Rear Clip?

http://grandrapids.craigslist.org/pts/4632488042.html

Found this on the local Craig's List. I find it ironic that the poor thing barely made it out of Lansing. I considered picking it up and making a weird trailer, but Lansing is a little ways out for something I don't need. It wouldn't be bad to have a bunch of spare parts though, and it's cheap, so I'm still thinking. I wonder if it still has a good fuel tank and sending unit under it...

Well, there's a good trunk lid, rear bumper and filler panel, and a tail lamp assembly for sure, if you need them. May be a gas tank (or not, could've been removed) and filler neck though cannot see condition if it's even there. Probably a good trunk release and gas door release mechanism. Power antenna probably needing rebuild but it's there. Also the backup light and license plate lamp housings.

Looks like both seatbelts (upper portions) are there, but may be bad from exposure. Rear quarter trim and ski door as well, but upholstery is probably not great from weather exposure. And the rear storage bin unit, though carpet is clearly shot. Oh, and it would have the 91 rear speaker mounts which accomodate 6x9's

Rear sub frame & suspension parts too, if good, would be nice to have as spares, especially if the rubber parts are in usable condition; many of these are no longer available new anywhere.

All told, I'd probably try to bargain down just a bit, but would pay the $200 if pressed for what's there if l could pick it up locally (within 100 miles or so).

Guess it depends on your ability to store some larger items for future use. Certainly there are some things there that could be resold if not needed.

KDirk

If anyone talks to the owner or looks at this .... get me the vin number. I suspect the front was beyond repair and the rear was salvaged to use on another car. Someday knowing this car was badly wrecked might save someone from getting taken on a purchase.

I could use the rear sub frame if it was an 88 rear clip but it's a 20 hour drive to Lansing from here. I also don't have a place to hold the extra parts right at this moment. For now I'll keep using what I've got. Besides i'm currently sorting out a few other minor issues on my 88 coupe.

If anyone talks to the owner or looks at this .... get me the vin number. I suspect the front was beyond repair and the rear was salvaged to use on another car. Someday knowing this car was badly wrecked might save someone from getting taken on a purchase.

How would one get "taken on a purchase" when the front half (with the main VIN tag) is more that likely scrapped, and the back half is sitting in the weeds somewhere in Michigan?

This car will never be a whole car again, it's illogical to think that.

Logically, if the front end of this car was used to restore another wrecked car, then the rebuilt car would have a different VIN than what is on the marked panels on this rear end. So, getting the VIN from the Reatta back end tells us nothing more than this car is officially out of circulation.

The [hypothetical] car to be worried about (if in fact this car's former front end was used in a rebuild, something we can only speculate on) has an unknown (to us) VIN so makes the whole matter kind of a moot point.

Of course, if the VIN from this remnant showed up again on a titled and registered vehicle somewhere, then someone has some explaining to do.

FWIW, I see no harm in tracking the VIN of cars that are clearly destroyed with no (realistic) chance of being rebuilt. Gives us a data point on how many are no longer in service. I know some will disagree with that as the database has been a point of contention but I'm generally ok with it.

My one issue with the database (or specifically it's use) is when possibly inaccurate information from it is used to publicly (such as on this forum) question the mileage, title status or other value-impacting parameter when a car is posted for sale. If there are discrepancies between what an owner claims and what the database shows, it should be addressed privately with the owner until a clarification can be established on whether the database is 100% accurate. I think that is only fair, otherwise toes are going to be stepped on and cars possibly devalued (inappropriately) causing more animosity towards the database. It is a helpful resource as long as it is used responsibly and can be counted on to incorporate corrections as they become known.

KDirk

This would make a great conversation piece. Maybe as a planter in a backyard.

I thought about either turning it into a bench or making a very odd trailer and painting it to match my 90 coupe. Realistically the best option would to be to hold on to it and part it out. I really could have used some of those brake parts and having the spare sheet metal may be helpful not too far down the line.

The database that I maintain has the information that was supplied to me. This could be from the owner, someone that looked at the car, or the information posted when it was up for sale. There can always be errors and if someone find a questionable difference in mileage, then they should investigate further. The flip side of that coin is when everything matches....it give reassurance that the mileage has not been altered.

There have been some critics of the database but until someone figures out a method to develop a "perfect" list of the cars, you should use it knowing that there could be errors in reporting. It was started in 1996 to understand some of the differences in Reattas that we did not understand at the time.

It is available at no charge. If you don't like it don't use it.

Something like this would be pretty cool.

Let's face it, even CarFax is known to have occasional errors, so some misinformation is bound to happen. I get tired of the constant griping by the certain few about the data base. It's a tool, nothing more and we are lucky to have what info we do. It would be nice and hopefully the case that those that part and scrap Reatta's are actively providing info to the database so those vin numbers can be marked as scrapped.

Machiner 55, that's exactly what I was thinking. Lots of work for sure, but with a start that cheap, and access to a mig welder and a friend who builds trailer, how bad could it be? I'll give it a week and then make the call. Maybe see what my fiancee thinks of it first. Maybe I'll just go buy it and dismantle it for parts. Seems like an awful thing to pass up living 2 hours away.

I'd definitely buy it for the parts. If you can end up adapting it as a trailer, that would be great but even barring that it is $200 for a decent grab bag of useful stuff.

KDirk

I'm thinking on it for a while. I dumped a crapload of cash into my Reatta this week then my phone broke so I'm broke til payday anyway. Just got a raise at work though, so depending on what that looks like after taxes, I might go grab that rear clip.

PD,

Go for it man! I'd do it but for my lack of funds. (and time and space)

Seems there's always something pulling on the 'ol wallet. Here's what's bleed'n me.

1.) Recent trip to PA.

2.) Tx. replacement (Remanufactured Tx.), oil pan gasket, timing cover and water pump on my 97 GMC Sierra.

3.) Replacement of the exhaust system from the cat. on back on my '89 Reatta.

4.) New muffler and front motor mount on the wife's Olds 88 LS. etc., etc... Anyway...

If you get this rear end and convert it to a trailer you could do one of two thing (probably both).

1.) Take lots of pics and do a write-up so that others would be able to do it or,

2.) Start a little side business of making these trailers for others and make a little extra $$.

John F.

Prioirities. I hear you there. Still don't have my new convertible top on order because of other (more important) expenses. I'm determined not to buy it until I have cash on hand for the full cost.

It would be a shame to let this Rearatta (see what I did there?) get away for lack of $200, but sometimes that's how it works out.

KDirk