RaverReatta Official Project Thread

Hello! Welcome to my official project car thread! I am turning a 1990 Reatta Coupe into a street legal race car. It may sound odd, but I like to endeavor into territory that is unexplored. Hopefully, it all will turn out well!! Anyway, this first post will act as my "up to date" headline page and will change as I make progress, come up with ideas, buy new goodies, take more pictures, etc. Enjoy!!

To Bring Any Curious New Readers Up To Date (Skip If You Already Know What I've Done So Far)

Green Text = Most Recent Progress

1. Bought a barely running worn-down Bright Red/Gray 1990 Reatta
   
2. By some miracle I got it home
   
3. Cleaned it up
   
4. Battery drained and car wouldn't start
   
5. Replaced Battery, same thing happened (This is where I figured out I had an electrical drain)
   
6. Replaced Spark Plugs with Denso Iridium
   
7. Replaced Plug Wires
   
8. Replaced Magnavox OEM Ignition with Delco Ignition from a 2002 Pontiac Bonneville
   
9. Replaced Crank Position Sensor
   
10. Radiator sprung a leak and melted some things (thankfully not my wires, not so thankfully... my front 2 tires)
    
11. Replaced radiator and tires
    
12. Drove the Reatta around a little bit, but still faced the battery drain
    
13. Brakes started to quit
    
14. Parked it in the driveway
    
15. Removed plastic trim and painted over the chrome
    
16. Painted the plastic engine cover (Had extra paint, so why not?)
    
17. Removed the whole interior except for the driver's seat, the pedals, and the steering wheel
    
18. Removed some unnecessary things from the engine bay (Wiper system, etc.)
    
19. Drove it around some more
    
20. Brakes completely quit
    
21. Replaced calipers and pads (no such luck)
    
22. Removed the "Teves System" master cylinder and pump thingy, front calipers, pads, rotors
    
23. Brake Lights and Turn Signals stopped working
    
24. Obtained Master Cylinder and Booster from 2000+ Buick LeSabre
    
25. Obtained a floor-mount Emergency Brake from a 1988 Cavalier
    
26. Supposedly fixed the Battery Drain somehow
    
27. Removed Fuses to unnecessary systems
    
28. Removed Pedal E-brake
    
29. Got Master Cylinder and Booster ready to mount to chassis
    
30. Removed Airbag and Horn Assembly
    
31. Car would not start
    
32. Fixed Issue with a bad parking light relay (whining)
    
33. Unplugged SIR Circuit wire to Override Anti-Theft System
    
34. Car started running again
    
35. Got materials to make new brake lines
    
36. Started testing out Coilover Kits (Godspeed Springs, QA1 Sleeves so far)
    
37. Bought 5x115 to 5x114.3 Wheel Adapters
    
38. Bought TSW Jarama wheels for $350 from friend
    
39. Ordered and Received Integra Front Lip
    

... and that brings us to where we are now!

Other Upcoming Modifications (Wish List)

(This list will probably change slightly over time depending on interests, knowledge of the car, and budget, but here is a basis of my future plans)

Red Text = Things I Changed My Mind On

Blue Text = Things I Succeeded In Doing

• General Improvement (belts, hoses, cleanup, etc.)
  
• Finishing up the Brake System (Braided Flexline, Master Cyl. and Booster, Floor-mount E-brake)
  
• Adapting hubs to 5x114.3 bolt pattern
  
• New Wheels and Tires (Enkei RPF-1 18"x8" Wheels and Falken Tires)
  
• Moulding and casting aluminum doors and fenders
  
• Converting headlight bulbs to bulb housings
  
• HID headlight conversion
  
• Converting tail-light assembly to LEDs
  
• Custom Toggle Switch Headlight Switch Found Twilight Sentinel Headlight Switch
  
• LED Bars Inside Tail Light
  
  • Recon Accessories: "Xtreme" Amber Scanning Tailgate Light Bars
    

  [*]Custom Turn Signal Switch

  [*]Replace Non-working Digital Instrument Panel

  [*]Getting a Lightweight Engine Block made

  [*]Total Engine Rebuild

  [*]Cold-Air Intake

  [*]Better exhaust Pipe Layout

  [*]High-flow Catalytic Converter

  [*]Dual Exhaust

  [*]Turbocharging (single turbo, front-mount intercooler)

  [*]Swapping out Automatic Transmission for Getrag-282 5-speed Manual Transmission

  • 88 Olds Trofeo Supercharged 5-speed
    

  [*]Carbon-fiber or Aluminum hood w/ inlet

  [*]Cutting front springs (or replacing with coilovers)

  [*]Converting Rear Suspension to MacPherson Strut Assembly (or replacing with coilovers)

  [*]Tuning the ECU to my preferred specifications

  [*]Roll-cage

  [*]Rhino-lining interior metal surfaces

  [*]Rhino-lining the engine bay

  [*]Racing Seats and Harnesses, Pedals, Steering Wheel

  [*]A New Paint Job

  [*]Aluminum Front-Lip Spoiler

  [*]Painting engine embellishments to match exterior color

Reatta Goodies for Sale

88-89 CRT (do not know if it works or not)

88-89 Digital Dash (also do not know)

88-89 Windshield Wiper button (same)

88-89 Hood Emblem

The BUICK letters off the tail-light assembly

90-91 Digital Dash (Does not work, warning lights light up, but nothing else)

90-91 Headlight Button (Does not work)

If anyone wants to buy any of it just private message me an offer!

"9 Radiator sprung a leak and melted some things (thankfully not my wires, not so thankfully... my front 2 tires)"

If you don't mind could you elaborate on item #9 a little more. How the radiator leak melted the front tires is bound to be an interesting story that I would love to hear.

"9 Radiator sprung a leak and melted some things (thankfully not my wires, not so thankfully... my front 2 tires)"

If you don't mind could you elaborate on item #9 a little more. How the radiator leak melted the front tires is bound to be an interesting story that I would love to hear.

Haha oh man... that's a good one to elaborate on...! One of the previous owners apparently decided to use good 'ol pink bubble gum (blackened and hardened over time) to plug a hole in the side of the radiator. Anyway, after maybe about a month of me having the car, the bubble gum magic had worn off and hot fluid sprayed out onto some of the plastic in the engine bay, as well as my wiring harness, and the back of my tires. The wheel center caps melted and fell off, clanging on the ground, and I watched the front of my car slowly sink downward as the tires deflated. I just kind of sat there staring at the bubble gum with a really discontented and confused look until it was cool enough to deal with, and that is the story of #9.

Haha oh man... that's a good one to elaborate on...! One of the previous owners apparently decided to use good 'ol pink bubble gum (blackened and hardened over time) to plug a hole in the side of the radiator. Anyway, after maybe about a month of me having the car, the bubble gum magic had worn off and hot fluid sprayed out onto some of the plastic in the engine bay, as well as my wiring harness, and the back of my tires. The wheel center caps melted and fell off, clanging on the ground, and I watched the front of my car slowly sink downward as the tires deflated. I just kind of sat there staring at the bubble gum with a really discontented and confused look until it was cool enough to deal with, and that is the story of #9.

Sounds like your car was owned by an old time farmer who could fix anything using chewing gum and bailing wire. This was before duck tape came on the scene of course.

looking forward to hearing more about your project in the future!

don't forget to add pics!!!

The Brake Project

Great news today!! The master cylinder and booster assembly is here, so tomorrow I begin the installation of my new brake system and getting the measurements for the new lines. I've also ordered some fittings and tees ahead of ordering the lines.

After contacting Wilwood, and receiving a response e-mail that practically said "we don't want to help you figure out what you need, we just want you to figure it out yourself and pay us" I decided to ditch the idea of buying from them. To begin with, I will be soaking my calipers, rotors, and hubs in CLR to remove rust and assure the piston moves properly, and then using them. If the OEM brake system does not satisfy me I will consider buying calipers and rotors from a different company.

The Electrical Drain (Solved?)

Also, my electrical drain seems to have completely disappeared after taking out the Teves system and removing fuses to the things that no longer need power (i.e. the radio, wipers, antenna, cigarette lighter, etc.) I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it really is resolved, rather than just an intermittent problem, but after over a week of consistent starts, it is definitely looking promising.

Tail Light Issue (Still Unsolved)

As for the brake light/turn signal issue, I removed the tail light housing earlier, encountering 6 wasp nests and several wasps, which is scary for me since I am deathly allergic to their sting :/, but I found that a few of the bulbs on the... very christmas-light-esque... strand looked to be burned out. I will temporarily replace the bulbs I suppose, but this gave me an idea for a future modification! I plan on buying one or two truck tailgate LED bars and putting them inside the taillight housing to replace the bulb strand. Not only will it look cool, but it will be a lot easier to maintain. It won't be fun to figure out the wiring though. If replacing bulbs doesn't work, I might need to buy a new turn signal lever.

Idea for LED bars: Recon Accessories: "Xtreme" Amber Scanning Tailgate Light Bars

Change of plans on the analog gauges

After thinking long and hard about it, one of the coolest features of the Reatta is the crazy digital things that one would not expect to see in a pre-2000's vehicle. Not only is it cool, but it also plugs right up without having to rewire or fool with sensors, etc. So, I will be buying a new digital instrument panel ASAP. Does anyone have a working 1990 Digital Instrument Panel for sale? (I have seen them on eBay for ~$160). I would be interested in sending my non-working one to you, if you refubish them, in exchange for a reasonable price!

3-way Toggle Switch Headlight Switch

I would like to wire up a 3-way toggle switch for the headlights.

Bottom Position - All lights off

Middle Position - Parking Lamps on

Top Position - Headlights/Taillights on (I removed the fog lights so those will be out of the equation)

I could use some advice on how to do this and what exact wires I would need to use. (1990)

A Little Ingenuity Could Go A Long Way

It may seem a silly idea, but I and my friends are saving up all of our aluminum cans in order to melt them down when it comes time to make doors, fenders, a hood, and a trunk lid for my Reatta. I'll be making moulds of each of these parts and may consider mass-producing for "special order"!! Therefore, if anyone ever wanted to replace their easily cracked plastic fenders, heavy hood, heavy doors, etc. with lightweight metal, I might end up being a source for that!!

Problems!!!

9/14/2013

I'll do a writeup on yesterday's progress later on, but as for now. I've run into one heck of an issue and need some help figuring it out.

At the beginning of the day yesterday the car started just fine. I did not make any changes to any of my systems, unplug anything, etc. aside from removing my wipers and wiper motor, so nothing should have changed if I'm not mistaken. At the end of that day the car would not start. Battery was fine, I could hear my fuel pump when I partially turned the key, it has gas in it, fuses are not blown, the crank position sensor is fairly new, However, I could hear a ping/click from the area that the car computer is in (don't know if that is normal or not), and the ignition was not clicking. Today I went out to the car (after charging the battery just in case) and attempted to start it. No such luck, and this time I'm getting a constant buzzing from... I hate to sound ignorant, but I don't know what the part is but I'm pretty sure it is a part of my fuel system. Anyway, I have attached a video with audio showing my dilemma. Please help! Perhaps the ECM OR BCM could be the problem? New Ignition? I don't know.

Buzzing Sound SOLVED: Turns out it was the relay for the right front parking lamp turn signal inside the Relay Center!! Thanks NCReatta

Ignition Not Reacting SOLVED: Removing the Airbag/Horn assembly caused VATS (Vehicle Anti Theft System) to not let the car start. I unplugged the SIR Circuit wire that leads up to the airbag and the car started without flaw.

The moaning is from your relay center, and could thus be assumed that the sound it coming from a relay. take off the cover and you'll be able to feel which one the sound is coming from. Swap relays and see if the problem follows the relay or the circuit.

That is most likely not related to your problem however. It sounds like a problem with your Vehicle Anti Theft system (or VATS for short).

Since you have no dash in your car, it's hard to say for sure if that's the problem or not, but it's worth a shot to try and repair.

I've outlined it here: http://forums.aaca.org/f116/how-solve-no-start-security-light-325742.html

Good luck!

Ah!! The Relay Center! I'll give that a check over, and also the other various relays (If I recall there is a relay inside the car that goes to the ignition), that would have totally skipped my mind! It probably wouldn't hurt to replace a majority of my relays anyway, considering that they have probably been in there since the day it came off the production line.

As far as the VATS thing, what would have made it do that all of the sudden when just a day before there was not a single problem with it? Is there anything that triggers a problem with it? Or perhaps the problem just came about randomly?

Anyway, thanks very much for the advice and the outline! I'll give it a go and see what I can come up with.

The VATS can be working one moment, And then 5 minutes later something isn't making contact like it should and its dead. So it working yesterday and not today isn't out of line at all for the problem.

I'll definitely give it a check. On the note of the dash, I was looking to buy a replacement digital dash since only the warning lights light up on mine. How much do you sell them for?

Actually, now that I think of it I may know exactly what triggered this. I took off the horn/airbag assembly and cut the wire. This wire happens the SIR Circuit.

I went looking for the wire that the outline refers to and I took a picture, as to make darn sure I'll be using the right one, lol. I think I see it behind the SIR Circuit wire? (The orange wrapped one with two white wires leading to a connector)

The Brake Project

I went ahead and removed the bracket that holds the Teves system in place and tried the booster in place of it. The good news is that it fit perfectly up to the chassis and the vacuum line did its thing perfectly. The only stumbling block is that the rod at the end of the booster does not match up to the peg on the pedal, and is just about one inch too long. I would say just cut and weld the Reatta rod onto the LeSabre rod (which would be cut too), but I believe the Reatta rod is made of brass, making that... not possible! However I came to the conclusion that I could cut both rods and put a male threaded end on one (the steel LeSabre rod), and a female threaded end on the other (the brass Reatta rod), whilst also assuring that it is the right length. Also, I managed to get the pedal e-brake off of the vehicle and trace the line. Whilst doing this I had been soaking one of my calipers in CLR to test how well it would work. It worked VERY well!!

The Lights Issue

I kind of ignored this issue over the past two days because I'm figuring that I will worry about the lights after the brakes are taken care of. However on the 14th I found that there was an odd whining sound coming from inside my engine bay (See the Problems!!! 9/14/2013 post above for details), and I learned that it was one of the relays for my lights thanks to NCReatta. So, I may go ahead and replace some relays throughout the vehicle.

It's NOT STARTING!!!!!

At the end of the day on the 13th my car decided not to start. Since I was not hearing any noise from the ignition I was beginning to assume it was my ICM or one of my coil packs, but again, thanks to NCReatta, I found out that my Vehicle Anti-Theft System (VATS) was telling my car not to start because I had removed the airbag and horn assembly. I was able to unplug the SIR Circuit wire that ran from the airbag, down the steering column, and it solved the problem. My Reatta is yet again, starting up flawlessly without any sign of a battery drain.

Another System Down

While taking a moment to step away from the brake project, I decided that my non-functional windshield wiper system (the tank and hose were non-functional from the moment I bought the car... thanks mice) was just another thing I could get rid of. I removed everything that had to do with that system and put it in my scrap bucket.

That's about all for today and yesterday!

happy you found some solutions! as long as you have the attitude, energy and most of all - fun!!! keep at it.

happy you found some solutions! as long as you have the attitude, energy and most of all - fun!!! keep at it.

Thanks very much!

The Brake Project

So far, the six Sniper Motorsports (http://www.snipermotorsports.com/) -3 AN to 1/8 NPT adapters (direct fit on the brake hose side), and -3 AN T-fittings for my brake lines have come in. I have ordered some adapters to fit my master cylinder (hoping I got the right size, but if I didn't then I can get another size!) I'll begin determining how I want to run the lines and get some measurements by the next update, hopefully.

VATS Woes

Yet again, the Reatta is not starting. I am charging the battery again just in case it still has a tiny drain (I think I could stand to invest in some new battery cables as well), but I suspect VATS picked up on the fact the fact that I unplugged the SIR Circuit lol. I'll do the proper override method rather than leaving it to chance. I've found an interesting product for this modification. I'm not sure if it works with the Reatta, but if so then it may come in use to anyone else on here who runs into the VATS issue and doesn't want to do wire work by themselves. I've posted a link below if anyone is interested.

http://www.overridemotorsports.com/Vats

Y not go with a 86-91 system that is a direct bolt on?

Y not go with a 86-91 system that is a direct bolt on?

In hindsight that would have been a fantastic idea, but I stumbled across the new stuff and decided to go for it. If customizing the shaft that goes from the pedal to the booster proves to be more expensive than it is worth, I will likely go to the Pick-A-Part and snag a good deal on a 86-91 booster. Anyway, thanks for the suggestion, because it keeps my eyes open to another possible option. (Probably the right option)

The Brake Project

So, after learning a bit more about brake lines I found that replacing my hard lines with stainless steel braided line would be an unworthy modification for a racing car, as it is simply rubber wire wrapped in stainless steel braid. Hence, it allows room for the fluids to expand the line. This means that pedal response would be unpleasantly mushy. Therefore, I will either be buying some hard line and cutting, bending, and flaring it myself, or just taking it to a shop to have my hard lines redone. The brake hoses though, will be done using SS braided line, because it is a step up from just rubber hose. Also, I will probably be taking D-a-n-i-e-l's advice and running to the Pick-A-Part to get a master cylinder and booster off of an 86-91 GM 3800 product.

Other Observations

-The radiator fan starts but dies out often. I would say that 3/4 times, the fan does not stay on, but 1/4 of the time it stays spinning. Any fixes for this?

-Battery still needs occasional charge. Re-checking alternator to see if I need to get a new one.

-I've been looking observing the suspension of the car for my future coilover conversion. The front looks like it will be fairly easy, with the exception of... maybe a little welding on the side of the assembly for the stabilizer bar (easy enough). The back, however, may not be so easy, but looks like it will be manageable.

I admire your enthusiasm and ability to roll with whatever comes up and work around it. I didn't think I would like the look of the lowered/big wheel setup but I like it a lot, if actually possible to get that stance. I am curious about the coilover conversion. Is it a modification of the existing strut or a complete replacement? The existing spring sits over the tire and the strut is a structural member. Very interested in how that would be done.

Thanks very much for the positive feedback!! I figured setting it a little lower (but not too low) and 16-17 wheels would give it a sporty edge without being too excessive and looking cheap or shoddy.

The coilover conversion for the front is likely going to be difficult and involve total replacement of the OEM strut/spring combo and some modifications to the rest of the suspension components. I have been e-mailing some companies that make aftermarket coilovers in order to find out if there may be a suitable set, to match the OEM struts, that does not require much, if any modification. However, I'm predicting that I will have to replace the lower control arm, anti-roll bar, the outer end of the CV axle, the hub and knuckle assembly, and modify the outer tie rod with something off of a front-wheel drive (or possibly AWD) car with a large aftermarket selection (i.e. Acura Integra or Honda Accord). It may be a lot more simple than I am thinking but I'm preparing for the worst in case it really does have to go that way. Hopefully though, I will find something that is close to a direct bolt-up or just requires the bracket on the side that goes to the anti-roll bar to be welded on!

The conversion for the rear will probably bolt directly to the bracket at the top, and require the removal of the leaf spring. Though the bottom of a Reatta strut seems to be hard to find a direct match to so, it, like the front, may end up requiring a total overhaul or some slight modification to match that of whatever FWD platform I would choose to convert it to. Meaning a few trips to the Pick-A-Part and some eBaying. For the sake of comparison I have a diagram of the rear suspension of a Reatta and of an Acura Integra below.

It certainly has been a while since I have been on the forums, primarily because of work, and the recent birth of my child!!! She was born at 3:50 pm on 2/3/14 weighing 8 lbs. 1 ounce, and 20 inches long. Her name is Wynter Jade, and she is a nice healthy baby. So naturally, that is where my focuses have been lately. That and the fact that a tree limb fell on my 2009 Subaru Legacy and took out my sunroof, back windshield, and dented the roof a considerable amount... thankfully my insurance company has helped me through it and I am making a majority of the repairs myself. As for the Reatta, it has still been slow-going but I have made more and more progress.

I have it running, and after putting in my new Brake Booster/Master Cylinder combo from an '91 Toronado Trofeo (which I quickly learned STILL needs a small amount of modification (boring out the hole that the pedal connects to)) and bending/flaring the hard lines it will be able to stop once again. I have been testing out a few coilover sleeve kits (one of which I ordered for $55 from eBay just for learning *The sleeves did not fit on the car, but the springs will. However, I would recommend a more reputable brand such as Eibach for coilover springs*), and have found a 5 in. tall, 2 in. diameter, 2.25 spring diameter sleeve from Speedway Motors that is designed to fit over OEM Monroe shocks with little modification necessary. This will allow me to lower the Reatta and give it a "racing" feel. Also, I have bought a set of TSW Jarama 18x8 black and chrome wheels off of a friend to help him out. Although, I eventually plan to buy some 18x8 Enkei RPF-1 wheels (As shown in photoshop). I bought myself some 5x115 to 5x114.3 adapters and put those wheels on the car. They look a bit "cheap" or "ghetto" with the car as high as it is, but once I have converted it to the lowered coilovers it will look very clean. Hmm.... what else is recent?? OH, I happened across a Riviera in the local Pick-A-Part and got myself a Dash Cluster, and Twilight Sentinel Headlight Switch (which is okay since I have taken the Fog Lights off), and I also purchased a Front Lip Spoiler that is made to fit an Acura/Honda Integra. It turns out that my assumption was correct and it was the exact width that I needed it to be. It will look fantastic once I get to drilling and bolting.

I have also done an in-depth photoshop of my "plans". I like to have a visual model in order to know what is... missing... or... excessive.

I'm diggin' the concept if I lived closer I'd be over there pulling wrenches with ya'. We are gonna need some vid of a burn out. I stumbled across a supercharger today for a 3800, after thinking about it for a while I think I'm gonna call back tomorrow and buy it. Maybe one day, I'll get around to putting it on. BTW, the price was 100.00. Glad I found this thread. For the record, I wanted a grey Reatta for oh so long, it almost pains me to see this. I'm going through a love/hate relationship with you right now. LOL.

Got any seat belt guide laying around by chance? Peace out.

I'm diggin' the concept if I lived closer I'd be over there pulling wrenches with ya'. We are gonna need some vid of a burn out. I stumbled across a supercharger today for a 3800, after thinking about it for a while I think I'm gonna call back tomorrow and buy it. Maybe one day, I'll get around to putting it on. BTW, the price was 100.00. Glad I found this thread. For the record, I wanted a grey Reatta for oh so long, it almost pains me to see this. I'm going through a love/hate relationship with you right now. LOL.

Got any seat belt guide laying around by chance? Peace out.

Thanks very much!! Wish there were more help around here but Alabama seems to be notorious for lazy mechanics xD. As for now it's all show and no go, but I plan on reinventing the old Turbo Reatta that got trashed a long time ago. That's a really good price on a Supercharger though! Tempting. As for the color, fortunately for you mine is Red I've always liked Silver though, so I decided to use a silver one as my Photoshop template. With any luck maybe we will see a lot more performance Reattas rising up! Glad to hear that others are interested (:

About the seatbelt guide: I am actually ordering bucket seats with harnesses very soon, and will probably have no use for my OEM seatbelt assembly, so if you would like, I can keep it aside.

I held up the new front lip to the Reatta with zipties and jackstands today to see what it looked like. Here is the result:

Not a bad fit, eh? (: (I plan on painting it to match the car when I paint the car)

I think it's going to look good. Where did you get it? Could you get a shot of it from the side and post it?

Much appreciated! It's actually just a cheap plastic front lip off of eBay for a 1998-2001 Honda/Acura Integra. Here is the exact:

*There are many other styles of lip for the same car that fit exactly the same, so we are not limited on choice!

and here is a shot from the side:

It ends at about the same place as the OEM bumper extension. Although, I have yet to fully attach it.

Pm sent about the parts!

2/7/14 Updates!

My Photoshop:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]233798[/ATTACH]

i like this except the part in front of and above the front wheels.it makes the stock reatta look cluttered.i like the one piece piece of plastic?covering the bumper.

You do understand that installing the front air dam that you are cutting off the direct flow of air to the radiator?

You may cause overheating problems by doing that.

i like this except the part in front of and above the front wheels.it makes the stock reatta look cluttered.i like the one piece piece of plastic?covering the bumper.

The canards and fender flares? I can see why you would say that, it is a little bit of a busy look and takes away from the "smoothness" of the car, but it is based off of Time Attack race cars. Hopefully one day I will be able to put it on the track!

As for the part over the bumper, I removed the trim and plan on using some Bondo to create a smooth surface. I thought the trim looked a little too chincy for my taste, and the modification will ever so slightly have some aerodynamic benefit.

You do understand that installing the front air dam that you are cutting off the direct flow of air to the radiator?

You may cause overheating problems by doing that.

I would think that just a small strip of plastic would not have drastic effects on performance, if anything I would say that air dams were created to promote air flow. However, I don't know the overall effect of it yet, but I have taken out the front grille and fog lights, so maybe that will help keep some air flowing through there. If it does end up having a negative effect on the car though, then thank you for the advice and I will look for other ways to increase air flow! I hope that it has no negative effect though.

Good news, I found another source of the battery drain. Pretty easy to find too. I'm kicking myself for not thinking of it sooner. There was a loose ground wire on the alternator. Pretty obvious, huh? Anyway, I have started the car up nearly every day since I found that and have had no sign of a drain so far.

Also, my QA1 Coilover sleeves (for Monroe shocks) came in, and I put them on my struts (After using a angle grinder to cut off the small piece of metal welded to the top of the damper). They fit perfectly, as does the spring. However, there is a stopper on the inside of the sleeve that does not allow it to go all the way down the strut. The sleeve would work perfectly fine like this, but I am going to grind out the stopper in order to be able to adjust the ride height even more. To be general, I have finally found an alternative to having custom coil springs and leaf springs made for lowering the car!! Very soon I will apply the coilovers to all 4 struts and experiment with them, and type up what I learn. So, I guess the "Reatta Coilovers" are in BETA testing mode.

RR,

Your pics & posts are interesting. Keep'm coming.

John F.

The stock air dam directs air up into the radiator. I have experimented extending the length of it with little effect. I extended it one inch and tried it for one summer. It had little or no effect on supplying more air. I have found that the stock length works just as well.

Without the stock air dam the car runs hotter.

I think that placing an air dam directly up against the front fascia will cut off the air flow to the radiator. Without the grill and fog lights it might compensate for the lack of air flow from the air dam.

I suspect the only way to know for certain about the airflow issue would be to test it, maybe a scale model if the car isn't operational. The air dam should form a lower pressure area under the car, which would be good, in general, but forward of the radiator maybe not so much? I do like the look of it. Perhaps a horizontal pan from the rear of the air dam to the bottom of the radiator to form a large duct to the radiator from the grill??

Wow that really looks good, I was looking for a lip kit but couldn't find any. Keep posting pictures I love looking at Reattas that have a modern day look. I just recently got a reatta and started bring it back to life. I'm trying to keep everything original but I'm looking to lower it any suggestions

Hello, it's been a while since I have been on the forums again but the lowering project has been underway throughout my absence. I have great news and some visuals!! I got the front end coilovers completely done and tested it for safety. Everything looks and functions fantastic about it. The rear however has only had some success. I got the sleeves and springs on the struts and everything worked, looked good, and held up just fine, but I believe that I will have a bracket welded on the sidewall of the strut just for added safety. So, I will be continuing to innovate the rear struts before calling the project done.

I've also ordered some new parts to install while I am working on the suspension. One Sparco bucket seat to replace the OEM driver's seat, and an NRG Steering wheel plus a quick release hub. I will be using the bracket from my old seat to install the new one.

About the Air Dam: I've not suffered any problems with air flow with it so far, but I may take 2seater's advice and install a horizontal pan to promote BETTER air flow for the sake of performance. Along with all of this, I am researching turbo systems and planning out a layout to turbocharge it! The air flow will definitely be a welcome notion when there is an intercooler in front of the radiator.

Loving this thread! Made the difference from selling this Reatta I bought just as a DD when my truck was in the shop, too actually keeping it! Following the build! Seen your intrested in making your own bodywork, i'm going to be experimenting with carbon fiber.

Hello, it's been a while since I have been on the forums

Why, yes it has! You should at least call if you are going to be gone like that! :eek:

Enjoyed you posts.

John F.