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Project Low Rod Update

Our Rivi comes closer to completion with body mods and paint.

It's been a while since we've shown you anything on our "Project Low Rod" '65 Buick Riviera. That's because after discussions with several sources, the owner of the car decided to back up, take a different path and basically start over. For one thing, it no longer has airbags. Opting for a more OG style, Richard from Evergreen Hydraulics in Montebello, California (featured in Hydraulics Hotline, Setup of the Month, April 2003) will be juicing it. The engine has been removed and stored, and renowned lowrider painter Ruben "Buggs" Ochoa has been commissioned to "oversee" the body modifications and do the all-important paint job. Though known for his intricate multicolored graphics, Buggs is equally adept at full body paint.

For more than 30 years, Buggs (a nickname given him because of all of the VWs that he's painted) has produced countless show-winning lowriders. He was featured in LRM back in 1978 in a 12-page write-up and his creations for Imperials Car Club also appeared one of only two lowrider features ever run in Hot Rod magazine. In the '80s, Buggs even produced his own car shows, drawing the cream of the lowrider crop together under one roof.

In this article we'll bring you up to date on the body mods created by Joseph "'50s Joe" Garcia of the Drag-N Shop in Santa Fe Springs, California, including shaved door handles, slightly flared fenders, shaved and filled cowl vents, and opened-up hood vents. To complete the metal mods, Buggs had Robert at California Horse Power (San Dimas, California) shave the firewall.

We'll also show you how Buggs and his crew wet-sanded the Sikkens Colorbuild primer, taped off the car, laid out the roof and trunk for graphics, sprayed the Sikkens Medium Course base and added the "flaked" Sikkens Clear Two topcoat. Buggs chose to use Sikkens brand products because of their quality materials, ease of application and high pigment concentration. "All of Sikkens' products are top quality and easy to use," says Buggs. "For instance, Sikkens primers let you lay down up to six coats which makes the surface smoother, instead of three or four coats like most other brands. And their basecoats and clearcoats only require two coats because of they are so highly concentrated."

Follow the photos and you'll see how far our Rivi has progressed, now that it's found a new direction...and a new director.

  • 1965 Buick Riviera Front Side View Missing Front Bumper
  • 1965 Buick Riviera Rear Side View Missing Rear Bumper
    1. & 2. Since we last saw our Project Low Rod Rivi it's received its share of subtle body mods including shaved door handles and more.
    1965 Buick Riviera Rear Side View Missing Rear Bumper
    1. & 2. Since we last saw our Project Low Rod Rivi it's received its share of subtle body
  • 1965 Buick Riviera Close Up Door Gap
    3. Shaved door handles will make the car look even sleeker.
  • 1965 Buick Riviera Close Up Rear Wheel Well Tucking
    4. Among the tastiest treatments are the "peaked" lower bodylines and slightly flared fenders.
    1965 Buick Riviera Close Up Rear Wheel Well Tucking
    4. Among the tastiest treatments are the "peaked" lower bodylines and slightly flared fend
  • 1965 Buick Riviera Close Up Hood Vent
    5. The cowl vents have been filled and the hood vents opened up.
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    6. Be sure to have all of the needed materials for prepping and painting on hand before starting to work on the car.
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    6. Be sure to have all of the needed materials for prepping and painting on hand before st
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    7. A Sata KLC 8 paint spray gun and Sikkens Colorbuild white primer, activator and hardener were used to prep the body for paint.
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    7. A Sata KLC 8 paint spray gun and Sikkens Colorbuild white primer, activator and hardene
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    8. A variety sanding "blocks" plus 3M 280- and 400-grit sandpaper will be needed.
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    9. After "'50s Joe" primered the body, Juan Vergata first wet-sanded (blocked) the body with a sponge filled with water and 280-grit sandpaper.
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    9. After "'50s Joe" primered the body, Juan Vergata first wet-sanded (blocked) the body wi
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    10. Then the top and trunk were re-primered and wet sanded with 400-grit.
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    11. Next, you'll need brown paper, tape measure and a variety of masking tapes from 1/8 to 3 inches wide.
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    11. Next, you'll need brown paper, tape measure and a variety of masking tapes from 1/8 to
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    12. Begin the graphics by outlining the rear sides and back of the roof with 3/4-inch tape following the natural bodylines.
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    12. Begin the graphics by outlining the rear sides and back of the roof with 3/4-inch tape
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    13. Then lay out the lines for the front and side of the roof with 1/8-inch tape.
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    14. Lay out the trunk lid graphics by first measuring in (10 inches in this case) from the outer edges of the trunk on the passenger side and marking the tape.
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    14. Lay out the trunk lid graphics by first measuring in (10 inches in this case) from the
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    15. Repeat the measuring and marking on the driver's side of the trunk lid.
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    16. Next lay down the outline of the pattern with 1/8-inch tape.
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    17. Mask off everything outside of the graphics area and it's ready for the spray booth.
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    18. In the spray booth, Jesse Del Gado began prepping by first spraying the roof and trunk with Sikkens Wax & Grease Remover.
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    18. In the spray booth, Jesse Del Gado began prepping by first spraying the roof and trunk
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    19. The metal was then wiped with a clean, dry lint-free towel.
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    20. Air and a specially treated "tack rag" were used to blow off and remove any remaining particulate matter from the metal.
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    20. Air and a specially treated "tack rag" were used to blow off and remove any remaining
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    21. Next, Buggs sprayed on two coats of Sikkens Medium Course basecoat and the car was taken to a special facility where the heavy flake topcoat mixed with Sikkens Auto Clear Two was applied.
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    21. Next, Buggs sprayed on two coats of Sikkens Medium Course basecoat and the car was tak
  • 1965 Buick Riviera Rear View Metal Flake Paint
  • 1965 Buick Riviera Side View Metal Flake Roof
    22. & 23. The OG/New Age trunk and roof graphics look clean and custom.
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    Robert at California Horse Power in San Dimas, California, also shaved firewall for a clean look, putting Project Low Rod one step closer to completion.
    0306Lrm Lowrodupdate24 Z
    Robert at California Horse Power in San Dimas, California, also shaved firewall for a clea
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