curt_tomlinson Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 Hi All, Some of you may remember me as "curtislt" from a few years ago -my former login seems to have expired. I flipped my Vert and broke my neck. The road shoulders here in NC are atrocious. I went off the road and into a red clay rut caused by an 18-wheeler. Trying to get out, I skidded sideways and the right rear lower a-arm sheared off. This allowed the wheel to fold under and the car flipped on its top and my neck. I bring this up as I've heard from other Reattaphiles and Buick mechanics that this is not uncommon. I mention this only because I recommend you check rear a-frames for wear or cracks. I also recommend you put in a roll bar if you use your Vert as a daily driver. I died in the crash, was revived and left a bit of a mess now.I'm selling off some of my harder-to-find parts on Ebay. Seems these new entrepreneurs who are flooding the market with parts have pretty much destroyed the market prices. I'm a real car guy and my Reatta was in perfect order; whatever seemed "off" to me was repaired, rebuild or replaced (NOS if possible).When I'm done with Ebay, I may post a list of remaining parts here for sale or just store 'til the vultures put themselves out of business. Also, I have a few more items to have removed, and then I'll sell the remainder of the car for the remaining parts. The engine and tranny have about 128k and work perfectly. The grey leather seats w/all options are the nicest original seats you'll find. The majority of body parts are good (except driver door, top of left quarterpanel and trunk lid is iffy). The A/C was rebuilt, etc. This was a CA car and we only moved here less than a year before the accident. So the car is rust free. Glad to see my fellow Reattaphiles are still going strong. Please, I didn't tell my story for sympathy or oohs & aahs; I don't require that. It's just a word of warning.Take CareCurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest steveskyhawk Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 Which year is your wrecked car? How about some pictures of where the suspernsion broke so we know exactly where to look for the defect. Good luck with your recovery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curt_tomlinson Posted March 27, 2008 Author Share Posted March 27, 2008 I don't get out much but I'll have a picture taken. It's easy to describe. Look at the rear lower A-arm -the strut attaches to it. There's a big hole between two approx. 3inch, roundish stubs. One end of them has holes where the bolt goes through to allow the arm to pivot. The other end turns into the A section where the spring and strut reside. Those two short, round sections fractured bi-laterally and completely separated allowing the wheel to flop around.curtPS It is a 90 vert but I believe all Reattas used this same system Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonlabree Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 Are you saying that is what caused the accident? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucky91 Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 Curt,Hope you're doing well. Had a similar experience a little over two years ago. Took me over a year to recover and still have issues am dealing with daily as I'm sure you do. Hang in there and get better..Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 Curt and Mike,I hope you both get better. I hate to hear about such tragic accidents.Are you both saying a weak A arm caused both of the accidents? Would an A arm in new condition have prevented the accidents? I will certainly be looking at my A arms for damage. Thanks for the heads up.You guys may list as many of the remaining parts as you wish at my website listed below at not cost to you if it will help you out in selling them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucky91 Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 No Ronnie, the similar experience I was referring to was in reference to Curt's broken neck. My accident had nothing to do with a weak A arm. Buckle up folks..Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MauiWowee Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: curt_tomlinson</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I went off the road and into a red clay rut caused by an 18-wheeler. Trying to get out, I skidded sideways and the right rear lower a-arm sheared off. </div></div>I sounds like the lateral force on the wheel caused the failure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curt_tomlinson Posted March 27, 2008 Author Share Posted March 27, 2008 Ronnie, thanks, very kind of you. Mike hang in there. I know some days hardly seem worth the fight, but I'm not yet ready for the alternative.I do believe the arm caused the accident. I'm an excellent driver an have won competitions at Porche rallies. I did upgrade the wheels and tires to 16" and Michelin x-ones. Basically the same size wheel the 91 models came with -tire size, too. I've always been curious if The general beefed-up the A-arm in the 91 model. Bet Padgett or one of you guys of his ilk knows. I do know a whole lot of us pre 91 Reatta owners did that same wheel upgrade.BTW, I wear my seatbelts religiously. In this case had I not, I would most likely have walked away. The seatbelt effectively made me the rollbar. I'm six one. The top was up and the windshield immediately went to cowl level. The top saved me from being scalped.Enough o' that. smile and check those A-arms.curt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest steveskyhawk Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 So a 91 has bigger A-arms? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest F14CRAZY Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 Curt, first I truly feel sorry to hear about your awful accident. This is pretty "close to home" with Reatta convertible production being so low and the fact that I've touched and driven four of them personally. But more importantly, I'm glad to know you're still around and recovering from this.I don't know much on the A arm myself and have been a little "slow" on Reattas lately but I'm going to watch this to see if anyone finds a difference in the '91 arm and for any photos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MauiWowee Posted March 28, 2008 Share Posted March 28, 2008 The rear axle control arms are the same, used on all e-bodies from 1986-1992 as per the parts catalog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard S Posted March 28, 2008 Share Posted March 28, 2008 Terribly sorry to hear about your accident, Curt, but very glad to see that at least you are here to write about it. I had a similar roll over in a Cutlass Supreme convertible on Interstate 70 when a tire blew at 90 mph. I overcorrected and the car spun hitting the burm and breaking off the tire and hub at the stub axle. The car then rolled down a small embankment landing on its roof. Luckily, Olds designed the convert with little modification to the coupe, leaving the roof stiffener as an ersatz roll bar. It was, however, enough to save me from a similar fate. Just unbuckled and let myself out with a very slightly fractured shoulder and bruised spleen, both from the seat belt.Curt, I did not see the seats or any of your other parts on ebay. Are they already listed?You may be correct referring to "vultures", but then again it would seem that ebay is fairly close to a perfect capitalist model of supply and demand dictating price. As Steve pointed out on another thread, many factors play into whether one can afford to store a carcass until scarcity drives up the price of parts. My neighbors are none too happy with my 5 vehicles, and they all run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curt_tomlinson Posted March 28, 2008 Author Share Posted March 28, 2008 Hi Richard, by vultures, I meant these few guys who buy up all the cheap reattas they can find and parts them out as they're worth more as parts than cars. Actually, it was rather bright of them and they made lots of money. Unfortunately for guys like me, they flooded the market and parts now are a fraction of what they were a few years ago. e.g. I have left driver window I paid J. Finn $90 for 5 yrs ago (very fair price then). I advertised it last year and couldn't get over $20 bid. I can't get the seats out of the car so they go with itwhen I'm finished. Plus, they cost too much to ship.This weekend I'll be advertising both sets of headlights with buckets, metal cap, rebuilt motors and low use NOS actuators. Also, ECM, BCM, rebuilt radio/cassette, rebuilt CD unit and a CD unit that is good and just needs the belt replaced. I also have a very nice complete set of the faux woodgrain dash and console trim from a Riviera. I have the black original set, too. Grey c-console arm rest, and lots more. I'll probably just offer the headlights and electronics listed this weekend. I also have both convertible top windshield latches (male and female sides) which are nearly impossible to find.Thank you all for your kind comments and good wishes. curt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ranger Posted March 28, 2008 Share Posted March 28, 2008 Curt,Would you have time to check your personal messages on this forum?I sent you one a couple of days ago.Take care,Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curt_tomlinson Posted March 28, 2008 Author Share Posted March 28, 2008 Hi All who PMed me. Sorry, I'm adjusting to the new look, and features, of the forum. I believe I've responded to all and made my email address available. Sorry again.curt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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