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Moving Reatta prototype convertible


Barney Eaton

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Guest tempest6cyl

KDirk - Agreed the part has probably been modified for this use. Most of the fabricators in the ASC Tech Center were accomplished hot rodders in their off hours. Adding a longer cable or modifying an attachment to an off the shelf part would be child's play.

Barney - As I mentioned earlier, power pull downs were under development before the Reatta but, they were not production ready. Testing for the 1990 model year proved that they were not ready then either so we had to do a quick development of a manual 5-bow latch system which was patterned after the Corvette of the time. We used the Corvette latches if I remember right.

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Bushwack-

That possibility occurred to me. Also may be that someone "lifted" the complete radio/CD setup for their own use (but left the cubby adapter for some reason) and had to put something back to make it's disappearance less obvious. I went to a tech school and good stuff was always disappearing with sub-par substitutes mysteriously left in their place, as though nobody would ever notice. Yeah, right.

The more I think about it, the more likely this seems. I cannot believe that if this may have been a show car that GM would put a radio that was clearly not right (all those silver buttons in a sea of black? Do come on now) if this was used for public presentation at some point. That is speculation on my part as I don't know if this car ever was shown. However, when it was clean and fully assembled, it would have been suitable for show purposes (or even corporate photo shoots if nothing else).

IMO, it is too close to the real thing to be nothing more than an engineering prototype. If it was just a test driver car, why did they bother to put in the 90 instrumentation and other interior parts, if no one outside of GM test facilities was intended to see it. Could've run it on the test track just as easily with the 88 dash in it to test it's road worthiness. The fact that they modded a production car with a full VIN is also curious, versus just building up an undocumented (no VIN or concept car VIN) unit to experiment on.

Was this perhaps an 88 that had some problem that made it unfit for retail sale, and was re-purposed as a test bed? A car that was sold and returned due to a recurring issue (i.e. lemon) and rather than scrap it, do something useful with it? Sorry, so many questions. When I see something like this my curiosity is peaked. Unless the title history is known or can be researched (and maybe it has been, but was not mentioned here) I have to wonder.

KDirk

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Guest blue72beetle

My error, I thought those were pull down motors in the storage bins. However I did reach in and feel for the manual release and couldn't find them.

I also thought this was very neat:

P2233302.jpg

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Believe the Allante had a (think just one) rear pull down from 1987-on & am sure one would have been studied by Buick.

None of my '90s have had a pulldown & I always release the front first and clamp last, do not want to put any more pressure on the pins or the pin release handle/cable than I need to. Suspect with a rear pulldown you would do the reverse as in the manual.

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As of 3/12 here is where we stand. I have $1043.70 in hand and $605 pledged, but not received for a total of $1,648,70. We still need to get all the pledged amounts in and a few more folks to step up to the plate.

I will keep the bank open for at least this week unless we reach $1,900 before the end of the week.

Ed

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For those of you who are into statistics, of the totals so far, the Reatta Division members represent 65% of the individual pledges and 70% of the pledged amount. I think they deserve a pat on the back.

Ed

Amen brother, my hat is off to members and non members alike. This car will be saved. It looks like the goal is close to be met. Now if you made a pledge get your money in so the move can go forward. Good Job Reatta owners

Thanks Ed for being the Bank. we cant trust anyone else LOL

Chuck Kerls

booreatta@cox.net

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As far as stated pledges go, we are only $200 from the goal of $1,900. In actual checks received we are about $800 short. If you have pledged an amount and are still willing to support the project, please send me a check so I can wrap this up. I would like to end the campaign this week. The Reatta Division can make up any shortage and checks received later can be deposited into our operating account, but it would be nice to know where we stand with donations if possible.

Thanks for all the support so far.

Ed

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As far as stated pledges go, we are only $200 from the goal of $1,900. In actual checks received we are about $800 short. If you have pledged an amount and are still willing to support the project, please send me a check so I can wrap this up.

Ed

Ed

You should have received my check by now.

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THE BANK IS CLOSED except for those who have said they were sending a check and have not had a chance to do so. The final tally is $1,778.70. The Reatta Division will fund any difference in that total and the actual costs of moving the prototype.

Thank you everyone who participated in this worthwhile project. If we can get it all done, an important Reatta will be saved from an uncertain future.

Ed:

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Guest Kingsley

Funding the transportation of this prototype 1990 Reatta convertible from Indiana to California was the next to last hurdle in this project and I add my personal thanks to all of those who have made donations or pledges - through them that hurdle has been overcome.

The next hurdle faces us now and it is to overcome the restraints imposed by GM as they made the initial donation to the Ivy Tech Community College in Lafayette, Indiana.

After meeting with the Director of Research at the San Diego Automotive Museum, I am most confident that we will have the services of a most capable, professional man and his staff, with experience in similar undertakings, to assist us as we move to conclude the transfer.

With apologies if it appears to be overly dramatic, but what a sad thing it would be if this car was to be sent to a scrap yard, chopped into pieces and then sold on the worldwide scrap market.

Thanks to your help, we now have a chance to avoid this.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest Kingsley

Here is the latest update: Letters were sent last week by both the Reatta Division and the San Diego Automotive Musuem to the Ivy Tech Community College.

The Division letter advised that the funds were in hand to cover the transportation costs involved and expressed our continued interest in getting the car, a prototye Reatta convertible, transferred from the Community College to the Museum.

The Research Director of the Museum expressed their strong interest in acquiring the Reatta and outlined their feeling that it's presence in the Museum would be very much in line with the caveats outlined by GM in their initial donation to the Community College.

I am following with the College and also with the Museum to ensure that we put forth a strong combined effort and get the job done.

Another update will follow toward the end of the week.

In the meantime, thanks again to all of those who have pledged or sent money. Without you, the project would not be where it is today.

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Guest Kingsley

End of the week update.

Ed Farnell has just supplied some good contact information that will help us work our way through the administrative path that is always involved in a project like this.

The Ivy Tech Community College fellow who now has custody of the car needs confirmation of only one bit of information from the Museum. Hopefully that will be done today after which he will make contact with the senior Ivy Tech official involved in the transfer of GM donated property.

Every party involved wants to make sure that all of the I's are dotted and the T's are crossed to ensure a proper transfer.

Significant developments will be posted as they occur. Personally, I am looking forward to the day we engage transportation of the Reatta from Indiana to California!

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  • 3 weeks later...

This just in from Kingsley:

I have just spoken with Ken Colclasure of the San Diego Museum and he confirms that he has not had any response to his email sent to Ivy Tech toward the end of last week. I, also, have heard nothing from the message I left on Eric Erskin's phone last Thursday.

I do think it necessary to post something.

I do not have access to the Forum until the end of April so would you mind, or have someone do it, putting in this continuing post:

Administrative activities at Ivy Tech Community Tech College in Lafayette are slowly returning to normal after their Easter holiday break. Everything is still on track and we are hopeful of having some word from them this week and, of course, will post it here just as soon as we hear from them.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest Kingsley

Latest update - At the beginning of last week, in response to a request from the Ivy Tech Commnity College, the San Diego Automotive Museum furnished written documentation for their IRS tax code as a Non-Profit organization.

With this, the top level of Administration of the College is moving forward to obtain the final approval of the transfer. Recently we learned that General Motors donations such as this are administratively handled for them through what appears to be a sub-contact arrangement and we are hopeful that this will bring approval of the project to a more timely conclusion. The College stressed to us again that they are fully supportive of this tranfer.

Again, thanks for all of the money that has been conributed to fund the physical transportation of the Reatta from Indiana to California.

Kingsley

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest Kingsley

Some of you may recall my rallying cry for this project which went something like this - "what a tragedy it would be for this car to be sent to a scrap yard, crushed and eventually chipped into little pieces and sold worldwide on the scrap market".

The GM caveat is very restrictive and no parts are to be removed and sold, they muset be crushed.

In a somewhat coincidental timely manner, the May issue of CAR AND DRIVER magazine outlines precisely what is done when a car arrives in one of todays' sophisticated scrap yards. In this case, it was a California yard.

The principal phases start with the car picked up and placed on a lift to enable the recovery of engine/tranny fluids and anti-freeze for environmenal recycling, the engine/tranny are plucked by hydraulic scissors and certain high grade metals are extracted ending up in Indonesia, same treatment for the dash. Then on to the chipper with acceptable refuse going into landfills and the remaining valuable ferros material being loaded into a shipping container destined for in China.

I think we have dodged the bullet on this one. The rather involved administrative process for the transfer of this Reatta continues to move forward and I am sure that our patience will be rewarded.

Kingsley

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"The GM caveat is very restrictive and no parts are to be removed and sold, they must be crushed." have seen a number of show cars from GM that were recovered from yards, often in large pieces but hardly frushed. When I was at GMI, scavaging the Swartz Creek Junkyard often produced some amazing finds & mostly intact.

If necessary I suspect it could be found that any such caveat expired when GM did and quite a few such "untitleable" cars now have titles and registration.

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Guest Kingsley

Padgett - thanks.

I am sure that in the good old days things were played rather looseygoosey and folks came across some great unencumbered finds in the scrap yards. We should be so lucky!

In the eyes of the folks who now have control of this Reatta, it was donated to them by GM for educational purposes under a very limiting program. The sticker on the windshield ends with the wording "must be crushed by you" and they are not swayed by the vagaies of old v. new GM - they consider that the agreement they signed is binding.

The administrative functions of these encumbered donations by GM was handled by a sub-contractor. That entity, as best we can determine, still exists and has the final say in getting this Reatta to the San Diego Automotive Museum. It is these administrarive necessities that are now being pursued.

I understand that there was a donation, similiar to this one, made to a vocational school In Santa Barbara, CA. It ended up in a scrap yard, went through several subsequent owners and now lies, only a shadow of its former self, lallow.

It would have been much easier for the Ivy Tech College to get the car to the salvage yard, followed their agreement and ensured that it was crushed. They have chose to do otherwise in this case. Overall gain, the scrap yard chipper's loss.

Kingsley

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  • 4 weeks later...
Guest Kingsley

Since our last post some three weeks ago, this project has experienced some setbacks but fortunately has rebounded nicely and is back on track.

To refresh everyone's mind, the current possessor of the car, the Ivy Tech Community College

is very much in favor of this Reatta going to the San Diego Automotive Museum. Unfortunately, the car was donated by GM to Ivy Tech with very strict limitations as to what cold be done with it after it had served its purpose under the GM Automotive Specialized Education Program known as ASEP. Permission for the transfer was denied.

In a last minute effort to save the project, Barney Eaton placed a phone call to the highest level of management within GM North America, its President. Approval for the transfer was given so the project is back on track now.

Ivy Tech cannot release the car until formal approval is received and that approval is now working its way through the administrative channels. It is expected any day now and then transportation will be arranged for the delivery to San Diego.

The transportation cost is being funded through contributions made by Participants to this Forum and we are sincerely greatful.

It probably will not be necessary to post anything on this Forum when we receive the go ahead as our shouts of glee will be very loud! But .... we will post anyhow.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest Kingsley

Ivy Tech Community College has now confirmed that GM has approved the transfer or, as their precise words are "the reassignment" of the Reatta to the San Diego Automotive Museurm. Some additional information is required from the Museum and that is in the process of being furnished by them. After that, we will be arranging some transportation for the car and hope to furnish pictures of it being loaded out at Ivy Tech. The Museum does the restoration work at their National City, CA, facility several miles away and we hope to get pictures of its arrival there and addditional, perhaps more detailed information about the car.

Kingsley

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  • 4 weeks later...
Guest Kingsley

It now looks like we are in the final stages of the administrative process in having the Reatta prototype convertible, VIN IG4EC114J8900039, moved from its current location with the Ivy Tech Community College, Lafayette, IN to the San Diego Automotive Museum, San Diego, CA. The Museum has just completed paperwork and is forwarding it to GM's sub-contractor who handlles the administrative end of GM's donations of cars and other related items.

This Reatta was involved in GM's ASEP - Automotive Specialized Education Program - and has served its purpose at the technical school quite well so and it is now being moved to the Museum. The GM administrative term for the move is "reassignment" of the responsibility for taking care of the Reatta.

We are getting closer to using the transportation funds that have been so generously contributed by so many of you. Thanks again!

Kingsley

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  • 1 month later...
Guest Kingsley

Over the past weeks, the administrative wheels of GM's sub-contractor Good360 have been and are still turning. We are hopeful of getting this protype of the '90 Reatta Convertible moving out of Ivy Technical College in Indiana very shortly and getting it on the way to the San Diego Automotive Museum for restoration and display.

The President of GM North America has endorsed this project and, while it takes a while to dot the I's and cross the T's, I do feel that the next several weeks will bring us some very good news.

Kingsley

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  • 4 weeks later...
Guest Kingsley

We are pleased to report that the approval from the President of GM North America (finessed by Barney Eaton) for the reassignment of this Reatta prototype to the San Diego Museum has now reached all appropriate parties and we can now move forward.

Arrangements for the transportation from the Ivy Technical College in Lafayette, Indiana to the Museum should be completed tomorrow. As is the case in all such movements, actual pick up of the car may take several weeks but we will most certainly keep everyone posted of develoments.

Again, thanks very much to all of the folks who made donations to fund this transportation - the project could not have been done without you.

Kingsley

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  • 3 weeks later...
Guest Kingsley

We learned a short time ago that the Reatta was picked up In Lafayette, IN this morning by Reliable Carriers, Inc. Also talked to the truck driver and he presently expects to make delivery in San Diego this coming Friday evening or Saturday morning.

Pictures of it coming off of the truck will be posted just as soon as we can!

Kingsley

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I think we should have a party!

Thanks to Kingsley's persistance, this dream (nightmare?) is finally over a major hump.

The final chapter of this story is when the car goes on display......... that all depends on what the car needs to become presentable to the public and how fast the needed parts and labor are available to make that happen.

At some time, after the condition of the car is evaluated, there will be a list posted of the needed parts. Hopefully Reatta owners will be as generous with their parts as they were with their dollars to get it moved.

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I think we should have a party!

Thanks to Kingsley's persistance, this dream (nightmare?) is finally over a major hump.

The final chapter of this story is when the car goes on display......... that all depends on what the car needs to become presentable to the public and how fast the needed parts and labor are available to make that happen.

At some time, after the condition of the car is evaluated, there will be a list posted of the needed parts. Hopefully Reatta owners will be as generous with their parts as they were with their dollars to get it moved.

An officer from the Reatta Division should assemble a brief history of this car (i.e. reserach), write an article and submit to the Buick Bugle.

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An officer from the Reatta Division should assemble a brief history of this car (i.e. reserach), write an article and submit to the Buick Bugle.

Ervin,

I am sure that will be done, but probably not by an officer. Barney is the most likely candidate since he already knows a great deal of the history. He also has the contacts at GM to help fill in the blanks. Keep your eye out for the article in a future Bugle.

Ed

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Ed is correct, there is enough pictures to do an entire Bugle. I am waiting until after the car arrives in San Diego and the Museum people have evaluated the car, to submit the article to Pete. I also read in the Dallas Buick Newsletter, the Pete will be doing a review of Duncan Smiths Reatta Book in a upcoming Bugle.

There is also a chance that one of our internet savy Reatta people could establish a "Prototype Reatta" site where pictures and the restoration/refurbishing of the car could be followed. This might help encourage Reatta owners to donate parts to the project.

If someone that has the talant to do something on the internet wants to volunteer, please contact me and we can talk.

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Guest Kingsley

I am happy to announce that the Reatta arrived this past Friday afternoon at the restoration facility of the San Diego Automotive Museum in National City, California. Reliable Carrieers, Inc. provided the transportation in an enclosed van and the transit from the Ivy Tech Community College in Lafaryette, Indiana, was a whirlwind 54 hour transit.

At this time I do not have a grand arrival photo but expect them from the Museum folks in due course. Andy Foster, Blue72beetle on the Forum took quite a number of the photos of the Reaetta in Lafayette and the link for them is given in our post No. 47, page 2, made in March of this year. You may wish to take another look at them and we will have additional photos later.

I went over the Reatta closely and have a lot of notes and comments which I will forward to Barney Eaton. Barney will handle the restoration process, working closely with the Museum, and I am sure that he will everyone up to date with further posts.

Once again, I would like to thank all of the folks who expressed an interest in this project and made their donations to fund the transportation expense from Indiana to Calkifornia. Your generosity was the catalyst that made all of this happen.

Kingsley

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  • 8 months later...
Guest Kingsley

The Reatta is now at the San Diego Automotive Museum and is in line with the other cars being restored. Additionally, the Museum is looking for a paint shop to do some panel work and full or partial re-paint. Technicians from local Buick dealership are scheduled to come over this week and so some mechanical evaluation for us. Barney, now enroute to the Nationals, is coodinating the restoration and has secured commitments for all of the parts required to bring up the interior up to spec. There is a previous post that that gives a link to a goodly number of pictures taken at Ivy tech prior to departure from there and I will dig it up and post it here gain. Thanks for your interest. Kingsley Member AACA, BCA, Reatta Division

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post-30596-143141979304_thumb.jpg

There are pictures taken before it departed Indiana. Attached are the only two pictures I took last November at the museum storage building.

The car is in very good condition, there are a few things that were missing/damaged while at IVY. Reatta owners have donated all the needed parts, we are now at the mercy of the museum and their priorities.

The overall picture gives you an idea of the condition. The shot by the drivers side shows the early design for the tonneau and top release buttons. If you own a convertible, you know these were moved inside the drivers side storage compartment.post-30596-143141979309_thumb.jpg

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Guest Kingsley

See Post No. 47, Page 2 above for link to pictures. Kingsley Member AACA, BCA, Reatta Division

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