Fiberglass fenders?

[Guest]

I was looking at an 88 Reatta to buy it and noticed that the front fenders are not metal but seem to be fiberglass or plastic. Is this how they were made, or has this car been in an accident and had its fenders replaced by an aftermarket item?

[reattadudes]

during the "Roger Smith" years at GM, they used plastic fenders. the fwd Cadillacs also used them, from '89-'93. I'm sure there were other models that used them,too.

[Guest tempest68]

The <a href="http://www.reatta.net/newspaper/010104_specs1.jpg">'88 Reatta specifications</a> (on Barney's <a href="http://www.reatta.net">www.reatta.net</a> website) show they were plastic from the factory. [ the specifications page is in the "News, Arts, PR's" section ]

[padgett]

My TranSport also has plastic front fenders and my Fiero is all toxic waste.

[Rattaboy]

Padgett, Isn't the Transport plastic all the way around?

[padgett]

Is a lot (particularly with that Pontiac side ribbing) but have not checked with a magnet to find which is what. Suspect the doors and rear quarter are metal.<P>Just recall a fender being run over at the '92 long leads to show how it did not keep a dent. Front fender is really quite small.

[Guest]

My old friend from the GM Design Center says the glass front fenders were necessary to help offset the heavy front-end weight of the fwd with engine/trans. My '92 Cad seda

[Guest]

[continued from last interrupted message; god, I hate computers. Give me a mimeograph machine anytime, and I'll TWX a message. Anyone else remember?]<P>...sedan. My '92 Sedan DeVille had toxic waste front fenders to help offset the front-end weight. If memory serves, the only automobile that had a perfect 50/50 front/rear weight distribution was the '55 Thunderbird. Then they went and screwed it up with the '56 with that damn continental kit hanging off the rear bumper. Anyone know of other near-perfect weight distributions?<P>Jerry

[Rawja]

I have a 96 Trans Sport, and can tell you that the body panels and all doors are plastic all around. It's a different plastic that what is used on the Reatta's fenders, its thicker and is designed to withstand fairly severe impacts by deforming and rebounding to their original shape, while the Reatta fenders are thin and rigid and primarily used a a weight saving device.<BR> It's a shame that GM gave up un the spaceframe/composite plastic body construction (outside of saturn) because my van has taken hits and abuse (it's a commercial vehicle in Manhattan) that have ruined other vehicles doing the same duties in less than 3 years... after 6 years of service, old "Sporto" still looks new. I have never had a commercial vehicle that even comes close to it's low cost of maintainence.