http://v8tvshow.com/content/blogcategory/25/75/ Should be interesting! I want to know what they're planning on doing to the suspension. Mercedes interior? Late modle supercharged powerplant?
I'm not really sure. There was a post a month or so ago by someone that works with them that explained about it: http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?t=137485&highlight
Hey guys, We're looking forward to the '68 Riv. We haven't started on the car yet, but we've been accumulating parts. Here's the plan - I still have to be vague bacause some choices are not finalized... 468 (or so) Buick motor Aluminum heads Aluminum intake EFI - using late model GM stuff... we're thinking about using a junkyard GM GEN III computer, LS1 edit, changing the firing order, and building a whole EFI system for a couple hundred bucks... Possible forced induction Overdrive trans Disc brakes (Scarebird brackets) Swaybars Boxed suspension Slightly dropped springs Bigger wheels Updated lighting The car will be very subtle to look at, mostly stock in appearance. Benz seats, a few other interior tricks. We hope to get moving on this project after the SEMA show, maybe in mid November or so. - Kevin Oeste
Hey Kevin! I'm not sure if you remember, but back when you had your Riv you and I emailed several times. I bought that special suspension mag you put out where you redid the brakes and suspension on your Riv. After you grenaded the rear I suppose you lost interest because I believe you went with a convertible galaxie?? I saw it in HR mag. Glad to see you back with a Riv. PLEASE drop a 455 into it!?!? 500 HP is like falling off a log with TA's heads (or ported edelbrocks - see Gessler Head Porting) and fat exhaust. And reliable too. You're gonna need torque to move that beast. Mine has 450 HP without trying too hard. Either way, I'm curious as to how you'll handle the 2 piece propeller shaft. See my webpage... the rear section is 2 pieces that easily twist and put the shaft out of phase, creating a wicked vibration. Glad to see you surface, my friend. I followed your moves as best I could through Hot Rod TV and the mag and all. And welcome to v8buick!!! Consider joining the BPG and come get hammered at our nationals in August in Ohio!
Guess I should have read your entire post, Kevin... glad to see the 468! Yes, I'm curious about what you do with the shaft. PM me so we can talk. I'll give you my cell. I've been through ALL this! I can save you a lot of time, money and aggravation. I replaced the rear section with a single piece, stopping that section from spinning out of phase. Still a 2 piece shaft with all the CV joints, but at least the drive shaft is stable. And the carrier bearings only go 2 or 3 years with that much power behind them. Just an FYI. As for the brakes... I'm not satisfied with the scarebird conversion. I'm not knocking scarebird! The kit was great (one weld broke on one of the nuts, though), but I am using the 69 Riv disc brake master cylinder and Skylark hold-off valve and the pedal is very low and stopping power not very good. Replaced all the hoses and rear wheel cylinders and hardware and still unhappy with the pedal. I also have to push with ALL my might to keep it from creeping through the staging beams at a little over 2000 RPM. I'll replace the drum booster this winter with a disc one and I'll report back. Sway bars from Year One are great! Again, see my page as to how to modify the rear control arms to make the bar really fit. see you later!
Oh, as for intakes... the Edelbrock Performer and B4B are the only ones that allow hood clearance. Suggestion... completely mill down the center divider and port the snot out of a B4B. Speak with Gary Paine (Greatscat on the board here). I use his old B4B that he ported back in the 70's and I swear it is the reason my car runs so well. The divider is milled down and he really hogged out the runners.
Hey Yardley! I do remember - that was quite a while ago. Your Riv project is very cool. Great numbers - we're hoping for high 12's with a smooth running idle. How does yours run? As for the brakes, you need to get a Hydroboost. We put 'em on everything. Hydratech braking is the source we use... they'll make ANYTHING stop. We had nothing but problems with our Galaxie - and it was a 4-wheel disc car... tried different pads, boosters, masters, prop valves, you name it. Threw the Hydroboost on the car and it stops like crazy. Really. It's awesome. We're putting one on the '68, you can follow the process on the web when we get there. OK, we're finishing a car for the SEMA show over the next 2 days, so I gotta run. I'll try to catch up with you later on... thanks again for the info, and I'll be tapping you for insight along the way. - Kevin Oeste
I love it! :TU: Just be on notice......if you change your mind and switch to Chebby power I'm going to hunt you down! :blast: A note on the driveshaft........the '66 uses a solid piece for the rear half, that's what I'm using in mine. :Smarty:
No Chevy power for this one... I like the fact that we can apply some new tricks to the Buick motor and make great power in a slick sled. It's going to be a cool project. The driveshaft will be interesting... we have a scheme to swap to a 1-piece. We'll keep you posted. - KO
This I have to see... when the rear suspension travels up and down how will the 1-piece shaft move up and down through the box in the X-frame and not make contact with it? Keep us posted. We'll all be watching that with eagerness. Hope you can show us something new. And I'll be googling Hydroboost asap. Thanks KO!
OK, KO (hee hee)... what application will you use from Hydratech? Of course they don't list a Riv application. Can you give me some insight???? Thanks!
We're planning on doing a little cutting on the x-frame and a little reinforcing here and there... not a cage or anything, just to clearance the shaft, and to add a little torsional regiditiy to the x-frame. Hydratech has a "universal" kit which fits, well, universally... the only real fitment issue is the footprint of the boost unit on the firewall. Seeing that most GMs are the same, I think an A body piece might actually work pretty well. If not, I know we can get Hydratech to make the correct base for Rivs... and I'm sure a bunch of interest would help the process. Here's our install from another project: http://v8tvshow.com/content/view/125/73/ Talking about the Riv is getting me jazzed about it... it's been since 1991 that I've wanted to build this car!
I know... I've blown up 3 of them over the years. This car has a 3:42 posi that seems to be in pretty good shape. However, if it goes, (or should I say "when"), I'll fab a 9" for it and be done with it. They're cheap, easy, fixable, strong, and have every gear, diff, and brake combo available.
I spoke with Chip at Hydratech today... they actually have a kit that will bolt in to a Riv. They've done them before but just don't list it on the webpage. $695 is steep, though. Chip thinks my low/weak pedal is booster related, so I'm trying to find a new booster and swap it out (not easy!! NAPA by me says Cardone in Philly is out of stock with no estimate when they'll get any in...). Pep Boys says they can get one but can't tell me if it is a Delco or Bendix unit, or if it is anodized - they say it is black, which ain't gonna fly for me. We'll see.
Alot of people will tell you that the rear in these cars is bullet proof, but back in high school my buddy broke 2 or 3 of them in his '70, and I replaced the one that was in my '66 proactively when it started getting loud. 'Course, back then you just had to make a trip to any yard to get one. Those experiences have always been in the back of my mind ever since. ray: I have enjoyed your website! I look forward to following these projects.
I understand it's not cheap, but considering that a new vacuum boosted can be a couple hundred bucks, and then you may still have marginal braking even with a new booster. The hydro will improve your brakes like crazy, and with hi-po brake kits going for 2, 3, 8k... it's not that outrageous. We went thorough 4 vacuum boosters on the Galaxie... plus the time, master cyls, etc... the hydro was a great deal at that point. The car stops awesome.
