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Need '88-89 documentation


Barney Eaton

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A new Reatta owner on the East coast called the other day wanting to know how to get the hub caps off. After we talked for a while I figured out he had a 1988 (900870) with steel wheels and the Buick style wire wheel covers.

These are the covers that the center pops out and there is a security bolt that holds the wheel cover to the rim.

He also said they had the "R" emblem, turns out it is a Riviera emblem.

Yesterday he sent me a photo of the decal that is on the spare tire cover and it shows how to take off the wire wheel covers.

I think the clue is the car outline that shows the jacking instructions.... it looks like a Riviers.

Putting all these clues together, I believe someone and sometime traded the Reatta aluminum rims for Riviera rims and wire hub caps.

In addition, since they also put the Riviera spare tire cover in the Reatta showing the instructions for removing the wire covers, I am leaning toward a dealer change when the car was new.

I can imagine a regular customer seeing this new Reatta on the showroom floor and telling the salesman he will buy it if they put wire wheels (covers) on it from the Riviera that is also sitting in the showroom.

Swap wheels and tires and the customer is happy and the dealer may have pocketed some extra cash..........

My question, does anyone with a 1988 or maybe a '89 have a spare tire cover with the same pictures as in the photo attachment? What does your '88 spare tire cover look like?

post-30596-143138762607_thumb.jpg

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Padgett is correct in that if the 86 - 88 Riviera came with steel wheels and either full covers or wire wheel covers, then they would have been 14". If the 86 - 88 Riviera came with aluminum wheels, then they would have been 15".

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Riviera 89-93 steel wheels were stock/no extra cost and increased to 15". Non stock/extra cost options were available in 15", and in 92-93 an additional 16" option. The 16" option looked almost identical to the Reatta 16".

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