Former Regal GS owner, LOVE THE RIVIERA, plenty of pics

I put a deposit down on the car over a month and a half ago but since my financial aid check took so long to get in i just picked it up Thursday. Its a 97 SC Riviera with everything except heated seats. Gots 68k on it and only had 2 owners before me so Im sure ill have alot better luck with this than the 210k 9 owner Regal its replacing. For now all its got is 20% tint and will be modding as the money comes. Got it for $3200 cash add in inspection/tax/title/registraion and it came out to $3520. I think i got a pretty good deal.

Plans:
-Professionally wetsanded/buffed, debagded, tinted tails/side markers, paint the bottom grey plastic black ($400 a decent price?)
-Blacked out headlights (hoped to be the first be DeMonte already beat me to it)
-DDM 55watt 8000k HIDs (already ordered)
-Dual 3.5" exhaust on both sides (anybody got links to some decent ones that wont rust??)
-Custom chrome grill (doing today)
-Powdercoated (match the paint) C5 calipers in front, crossdrilled/slotted rotors F/R
-Paint hard plastic on the interior black
-Full dark burlwood dash kit
-Green LED for floor lights, white leds for all other 198/921 bulbs
-Pioneer D3, xtant 1001x (1600rms), xtant 604x (100rmsx4), PG RSD 6.5" comps front and rear
-Viper SST remote starter/security system
-SSAC Headers
-3.5 pulley with tune
-Aeroforce gauge in drivers door air vent
-20" chrome wheels (gonna hold off until i get a decent set that dont weight a ton)
-Sequential Tails

^^^^That and whatever else catchs my attention lol anyways on to the pics

Yeah, I think you got a damn good deal. I paid 2800 for a 95 with twice the miles.

nice buy! that wheel cover goes perfect with your interior.

Did you say you want to Paint hard plastic on the interior black? I dont know what that would look like but i think it looks cool the way it is.

basically the door panels (not the soft leather part), dash, centerconsole and the hard plastic side panels in the backseat. Ive done this in on of my old cars (91 5.0 cougar) and it turned out looking like factory. As long as you use a good vynle paint and do your prepping right it turns out great and lasts.

That would leave the seats, carpet, headliner a pilars grey and the rest would be black. With a dark woodgrain kit i think it'll look pretty good.

very nice clean riv you got there.
one thing i wanted to comment on for your mod list is the "Professionally wetsanded/buffed"

are you wetsanding and having parts repainted? or is the paint just oxidized? i would first try a clay and wax to see if it improved the look of the paint. i wouldnt waste your money on "professionals" to do something you can do in your driveway with some time and know-how. i work at a detail shop and there isnt much that a good clay and cheaner wax wont take care of.(if that doesnt do it, then it likely needs new paint)
if the paint is smooth, but has swirls then you will need to take it to a good shop to have them buff it. most dealerships will swirl up paint bad on used cars. expect to pay $200+ for a full detail and $110+ for just the outside to be done right.

other than that, nice buy

Are you sure the C5 calipers will bolt up to the Riv?

Welcome!

I would expect a rubbing compound/glaze to do anything you might be able to do with a wet-sand... but it depends how bad things really are.

dual 3.5" exhaust sounds like total overkill. the dump from the headers is only 3"!

Welcome...god this car is clean from everywhere O_o

Saw your post over on RegalGS. Love the wheels on that car. Very nice!!!

nice riv man!

Thanks for the compliments and Im really glad i crossed over to the Riviera. Dont get me wrong I loved the regal but it kinda blew me to have a hooked up version of the Century that i see at least 20 times a day.

Ive only seen maybe a 5-6 Rivieras in the past month and none of them where anywhere near as clean so my car really stands out lol

Jack Im pretty sure that if the Fbodys bolt up (with tapping the mounting bolts) than the C5 setup should work, at leas thats how it is on the regal but ill have to look more into it.

Derek i DEFINETLY wouldnt put dual 3.5" exhaust i meant just the tips lol i hate the exhaust sound of 3800s and personally feel like exhaust wouldnt suit this car

Body wise whoever had the car before me must of washed it with a coarse dish sponge because theres alot of fine scratches that polishing and waxing couldnt take care of. I spoke to the body shop on the phone and explained it and he said he'd buff it and do whatever else he thinks it would need once he sees the car.

BTW guys for the inteior it wasnt nearly as clean i just spent 2-3hours with a couple cans of Blue Magic (from Advance auto parts or pep boys) carpet shampoo and spot stain remover and used their vynle cleaner and conditioner for the seats. Plan on buying a 10-20 pack of clean towels and you can literally take 12 years of stains and dirt right off your seats/carpet.


Also got the 1/8th chrome grill thing done and its definetly worth the 2hrs. Completely changes the front end of the car and looks like a factory job for $14

Looks nice. I envy your clean engine bay. Mine hasn't looked like that in a long time.


Sounds like you have a good plan for it. Good luck with it!

DEMonte1997 wrote:

Saw your post over on RegalGS. Love the wheels on that car. Very nice!!!

DITTTO

Good work on the cleanup! It's very nice looking.

Glad to hear about the exhaust, 'whew!