Polo Green Convertibles Redux

[Guest 1991Reatta]

After I stopped LOL at your commets...all I can say is show me a picture...UNTIL then...I know I'm right! I was there....and YOU were not!

Regards Gary....a "ledged" Buick photographer

[ptt]

:eek:When it comes to scrapping cars, whether they be prototypes...discontinued vehicles...or whatever I seem to recall that there were dozens of Hydrogen cell (I believe) vehicles that GM doled out to Executives, Celebrities ands other chosen ones that were re-collected and scrapped. Anyone remember anything about that? So, scrapping cars to keep them out of the publics hands is not unheard of. Alot of the custom cars built on those SPIKE TV shows on Saturday morning get scrapped allegedly because the shows legal department is paranoid about lawsuits if someone wraps one around a light pole. I think they have recently started giving some of them away as contest prizes. I suppose such an contest adverising stunt is worth more than the chance of liability?

Edited September 23, 2011 by ptt (see edit history)

[reattadudes]

I find it strange for someone to speak in such "absolutes" when they weren't at the Craft Centre on a daily basis.

where do I start?

-perhaps at silly thoughts like, "they didn't want to build just one".

say what?

have you ever looked at the CompNine database? the 1991 information is not that complete, but if you check the 1990 database, it clearly shows a full 5% of 1990 production were "off standard" vehicles.

THAT'S WAY OVER 400 CARS....with most "one of a kind".

that means cars painted in non-standard colors, like White Diamond, the 1988-1989 Sapphire Blue, and even camel beige, which one of my customers in Palm Springs ordered new on his 1990 convertible.

if you'd take the time and do an Excel spreadsheet from a 1990 model year CompNine download, this would blow you're "they didn't want to build just one" argument to smithereens.

in case you didn't know, there was this guy named Ed Mertz, and he wanted one of those "one of a kind" Reattas. he was a really silly guy, and wanted a 1991 clone of the 1990 Select Sixty, white with a white top, and a white interior with flame red trim. unlike the Select Sixty, he wanted flame red stripes.

since you were the obvious arbiter of all things that were allowed to be built in your capacity as GM staff photographer, let me imagine how the conversation went:

MERTZ: "I want it".

YOU: "sorry, babe. no-can-do. we can't be building 'one of a kind cars'. it's just not allowed".

since Mertz (for those of you unaware, Ed Mertz was the General Manager of Buick Motor Division at this time) got his car the way he wanted it (and I still see it running around Scottsdale), I'm assuming that he either pulled some strings to override your decision, or had it built in some "skunkworks" clandestine fashion, as to not receive your wrath, right?

Ed's 1991 "one of a kind" Reatta convertible's VIN ends in 900381.

I've personally ordered the following "off standard" cars myself.

-1978 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme coupe (V-6, 5 speed) dark blue with a camel interior.

-1979 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme coupe, light blue metallic with camel interior.

-1986 Lincoln Town Car, Cabernet metallic with beige cloth interior.

-1987 Lincoln Mark VII LSC, Cabernet metallic with beige cloth/leather.

-1989 Lincoln Town Car, dark shadow blue, dark blue factory carriage roof, beige cloth interior, and two tone Signature Series pinstripes (bright red/beige), and Signature Series aluminum spoke wire wheels, with both the stripes and wheels technically only available on a Signature series Town car, and mine was not.

-even my lowly 2008 Nissan Titan KingCab SE pickup was ordered in an "unavailable" color combination, radiant silver with an almond (tan) interior.

a mere sign-off by the Zone Manager, and all of these vehicles was built.

...and let's talk for a moment about "scrapped" (which, by the way, has two Ps) cars.

since you seem to be all-knowing about everything Reatta and speak in nothing but absolutes, perhaps you can explain how so many allegedly "scrapped" cars weren't really scrapped at all.

to wit:

-1990 Reatta convertible (white/garnet red interior) for sale on eBay about a year ago, complete, and quite "unscrapped", with a clean Illinois title.

-the 1990 prototype convertible (1G4EC11C9JB908499) which is ironically a 1988 serial number, with a 1990 dash and hybrid 1988/1990 door panels. this car is sitting in our warehouse.

-all of the allegedly "scrapped" 1991 convertibles that had cowl shake issues. the official corporate line is "they were all destroyed".

but they weren't.

at this point, we've purchased huge numbers of parts from eight of these allegedly "scrapped" convertibles, all now in private hands.

the official "corporate line" was also "all engines were disabled".

the official corporate line was, "all cars were cut in at least three pieces, and drivetrains removed".

and those "scrapped" convertibles in private hands? they got them from trade schools, and drove them home; no "disabled and removed drivetrains", and they weren't cut in any pieces.

the new owners were not aware how to get a title for them, which is now quite easy. GM included all of these vehicles as liabilities when they did their bankruptcy, and went into the "old GM", which was Motors Holding Corp. with the fact that GM no longer has any liability with regard to these cars. now, GM couldn't care less. this was not the case four years ago.

filing for an abandoned title or a mechanic's lien in most states would secure a clean title in about 30 days. as a matter of fact, we shared this information with a customer in New Jersey recently, and he now has a clean New Jersey title for his silver 1991 "trade school scrap" convertible that was never indeed scrapped at all, which had less than 100 miles on the odometer, as of last week.

I'm sure those miles will soon be increasing.

it's also puzzling for someone who worked for Buick for so many years to not know many "one off' cars were built on a DAILY basis, or on a GM executive's whim. this happened all the time.

what that CompNine database DOES reveal about 1991s, however, is the total number of 1991s built (please notice the use of the word "built", not "scrapped") does not jive with the "official" production numbers from GM, with the difference being around 20 units unaccounted-for.

..and where or where could those 20+ units be? perhaps they finished building them after you left?

I'm sure you know what happened to each and every one.

Mike Rukavina

buickreattaparts.com

Edited September 24, 2011 by reattadudes (see edit history)

[jonlabree]

So, Mike, Who has the Reatta with the turbo GN engine and rear wheel drive?.

[reattadudes]

Jon,

the question is not "who has it"?, but which one?

there were six rear drive Reatta turbos built with Corvette rear suspensions.

there were five front drive turbos built.

all had about 325 horsepower.

I've seen a wrecked rear driver in Georgia, sitting in someone's field.

another customer has seen one of the front wheel drive turbos at a car show in Ann Arbor, MI

there are no records of any being scrapped.

I was out at Firebird Raceway here in Arizona when Hot Rod did the road testing of all the Buick Turbos back in 1987.

they had a full line out there. my favorite was the Turbo Electra Estate wagon, resplendent in full exterior woodgrain, wire wheel covers, and white sidewall tires smokin' off the line, also with 325 horse.

[Guest 1991Reatta]

WOW....I little harsh....BUT...oh well...I know what I know.....all I can say is SHOW me a picture of one.....thats all I ask.....this story has been going around for 20 years....and NO picture....I agree about cars being scrapppppped and not scrapped. I have pictures that I shot of rear wheel drive Reatta's...the turbo electra wagon....GN engine in a front drive Regal....turbo Riviera's....the list goes on and on....just show me a picture....and this issue goes away!

[padgett]

Where was the picture of the MSU car ?

[jonlabree]

There are six and none were destroyed, and in all of you siteings and stories I am very supprised that you don't have one in the "Back Room".

[Doug Harness]

After following this subject for months, I’m inspired to take a sawzall to the ’91. A friend has some paint left over from a tractor restoration. Is John Deere green close to Polo green? Also, should I go with the traditional pinstripe to match the dove grey interior or go stripeless?

[Guest Mc_Reatta]

I think a JD yellow pinstripe to go with the JD green exterior would be best.

Need to do something about the gray interior though. White would be nice.

[NCReatta]

Heck just make a John Deer edition Reatta! put some yellow seats in it!

[Doug Harness]

Heck just make a John Deer edition Reatta! put some yellow seats in it!

Yeah, replace those fussy 16-way's with yellow, metal tractor seats.

[NCReatta]

Yeah, replace those fussy 16-way's with yellow, metal tractor seats.

I think this guy must've been attempting a "John Deer" edition..

But got carried away...

Notice the tractor-size wheels...

[Reattatude]

I think this guy must've been attempting a "John Deer" edition..

Notice the tractor-size wheels...

Words fail me. :eek: a vomit smiley would be appros but we dont have one.

[Reattatude]

1991 Reatta does have a POINT.

Where are the PIX?

Maybe some of us are from Missouri here ; )

Anyone can blow smoke on the internet and say whatever and make it sound

convincing.

Picture speak 1000 words - ah so!

[Guest Kansas Transit Express]

WOW, still chasing that PGC, good luck and I mean that sincerely.

Stan

[tbenvie]

So what happens if you find one?

[Booreatta]

So what happens if you find one?

It goes in a museum where flying pigs and pink elephants are kept under lock and key......... lol.....

[padgett]

Warehouse 13

[Ronnie]

Warehouse 13

Is that located in Area 51?

[Guest steveskyhawk]

I will need a bigger hangar.

[Guest Kingsley]

Polo Green, Polo Green: Have I missed something here? Take look at Post 9, April 28th, 2011with an indication by someone that photos of this creature would be sent to us within two weeks or so.

Been a heck of long two weeks and still no photos to the best of my knowledge. Did I miss them or was that statement born of nothing but blarney? This is an honest inquiry as my curiosity has overcome my natural tendency to be reticent in getting into contentious

discussions that have been going on for so long.

Note - the word "blarney" just rolled out and I must go to my Webster's II to see if it applies.

Edited September 29, 2011 by Kingsley (see edit history)

[padgett]

Kissing the Blarney Stone imparts "the ability to deceive without offending."

Warehouse 13 is in SD, Area 51 is under Groom Lake NV.

[Guest Kingsley]

My dictionary says "non-sensical or deceptive" and I sort of like this one. If the use of it offends anyone, I apologize as it was not so intended.

[jonlabree]

Area 51 is Groom lake, not under it.

[Guest Kingsley]

Slightly off topic, but .....

I believe buried somewhere in this post is reference to a 1988 VIN belonging to a prototype of the '90 Reatta Convertible at one time in a Santa Barbara salvage yard with several subsequent owners. Last seen, within the last six months or, so under a

carport in Marricopa, AZ, at Mike Rukavina's house.

I think another Forum member, whose name I cannot recall, has some of the parts from it.

This is certainly an important car - one that exists. I for one, and I am sure that there are many others, who paricularly like the history of the Reatta convertible and would like to see an array of pictures of it.

Perhaps Mike can send us some and perhaps some comments about it.

I understand there are other similar prototypes and wonder where they are. I believe that this one came to a Santa Barbara salvage yard from one of the tech schools in the area.

I feel that this subject deserves it's own thread and posts so later on today/tomorrow I will repeat this and let it have an identity of its own.

[Reattatude]

[harry yarnell]

Looks like they forgot the clearcoat.

[Guest Redwind89]

It's the world first truly green car.......

[Guest steveskyhawk]

Regardless which side of the fence you are on regarding the existence of Polo Green 1991 Convertibles we must all agree that it is an interesting topic. Take a look at the number of views this post has had. Almost 1700 to date. Many people are interested.

The reason a photo hasn't been produced yet is twofold. First we must remember that back in the early 1990s digital photography was not widespread. Any photo taken of a green vert is currently either a print or exists in the form of a negative somewhere. This format is not easily cataloged and disseminated. What does a green car look like in negative? In any case someone would need to find the print or negative and have it scanned. My guess is that whoever has this photo is not active on this forum so obtaining this picture will be a matter of colossal luck.

Secondly, a Polo Green 1991 Convertible was a standard configuration. Green with saddle was a standard color combination. Back in 1991 why in the world would someone make a special effort to photograph and disseminate pictures of a standard car that was being discontinued? No good reason. In 1991 it was a non issue.

In the future all we can do is be patient and remain open minded. In the mean time I for one will be collecting recipes for crow.