8. pbr400

    pbr400 68GS400

    About two months ago I found this one; I considered buying it but it was too far gone. Wasn’t rusty, just neglected. You can see the original color inside the trunk and the gold emblems on the grill. It had real wood on the dash and doors, 140(?) mph speedo, and fully padded trunk. It didn’t appear to have ever had any roof covering though.
    Patrick
     

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  9. My3Buicks

    My3Buicks Buick Guru

    That was a common dealer ad on back in that time period, the cloth "carriage" versions were most popular. They had molds for all cars most likely to be ordered with them. The 20th annv Rivs are really beautiful cars, the color was subtle but striking adn the interiors were ultra luxurious with pigskin suede inserts and real wood. I see yours has the factory wire wheels as well, I believe that was an additional option as I have seen them with just the regular wire wheel covers, I have heard that just the first 200 had the wire wheels as standard and then became optional, so not sure on that one. There were 502 of them built. I would encourage you to ditch the carriage roof if possible and go back to the clean smooth top that really accentuates the lines of the car.
    upload_2018-4-24_9-11-53.png
     
    Last edited: Apr 24, 2018
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  10. Sean Nehring

    Sean Nehring Member

    I will NEVER, EVER "ditch" the fiberglass roof that the car has. For one I think these cars are super ugly with the normal roof. You may be in love with the smooth look and think it accentuates the cars lines, I happen to think that the car is barf ugly in the color the factory painted the 20th anniversary models. I never would have even considered buying this car if it didn't have the fiberglass roof cover. So please, enjoy your car, and do what you want to your cars, but don't encourage me to build mine the way you want me too. If you want it buy it from me and do it your way. Otherwise let me enjoy it and try and get it operational as the car I like building it my way since it's my car, not yours. Aslso the roof is rusted through along the back window and the fiberglass roof hides all this. Guess I'll never get away from people insisting I build things the way they suggest. Do your car your way, or buy this one from me and do it your way. The end.
     
  11. pbr400

    pbr400 68GS400

    A simple ‘I know it’s not stock but I like it, thanks’ probably would have sufficed, but I think you got your point across.
    Patrick
     
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  12. My3Buicks

    My3Buicks Buick Guru

    Hey enjoy your car, and by all means dump that extra money into the nonauthentic roof, it will only devalue the car. You got a learn when you post things on these sites people are going to give opinions, whether you like them or not, it’s going to happen. Grow a pair
     
    Last edited: Apr 24, 2018
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  13. Sean Nehring

    Sean Nehring Member

    Thanks for the grow a pair and dump your extra money comment. You know those crappy modern steering wheels and crappy modern wheels people put on their cars devalue the cars too, nobody craps all over them for doing it. They look at that as it's their car. They don't get all upset like you and tell the guy off. Wahtever dude.
     
  14. My3Buicks

    My3Buicks Buick Guru

    LOL, you will never see or hear me say anything positive or encouraging about anything such as a modern steering wheel or modern wheels or diversion from how it could have come from the factory or Buick approved accessories correct for the year. My initial post simply said I would encourage you to not keep the roof, a simple opinion from a 38 year Buick collector, nothing more, nothing less. No malase, no nastiness, you took it to the next level with your drama filled response.
     
    Last edited: Apr 25, 2018
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  15. PGSS

    PGSS Gold Level Contributor

    Please feel free to NOT post any more pic's or any other updates..Usually a very friendly forum in the short time iv'e been here with just members opinions.
    Your an idiot..
    Oh yeah I also think the fiberglass roof looks cheesy aweful..
     
    Last edited: Apr 25, 2018
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  16. red67wildcat

    red67wildcat Well-Known Member

    So I usually stay out of these threads that go sour but as a several year member on here I have to dive into the fire now and then.

    So here we have a new guy excited about his car.
    While its not my type of car but hes excited. This is the future of our hobby.Or it will DIE
    Im a old fart I realize but seriously if you dont like someones car shut the f*** up or dont post.

    Did OP react well to criticism ? no.I dont condone his reaction
    But I serious dont total blame him.

    He comes on a Buick sit about in his eyes a treasure and get blasted cause its not factory correct.
    I notice it seems to always be new members that blast others, If v8 Buick was that way 10 years ago I wouldn't be here.
    My mother always taught me if you dont have anything nice to say dont say anything at all.
    Some need to learn this on this site anymore.Or please Leave.Deleting your posts dosnt undo the damage of alienating others
    Give your knowledge to new members not criticism.
     
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  17. My3Buicks

    My3Buicks Buick Guru

    Ok Roy, I won't say anything at all about your car ; )
    BTW, I didn't see any new members post on this thread other than the original poster
     
  18. red67wildcat

    red67wildcat Well-Known Member

    Hey I welcome any feedback about my cars, I have thick skin. lol I have had stock ,so original I was afraid to put miles on them.Anymore Im a slightly modified guy.
    Guess I like to drive the heck out of them
    I just appreciate anyone who dosnt think
    modern jelly bean the best cars on the planet and want to promote our hobby
    You buy the plane ticket to Seattle Ill buy the beer and a steak dinner beat me up in person, Any car guy always welcome.
     
  19. CJay

    CJay Supercar owner Staff Member

    Jut happened to click on this thread. I agree Patrick, the OP kind of took Keith's comment completely the wrong way. I don't believe he meant any offense by it. Might of also been better for Keith to just say something to diffuse the situation a little instead of getting defensive about it. Just my .02 cents.

    I had one of those FWD Rivs. I forget even what year it was. Dark brown, tan interior with a tan carriage top. Owned by a co-worker. He wound up getting a huge estimate on it from a repair shop for a rotted out intake gasket. He sold it to me cheap. Did an intake and valve cover gaskets. What a PITA that job was. The vacuum lines on that damn thing were like spaghetti and dried up. Every one turned you fingers black. Did a good tune up and gave the body a "fluff and buff". Good as new. Sold it a few months later.
     
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  20. My3Buicks

    My3Buicks Buick Guru

    I am the opposite, I am a strictly stock guy, one of the ones that try to keep the heritage in order so that what's authentic isn't lost to history. I have driven my cars all over the country to National and Regional meets while keeping them in top show condition. My comments on the above Riv came directly after this comment "We are not sure on the fiberglass roof. If it was an aftermarket item is was installed right after the car was purchased when it was still new. It's been on the car its whole life." - so that left the conversation open to a little schooling on what was or wasn't original, even helped him out and gave him so production numbers on the car. Over the years when I have gotten into different models or years than I was used to or had the most knowledge in, I welcomed comments on my cars, often people pointed out stuff that wasn't as it should be and I of course being an original guy put it right, but even if I wasn't, the info would have been good to have to file away in my head. Now not saying at all that Sean will do this, strictly as an example. The Riv goes to a show someday and someone asks about the roof, and Sean says, yes, that was an option, the show looker goes home with false info and that's one more bite out of historical accuracy. Next time at a show, that show looker is with some buddies and he says, that Riv is really nice, love that optional top. I am huge with that and the Buick Chrome wheels on the 60's and early 70's cars that they were not optional in but people put them on, it has now become accepted to most that let's say a 69 Electra could come with chrome wheels because more and more people are putting them on because they look nice, unfortunately anymore, alot of Buick guys don't even know what's right or wrong. We are the stewards of these Buick's, and regardless if we like them stock or customized, it is our job to promote and PRESERVE the history of the cars we have.
     
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