Guest BJM Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 How many 1988 Reattas were made with leather and suede combination seats before they went to all leather?Was all leather a no-cost option at the same time or were they all suede/leather? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 Barney probably knows but think it was about the first 1700 (+/- a few concurrent until they ran out of all colors). Only seat option was 16-way. This means no 88 had suede and a sunroof. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wws944 Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 BTW, if anyone reading this has VIN 1G4EC11C7JB901394 (delivered to Key Buick Pontiac in Moline, Illinois), I have your official Reatta Kroupana suede care package. Back in the day, the dealer was supposed to deliver it to the owner of the above car, but somehow ended up in my car a couple of years later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Eaton Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 There is not a precise answer.Using the information supplied by Reatta owners and listed on the database (not everyone reports suede) not everyone understands there were suede seats in early cars. I also have GM information that some cars were made with cloth. However these were very early cars and Buick made a decision to build (sell) all Reattas with leather and the early cloth seats were either replaced with leather or the cars were prototypes and scrapped.There has not been a single 1988 reported going to the public with cloth seats. The last reported suede seats in tan on the database is 901848The last reported suede seats in blue is 901949Last listed red suede is 902645no good numbers on greyAs you can almost see by the numbers, there was not any given day when they switched, they probably continued to build 1988 Reattas with suede seats until they exhaused the supply of each color then switched to all slick leather.There have been some original owners of 1988 Reattas that claim the dealer/Buick replaced the seats in their car because of wear on the suede. The replacement seats were slick leather (no suede) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 (edited) This is a perfect example of why we should send in the vins on our cars and cars found in junk yards, parking lots and other places. From that information we can determine sometimes exact, and sometimes approximate changes to our cars.Jake-----The green '91 that I sold recently and mentioned in a separate post is the one you were interested in a year or so ago. Also I used to be a member of the KFOCI and still have 4 Henry Js. Edited March 15, 2011 by Jim (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wws944 Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 The letter that came with the Kroupana care package is dated April 25, 1988. It notes that "comments of easily soiled Reatta suede seat trim are being received from dealers and owners.... The care package was developed to restore the affected trim..."It goes on to state that "Beginning the week of April 25, 1988, a care package for each Reatta received by your dealership will be sent to the attention of your New Car Sales Manager. Please deliver a care package to each Reatta owner of record and/or install into any stock vehicles.""All vehicles shipped from the Reatta Craft Centrre with suede seat trim on and after April 22, 1988, will have a care package in the rear compartment..."So suede trim was being delivered at least from late April 1988. I suppose I should scan the cover letter and the instructions in case anyone is interested... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Eaton Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 Looks like the care package and the switch to leather both happened about the same time. If you look at the database, some cars have a note that gives the build date from the drivers door decal. The decal build date is not specific but gives us a ballpark date, since it is only month and year. Not everyone sends the build date but looking at the database, 901889 has a 4/88 BD the first one listed for 5/88 is 902092.Based on your letter and the information in my earlier note, it appears everything happended in April 1988 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BJM Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 This is a perfect example of why we should send in the vins on our cars and cars found in junk yards, parking lots and other places. From that information we can determine sometimes exact, and sometimes approximate changes to our cars.Jake-----The green '91 that I sold recently and mentioned in a separate post is the one you were interested in a year or so ago. Also I used to be a member of the KFOCI and still have 4 Henry Js.JimI can't remember why I did not end up buying that car. Maybe miles were getting up there, not sure but 91's are my favorite Reatta and Polo Green/Tan is my favorite combination. I have come close on a few Reattas but have my garage full now. I am a big K-F fan and still hope to buy one in particular soon. Anyway though, it's mostly history of K-F I enjoy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BJM Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 BarneyI was just curious on the suede/smooth combination because it is unique to a certain period of Reatta history and owning one would mean you owned an early Reatta for sure. However, April/May 1988 should be toward the end of that years production run so it seems it included, what, 70% of 1988 production? That's a lot more then I anticipated. I think it is an attractive combination suede/smooth but in the real world, not so much. I worked in retail shoes and we recommended pencil erasers to bring the nap up on suede. I wonder if the care kit was a big ol' pencil eraser! (Just kidding)Outside of several I have seen at BCA Nationals, I have only seen one suede/smooth car and that was a black one owned by Manikmechanik. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Eaton Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 1988 Reatta production did not start until January 1988...... it was a short year for Reattas with only 4708 produced. Based on the information we have, about the first 40% had suede.A rare 1988 would be suede interior and a sunroof.......but it is unlikely any were made. With suede production stopping around 902000, sunroofs did not show up until 902500Close but no cigar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 Factory sunroofs that is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wws944 Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 (edited) ...I worked in retail shoes and we recommended pencil erasers to bring the nap up on suede. I wonder if the care kit was a big ol' pencil eraser! (Just kidding)...The kit contains a 15 oz bottle of concentrated Kroupana Carbona shampoo, an empty 15 oz bottle (for making a diluted solution of shampoo), a screw-on spray head (think Windex bottle with the straw hanging down), and two brushes - one for scrubbing and the other is a 'dry brush'.The instructions that came with the kit would be very useful to those who want to properly clean their suede interiors. I will scan them. Maybe tonight. Edited March 17, 2011 by wws944 (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wws944 Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 Here is the cover letter: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wws944 Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 ... and here are the cleaning instructions:I hope this helps early Reatta owners with the suede trim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wws944 Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 Box top: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NCReatta Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 Box top:I'm not seeing an pictures... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wws944 Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 I'm not seeing an pictures...How about now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 Nyet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NCReatta Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 How about now?Yup! there they are! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wws944 Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 One yes, one no... Well the photos are stored here on the AACA web site. So they can also be accessed by going to my public profile page, and looking in the 'Misc' album. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rawja Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 They're showing up just fine for me. (Mac w/Safari browser) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 Now they are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now