PVRed90

The trunk lid on my 1990 convertible is unlocking by itself. I continues to keep unlocking as long as the battery is hooked up. I didn't bother pulling the fuse. I assume the lid lock release solenoid needs to be replaced. Is that a valid assumption? What else should I consider?

The employee car community held its second annual State Farm Founders Day Car Show at our corporate south campus. Showed my Reatta to several thousand people. The Disney Cars sunscreen is an attention getter. It was a great event.

How about using a chrome tape? Google "metalized polyester film tapes"

My 1990 convertble just hit 32,000 miles this morning and everything is original. The only issue I have had with it is a rear seal leak. I put a straight weight oil I it and the leak has all but stopped. I have looked at everything rubber on it and can’t see it looks any worse than our 2005 Highlander with 62,000 miles. All be it I have only driven it 3,000 in five years I wouldn’t be afraid to take it on a long trip tomorrow if needed.

How did it go? Were you successful?

Here are a few more photos

State Farm Mutual Auto Insurance is 90 years old today. Here are a few photos of my Reatta at the Founders Day 2012 car show. My red 90 convertible was put in and area with a black Viper, black Lotus and black Porsche. It really stood out.

I must say I am not a mechanic so take this for what its is worth. To the best of my recollection these are the steps I followed. Good Luck The window frame on the convertible is one piece that includes the triangular vent glass with the mirror. I call it a vent window but it really doesn’t open. This assembly is attached to the door in three places. Here are the steps I followed for removing the frame then reinstalling it correctly Disassemble steps Step 0. You say you have the door panel off but didn’t say anything about the frame & rubber gasket that runs along the top of the door. The frame is where the door inner door panel slipped. Remove the frame & rubber gasket. This will make it easier to look down inside the door and remove the window frame. Step 1 Unattach lower of frame from door It sound like you found the first place which the frame is attached through a hole near the bottom of the door where you removed the speaker. I not only unattached the frame from the door but I also unattached the bracket from the window frame so I could maneuver the frame more easily once it was completely unattached from the door. Step 2 Unattach right side of frame from door As you are sitting in the driver seat, with the door open, there are two bolts in the door body holding the far right of the at tip of the triangular vent window. Those two bolts need to be removed. There is also a rubber boot at the far right with two screws through the boot. I removed both screws and the boot. Step 3 Unattach window frame from door in area of mirror Before starting this step I suggest you follow the bundle of wires for the side view mirror motor control to the plug and unplug the mirror from the car. As you are sitting in the driver seat, as you are looking at the door in the area where the side view mirror is mounted on the door, there are bolts holding the window frame to the door. Remove these bolts. At this point I believe the window frame should be loose so you can take all the way out of the door. You may need to turn it in various directions to get it out. If you look closely at the frame you just removed you will see at the very bottom of the track that there is a tab in the (female) channel. Then if you look down into the door at bottom of the plastic piece bonded to the window glass you will see how the male piece would slip into the channel and hold it in track. Note: If either the plastic track on the frame or the piece bonded to the window appear broken then they will need to be replaced. In my case both were intact. Step 4. I my case the channel that the window runs in had become folded over about half way up the frame. Before reinstalling the frame I folded it back as best I could. Step 5. Slip the frame back into the door. Get the male and female tabs hooked together before lining then up the length of the window. Step 6: Reattach the frame to the door starting with the lower bracket making sure the window stays in track as you tighten all the bolts. Step 7: Reinstall the channel and rubber gasket at the top of the door. Don’t forget to plug in the side view mirror wiring. Before I reinstalled the speakers and door panel I greased the tracks and rollers inside the door with whit lithium grease.

CHJAnew. I would be happy to document the steps for you but I am out of town for the holiday weekend. The car is home in the garage and I really need to look at it while going back through my steps. I will try to send you something later this week. PV

The plastic frame piece is still solidly bonded to the window. I ended up taking out the window frame and inserting it back on to the window so the the tab at the bottom of the frame ran in the track. It appears to be working fine. I can't see how the window came out of the track in the first place. I felt so good about the repair I washed the car and it is now ready to show.

The driver side window on my 1990 convertible is jumping out its track when the window is rolled down. I have removed the inside door panel and have the window rolled up in the track but cannot see how I can adjust anything. I must pull in on the top of the window as I roll it up to keep it in the track. If I don't the window jumps out of the track and plastic track gets folded over and I surely don't want to break it. Any ideas what I need to do? I thought a local body shop may be able to adjust the window for an hours labor.

I like the Red & Tan because most of the advertising and official GM materials printed for the Reatta used photos of cars with those colors.

Thanks everyone for the good discussion. I like the idea of having the option to get paper mailed or .pdf emailed. I personally don't mind if I was subsidzing those who receive the paper copy, if I decided to get it emailed. The cost savings may allow the club to keep dues where they are for a while as the cost of the Bugle and other things goes up. I think those people who think by keeping it only in paper form that it provides more security and confidentiality are fooling themselves. The existance of a copy in any form opens it up for misuse by those who are motivated to do so. FYI. For those who would like to take a copy with them on trips, the .pdf version could be downloaded to your smart phone and you would have that capability. The world is changing. If this club is going to live as long as the Buick will be collected, we need to think about what younger members want from the club.

I just received the 2011 Membership Roster book with my August issue of the Bugle. Even in this era of elctronic media I really like the Bugle but I think it is a waste of resources to print and mail a paper copy of the Membership Roster, production year data, bylaws and rules. I think it would be more efficient and useful to post a searchable copy on a website. It would be the green thing to do and probably save BCA some money. What does everyone else think?

I have the same exact car with a CD player. Is has 32k on it. I like to drive it on nice days. It doesn't have any leaks.

Can't say I have seen the vette you have described.

Looks like we will have a weeks worth of rain in the midwest. We need it to wash the salt from the roads before I can get my convertible out. Oh, to live where it's warm all year long.

At the Chicago auto show, 6 years or so ago, my son and I had our picture taken against a blue screen and they inserted our images next to a Buick Rendevous driven by non other than the late great Tiger Woods. I saw this week the ex president of Buick said Tiger was a poor spokesperson and never really sold any cars for them. Did they just pay him all that money all those years our of the kindness of their hearts. No wonder the car companies are in so much trouble.

Thanks for all the work you did on this. I was wondering what I was going to do with mine as it needs te be repaired.

Need to remind everyone to stay away from the silver BUICK lettering when restoring the taillight lense. I have heard some of these products will take off or dull the surface.

I am looking for Reatta owners from central Illinois. There is a car cruise in Bloomington this Saturday night 8/8/2009. Wondered if you'd be interested in meeting there?

I rebuilt my antenna but I can't seem to keep the plastic cable to stay in the end if the antenna. I've tried several types of apoxy. I think I need to change the antenna rod i.e. the top mast, to get a better end to work with. What do you think?

To correct my prior post I bought my Reatta three years ago not two. Time flies when you're having fun.

Two years ago I paid $17,500 for my 1990 convertible. The odometer just turned 30,000 miles the last time I had it out. It is all orginal except for tires & battery. Sounds like a lot of money but I love the car and if anybody derserves it, I do. It's not one of those purchases you have to cost justify. Makes driving a mini van every day bearable when I think my real car is a Red Reatta converible.

This is the second winter I’ve has my 90 convertible. I don’t drive it in wet weather but keep it covered in the garage with our other two daily drivers. Being in the Midwest our other two cars have carried in a lot of slush that melts and puddles under the Reatta. I sweep it out all the time but still the car is standing in salty wet water a lot. What does everybody think? Will this cause the Reatta to rust and corrode? Should I look for a better storage place next winter? PV