DAVES89 Posted May 6, 2017 Share Posted May 6, 2017 (edited) The renovation on the Red continues. Yesterday I took the drivers inner door panel off and painted the door panel with a color I had matched. This car had been a Florida and there was some discoloration so I just taped everything off and sprayed it. Turned out great. I liked what I did so much that I spot painted a bit on the passenger door panel then on some threshold trim. While I had the door panel off I swapped out the door actuator as I noticed the rubber boot at the little push rod was starting to tear. Then dropped the Red off at my friends bodyshop [He works at a dealership] for front fenders and hood repaint. Should get it back Tuesday or so. Edited May 6, 2017 by DAVES89 (see edit history) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordrodsteven Posted May 6, 2017 Share Posted May 6, 2017 (edited) Hi Guys, So today I decided to put the Reatta up on the lift to check out why me rear drivers side brake is rattling so badly. I looked at it and really didn't see anything wrong or anything loose. Here's where one thing leads to another...... I went to the front brakes just to look at them and found the back side of the right hand rotor had two grooves in it. I checked the pads and they still have a lot of meat. I must have missed seeing the grooves when I put the new pads on. So I took the front apart to get the rotors turned. Of course I must sand blast and paint the brackets and other hardware. LOL. I figured while I was there I might as well check out the ABS sensors. The gears had a lot of surface corrosion so I cleaned those up. Then I unbolted the sensors. I was going to change them out with the replacement set I bought from Dave last year. Once I pulled them away I could see they were pretty crudded up. I cleaned them and put them back together figuring if it fixes the light then I still have an extra set of good sensors. They don't look that hard to change and I can change them later if need be. So while I'm here I replaced the cracked outer CV boot on the driver's side. As I was leaving the garage to go into the house for supper I looked one more time at the rear brakes. I noticed that I have the two anti rattle clips on the passenger side but none on the drivers side. I looked through my spare parts and found a pair of clips. Guess I'll be doing that next! Oops - I forgot to mention the intermediate cable! I have been in contact with a guy named Peter at Inline Tube. He says If I can send him a cable he can get the dimensions off of it and set up to make a replacement. He calculates that the cost for the first cable might be around $100. My cable on my car is good. I was thinking I might pull the cable and send it to him for the dimensions. It just kills me that I'll pay him $100 for a cable I really don't need but then it would be in their inventory catalog for all of Reatta world. Yeah.... Maybe I'll pull the cable off my car tomorrow. Edited May 6, 2017 by fordrodsteven (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89RedDarkGrey Posted May 7, 2017 Share Posted May 7, 2017 57 minutes ago, fordrodsteven said: I have been in contact with a guy named Peter at Inline Tube. He says If I can send him a cable he can get the dimensions off of it and set up to make a replacement. He calculates that the cost for the first cable might be around $100. My cable on my car is good. I was thinking I might pull the cable and send it to him for the dimensions. It just kills me that I'll pay him $100 for a cable I really don't need but then it would be in their inventory catalog for all of Reatta world That's very commendable of you, Sir. As many parts for our cars become "unobtainium" it is going to require us to contact outside fabricator Shops, and loan them parts for duplication or modification. Most anything can be made now days, and more and more Shops are realizing there's a Market need out there. Thank you for helping others. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordrodsteven Posted May 9, 2017 Share Posted May 9, 2017 Okay - so you guys that "know" can start openly giving me some "loll's". How naïve could I be to think that clean the ABS sensors and gears would make light shut off? Oh well. I assembled things enough to start the car and see if the light went off. It didn't - but you guys knew that would happen. Lol. As I said earlier I have a known good set of front sensor so I can troubleshoot and change out whatever is needed. As I keep telling my brother-in-law.... I've got time - I'm retired! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted May 9, 2017 Share Posted May 9, 2017 Stopped in to see how the Red was doing with the repaint. It is in primer and should be finished tomorrow [Wednesday]. I will be out on appointments so hope to pick it up on Thursday. Can't wait... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted May 29, 2017 Share Posted May 29, 2017 Put on the first coat of wax Thursday. Looks great. I also bought a car cover as this car sits outside at night. My wife's Enclave is too new and heavy [for our blacktop driveway] to sit in one place that long at night. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Eaton Posted May 29, 2017 Share Posted May 29, 2017 I purchased some ceramic brake pads a few weeks back and it was a good time to install them. Since it was jacked up, I flushed the brakes and rotated the tires as well as installed the new pads on the front ( car has less than 30K and did not need pads but I wanted to try ceramic pads) so far I don't see any difference, but I only put about 3 miles on it. I am now ready to head to Brookfield. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handmedownreatta Posted May 29, 2017 Share Posted May 29, 2017 2 hours ago, Barney Eaton said: I purchased some ceramic brake pads a few weeks back and it was a good time to install them. Since it was jacked up, I flushed the brakes and rotated the tires as well as installed the new pads on the front ( car has less than 30K and did not need pads but I wanted to try ceramic pads) so far I don't see any difference, but I only put about 3 miles on it. I am now ready to head to Brookfield. usually new pads have special break in instructions but i never do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91vert Posted May 31, 2017 Share Posted May 31, 2017 On 2017-05-29 at 7:57 AM, Barney Eaton said: I purchased some ceramic brake pads a few weeks back and it was a good time to install them. Since it was jacked up, I flushed the brakes and rotated the tires as well as installed the new pads on the front ( car has less than 30K and did not need pads but I wanted to try ceramic pads) so far I don't see any difference, but I only put about 3 miles on it. I am now ready to head to Brookfield. Looking good Barney. It's always hard to get Black to look that nice. Cal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89RedDarkGrey Posted May 31, 2017 Share Posted May 31, 2017 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisWhewell Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 Installed rear struts; weatherized the abs leads. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 Swapped a '90 dash with kdirk for his '89 dash. Arrived today, did some touch up painting and am happy with the result. No cracks anywhere which is an improvement on my existing one. I install it tomorrow... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89RedDarkGrey Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 Geez, Dave- what kind of Reatta you got now? You probably feel like you work at the Craft Centre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 I have been busy on this one, but I will be on my 11th year soon with it and this car has been fun to drive and worth keeping. I have spent quite a bit of money in the last year [steering wheel, engine rebuild, tranny swap, rack and pinion, repaint front end and now the dash] but as I use the car also for work I have a lot of business miles that I can write off at 50 cents per mile so the hit isn't that bad. And I was at the crossroads of either redoing it or getting rid of it. But now with all the work done it looks and performs like a much younger car so I am happy. My wife in the last 11 years has had a Crysler mini van, Chrysler 300 and now a Buick Enclave. I spent way more money on just the purchase of her cars then I ever have on the Red. My other keeper car, the 'vert could use a bit of paint to fix some flaws but I just don't feel the same way towards it as I do the Red and I also don't want to get into the trap of making it so nice I don't want to drive it. As it stands it is a great looking driver that didn't cost me much and if I want to spend the money on some paint that isn't too expensive to do.The other reason why I don't want to do the paint is that the original owner of the 'vert was a Buick dealer in Janesville Wi. and purchased the car for his wife "Annie" and had put her name in the pinstripe. If I was to paint the car that would be gone, so I will wait until I think it really needs it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted June 7, 2017 Share Posted June 7, 2017 I feel like Dashes are Us. My friend and I started this morning at about 9:00 am and by 1:00 pm we had the old dash out and as I recieved a dash from Kdirk [ we agree3d on this] wiring, HVAC duct work, and that little flipper bracket for the defroster vent swapped out and dash installed only to find we had a dead short indicating a pinched wire. We trouble shooted a bit and decided to pull the dash this time R and R was two hours, still had a short. Pulled dash and checked connections and reinstalled this time about an hour. Turns out we had pinched a below dash courtesy lamp lead and after we fixed the lead, we then finished by installing the IPC,CRT, Cassette Deck, Headlight and Wiper switches, glove box and then top panel and vent panel. Dash looks great and everything works. I am now a certified '88/89 dash swapper and could probably do it in my sleep. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89RedDarkGrey Posted June 7, 2017 Share Posted June 7, 2017 Photos would've been nice... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 (edited) I had some 1990 floor mats that were real nice but faded [got them from that '90 in West Bend I pulled all those parts from] and did the easiest job yet. I sprayed them with SEM "Camel" and they look real nice. I am done for the year with this car and looking forward to Brookfield/Bloomfield/Brooklyn [where ever Barney will be]... Edited June 9, 2017 by DAVES89 (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89RedDarkGrey Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 45 minutes ago, DAVES89 said: I am done for the year with this car and looking forward to Brookfield... Oh, Brother- you're tap dancing in the minefield with them words A Buick Reatta is never DONE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 Well that is partially true, I need to change the tranny fluid and filter as I have 1500 miles now since the swap and then there will be future oil changes and car washes and detailing, but for the most part the stuff I set out to do this spring has been completed. The Red for a 263,000 mile car looks like it has about 50,000 miles or less on it. One could say with the money I spent on it this year it should look better, and you know they would be right... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89RedDarkGrey Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 9 minutes ago, DAVES89 said: One could say with the money I spent on it this year it should look better Looks don't get you to work at our ages Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordrodsteven Posted June 11, 2017 Share Posted June 11, 2017 I made fabricated this engine support today. Getting ready to start pulling out the transmission. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted June 12, 2017 Share Posted June 12, 2017 On 6/6/2017 at 10:23 PM, 89RedDarkGrey said: Photos would've been nice... I sent some pics to Ronnie of the old dash. They will be posted soon. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted June 12, 2017 Share Posted June 12, 2017 6 minutes ago, DAVES89 said: I sent some pics to Ronnie of the old dash. They will be posted soon. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted June 12, 2017 Share Posted June 12, 2017 That long diagonal crack to the left was from "rough Handeling" to either get the dash out or what happened when I removed the IPC/Headlight/Wiper pod. I will have pics of the other new dash soon. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HuevosRanchero Posted June 12, 2017 Share Posted June 12, 2017 thanx to the excellent directions on Ronnies site I cleared the AC codes and charged up the borderline AC freon charge to the middle of the range. Working like a champ again. Just in time for my IPC to start doing some wonky stuff... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted July 3, 2017 Share Posted July 3, 2017 I was going to detail the Red for the upcoming BCA National meet in Brookfield, Wi but saw online that there was a you pick in Chicago that just got in a 1988 Reatta. So left this early AM to go get parts. Got back about 2:00pm and will do some things yet today and the rest tomorrow or Wednesday... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JalopyBob Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 Today, I started the car from its long nap since last Fall. Charged the battery and it started right up. Now it needs some exercise. Maybe new tires as well, due to age, not miles. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RetroJohnny Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 Hello! Today I put on new ball joints, CV Axle, and sway bar links. Oh plus a new brake job! Just waiting on the Tie Rods to come in and then I'll have almost the whole front end re-done! Next on the agenda is to rework those alloy 5 spoke rims! Just know that when things get tough and your car needs help, don't give up! Never give up on a classic like this 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordrodsteven Posted July 5, 2017 Share Posted July 5, 2017 I removed the original thirty year old ball joints from the lower control arms and installed new ones. The bolts supplied with the new joints are pretty much crap so I changed those out. I also replaced both CV outer boots. Now the parts are set aside waiting for me to get the transmission fixed then I can start re-assembly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89RedDarkGrey Posted July 5, 2017 Share Posted July 5, 2017 23 minutes ago, fordrodsteven said: The bolts supplied with the new joints are pretty much crap so I changed those out. Why? What brand you get? When I did mine- had to drill out to 1/2", and came with nyloc nuts. I really like the convenience of 3 nuts vs. a boot-ruining picklefork. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordrodsteven Posted July 5, 2017 Share Posted July 5, 2017 4 minutes ago, 89RedDarkGrey said: Why? What brand you get? When I did mine- had to drill out to 1/2", and came with nyloc nuts. I really like the convenience of 3 nuts vs. a boot-ruining picklefork. Don't remember the brand. I bought them from Rock Auto. They are the same in that you have to drill them out to 1/2". I set the torque wrench to 60 ft-lbs. One of the bolts stripped before I even got close to 50 ft-lbs. Then another was starting to feel like it was going to strip. I threw them all away and bought new bolts & nylock nuts at the parts house. I used grade 10 hardware. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted July 8, 2017 Share Posted July 8, 2017 (edited) I went to the Buick Reunion yesterday and today. It was located in Brookfield a suburb of Milwaukee about 90 miles from my house. I drove down and back yesterday and today. There were at least 25 Reattas there and it was a real treat to see each car, Marck Barker brought his Maui Blue and Tan 1990 'vert [1 of 2] and there was another 1 of 2 there in a different color combination Mine stood out not because it was rare but because it had the 7 spoke LeSabre wheels and Alero Spoiler. After I popped the hood [this was on Friday] that also attracted a lot of attention because of the repainted intake shroud, intake, and valve covers. Randy [Manikmechanik] also was there selling parts. It was good to catch up with him. Randy has had some health setbacks but looks like he starting to recover some. Very enjoyable visit! Edited July 8, 2017 by DAVES89 (see edit history) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisWhewell Posted July 13, 2017 Share Posted July 13, 2017 Woo hoo, it was only 98 degrees today so I decided to change out that second front strut. I used the Ronnie method on the spring, except my vise is a piece of fertilizer, so I had to do it when the rig was on the floor. Just went slowly and cautiously, the whole deal took about an hour, getting it back in is harder than getting it out but at least I didn't over-extend the CV joint this time. Hurray, I finally have all new struts in. Next is wheel alignment, I'm hoping to do it myself, I never had much luck with mechanics. Well, my sweat glands are in good shape that's for sure 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted July 16, 2017 Share Posted July 16, 2017 Had a "stutter" in the Red a real hesitation. First swapped out a MAF sensor, then the ignition/coil pack. Still a problem. Turned out to be one of the spark plug wires that goes under the alternator that got pinched. Swapped out all 3 of the rear wires and made sure the alternator didn't pinch anything when I put it back together. It was my fault as I had an alternator go bad on me a few days ago and when I swapped it out I probably didn't pay enough attention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DS_Porter 89 Burgandy Posted October 10, 2017 Share Posted October 10, 2017 Just returned from a two week road trip from Kent WA to Colorado Springs. Pike's Peak is no longer on my bucket list. Car ran perfect the whole trip including all the way to the summit at 14 ,100 feet. I was more concerned with whether or not I could breathe (barely). Linda and I stick to the back roads and scenic byways as much as possible. Whole trip was about 4400 miles. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted December 29, 2017 Share Posted December 29, 2017 Swapped out the headlight switch on the Black for a couple of reasons. Every so often the headlights would not pop up and turn on so I thought I would try the switch. So far so good, but the bad is that the backlight is so much brighter I now have to replace the wiper switch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted December 30, 2017 Share Posted December 30, 2017 Thought I would go to Gibson's today and look for parts but right now the temperature is -5 and -25 with the wind chill. I did want to check my tire pressure and swap out the wiper switch. I have errands to run so by the time I get back the car will be warm. Just have to bring the tools in before I go so they are warm to the touch. I did install heat pads to the drivers seat in the Black and that really makes a difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted December 30, 2017 Share Posted December 30, 2017 1 hour ago, DAVES89 said: Thought I would go to Gibson's today and look for parts but right now the temperature is -5 and -25 with the wind chill. Dave you and the other people on here who live up north might get a laugh out of the photo below. It is a scan of the front page of yesterdays newspaper. Temperatures dipping below freezing in the daytime in December is headline news. It's 34 degrees here right now and going up to 38 today but you would think we were having a blizzard if you listened to the news on TV. Just a chance of snow puts people in panic mode where I live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted December 30, 2017 Share Posted December 30, 2017 (edited) It's all what you get used to. I will be going out to run errands wearing tennis shoes, insulated socks, Levis blue jeans, tee shirt, sweater, and warm jacket with gloves. No hat or ear protection unless I go out in the wind like when I walk the dog. If one can stay out of the wind it's not too bad. As bad as we have it I would think Jim Finn has it worse, unless of course he is on vacation. Edited December 30, 2017 by DAVES89 (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted December 30, 2017 Share Posted December 30, 2017 All I can say is you're tougher than I am. I would be dressed like an Eskimo if I had to go outside in below zero temperatures. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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