Next up: '66 Riviera - the last Nailhead

[customline]

Long story short: I owned a '70 Riv in '78-'79 that I bought for 500 bucks from a co-worker. It was an awesome vehicle.  I found this AMT / ERTL '66 Riviera on Ebay for a good price sans box. It appears complete. OK, it's not a '70 but the basic body shape is close enough and the '69 isn't a whole lot different than this one.  The '70 was a unique style but favors the previous 4 model years a lot better than the one that followed it.   Next to my ol' DeSoto, the '70 Riv was another one I'd love to have back. 

This is my next build and I want to keep it totally stock but, of course,, with the usual common detailing.  For those of us who may not be familiar with this kit, it looks pretty good.  I don't feel that many AMT kits are terribly well detailed but it seems, IMHO, the ones from the ERTL era are almost on par with Moebius kits (a slight exaggeration.)  Very little flash on this one but the chrome isn't perfect,  probably due to the kit suffering poor handling and storage, but it's serviceable. Some pretty decent detail..  Behold!I haven't decided on colors yet but it won't be black, red or silver. Up for discussion ?. No vinyl top. Not up for discussion ?

[Snake45]

The old AMT '69 Riviera has been reissued many times and isn't hard to find at all. It's not as well detailed as your newer '66 kit, but it's almost identical in body shape to your beloved '70. 

[customline]

35 minutes ago, Snake45 said:

The old AMT '69 Riviera has been reissued many times and isn't hard to find at all. It's not as well detailed as your newer '66 kit, but it's almost identical in body shape to your beloved '70

Yeah, I'm happy enough with the '66. Real classics, those Rivs. I love 'em all.

[Snake45]

5 minutes ago, customline said:

Yeah, I'm happy enough with the '66. Real classics, those Rivs. I love 'em all.

Personally I prefer the '66 and '67 Rivs to any and all that came later.  By coincidence, even as we speak, I'm working on an original AMT annual '66 Riv and am upgrading a '67 promo/friction car. 

[doggie427]

Does anyone know if changing the 1965 Riviera chassis/motor for the much superior 1966 

would be prototypically correct?

[bisc63]

29 minutes ago, doggie427 said:

Does anyone know if changing the 1965 Riviera chassis/motor for the much superior 1966 

would be prototypically correct?

Worth doing! Tweak your suspension a bit, since you'd be putting a 119" wheelbase frame under a 117" wheelbase body. Biggest visual difference is the gas tank area. 65 has conventional wide, flat tank and 66 has spare tire well and conformal tank to match. Just cut and pasted that area of the floor. It would be a huge detail improvement underneath!

Jim, I now return your thread to its regular schedule! I am looking forward to this build; these are some of the crown jewels of GM as far as I'm concerned!

[customline]

10 hours ago, Snake45 said:

Personally I prefer the '66 and '67 Rivs to any and all that came later.  By coincidence, even as we speak, I'm working on an original AMT annual '66 Riv and am upgrading a '67 promo/friction car. 

Although my personal experience with a 1:1 Riv was a '70, I do think the earlier ones were better looking cars. The '70, with that odd side trim and smoothed out fender to roof line was a departure from the classic lines of what came before.  AFTER that, (and a lot of disagreement will probably rain down on me for saying this) it got weird.... but beauty is in the eye.....

Will we see your '66 annual project here? I hope so ?

 

[customline]

10 hours ago, bisc63 said:

Worth doing! Tweak your suspension a bit, since you'd be putting a 119" wheelbase frame under a 117" wheelbase body. Biggest visual difference is the gas tank area. 65 has conventional wide, flat tank and 66 has spare tire well and conformal tank to match. Just cut and pasted that area of the floor. It would be a huge detail improvement underneath!

Jim, I now return your thread to its regular schedule! I am looking forward to this build; these are some of the crown jewels of GM as far as I'm concerned!

Rusty, I totally agree and you are welcome to jump in here whenever the spirit moves you! Those cars were beautifully styled, heavy, smooth riding, powerful, generously equipped, comfortable, and a pleasure to drive. BUICK had an image of being an "old man's car." Well, I'm an old man ! ?‍♂️

I'm close to getting out from under my present project and I think I will do some preliminary clean- up on the Riv today.  If anyone that has built or is building this kit would like to share info or pictures, please do. Thanks! 

Concerning the question by Doggie427, the gas tank and the wheelbase mods could be coordinated, yes? I don't know what the '65 floor pan looks like but my guess is it incorporated frame and floor.  The '66 frame shortening is simple.  Mine was twisted when I pulled it out yesterday and I straightened it out just by twisting it cold. What a strange chassis design! ?

Edited March 9, 2022 by customline

[Can-Con]

I had a '69 and a '72 when I was young and foolish. Wish I could have kept both but,,.

Anyway, I have built this kit a few years ago. Made a couple small alterations to it. 

One thing to look out for is the engine should have a valley cover under the intake manifold but doesn't. You'll have to do something with the seam from the block 1/2s or it might show.

Here's a couple pics of mine and a link to the build album.

 

https://public.fotki.com/SteveMilberry/projects/66-riviera-custom/

[customline]

7 minutes ago, Can-Con said:

I had a '69 and a '72 when I was young and foolish. Wish I could have kept both but,,.

Anyway, I have built this kit a few years ago. Made a couple small alterations to it. 

One thing to look out for is the engine should have a valley cover under the intake manifold but doesn't. You'll have to do something with the seam from the block 1/2s or it might show.

Here's a couple pics of mine and a link to the build album.

 

https://public.fotki.com/SteveMilberry/projects/66-riviera-custom/

Wow, Steve, that's frikkin' awesome! (I can say "frikkin', can't I?) Thanks for the engine tip! Geeez, that's beautiful ! ! ! I think you just picked out a color for me ?

[Can-Con]

1 minute ago, customline said:

Wow, Steve, that's frikkin' awesome! (I can say "frikkin', can't I?) Thanks for the engine tip! Geeez, that's beautiful ! ! ! I think you just picked out a color for me ?

Thanks Jim.

[Mr. Metallic]

15 hours ago, doggie427 said:

Does anyone know if changing the 1965 Riviera chassis/motor for the much superior 1966 

would be prototypically correct?

I've heard that putting the AMT 62 BelAir frame under it is even easier. 

[Superbird McMonte]

The 1970 Riviera was always my favorite! There is a 3D printed one available from Too Many Projects on Facebook. I ordered one and should get it soon. I have all of them from 63-65, 66 and 69.

good luck with the build!

[espo]

This kit looks to be in excellent condition. Great subject and look forward to watching your build. 

[c. jackson]

can't go wrong with that one, i've built a few of them, and it's a great kit. looking forwad to the build.

[TransAmMike]

Looks like a really nice kit Jim and  those Riv's are good sharp lookin' cars.  Will be looking at your progress.

[customline]

12 hours ago, Can-Con said:

Thanks Jim.

Gee, Steve......just had a peek at your Fotki page...your Riv with a couple of small alterations? ? Yeah, right.. That subtle "chop" is pretty darn amazing and , as far as I can tell, the model for a chop that I have in mind. The Galaxy Ltd. '47 Aero. It took me a while to "see" it....but then it hit me. This is how it's done....basically. A few more cuts maybe but basically, this should work for a fastback. I may box up the Riv tonight and break out that Aero kit! No sleep tonight ?

 

[customline]

7 hours ago, espo said:

This kit looks to be in excellent condition. Great subject and look forward to watching your build. 

Yes, Dave, it is. There is little to no flash and the body has almost no parting lines. A couple of sink spots here and there but minor. 

[customline]

14 hours ago, Superbird McMonte said:

The 1970 Riviera was always my favorite! There is a 3D printed one available from Too Many Projects on Facebook. I ordered one and should get it soon. I have all of them from 63-65, 66 and 69.

good luck with the build!

 

12 hours ago, c. jackson said:

can't go wrong with that one, i've built a few of them, and it's a great kit. looking forwad to the build.

 

12 hours ago, TransAmMike said:

Looks like a really nice kit Jim and  those Riv's are good sharp lookin' cars.  Will be looking at your progress.

Thanks for your interest and your comments, guys. 

Dominick, I'd love to see that 3D body!  Be sure to give us a look when you get it (I'm not a facebooker.)

[customline]

I have a few questions ?......concerning the firewall/interior/body....ummm...relationship. ERTL wants me to glue the firewall to the floorboard.  Jimbo wants to glue it to the body shell. Who's gonna win this one? 

[yellowsportwagon]

Just an fyi Robert Burns is doing a 3D printed 70 Riviera body.

[customline]

10 hours ago, yellowsportwagon said:

Just an fyi Robert Burns is doing a 3D printed 70 Riviera body.

Thanks Tim, I'll look I to it.?

[customline]

Some thoughts for today.....I will be removing the scripts to allow me to get a better finish.  Are there any aftermarket decals to replace them? (Not a rhetorical question)  Also, I noticed the intake manifold (which is inaccurate to begin with - compare with photo of actual ) will need detailing between the runners and, as Con-Can pointed out, the non-existant valley cover needs attention.  There are a variety of sink spots and ejector pin marks to be smoothed out, just normal ?. There are a few little fit issues I will try to rectify, among them is the  mating areas at the top of the parking light bezels. The firewall has a minor gap situation where it meets the cowl. I don't usually get this fussy but I'm slowing down on this build. I want to clean up my act a little ?.

Edited March 11, 2022 by customline
Added text

[bisc63]

Wow, those are some nasty sink marks! I have a couple of these in storage, bought when the tool was new, and I don't recall such issues, but this makes me want to dig 'em out and look. Kudos to Can-Con for pointing out the intake error; that would have been easy to overlook!

[Can-Con]

Keith Marks does a decal sheet for the Riviera but I'd recommend the Model Car Garage photoetch sheet instead.