Cargirl

Here is an magazine on EBAY on the Turbo Reatta. It mentions it is not a prototype but a marketing and research car. (you can actually read the article if you zoom in) It mentions an engineer from Advance Concepts and all the engineering changes made to accomidate the more powerful Reatta. I can't imagine they made more than one. All the labor and modifications, $2600 for the conversion sounds cheap! https://www.ebay.com/itm/BUICK-REATTA-TURBOCHARGED-ORIGINAL-1989-ARTICLE/372244217808?hash=item56ab7bffd0:g:sFcAAOSwezVWxf9M

Looks like the owner was a gentleman named Rodney Summers. There is contact information listed but the company has been dissolved. We know for sure at least they built one, too bad they did not have a photo of the engine comp too. https://www.bizapedia.com/mi/advanced-vehicle-concepts-inc.html

THIS AD HAS EXPIRED Not my car: There is a nice looking 1990 convertible for sale in Phoenix, white/blue with 66,000 miles. Looks like it is in very good condition. https://phoenix.craigslist.org/nph/cto/d/1990-buick-reatta-convertible/6532781893.html

From the world famous Fountain Hills star attraction, Happy St Pat's day! This fountain hits an impressive 560 feet in the air and today, showing her Irish pride

Just think about this, the worlds largest American made car show is not in the USA, it is in Sweden. They get 55-75000 people that attend this huge American muscle car event. I have a friend in Sweden and when he told me about this, it just blew me away. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_Big_Meet Next time I talk to him I will ask if he has seen a Reatta over there

I agree with KDirk as far as Reatta's going off shore. I too have noticed many classic cars are being exported and that's too bad. One of my friends just sold his 1973 Mustang Convert to a guy in Europe. As far as collectibility of the Reatta, I am very optimistic and recently put my money where my mouth is. They are a real anomaly for a '80's or '90's sports car. Eventually cool and rare cars like these get the respect they deserve after about 40 years. Just look at the crazy prices they are asking these days for a 70's Trans Am. Try to find a good example for under $25 to 30 grand, good luck. !0 years ago they were giving these cars away. I am particularly bullish for the '90 to '91 convertibles. Amazing to drive, strikingly great looks and as they say, "when the top goes down the price goes up." I just did an exhaustive search and I can say one thing, they are asking good money for low mileage Reatta's. That is good news for all Reatta owners. Once the low mile cars get harder and harder to find, the collectors will start buying the ones that need a little fixing up.

I think the first thing I would do is pull the engine codes. The car itself may tell you what ails it. Go to www.reattaowner.com to find out how to do this .

I keep a fire ext in my older model cars but have not in any of my Reatta's. It is probably a good idea to however and I will rethink my decision not to keep on in my later model cars. An ounce of prevention....

Alas, a confession we all feared was true but all prayed was not.

I believe the turbo Reatta's were rear wheel drive. How could you have improved this car, make them all RWD.

The original prototype:

I am on my fourth Reatta and if you get the car I am sure you will be thrilled owning it. They are addicting for some and you sound like one of us. The good news is, every time and one of my 4 Reattas's have a problem I managed to be able to fix it myself with only one exception. That's only one trip to a mechanic in 4 cars. The useful information you get from this site, from www.reattaowner.com and www.thereattastore.com you can find any help you need along the way.

The Corvette and Oldsmobile forums I am a member of require a stated price and I personally think that is a great idea. Like Barney said, sometimes you are just looking for spare parts and really do not want to contact the seller for such basic information. I think people that do not want to list the price are looking to get more than fair market value for the part or car, that should be discouraged on a friendly forum. My 2 cents

The car is at the body shop getting the new molding installed, will post next week. Not having my new car is killing me, I should have waited a bit

I notice on my car that the window sticker says it came with California emissions since at one point it was to be shipped to Cali but on this list, the box for Cali emissions is not checked. I wonder which one is right. I do not see any unusual emissions gizmos in my engine comp. I am happy some of the scrap cars found their way to freedom, very interesting.

THIS AD HAS EXPIRED Not my car: very nice looking low mile coupe in Phoenix, AZ. 49,000 miles, senior owned and color matching moldings. Looks sharp. https://phoenix.craigslist.org/nph/cto/d/1990-buick-reatta/6512020858.html

The guy I bought the car from had this car for 13 years and replaced it with red Porsche. I agree 100 percent KD, I would rather have the Reatta. More interesting, more rare. No one ever comes up to you as a Porsche owner and asks what it is, I have never seen one before. We all get that as Reatta owners, "I didn't know Buick made a two seater. What is it? LOL According the the book "The Buick, a Complete History," they state that although 305 '91 verts were manufactured, only 238 we available for sale. Interesting.

Thank you for attaching the '91 production info Barney, I printed it out and added it to my folder on the car. Much appreciated! I really find this sort of thing fascinating!

It is confusing indeed. The PEP form states that the purchaser was DA Skiven in Northville, MI. Then, I have a Arizona registration tht states the car was sold to Richard Abrams with 6848 miles on the car with a registration expiring Sep, 1993. The PEP states the dealer was Bill Cook Buick in Farmington Hills, MI but as you stated, the window sticker suggests the car was heading to a dealership in Glendale, CA. I do not think it ever made it to sunny California but was snatched by Mr Skiven prehaps much to the disappointment of some potential buyer in CA. Just guessing of course. Mr Skiven only had the car for a year and ran up some serious miles since only 10000 miles were put on the car during the next 26 years.

That is really some good and useful information fordrodstephen. Thanks for pitching in ideas to fund raise.

Thank you Nittany. Your observation is so true and I had not considered it. I was looking at another 1991 red/tan with color coded molding with pin stripe. Red car, with red moldings and no pin stripe, you are so right! I feel quite lucky and blessed to have found this car, I am still giddy (saved the buyer $45 not getting the pin stripes}

I am taking the car in later today for the new front molding. Great minds think alike, I decided to keep it all original. And in any case, both ways look GREAT!!

Strange one here, I am missing a bolt on my car. There is a brace approx 12 inches long that runs from the back of the power steering support bracket, angles down and connects at what appears to be the intake manifold. I believe the brace provides stabilization to the power steering bracket. It appears to have never been put on at the factory because the paint is prefect where the bolt would have roughed it up. If anyone can provide info on what sort of bolt went here I would appreciate it. I can get a temporary bolt at Ace hardware till I can source the correct one later.

Thanks Retired W/Reatta & hand me down. It's like I was telling a friend the other day. I am now on my 4th Reatta but I remember the first one like it was yesterday. If sites like Ronnie's were not available, I would not have bought my second Reatta. The average owner absolutely need the tutorials and information found on sites like Ronnie's, if not for that information they may just give up on repairing these cars. If people could periodically kick in a few bucks it would mean all the difference in the world and keep something around that is good and useful. You will never even notice the loss of a few bucks but the difference it makes is valuable and worthwhile.

Not sure about the Nationals, my duties with the Hurst/Olds club may interfere. The previous owner already bought the replacement molding, just never had it installed. I started another thread on replacement and it seems very doable for the weekend warrior. I have a friend that helps me with stuff like that so I may do it myself. Anyone that has tips on front bumper removal, please speak up