That speedo reminds me of our 1971 Arctic Cat Panther Snowmobile.. It was fast as shit, but it had a reading of like, plus or minus 40 haha. All the same, nice video!
I have a '63 GM. If your tranny is a slim jim like mine, you DEFINITELY don't want to abuse it like that. They're rare, expensive to rebuild and quite weak by design.
Jeez, aren't there enough 5.0 Mustangs out there for people who wanna drive like this?
Yes, I'm refering to the Roto-hydromatic transmission , like the one in my car. I really don't know if they put them in Riv's, but they used them in '63 @GM. It's nicknamed the "Slim Jim." It's a weak unit.
Sorry if my comment came off as bossy...rereading I think it did. I didn't mean for it to. It's just that I had my transmission rebuilt and it was expensive ($1500 Amer.), I'd hate for that to happen to you. If you have a turbo-hydro, then they're much more durable. Your car is nice!
The tranny in '63 Rivieras is a Twin-Turbine Dynaflow, its a 1 gear drive with a torque converter. If maintained properly its fine doing something like this once in a while, as long as you don't shift low to drive under load, that *will* break it 75% of the time. But it isn't all that fast accelerating, and will slow its self down at times to "reset" its self. Under normal driving it isn't noticeable, but trying to launch will show the problem. (cont. below)
In 1964 Buick replaced the T-T D. with their version of the TH400 the Super Turbine 400, due to a different than expected market buying the cars. (Instead of businessmen they had hotrodders.)
The Riv was an example of the market for what became muscle cars.
So, I recommend putting in a TH400 (relatively cheap and easy with a adapter kit) or the Buick ST400 if you have money to convert the drive train over to 64 specs (expensive, and hard to find parts).
Tranny = transmission. The Slim Jim is the shittiest transmission ever made, and the Oldsmobiles and Pontiacs had them in 1963, but the Buicks didn't. They had Dynaflows, which were way better than the POS Slim jim. I used to have a '64 Olds with the Slim Jim, so I feel The Canine's concern. However, the Buick was a beefy car with a nice, big Nailhead V8. If it's in good shape, it can take it, so why not haul ass?
The Nailhead V-8 replaced the Buick's Straight 8 in the early 50s. The original 322 ci produced 235 bhp. That's what powered Brodrick Crawford's Highway Patrol Century in 1955. The 364 ci came along in in 1957 producing 300 bhp. The 401ci version produced 325 bhp standard or 335 hp with dual quads (rare). The 425 was the last nailhead with either 340 or 360 bhp. The 430 ci. in 1967 was a totally new design producing 360 bhp from a single 4-bbl carb. It breathed easier than the Nailhead.
Buick did not share the Hydramatic used by the other divisions. It used essentially a gear-free transmission (there was a gear for reverse) Buick developed during WWII for tank transaxles. The original was called a "Dynaflow" which used cacaded torque converters instead of gearing. By the 60s, it was referred to a "Twin Turbine". To get the passing kickdown, it "Switched the Pitch" of the torque converter blades. Those in the know knew how to "brake torque" it for a quick start off the line.
I have a 64 rivi, dash looks the same. it uses a th400 trans...bout a 600$ rebuild
nugtown3 8 months ago
That speedo reminds me of our 1971 Arctic Cat Panther Snowmobile.. It was fast as shit, but it had a reading of like, plus or minus 40 haha. All the same, nice video!
onlyrock1 9 months ago
God I love the gauges in old cars! Something about the engines too. Just being so massive and low compression =D
lawnkit22 1 year ago
@lawnkit22 this engine has 10.25:1 compression ration. pretty high
leonator134 8 months ago
did the wobbly speedo come standard
RAJSTA81 1 year ago
That is one sexy sounding engine. 401 or 425?
tristanduff 1 year ago
was that 0-60, in 6 or 7 seconds?
MrBruceleo1 2 years ago
I have a '63 GM. If your tranny is a slim jim like mine, you DEFINITELY don't want to abuse it like that. They're rare, expensive to rebuild and quite weak by design.
Jeez, aren't there enough 5.0 Mustangs out there for people who wanna drive like this?
TheCanine2 2 years ago
what are you talking about dude, tranny???????
omi53 2 years ago
Yes, I'm refering to the Roto-hydromatic transmission , like the one in my car. I really don't know if they put them in Riv's, but they used them in '63 @GM. It's nicknamed the "Slim Jim." It's a weak unit.
Sorry if my comment came off as bossy...rereading I think it did. I didn't mean for it to. It's just that I had my transmission rebuilt and it was expensive ($1500 Amer.), I'd hate for that to happen to you. If you have a turbo-hydro, then they're much more durable. Your car is nice!
TheCanine2 2 years ago
@TheCanine2
The tranny in '63 Rivieras is a Twin-Turbine Dynaflow, its a 1 gear drive with a torque converter. If maintained properly its fine doing something like this once in a while, as long as you don't shift low to drive under load, that *will* break it 75% of the time. But it isn't all that fast accelerating, and will slow its self down at times to "reset" its self. Under normal driving it isn't noticeable, but trying to launch will show the problem. (cont. below)
Ranger01 1 year ago
Comment removed
Ranger01 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@Ranger01
In 1964 Buick replaced the T-T D. with their version of the TH400 the Super Turbine 400, due to a different than expected market buying the cars. (Instead of businessmen they had hotrodders.)
The Riv was an example of the market for what became muscle cars.
So, I recommend putting in a TH400 (relatively cheap and easy with a adapter kit) or the Buick ST400 if you have money to convert the drive train over to 64 specs (expensive, and hard to find parts).
Ranger01 1 year ago
@omi53 You seriously dont know what a tranny is? transmission?
mopar43v3r 1 year ago
@omi53 as in transmission
icouldntmakeupaname2 1 year ago
@omi53 transmission
Supergungun 1 year ago
@omi53 Tranny as in Transmission
form109 1 year ago
@omi53 tranny=transmission
corvettels9 1 year ago
@omi53
Tranny = transmission. The Slim Jim is the shittiest transmission ever made, and the Oldsmobiles and Pontiacs had them in 1963, but the Buicks didn't. They had Dynaflows, which were way better than the POS Slim jim. I used to have a '64 Olds with the Slim Jim, so I feel The Canine's concern. However, the Buick was a beefy car with a nice, big Nailhead V8. If it's in good shape, it can take it, so why not haul ass?
herbalpertandtheTJB 1 year ago
The Nailhead V-8 replaced the Buick's Straight 8 in the early 50s. The original 322 ci produced 235 bhp. That's what powered Brodrick Crawford's Highway Patrol Century in 1955. The 364 ci came along in in 1957 producing 300 bhp. The 401ci version produced 325 bhp standard or 335 hp with dual quads (rare). The 425 was the last nailhead with either 340 or 360 bhp. The 430 ci. in 1967 was a totally new design producing 360 bhp from a single 4-bbl carb. It breathed easier than the Nailhead.
MichaelJGrant 2 years ago
Buick did not share the Hydramatic used by the other divisions. It used essentially a gear-free transmission (there was a gear for reverse) Buick developed during WWII for tank transaxles. The original was called a "Dynaflow" which used cacaded torque converters instead of gearing. By the 60s, it was referred to a "Twin Turbine". To get the passing kickdown, it "Switched the Pitch" of the torque converter blades. Those in the know knew how to "brake torque" it for a quick start off the line.
MichaelJGrant 2 years ago
2 gears?? automatic?
stalkerpro1 2 years ago
my old 73 opel Rekord D would also flick a bit the spedometer, but not like that, I only got that from the RPM counter
eldorado303 2 years ago
is that got the 430 nailhead?
maplelaffs 2 years ago
430 isn't a nailhead. It shares the wildcat name with them but the biggest stock nail was a 425, and they stopped making them in '66.
butcherChrist 2 years ago
@butcherChrist .I like my 430 more than my 401 I think ..
greenelectra 1 year ago
1963 or 1964?
RudyTbigRV 2 years ago
Nice run dude. Buick FTMFW!!!!
Halogen360 3 years ago 3
wow thats a really responsive speedo haha
car seems fast as hell, way better than my 97 4cyl 2.0L plymouth breeze auto haha
ddelz01 3 years ago 9
Nice car, love the Riviera's! What year is yours?
copo427zl1 3 years ago
Relax. You have a nice car.
chompychomps 3 years ago 4
Hooray, 2-speed transmission! XD Nice vid dude, very vintage.
Connor2K1 3 years ago
You laughing & sound of the engine makes this movie nice for me ;-)
staniszow 3 years ago
Those are some cool old gauges. Gotta love that wobbly speedometer too!
Shintsu2 4 years ago 14