Gobs of wisdom in this forum.... rambling

[Old Man Jimbo]

Last night and into early morning as I was taking apart the interior I began thinking about how others on this forum perceive my posts so I thought I would explain myself and the bottom line as to what I expect to achieve on this Reatta build. I'm 60 now and this build will probably be my last so it is important to build what is practical for me and the end result a one of a kind Reatta that my youngest son will be proud to drive when I pass.

I decided this morning to eliminate not only the a/c but also the entire heating system for the cabin. Why ? for the same reason that a proud Harley owner doesn't enclose his bike, ya . I do not need that conglomeration under the dash so I will replace it with a simple fan motor that will clear the windows when fogged over. I do not need the a/c for simple Saturday or Sunday road trips but what I need is a clean under the hood look. Just ponder how sweet that would look without all that piping and extra wiring. 

Brakes ........ the master cylinder is much larger than needed in my opinion so I can see two small cylinders one for front and one for rear ... sweet. Without the a/c condenser that leaves me the option for a superior radiator ( oh , I forgot to mention eliminating the heater core ). I have found burl sheets in sizes that will add and cover up what I eliminate in the interior and burl is cool as it gets . My mind runs wild when I begin thinking and redesigning this car. And lastly ( ya right ) , some may think it's wrong to deface this beloved car but between the two that I have it would cost more to make one of them pure than to do what I want . After all , it's my party and I'll build what I want to. It's still a Reatta and we all love em don't we ?.

Have a great day and keep the mind open for change.

Peace 

[Barney Eaton]

I just noticed you are in Northern Indiana (I would at least want a heater)... I need to do some digging but I visited a Reatta owner that has a house in Culver and another "summer" place in Plymouth.

Last time we talked he was up to 3 Reattas.  He also has a nice collection of other vehicles stored in two different locations. He has posted here but not recently.

[padgett]

a ) several here are older and still going strong.

b ) Would not say that if you lived in central Florida. All of my cars (including the Judge) have functioning AC.

[Old Man Jimbo]

Hello Barney & Padgett. Thanks for responding. The heater is not a huge concern for me anymore than if I was riding a bike. I could always put on chaps and a cool long sleeve Harley shirt from a place I have never been to and drive to a biker bar and look cool  , say " dang Bro's it's cold out ! " ( I would fit right in ;).

As for A/C , I have it in my other cars and never use it. It's the drag on the motor I hear when the compressor kicks in that drives me nuts. I'm good with the windows down and my analtivity stays in check...... Ha !

[2seater]

Is this an extension of the previous RWD thread or the later FWD iteration? It is certainly your car and your vision so I will reserve comment on that vision The only comment I can make for sure is: I have had a few vehicles over the years (I am older than you are) with poor or inadequate ventilation systems, '63 VW Beetle, '53 Willys wagon and '51 Ford shoebox to name just a few that were miserable to keep the windows clear in cool or damp weather if anyone in the car actually exhaled.

[Old Man Jimbo]

Good point 2Seater and any negative comment is certainly welcome , I have thick skin. I'm sure if I do eliminate the heating ( to eliminate  clutter under the hood ) I believe there is a way to keep air flow going through the factory duct work. After all we put a man on the moon.

As far as RWD and the C4 suspension is concerned , I have not totally ruled that option out. After I pull the motor out of the donor Reatta I will be able to closely examine the practicality of that build.

It's my time , it's my money , and it's my vision . Heck , my health could go south and perhaps I would have to ditch all of this vision and be stuck trying to figure how to live. If I'm left with a cane , I'll design a better one. A hospital bed , I'll have mag wheels put on it. It doesn't matter , it's a living vision and that's better than no vision.

Peace