What did you do to your Reatta today? <ongoing thread>

If the bolts holding the motor assembly to the regulator aren't loose or missing, a new motor is in your future. There are gears inside the motor housing which are probably where the trouble is. Similar to what's in a headlight motor assembly, but the window motor assembly isn't rebuildable.

I concur with Mc_Reatta. My passenger window was afflicted with the partial roll down syndrome (1/4-1/3 before noise). Replaced the lift motor assembly and it fixed the problem. Plan on 2-3 hours start to finish. Review and follow the info over on Ronnie's ROJ site before starting the project.

Today, I installed a new AC blower motor/squirrel cage as the factory original was finally showing (actually speaking) signs of upcoming failure (i.e. tale-tell squealing periodically). Easy project but that bottom screw was a bit of a pain. Figured it was better to replace well before a total freeze-up which could damage the fan control unit.

Don't you people know unless you live in :cool: S. California or the desert :cool: that your cars are doomed and all is vanity??

I have it on good authority all others will be reduced to rusty piles of junk in just a decade or two (if lucky) :eek:

That is unless you keep the Reattas inside and rarely take them out.

(end sarcasm)

You should see my garage. Its the only place I can smoke so I have made sure the area is cooled and heated, well lit with all the things we call a man cave. Now wife wants her car in here.

Oh Yeah. When we got moved in I then said "So where do I have my stuff" . Yours is in the garage". I have a bachelor's pad and no one else I can entertain in there.

Recently completed:

Polished the rear tail light housing, replaced a broken power antenna, replaced torn rear and door speaker cones, replaced failed low oil sensor float

On the list:

Replace failed horn cam, replace sticky horn buttons

Trying to get my 90 coupe ready for its next owner.

Replaced the seat belt buckle. It appears the spring broke inside the mechanism. The buckle is the same in many late model GM's but the strap and covers are wildly different. This item is not available through a dealer or parts house. It's a trip to a salvage yard. Plenty available here although the electrical connection may not match up. Just cut the new buckle out of the salvage car leaving plenty of wire and re-attach the new buckle to your exsisting strap. When I showed the part counter man my part I asked if two dollars was fair and handed him cash and said goodby.

I am looking for information concerning my need to replace my headliner. Car has a sunroof.

i replaced mine with ones from a 89 seville?they were the same other than the caddy emblem.thats all i could find after looking about an hour at the pull a part.

Went to a local ComaCon Convention here in Dallas and found a vender selling straps secured by a GM buckle. These buckle were new and the button replaced with your favorite comic book hero. Upon examining the buckle had to be made on the same old machine that originally produced the GM buckle. It's pressing in the manufacturing is identical to the 80 era seat belt.

These straps were about 5 feet long with an H slide adjuster as seen on suitcase straps. It appears this old machinery is being repurposed.

And you asked who made them and where the buckles came from right?:eek:

And you asked who made them and where the buckles came from right?:eek:

Yes and no. The guy behind the table did not know or did not want to tell. He seemed to know what I was talking about but no answer.

By the way do you know how to remove the trunk key assembly from the rear bumper. I did not see a way into the area from the tail light bar or from the trunk. Mine needs to be replaced as the dust cover has come out.

Think you have to lower the bumper or at least the rear valance to be able to get room to get behind the switch.

Think you have to lower the bumper or at least the rear valance to be able to get room to get behind the switch.

That doesn't sound easy.

Yesterday, took the Reatta out of hiding, and drove over to the local cemetery where the scouts in my boy scout troop put out American flags next to each veterans stone. We do this every year for Memorial Day. It took them about 2.5 hours to set out 1071 flags. The Reatta clearly enjoyed being out in the sunshine for such a patriotic bit of community service. One of the other dads drove his '64 Skylark coupe - which he is restoring. Today my scouts performed the opening and closing flag ceremonies for the annual community Memorial Day service. (This time I drove the Rendezvous tho.)

I decided to clean the garage today. So while the Reatta was parked in the driveway, Skyrat and DirtyBird practiced some low level bombing runs on my trunk. So the car was washed again, and is safely parked in its hanger.

I charged up the battery yesterday. It was flat out dead. It does that when you let it sit for a month. I then cleaned off the rat pee and droppings from the valve covers and took her out for a spin. Then I waxed her up and put her back to bed.

after 2 years, i finally started on my drivers side sash channel going back on the glass repair by taking off the door panel, etc.

the window motor still works fine. but i wish i could find the $$$ to let a body shop do the repairs professionally with rivets instead of screws or nuts & bolts that i would do...

something i'm going to have to "sleep on" before i make a decision - since i have many more "easier" and time consuming repairs to do on the Reatta, '51 Studebaker and '05 Caddy CTS.

Head over to Harbor Freight and buy a riveter. Less than $20.00. Get the one that handles the larger rivets which it comes with. This is a great toll and has many uses around the home and garage. Replace one at a time as you remove the bolts as lining up the motor to the holes are a challenge.

thank you, "Relo". i thought about picking a riveter up from HF when i was going to tackle this project earlier - i think i will do so...

i haven't done anymore on the window since i've had major "yard issues" and fixing my power yard tools to tackle. all is getting done on that "priority", except my chainsaw. it's frozen solid and will get to it later. i'm going to blame it on the ethanol gas for now, and deal with it later.

Bought an "07 Lucerne.

Watching the 2 loaded front calipers in the boxes, in the back of the 90, as the rain filters through the sunroof and windows...I gotto work tomorrow and forever after that...wanna buy some project cars?

I'm Sorry.

Had the headliner replaced. I find myself rubbing the edge with my shoulder as I enter and exit the car. It finally broke down the shell and the material started coming lose. Now looking at replacing the shocks. Any heads ups as to what to expect appreciated.

spray down the bolts and nuts with pb blaster the day before.

Had the headliner replaced. I find myself rubbing the edge with my shoulder as I enter and exit the car. It finally broke down the shell and the material started coming lose. Now looking at replacing the shocks. Any heads ups as to what to expect appreciated.

Instructions for replacing the front and rear struts are on my website Reatta Owners Journal, www.ReattaOwner.com.

Front Strut Replacement Instructions

Rear Strut Replacement Instructions

The best replacements for the struts and with the best available pricing is definitesly on Ronnie's Reatta Store. Don't waste your time searching the web.

Woody

89 MAUI

This week I fixed the remote starter/entry key fob. Bad connection with the small onboard battery, and the plastic key ring loop was badly broken, as in non- existing.

I was also able to polish the oxidized tail light. I used a product meant for polishing metal called Autosol. It was originally discovered as a plastic polish and the results are night and day.

I've also soaked the entire interior in Meguiars vinyl and rubber cleaner and conditioner. most of it now looks brand new. The Meguiars also works wonders on cracked and shrunken rubber seals, so all the door and window seals got a soaking. Wind noise has reduced, but I think more product will be required. I have a friend that soaks old weather stripping in a bucket of this stuff and it all comes out looking crack free and brand new.

Good info on the taillight cleaner. Do they recommend a sealant to protect the plastic. I have tried several products on my other cars headlights but the fogging always come back even with the sealant. Been afraid to try anything on the Reatta. It's my baby.

I just know that as long as it stays polished, water beads right off. It's the sun that causes the oxidation. A friend of mine tells me that clear coating prevents the re-oxidation, but I haven't been brave enough to try it.

Took my Reatta out today just because I hadn't driven it for a couple days. Needed a fix.

I do not recommend using a clear coat on the tail lamp clear lense. I did apply clear coat to the taillamp. It was an aerosol, so likely not the highest quality. But it started to chip off and was a lot of work to sand the remaining clear coat off to be able to polish and wax it back to shiney. I applied the 'synthetic wax' that was included in the 3M headlamp restoration kit.

I DROVE IT FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE I HAD ALL THE E PROM PROBLEMS.OH WHAT A FEELING,ROOF WAS DOWN AND AS USUAL THE CAR WAS TURNING HEADS.

I am going back to Gibson's for more connectors. I already have the SIR connector for bypassing my airbag. I need to go back to get the security bypass connector. I will then put in the correct resistor on these connectors to make them plug and play if I ever need them.

That way if I ever swap out the wheel to a non airbag style I will be ready. Same if I should ever run into a situation where my security no longer recognizes my keys.

I posted more photos of mine and dropped the sale price to $11,000. please go to the for sale section to see the photos.

11,000?must be really nice...

Yes it is. Scored a perfect 400 points at the BCA national at Charlotte in 2012. Only 10,630 miles.

Felt like Biff Tannen in "Back to the Future" Just finished up my second coat of wax...

BTW what is the difference between wax and polish? First coat was polish, second was wax.

Felt like Biff Tannen in "Back to the Future"

Felt like Biff Tannen in "Back to the Future" Just finished up my second coat of wax...

BTW what is the difference between wax and polish? First coat was polish, second was wax.

Polish actually affects the paint/clear while wax sits on top and acts as a protective layer?

Just thinking out loud....

"Now don't con me Biff!"

"Uh, I meant I was just starting the second coat, Mr. McFly!"

Be careful not to get me started with the movie quotes. Can get out of control quickly.

To add something on topic: did an oil change and transmission filter and fluid change on Threatta last night. Hoping to do the same on the 'vert tonight.

KDirk

I finally got to get her out and let her stretch her legs last night!! Went for a leisurely 30 mile hike through the wide open spaces and enjoyed every minute of it!!

Three weeks after having a surgeon remove stage 1 cancer (1/3 of my right lung), I went out to start my '89 and the battery was down considerably but I tried to start the engine anyway. The 3.8 struggled to keep running, it would rise to 2k rpm then drop to 400 then rise to 2k then drop. I turned it off and yesterday I felt up to troubleshooting. Checked fuel pressure - 45 lbs, then removed the MAF & IAC and cleaned them, reassembled and retried to start with no success. Ronnie suggested unplugging the MAF and the engine start running half decently, so now I need a MAF. It appears that with the battery down and I was forcing the engine to start running the MAF must have taken a hit from the alternator.