Well, one of the main things that's driven me nuts about the Riviera since I got it has been the chrome grilles on the cowl. The ones that are on it are really nice, except for the fact that they're both missing "teeth". It wouldn't be bad if they were even and symmetrical, but they're from it. The thought of "evening them out" has even crossed my mind, as I've been looking for another set, but finding them chrome, not painted, intact, and not needing to be refinished has been next to impossible. I don't think many people know this, but my little brother Layne (alaskagn) has a '63 Riviera with a '65 front end conversion like mine. It's a really clean car, Blue with blue deluxe interior, road wheels, all power, rear defrost, trunk release, yadayada......but it's a major project. And it came with some gorgeous, chrome, nearly perfect cowl grilles. Well, every year when I'm up there visiting, I give him hell about selling them to me.....every year it's a "no, well maybe, but not now." So a "no". Well, look what showed up in the mail yesterday. My late Christmas present So working on doing a little fine detailing and going to try to get them swapped out this weekend, as its nearly summerlike: 40 today, 37 tomorrow..... So I'm just on the fine steel wool right now, thankfully I also got 12 extra fine tampons. As you know, anything more aggressive just scratches...... So a big thank you to my big little brother! Thanks Layne
I'm sure you know Lucas that the only chrome originally showing was the upper lip. The rest was painted car color, but it was completely chrome underneath.
The tampon thing in your write up had me scratching my head, I thought there was some chrome polishing trick involving female's "plugs" I didn't know about! Haha. Thanks for including the last picture for clarification .... And nice grilles! That's a mighty fine present from your brother!
I was all set to run down to the grocery store and buy some tampons for my Chrome. Good thing you cleared that up for me.
Hahahahaha.....I wish I wouldn't have posted that pic. I can just see it. I could've bought stock in tampax after my "polishing trick" went viral.... No, Tom, I was not aware of that. The only two first gens I've been around long enough to pay attention to the grilles has been mine and my brother's, and apparently they've both had the paint removed. But I do prefer them all chrome on my "custom". As always, you are a great wealth of knowledge and I appreciate you sharing it with me! Going to make finding a replacement set to give back to the brother a LOT easier..... Here's progress so far, I only had a little snowballing effect and am going back together. I brought the cowl in, took the grilles off, and then washed it front and back in the shower, because why wouldn't you? I polished and waxed it while watching tv. Also the grilles are polished. While I had the cowl off, I figured I better paint the screens that go under the shiny chrome grilles, and the panel above the firewall. Doing that also made the hood hinges look crappy, so I painted them as well....painted all the screws and waiting on them to dry. I'm going to polish up the wiper arms and I'll be going back together.....sometimes it sucks being particular, but I'll know it's all done right and you could eat off the bottom of that cowl where no one can see....
They look great Lucas! As if your Riv wasn’t already super sharp. I like getting jobs like this done on good winter days.
Just clean those arms Lucas. They were "brushed" from the factory to help keep down the glare. Same with the original wiper blades. Also the little squirters are adjustable so make sure you can move them NOW before re-assembly. Tom T.
Thanks everybody! Had a bachelor party to go to, but came home and finished up. Did a little finer finish than brushed on the arms, but not quite polished. Finished assembling, laid another coat of wax down, and done. One less thing for tomorrow. Supposed to be close to 50 Wednesday, so maybe I'll get to finish up the trunk.
