MAUI and SADDLE!

[Guest steveskyhawk]

HOUSTON CRAIGSLIST HAS A PRETTY UNUSUAL CAR FOR SALE.

[Barney Eaton]

Steve.......you failed to tell us about the really rare 1988 red/tan coupe with the 3.0 4 cylinder engine in Houston.

1988 Buick Reatta (rare)

[Guest steveskyhawk]

That is a TYPO that should be noted in the unverified, unofficial database. Cant believe everything that is in print.

[Labrat]

I never knew you could get Maui Blue and tan interior. If anyone ever sees a '91 Blue with Grey interior coupe please let me know. I have a collector friend in town that wants one after seeing mine. He's the real deal not a tire kicker. Thanks, Labrat

[Barney Eaton]

How do we know it is a typo? has that been verified? maybe they made some early cars with a 4 cylinder... the guy says it's a 4 cyl. if the owner supplies information how do you verify otherwise? and there is no vin number to add it to the unofficial, unverified, only known semicomplete list of Reattas.

The tan interior was not an order form option with Maui Blue, however we know of 2 that were made in 1991 and this could be the first 1990 that has surfaced........ however, it must be verified, maybe it is a repaint.

I have sent the seller a message attempting to verify the information given. The very best way to check the authenticity of a car is by the "Service Parts Label" The label tells us how the car was built at the factory.

When you are looking at a car to buy, get a picture of the Service Parts Label and then decode the information, it can resolve lots of your questions.

Edited January 9, 2010 by Barney Eaton (see edit history)

[Guest steveskyhawk]

I believe what my eyes tell me. Just because it isn't in the unverified, unofficial, db doesn't mean it does or does not exist.

I have ordered 2 new cars in the past that were "non recommended color combination" and one that was ordered in a non offered color. Did they exist? Only in my driveway.

I will find a polo green convertible too. Just need to keep looking.

[Barney Eaton]

I have been tracking Reattas since the BCA national meet in St Louis (1997) and I don't claim to know everything about Reattas, I have a fair understanding of the beasts.

Why is it that you can find fault with everything I do? You have a inbred dislike either for the database or me, and I cannot understand why. I try my best not to find fault with some of the things you say, so I don't say anything. Today I felt frisky and wanted to rattle your cage and you seemed to take the bait.

I will be overjoyed when you find a 1991 Polo Green Reatta convertible. Not because it proves one exists, but because it seems to be something that will make you happy and as you said above "I believe what my eyes tell me" . That to me means that you will accept any that you see even though GM never built one. The only way one can exist, would be in the form of a "clone" of a ghost.

[Guest steveskyhawk]

I don't have a problem with anyone or anything. My point is that just because you haven't seen it is no indication of its existence. Information including errors contained in the database can never enhance the value of a car but it sure can damage the value of a car.

[padgett]

I'd wager it is more factual than CarFax - everybody complains but everyone uses.

Only the factory is capable of biblical accuracy, perhaps someday all of the billing cards will be available like Fred S. managed for Pontiac (every car made after 1959 is listed) but will probably take assistance from an insider.

Of course the only "clone" that would make any sense would be a Select Sixty & the trunk sticker tells all (and any car without one is automatically suspect), is not like the Reatta is based on a Skylark.

Meanwhile I am happy with my drivers and it did not bother me at all to put Bonneville wheels, an 89 steering wheel, and 16ways in the 'vert.

[Guest steveskyhawk]

Car Fax doesn't get its data from ebay and craigslist ads. One digit incorrect on a VIN by irresponsible dyslexics submitting data from salvage yard/parking lot cars can devalue legitimate cars. Bad data is worse than no data. How many times does this have to happen?

[reattadudes]

Barney,

perhaps you're had a lapse in memory.

this is not the only maui blue/saddle 1990 Reatta out there, and you know that.

let's roll the clock back to 2003. we sold two Reattas at Barrett-Jackson, one in Scottsdale, and the other in Palm Beach a few months later.

while we had the Scottsdale car in the display tent before the auction, we had many Reattas owners stop by to chat, over 300 in total.

one of them was from Toronto, and had a Maui blue/saddle convertible. it was the Reatta used for the 1990 Canadian auto show circuit. the current owner was kind enough to email us photos when he got back to his hotel in Scottsdale that night.

I was very excited, and immediately forwarded this photos onto you that night for this unexpected find. there were photos inside and out, and even a photo of the window sticker, which showed it's two options (16 way seat, CD player), as well as the VIN number. the window sticker even said "color-keyed mirrors, no charge".

the next day, I was shocked to receive a call from him, and he was upset. you had sent him a nasty email, basically insinuating that his car was not genuine. quite honestly, I was quite surprised and embarrassed.

here was a fully documented car, and you refused to believe it's existence.

the next car we sold at Barrett-Jackson in Palm Beach a few months later was a maui blue/white/white convertible. we bought the car from the Buick dealer in Missouri that had originally ordered it for himself. he even picked it up at the Craft Centre personally, and drove it back to Missouri. he had the car shipped to his second home in Southern California. when we bought the car, it was still on it's original Manufacturer's Statement of Origin from GM. it had never been titled or registered.

here was another fully documented car, and you refused to believe it's existence.

we saw you a few months later in Flint, Michigan, for the Buick meet in the summer of 2003.

we've had a standing invitation from the company that maintains the private GM collection in Sterling Heights (MI) to come for a visit. there were two green 1991 convertibles in the collection. we know they were there, as they had requested a replacement tonneau cover in green a few months earlier. the only stipulation was no cameras. we graciously invited you to join us, but you refused to abide by the "no cameras" rule. we graciously declined the trip, as to not a offend our kind hosts with someone who would not abide by the simple rule.

a few hours later, we were walking from the host hotel in Flint, across a field to the Tech Center. some of the folks who originally worked on the Reatta project in many capacities were going to speak to the group of Reatta owners. we were really looking forward to learning about the Reatta's history from the very people that created and built the car.

there were four of us in our group walking over; myself, my former business partner, Randy Graves, Greg Ross, and Tom Payette, who had retired after owning a Buick dealer in Louisville, Kentucky, for over 30 years.

you walked past us as we crossed the field, looked directly at Randy and I, and said "I'm going to show what liars you two are". you continued walking on.

Greg and Tom looked at us with some bemusement. I explained that we had information that Reatta convertibles did indeed come with cloth convertible tops from the factory. we receive much of our information from our customers that worked on the Reatta project directly. our customers include the chief engineer, the plant manager, and program manager.

you said they didn't have cloth tops, because YOU HAD NEVER SEEN ONE.

the meeting with the Craft Centre folks was great, and very informative.

the last person to speak was a jug-eared guy with a Southern accent. he had worked on the trim line at the Craft Centre. he got out a scrapbook of some of the cars that were built.

with his drawl, he showed photos of convertibles. I'll never forget his words: "here's a blue convertible with a blue cloth top, here's a silver one with a red cloth top, a black one with a tan cloth top..."

Greg Ross was sitting directly behind me, and I thought he was going to kick a hole in the bottom of my chair.

this maui blue/saddle coupe in the Houston is no different than any example I've already given. I could easily give twenty more.

guilty until proven innocent. it doesn't exist; I've never seen one.

but the car in Houston does indeed exist. one of our customers brought the car to our attention after he looked at it. no color change. the real deal.

I did work on the headlights of a long-time customer's Reatta convertible over the holidays in Palm Springs.

he has a 1990 convertible that came from the factory in light camel (code 57), a pastel light beige that was a 1990 Century color.

our customer is a retired senior executive for McDonnell Douglas. he bought a new Park Avenue and Reatta convertible in 1990. he was personal friends with Ed Mertz, who was Buick's General Manager at the time. Ed saw to it that both the Reatta and Park Avenue were factory-painted in the requested color.

oh I'm sorry, it can't exist. it wasn't in the catalog.

Mike Rukavina

buickreattaparts.com

[padgett]

My Reattae started out stock but I have ordered several new cars from GM with colors that were not listed. Basically if the computer at the assembly plant (and GMs use of computer coding goes back to the early 60's) could accept the codes (there were some exclusions built in), it could be built. The key for me was knowing the necessary codes and a relationship with the zone office.

Several times I told them what codes to enter and they were surprised when they would be accepted. According to the literature our 1990 Bonnevile SE (SE then was upscale) came with a two-tone finish having the lower body a lighter color. Jim can afirm that ours (then his) was Carmine (deep red) all over. It was also supposed to come with spoke instead of lace wheels (I've always liked snoflakes). Never say never.

[Guest re-reatta]

I ordered a new '80 Chevy pick-up in late '79. I chose Dark Carmine (maroon), with tan interior. When the dealer called to tell me it had arrived, he said there was a problem. The truck had been built with "BLUE" interior. The dealer said that if he had ordered it like that, the computer would have kicked it out. Fortunately they swapped the interior with a white truck that had tan,and put my blue in the white truck. I guess anything is possible, either through error or the right price.

[Barney Eaton]

Service Parts Label below from seller of car.

[Guest steveskyhawk]

Ol' barney has proved my point. Can't believe everything you read. So is the database now corrected to indicate that the car in question has blue interior? That car clearly has saddle interior. Anybody that has worked on a Reatta knows how much work it would be to R&R the dashboard etc. Not likely. I wish people would NOT bother sellers if they have no intention of buying.

I talked to a guy back east just recently that had a choice of a black or a green 91 Reatta convertible. Was he lying or is the database incomplete or inaccurate? Who cares?

[padgett]

Service sticker is unlikely to be wrong, it was generated as part of the assembly process and was probably how the car was originally built.

Now at Pontiac you would often find oddball cars with a notation in the manifest "body in aisle", "send to engineering", or "for zone use". These were indications that the car was receiving special treatment either for a show or display, VIP, engineering use (like a steam engine in a Grand Prix), or just a "foreman's friend". I've seen far greater changes than just an interior done both just off the line or in the experimental garage and sometimes the car or just the body was diverted but after the assembly paperwork was already generated.

And then there was my GTO station wagon...

Edited January 12, 2010 by padgett (see edit history)

[Barney Eaton]

Next chapter to the story......... when I talked to the seller, he could not remember the interior color...for sure. It is not his car, it belongs to a friend and the car is at his shop under a tarp. I ask him to look at some things and take a photo of the Service parts label.

His reply along with the picture of the SPL.....

Heres' the id sticker, and it is blue interer

Ricky

Now what do we believe..... the seller says the interior is blue, the Service Parts Label indicates it is blue........ but Steve says it is tan because he sees tan in a poor photo that only shows a small portion of the interior.

I rest my case on this car and will tackle Mikes accusations next.

[Guest steveskyhawk]

Barney is using the data from the wrong car! There goes the database!

Here is the link to the maui blue car with saddle interior.

1990 Buick Reatta (Bad Motor)

This is the reason his database can damage the value of our cars.

Barney owes the entire forum an apololgy.

Edited January 12, 2010 by steveskyhawk (see edit history)

[reattadudes]

as many long-time posters and readers know, I used to be a very regular poster here. there is one person who drove me away, and I'm sure you all know who that was (or is).

what's really saddest to me as I have absolutely nothing to gain here by posting incorrect information. we've had over 500 Reattas at our facility here over the years, and I've personally taken apart at least half of them with my two hands.

I would like to think that counts for something.

I owned a Dodge dealer for over ten years, and I completely understood how the Chrysler order and distribution system worked.

when I started selling Reatta parts ten years ago, I was essentially starting at square one again. this was all different. the one thing that was the same was what I had learned when I was a 27 year old, green pea dealer principal, the youngest Dodge dealer in the country back in 1983:

if you have questions, ask an expert on the subject.

my experts actually called me for Reatta parts. we have eleven customers who worked on the Reatta project, all the way from the head guys to folks who worked on the line. they all share two things: 1) their knowledge of the car (like it was yesterday!), and 2) an unbelievable passion about the car. there is not a single one that I've met personally that did not have tears in their eyes when talking about this car. I now share their same passion.

their knowledge became my knowledge. they gave me photos (like Barbara Sinatra having her Reatta delivered at the Palm Springs compound, 'ol Blue Eyes in the background, complete with robe, slippers, cigarette, crooked toupe, and some sort of brown "morning beverage" in a glass with ice), spec sheets, change orders, reams of VIN numbers, and relayed personal information they would only know.

how many customers picked their cars up at the factory? 9. what was the policy about a "lemon" Reatta? if the dealer could not repair it in 48 hours, the Craft Centre would build an identical car for a replacement, and it would be delivered to the dealer within one week. how many customers took advantage of this? 2. how many Reattas did Frank Sinatra, Jr. own? 3. how many had a factory-installed custom exhaust systems? 2. what else would you like to know? I have turned into a virtual cesspool of Reatta knowledge, thanks to the Craft Centre employees.

they explained how they played "fast and loose" with many things. this happened many times because the Reatta was extremely unpopular in the market after 1988, and they did whatever it took to move units, and kep the Craft Centre humming. the dealer's wife wanted a black convertible with a white interior? it's on the way! what can we build for you?

this made complete sense to me from a dealer standpoint, as there were many "non-available" cars that rolled onto my lot over the years with Dodge. has the resident "expert" here spent one day working at (or owning) a dealership? any time as a factory rep? any idea how the dealer/factory give-and-take works?

over the years, I've made every effort to try to help all of the Reatta owners here by sharing my knowledge. I base anything I talk about either on what I've learned from the real experts, or what I've seen. I looked at myself here as an advisor, and that advice came whether you bought parts from us or not.

-it has absolutely nothing to do with a pathological need to "always be right".

-it has nothing to do with having some kind of power over another person, or intimidating them, like telling someone who drove from California to Michigan (talk about a commitment!), and is told to "park that behind the hotel and cover it up", merely because it's a non-stock color. five speed and supercharged? don't even think you're bringing that to the show area, because you're not.

-it has no egotistical need to base my judgments on the fact that if I haven't seen something, it can't exist. my mind is open to anything.

-it has nothing to do with a pathological need to consistently tell Reatta owners their car has no value (like nice coupes selling for $5,000, and 1991 low mileage convertibles not being worth more than $12,000), because I know that isn't true. the mid 90's have been over for a long time, and values today are easily double the low "expert" numbers given.

as a matter of fact, someone who feels they hold a lofty position of "expert" when it comes to giving these ridiculously low values is actually hurting more than they are helping. the only thing that is getting a boost is their ego.

...and here we go again. it seems that someone is back to "proving a point" again. it would work a little better if our "expert" would at least find the correct vehicle that had been discussed.

I'm sure our "expert" will again be demanding this unwitting seller provide a photo of the parts and service identification label. sense a little "need to be right" here?

over and out.

Mike Rukavina

buickreattaparts.com

+

[padgett]

Wasn't there something about a pachyderm to the sight impaired ?

I do not see anyone else creating a database with over 5,000 entries. That it is less than biblical in accuracy should be no surprise but is closer than anything else we can do personally short of funding unlimited CarFax AND Experian Autocheck and running every possible VIN through them. (Would take a bit over a year running 8 hours shifts unless automated).

Or having the factory provide 21,751 (give or take a few) billing cards (most likely on microfilm) and have someone put them into a usable format. Might mention that I know people who did exactly that for an entire division.

What we found was that in the case of a significant number of vehicles "things happened" at the factory that started with cars built with base 2bbl engines and 3 speeds & were a little different when they rolled out the door (the Super Duty 421s). Now this was in the swinging sixties before the DOT and EPA got involved & there was no FMVSS 108 but color and trim has never heen an issue.

When I was a student/employee/car nut at GM in the 1970s, many strange things could and did happen. Take the picture of my first real race car below.

This was taken the winter of 1970-71. That is a '70 GS in the background. Everyone knows '70 GS bumpers were chrome, right ? Amazing what could happen if you were a GMI student in Flint.

In 1972 I needed a tow car that could carry spares and make fast MI-FL transits. Looked at quite a few but just could not get interested. Then a friend mentioned that a friend of a friend was having a couple of interesting Pontiac wagons built from OTS parts and was I interested ?

The one below (picture from 1986) - 400 cid 4 bbl, posi, turbo-hydro, a/c, full gauges, formula wheel, power everything, cruise, my kind of car. Oh, and a "nose job".

Won a lot of tow car races plus with a 3.08 gear had an interesting top end.

Might note the wagon also was wilderness green with a saddle interior. Not a standard combination.

Life with GM was interesting but it just did not work out. I wanted to design digital fuel injections (had designed and built an aluminum die casting machine using a Chapman Strut linkage for the ladle, digital microprocessor "closed loop" controls, and infrared communications. In 1973. Union called it a "work speed up"), Delco wanted me to build assembly lines so we parted. Unfortunately I cannot afford the vehicles my current employer makes. Good thing, I'd need a bigger garage.

So we have a database thanks to Barney. It is not perfect but is a lot better than anything else for now. Buick has the manifests and billing cards somewhere (unless deliberately destroyed). Who knows, maybe the new Government Motors will make them available. And the horse may learn to sing.

[Barney Eaton]

I apologize......... I did get the wrong car. Why? Look at the post that started this discussion and you tell me which Maui Blue 1990 Reatta on Craigs list in Houston was the post about?

Yet you will find numerious posting within this discussion with statements that are incomplete and misleading while accusing me of posting incorrect information. Much of the Reatta data I get is from Reatta owners and before adding a car to the database, I will contact the sender if there are questions. The problem is often the sender does not have complete information. So do I post nothing or incomplete information? It is not possible to verify every car.

I challange those critics to document (as they expect me to do) some of the stories and facts that are being posted here (on this string) Get me a vin number for a Polo Green convertible and I will pull the codes from my dealers computer.

I do not dispute that there were Reattas built that were not on the order blank. The Maui Blue 1990 that is the subject of this discussion will have a "D60" code (color override) on the

Service Parts Label. There were several 1990 bright red Reattas built with red/burgundy interior... a combination that was shown as not available on dealer documentation. But the Reatta was a "hand built" (Buicks words) car and if a dealer had a customer that wanted something special, I suspect it was done if possible.

One thing the database can do to help is list these cars when we know about them.

I hope to someday put all of this behind us. In 2008 I was loaned a 443 page computer print out by Larry Gustin. Before Buick departed Flint for Detroit, Larry had Reatta records dumped and printed. What he got is not as complete as I would like but it does list every Reatta built by vin number, interior and exterior color and the dealer that received the car.

It print out does not show option, so we cannot tell if a car has 16 way seat, CD or Sunroof, but we will be able to look at all the color combinations.... the colors are in code like on the SOL .

I have a company in Dallas scanning all 443 sheets, and converting the information to an Excel format so the data can be sorted. This is being done on a shoestring and if they are busy, nothing gets done. I keep hoping for a call telling me it is ready. Last spring my contact was at the Salado TX Buick meet and he had all the 1990 data on his computer but we had no way of downloading......or I would be in posession of the 1990 data.

Anyone that thinks I am accumulating Reatta information/data for self gain or to tell others that they don't know what they are talking about, does not know me.

Again I do apologize for this discussion going down the wrong fork of the road.

[Rawja]

The database is not canon and I don't think it has been represented as such.

I totally believe that there are Reattas out there that were not equipped in the "standard" configurations and while that makes them somewhat more interesting, the increase or decrease in the value of that particular car should be based on the aesthetics of the deviation, not what a hobbyist registry says.

Regardless of how enthusiastic I am about the Reatta I recognize that it is not a religious article, it's a car. I have no illusions about it being worth millions in the future. It is at best a valiant but failed attempt by Buick to enter an almost non-existant slice of the market that in retrospect was doomed to failure before it even got off the ground. I still love the things, but let's not get too overly-serious.

This is much ado about nothing IMO.

[Guest steveskyhawk]

Extensive evidence abounds that variations in color combinations etc exist and barney gets angry. I consider these variations the spice of life. (notice no red/tan coupes in my collection) I don't understand the emotion. Lets hope that the value of our cars is not effected by documents of "biblical accuracy" that were written by people with an agenda. The premise that the earth was made in 7 days is no more accurate than a database using bad information from craigslist and ebay ads. Lets hope that our investments are not declared scrap by the keeper of the database. It is obvious that there is signifigant opinion and confusion in barney's db. Prey he doesn't get it wrong on your car.

[padgett]

OK, this is getting absurd. I don't think that Barney has ever said the database was anything more than it is (other than maybe for 91 verts), a collection of reports submitted by individuals that could not be individually verified. What others do with it is their business.

ON HIS OWN, Barney obtained a printout that apparently lists all Reatta's. and again ON HIS OWN he is having it scanned (and if financial support would expidite, let me know offline) but it is not ready yet. So what we have is the current database.

Now a lot has been done. Tom Jenkins donates Reatta.net with more information avalaible than any other marque I know of has. A few years ago some members were able to scan three of the four service manuals and parts books. Others waded through the legal process to get permission to post the copyrighted material on line (and the agreement is why you must have an account). We are talking thousands of pages here.

All of this has created a unique nitch for the Reatta. What could have become an electronic nightmare has instead become a learning experiaance for many.

Now there are really 10 kinds of people here, those who are just enjoying a hobby/lifestyle/driver and those fortunate enough to make a profit at it as well. Unfortunately for the second, the economy is tanked, used cars are feeling pressure from new (heard about a 46% discount on some new GM cars, of course 46% off of Way Too Much is still A Lot, have also heard Penske (United Motors) may market the Solstice/Sky).

Meanwhile the fact is that nice driver Reatta coupes are going for $2500-$5000 and 'verts for $5k-$10k if you look. Of course exceptional cars bring exceptional prices but must be not only low miles but also at least #2 (national show) quality and would need to be individually inspected and documented. However there are still often listings for nice cars in the local listings for not much money. To many, the Reatta is just a used Buick.

Bottom line is that we have created a place for a car that is not as fast as a Corvette, as expensive as an Allante, or as sporty as a Fiero yet even in a depressed economy still sells for as much or more than any of them (figure all Allantes & most 'vettes are 'verts then look at the price for an 88-91). Context is everything.

Not bad for a group of volunteers.

Now can we get back to "the roads must roll".

[Guest re-reatta]

I'm in total agreement with Padgett. Let's stop the finger pointing and enjoy this forum for what it is. You can find more info and helpful enthusiasts on this forum than anywhere else on the net. In the immortal words of Rodney King, "Can't we all just get along".

[Bushwack]

Isn't Rodney in jail on a conviction of assault and battery?

FWIW, when I was looking to buy another car, I never would have thought of a Reatta. I was looking for a '92 Allante, 57 T-Bird or a 63 Vette (still looking for that Vette). I came across a CL listing for a beat up 88 Reatta (knew very, very little about the car). But it wasn't until I stumbled onto this forum that I even considered buying a Reatta. What initially turned me around was the information available in this forum.

I'm now on my second Reatta with a third possibly coming soon. I have a great fondness for the car. My Allante hasn't received much love lately and will soon find a new owner - the convertible Reatta has taken its place as my Sunday cruiser. The support for the car and the information available on this forum (and Ronnie's site, among others) is tremendous. Barney, Jim, Steve, Kingsley and a host of others whose name escapes me have been very helpful with any questions I have on the car (can't get that much love on the Z28, Corvette, Allante or even Lexus forums).

Of the past few posts I've read, people are losing perspective of how rich in knowledge this forum is and of those who can contribute. Whether or not you agree with information being assembled/provided, at least it is a beginning for an answer to a question. And I raise a cup of cheer to those who go above and beyond answering the same questions over and over again (with a smile) to relative newbies like myself.

Thank you.

[Guest gotitright]

I am 100% on Padgett's observation all the way. I also agree,to Barney, if $ would help, PM me. I learn so much on here and I did not buy my Reatta, #4 Reatta in my life for its value. I bought because I love it. Again being an owner of multiple vehicles on various sites, this is the best one.

[padgett]

Had a 63 split window FI 'vette with funny little fans in the brakes and a giant gas tank (BS brown car in picture above). Paid a grand for it in 1970. Been a race car from day 1 until I flew it at Grattan (western MI).

How I larnt to tune the Rochester FI. Ignition was Delcotronic (finding a FI drive, tach drive, mag ignition distributer was expensive, ordered a new one from Remys). Friend at Detroit Diesel was sending me any nozzles rejected for too high a flow (called them "YY"s). Hogged the inlet out to 2.239" diameter (from 2") & with the right cam the SBC would wind to the moon. Had to order five annuluses from Schwartx Creek to hog out because the voids in the castings were so bad four became trash. Still have a couple of unmachined late FI pleniums I use as speaker stands.

Imagine it would make a BJ "fantasy bid" fan sick but six grand heading for 7 through 4" flat black side pipes in 4th with a 3.55 and 27" tires should be a rite of passage. Recall having to force my foot to the floor through the Ss at IRP with everything puckered. Judge is downright civilized in comparison.

Bottom line, the 65 is far superior to a 63. Disk brakes, cranking signalling valve that did not need a TCS switch added to prevent leaks, nicer looking instruments, real vents, shifter you were not afraid was going to snap off in your hand.... Just what people missed who did not grow up in the glory days when next year's car was always better/faster..

[johnemac]

OK lets say Barney irked someone or others 70 times. That sounds like alot until one realizes he's posted over 5,582 times. So 5,512 posts were of a positive nature. The good outweighs the negative-and that goes for every poster here.

[Guest spyhunter2k]

Mike, on a forum with hundreds of members there will inevitably be differences with one or a few. I don't see why that would keep you away from a forum as useful as this one. Your input would be welcome and valuable.

You've discussed many interesting Reattae, but we haven't had the fortune to see them ourselves and you almost always decline to share photos, citing the owners' desire for privacy. Please don't take this the wrong way, but you must understand that consistently deciding not to share these of course generates some skepticism in those who have strong desire to establish facts based on evidence instead of personal accounts only. I know that I have just as much desire as the next guy to want to be shown what you've seen instead of just told.

Take the black and white car you mentioned. Would it kill the owner to let you post a pic of the car and its service parts label? The service parts label on someone's car doesn't exactly include personal information that could be used against them in any way that I can fathom. I can understand and accept that some owners may decline to have photos of their cars made public, but certainly some of the owners of these odd-ball Reattae would allow it, right?

Whatever you decide, there is no reason to stay away from the forum due to differences with one or a few members.

Edited January 13, 2010 by spyhunter2k (see edit history)

[reattadudes]

I've been down that road before, and I have chosen to stop posting photos altogether.

1) tried with the maui blue/saddle convertible I mentioned here. grief arrived.

2) it happened again with the maui blue/white convertible we sold at Barrett-Jackson in Palm Beach. another visit by grief.

3) it happened a third time posting a photo of an early build 1988 that clearly had a build date of 1/87. explained the history of this car in great detail, and was accused of "doctoring the photo". for what purpose, I have no idea. it was a $500 parts car. third time, stupid me.

no more desire for grief, skepticism, rudeness, and other issues that contribute to unecessary increases in blood pressure.

as they say, "stay tuned for the book". it's about a year and a half away.

Mike Rukavina

buickreattaparts.com

[Guest steveskyhawk]

Anybody that wants to see the maui blue convertible with white interior there is a picture of it on Mike's website buickreattaparts.com

I have seen it. This car is striking and dont personally care if it is or is not in a database and dont care to see the build tag in the trunk. This is the color combination more maui blue convertibles should have been made. WOW

[NCReatta]

We picked this car up over the weekend......

 

 

 

From my research, this is a 1 of 1 car.

 

8 Maui/Tan cars were built in 1990. Six were coupes, only TWO were convertibles. This one, having a CD player and standard seats, would make it ONE of ONE.  

 

Some more pictures

 

 

 

 

And for those who will say that we created this car, and "it's not real", here is the service parts sticker with the critical codes circled to make it easy for you. 23U is the primary body color in Maui Blue. 66I is the code for Saddle interior. 

 

 

You have all asked for photo evidence of these cars existing. Here it is. Now do you believe these cars (that we've been told "do not exist" by the experts) might actually be around, hidden in garages, and even on the road?

[Guest my3buicks]

Now that I like!! (with the proper wheels of course)

Edited August 26, 2015 by my3buicks (see edit history)

[Guest PontiacDude210]

Absolutely stunning car. When I was younger, my parents had a blue over tan Regal that I really liked. The color combo looks even better on a Reatta.

[Guest my3buicks]

How many miles Marck?

[Guest Flacko9091]

I really like that blue/tan combo! However I really hate the blue/blue combo. I think I just really hate the blue interior period. Maybe it looked better new?? Did GM really think we'd like that blue interior very much in 1990?

I would like the blue/white very much too. I owned an '85 eldo convertible in firemist red with white leather interior that was beautiful! I also just sold my '88 Mercedes 560sl that was slightly metallic blue/green with saddle (palomino) interior. I would love to have a Reatta in that color combo.

I did paint my 1999 daily driver Toyota Rav4 that blue/green color so I would still have a vehicle that color even after I sold my Mercedes.

Edited August 26, 2015 by Flacko9091 (see edit history)

[reattadudes]

Marck,

 

thanks so much for the recent post! this is indeed the almost-twin to the car I reported on way back in 2003. that car was built for the 1990 Canadian auto show circuit, and like all export Reattas, had 16 way seats as standard equipment.

 

I joined the forum over 13 years ago, and from nearly day one talked about unusual Reatta color combinations. of course, I was shot down and villified at every turn, with excuses like, "it wasn't in the catalog, you couldn't get that", or "where ARE they?" ditto for the factory cloth tops on convertibles, until they began to appear, and LOTS of them.

 

in 1990, there were 436 off standard color combinations. of that total, the vast majority are bright red/slate gray (about 300), but still leaves over 100 cars that were either off standard, or custom colors. all other year Reattas also show this same anomaly in about the same numbers, on a percentage basis. 1990 was the most prolific year, as more 1990s were built than any other year.

 

Barney saw this anomaly himself a few years back when the Buick Nationals were in Colorado. one of my customers has a 1989 Sapphire blue/saddle coupe, and Barney personally examined the Service and Parts Identification label.

 

before I forget; if you're not going to keep those gorgeous wire wheels, let me know. they'll look great with the Vogue tyres I just bought for my driftwood convertible.

 

Mike Rukavina

buickreattaparts.com

Edited August 26, 2015 by reattadudes (see edit history)

[Barney Eaton]

Nice to see some good pictures posted of a rare car.   Marck and I agree on the number made,   the other blue/tan convertible had 16 way seats.

Interesting side note,  of the 8 produced in this color combination,  the same dealer in Champaign Illinois ordered Marck's 905651 and 900947 a coupe.

 

The 1989 list is finished and we found 9 Sapphire blue/tan coupes with standard seats and 4 with 16 way.

One reason you don't see these cars.... do the math, these '89's amount to 0.1% of the production that year.

[NCReatta]

Barney,

Yes, my car was sold new in Champaign. The car looks like an NC car though with zero rust.

Since you have all this information on hand, what is the VIN for the other blue/tan convertible?

Also, when will you be making the build sheets public? When I converted the 88 list for you, you had mentioned that you would be publishing the whole list at some point. That's been over 3 years.

I'm sure I, as well as many others would be interested in the data that are on the lists.