Hello from Switzerland

Discussion in 'Wet behind the ears??' started by elan71, Nov 16, 2018.

  1. elan71

    elan71 Member

    Hi
    My name is Daniel and I'm from Switzerland.
    I love classic cars. In the past, my favorites where British classic cars. But in these days I found the US cars and I like them more and more. Nothing sounds better then a V8!
    One of my favorites are the 65 Riviera. I hope I will own one in the future. Fantastic design.
    I do most of the car work by myself. I have space and the tools and I like it. I can learn a lot and it refresh my daily business brain, you know...
    I will read a lot here and learn. Thank you.
    Greetings from Switzerland
    Daniel
     
  2. Doo Wop

    Doo Wop Where were you in '62?

    Hi Daniel and welcome from Canada. This is the place for Buicks, hang on and enjoy the ride.
     
    elan71 likes this.
  3. gsfred

    gsfred Founders Club Member

    Welcome aboard from NY.
     
    elan71 likes this.
  4. flynbuick

    flynbuick Guest

    I have experienced the streets of Zurich and the beauty of Lucerne. You live in a great place.
     
    elan71 likes this.
  5. 2001ws6

    2001ws6 last of the v8 interceptors

    Welcome aboard! :cool:
     
    elan71 likes this.
  6. elan71

    elan71 Member

    Hi Erik
    Thank you for your replay. Yes, this is a very nice car. I saw this also on pictures but never live, unfortunatley.
    We have here a lot of US cars shows. More and more. And I bet, it will be even more. Especially here around Zurich, since the tax for classic cars is very cheap with CHF 400, indipendent from the eninge size. In the past big engines where very expensive here.
    Are you living in Switzerland?
     
  7. elan71

    elan71 Member

    Thank you all, very interesting.
    Sebastian is a dreamer, I don't think someone will pay that much.
    The car from Italy looks cool. But without the yellow stripes. I like the factory style and any modification are not my thing.
    The white one looks interesting. Even white is not my favorite collor for a Riv. It tepends how much rust the car have. Could be interesting.
    We have here in Switzerland 2 Riviera vor sell.
    This one:
    http://www.drive-in.ch/cgi-bin/us_anzeigenmarkt/s_anzeige.pl?Markt=d_us_cars&AddNo=41704
    This is one of 454 Riv withthe A8 option, but not a Gran Sport. Interesting car, but in bad condition.
    Is this one really so special? What do you think?

    This one is also interesting:
    https://www.autoscout24.ch/de/hci/d...31cb59fe3a88&frameIndex=0&contextlang=en&r=63
    This one is nice. Not the original engine anymore, but a nice color combo. A little expensive.
    I think I will take a look at this.
    What do you think?

    Go ahead, I f you find something in Europe, let me know. ;-)
    Or US is also no problem for me.....
    Thank you.
    Daniel
     
  8. mrolds69

    mrolds69 "The Cure"

    Welcome from Massachusetts!
     
  9. elan71

    elan71 Member

    Thank you Erik
    Very special color at the UK car. Looks like it is sold....
    interesting anyway...
     
  10. elan71

    elan71 Member

    Hi
    No, not yet.
    It's winter time here and the streets are salty now. I'm not under pressure and if I'm near by I will make a stop there.
    Price is also a little high.

    I also found this one:
    https://premierauctiongroup.com/vehicles/2124/1965-buick-riviera-gran-sport-coupe
    As I see from the bad pictures, the compressor is missing and some other air condition components. Original steering wheel is missing to. Unfortunately, they don't send me any pictures or informations about the numbers. If it's a real Gran Sport, then it could be interesting.
    I'm too far away.....
     
  11. Smokey15

    Smokey15 So old that I use AARP bolts.

    Welcome from west Michigan.
     
  12. elan71

    elan71 Member

    @ Jerry, thank you very much.

    @Erik, because of your input, I took the possibility yesterday to visit the dark red one Riv. I was on the road for business and not so far away from that car.
    I made a lot of pictures. Unfortunately, it was not possible to drive, because of the weather. Wow, it shows me once more the 65 Riviera is such a cool car, unbelievable.
    Yes, I'm interested to buy a 65 Riviera, but I'm not under pressure. Of course, I have a family and they want to discuss as well, you know. My wife says, if I want to buy a new classic, I must sell another one. What a stupid idea. But, what can I say....
    Back to the car I saw yesterday. Honest speaking, the color is not that nice in original as I thought. OK, the car was outside and full of dust. The interieur is like new. Very nice.
    There are a lot of rust bubble at the rear fender below. Some scratches at the passenger door and at the rear right and left fender. Some rust repair was done on the floors.
    The engine is a matching numbers engine, as the transmission is. The engine has a new head from a Gran Sport with the dual carbs. Engine and trans was rebuild in 2012. Air-condition is not working. Radio is not working too. Everything else is working as it should.
    The price includes all rust repair and part paint shop. If I make it by myself, he would give me the car 10 grands cheaper as he is.
    The car was originally a silver car and has now this red paint. This is something I'm not so happy with. I'm an originally guy. I still think, the price for a non-GS Riviera is high in this condition. On the other hand, it is not easy to find a nice one here. I don't know….

    Regarding the Florida, car, I just wrote them another mail for pictures. But no response until now. Well, if someone have time from the board an has know how, it would be cool. If not, I can arrange also an official PPI for the car. I try to find out if this is possible with the auction house. I also don't know, if I must pay an additional fee or not because of an auction house.
    I keep the ball running, but without any pressure.
    Daniel
     
  13. elan71

    elan71 Member

    Hi Erik
    Yes, I am. I have to sell another car which takes time. But, yes, it is the plan to have a 65 Riv sooner or later. I have a car on focus, but I have to sell an old Jag first.
    After I have the money on hand, I will increase my search.
     
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  14. 12lives

    12lives Control the controllable, let the rest go

    welcome!
     
  15. BennyK81

    BennyK81 Well-Known Member

    Daniel..look at this one:

    https://www.autoscout24.ch/6170662


    Try to go for a swiss car wich was built in BIEL. They are much better quality than the US ones (sorry guys) and most often much cared after and quite original. Plus loaded with options.
    People that could afford such a car back then were rather rich and did not race them over here.

    Pretty much every GM Suisse built car I have seen still sports it's original drivetrain

    Grüsse aus dem Aargau
     
  16. BennyK81

    BennyK81 Well-Known Member

    The build quality was better as the cars came in parts and were assembled in switzerland. I think the belgians had a plant as well.

    The same happened with mopar. they were assembled in Schinznach AG wich is very close to me. I did talk to a retired assembly line worker and he told me some stories. They sometimes made new toolings for sheetmetal as the american parts were just inferior and had bad fitment. Happened for Barracuda trunk lids per example.

    Quality expectations were different in the swiss market. And wealthier people thet could afford an american car did not accept bad fitment and so on.

    But the real reason for swiss assembly was some tax thing. Import taxes for whole cars would have been to high...same for canadian built cars.

    Most of the swiss cars were loaded with options but missed AC (all the muscle cars but not the full size cars)

    You know a european built GM muscle when you see it in a meet. it usually has everything power (windows, brakes, steering, power antenna, rear defrost and so on) but lacks air conditioning.

    Plus most of the time the cars were not raced and are very well kept.
    I had a few of those cars and they were all nice and original.
    Biggest mistake: I sold them...

    So my advice is to search for a swiss car...but prices are going crazy recently...

    Benny
     
  17. elan71

    elan71 Member

    Hi Erik, Hallo Benny
    Thanks for the input, but I think this will be an endless discussion about quality here and in the USA. I personally think the situation in each country was complete different. GM cars in the US where cars for everyone, here in Switzerland, the GM cars where luxury and expensive cars. It was not the workers issue, it was a management issue at that time. I agree with Benny, if you sell an expensive car here in Switzerland, the car must be perfect. The workers in Switzerland knew very well that GM was a big employer in the region. And they also had to explain and consolidate their existence.
    I think the quality different was not that big at the time.
    Here is an interesting article about the production numbers:
    https://www.aebicollection.ch/oldtimer/autos/general-motors-bienne/
    It's in German, but if you use Chrome browser you can translate it easy. At the end of the side you see a table, and the table shows the production quantities for different GM brands. And you see on 1965 there where no Buicks build at Biel Switzerland. So all 65 Rivieras imported to Switzerland where complete cars from USA and just modified to fulfil Swiss regulations.

    @BennyK81
    I have inspect the red one. He is a nice car but need some body work. The original color was silver. The car is imported from Germany. I haven't seen a 65 Riv with the Suisse badge on it until today. I saw a Camaro last Year. I think it is impossible to find a 65 Riviera GS here in Switzerland, even in Europe.

    @Erik
    The white one is very nice. But if I take the hard work importing a car from USA to Switzerland, it must be a GS. There is a white one at "Bring a Trailer" which is very interesting. Wondering where the price will end. I have a nice black GS from a board member here which is my favorit....
     
  18. flynbuick

    flynbuick Guest

    Are the headlight doors operational?
     
  19. elan71

    elan71 Member

    Thanks, Erik
    Well, I see a lot of work on this.... I don't know....
     
  20. elan71

    elan71 Member

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