luftweg

I would think a big issue might be balancing of a stroker version engine... No?

>> HAPPY BIRTHDAY F14!!!!!! ONLY 102 OR SO MORE TO GO!! << Maybe by that time you will get a Northstar in the Reatta. You'll be that wierd old geser on the block that all the kids will be talking about (... he has this wierd machine that you GET INSIDE, and actually moves you slowly (at no more than 130 mph) to another place -- instead of just using a regular molecular transporter.... so old school-y fooly)

My opinion is that several of 'us' could/should get together and work out the best, most straightforward 'standard' solution to significantly increasing the power in the Reatta... So that it would become the 'should do' conversion/modification for all those that wish to do one. This seems to always come back to computer configurations; matching older/newer engines/drivetrains to the rest of the chassis. Some other things were only just glossed over and didn't seem to even get any consideration, such as stroker changes (no one seemed to know anything about the possibilities here), and external centrifugal superchargers (this one seemed to generate different opinions from different people who I've asked -- but it did seem to get pooh-pooh-ed here...). K

Isn't that just about the normal range for the voltage regulator in the alternator (although 14.6v I have not seen in my Reatta... yet?)

Oh, and I forgot to mention that I think political stuff is best avoided in casual conversation.... no matter what the 'position'... Politics itself almost seems like a 'disease', an invitation for animosity and other such ill-feelings... If at all possible, take all politics with a grain of salt -- even the Republicans and Democrats, after heated passionate debate, sit down together afterwards, have a couple drinks (a couple more if you're Teddy K), and laugh it all off. THAT'S THE IMPORTANT PART: LAUGH IT ALL OFF! Humor makes sanity and seriousness easier to take. It's the 'amateur' politician that always seems to take it all too much to heart, to keep it boiling inside, and ultimately defeat him/herself.

I don't know if totally isolating yourself from society is a good idea. Sure, we ALL need space from time to time, and how much depends on the individual and the surrounding environment, but separating from society completely is likely to make things worse, I would think... Perhaps you just need to have more in-person interactions? Sometimes I think that I myself have too much internet time, and not enough real-life interpersonal time.... K

oooo thanx for the info.... I just read the tutorial, and it sounds straight forward... didn't know about the mirror defogger.. K

First time I used the rear defogger on the car was today. Only 5 of the element lines appear to be active... Anyway to fix this? Is the problem directly IN the windshield or could it be external to it? K

oops, I meant pads on calipers, not rotors, of course...

To me, it's not the travel distance of the wheel that's the issue at all... What I'm thinking is why didn't the car's body curve over more to cover the wheelwell? This shouldn't affect the wheel/suspension travel at all. I mean, even in the fifties and forties, you had American cars with crazy 'low' appearances -- due mainly to all those fender skirts and such... Perhaps in the mid-eighties this sort of styling was not really en-vogue? K

"What a [miserable woman]... but at least she's now your ex-woman! " Yeah, and SHE drove a Ford Focus, talk about classy styling... The other things she thought were ugly were: the side molding (black over red body); that it had chrome; and the 'backseat' (... apparently she didn't get that it was a 2-seat car...)... Where do I find these girls? The latest 2 girls seem to like the car though -- a good sign... Since I'm now (almost) a full-fledged pharmacist (PharmD, 2005), I will be planning on getting a droptop... and possibly doing a SC conversion of sorts.. I have been increasingly loving just driving in the coupe, and I really love the look of the convertibles with the top down (so much better than the Allante's looks, think?) K

preinstalled pads on the rotors? how does that work? are they integral or something? I don't exactly get it.... please explain...

My girlfriend had told me she thought my Reatta was ugly (she is now my ex-girlfriend). When I had pressed her for reasons, one of the things was the huge space b/t the tires and wells.... I actually don't like this aspect myself. Has anyone ever done anything to change this (lowering, larger wheels, etc)? K

Does it have the Reatta brake rattle issue now? If not, let us know if and when it returns... K

Think about removing the body side bands and painting the car in two-tone!

Geez.... can't understand why it is such a problem to at least look at a prototype and take pictures (or draw diagrams if the owners are afraid the flashbulb might fade any colors, lol). I'm still interested in all this stuff, but concede that anything I would ever do would likely concern just keeping FWD and turbo/SC/tranny stuff... Still, I wouldn't rule out anything if this conversion stuff gets off the ground.... K

I had used a 'special' c-clamp tool I rented at AutoZone. I did not loosen any bleeders. It worked, and I was able to install the new pads... of course, it didn't get rid of the rattle that I was hoping it would (at the time, didn't know anything about 'notorious' Reatta brake issues, and hopefully soon will cover the whole system to ensure safety -- and hopefully several months of rattle-free driving).. K

Although I have an idea of what sizes an SBC can be stroked to,,,,, I have no idea about the Buick V6's... Can the 3800 be stroked, and would this be an option in the Reatta? K

Sounds like an even worse wiring nightmare than adapting the computer 'language' of a new drivetrain to the chassis. No?

>>...depressed over a SHORT term boyfriend ...<< Maybe should consider taller guys, and leave those short ones behind... Ah, er, or was it a short-term boyfriend? Oh well, no matter, height isn't important as long as the girl is shorter... I 'lost' a girl in my class to a guy who was 2 inches shorter than her, and she was only 5'2" at best... Maybe he had a Reatta convertible...? K

Are the windshields different year to year? K

Boy has this thread digressed.... lol... K

Auntie Em! Auntie Em! Either that's a twister, or that Reatta has some bad really bad smoke coming from the exhaust.

Since last week, I tried 3 times to volunteer for two weeks to help with the Red Cross, but still have not heard back from them... I just graduated with a Doctor of Pharmacy, am a registered grad intern, have Red Cross CPR training and various physical exam skills... I have a CDL to drive trucks and transport buses... Isn't there some way they could use my service? I can't donate money, as I am studying for my board exams, and have not started my job yet.... frustrated, K

If it were practical, a group of 4 or 5 of us who are looking into doing an engine/drivetrain mod should combine efforts ... For this to work best, we should pretty much do the exact same things to our cars... For example, if it was a 3800 SC Series II and getrag swap, then we would ALL do that same swap.... All the difficulties could be shared and the costs could be lowered for all of us... K