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Out of the blue


DAVES89

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I just received a phone call from a client of mine. Quick story, he was a referral from another client. I made arrangements to meet with him when he became eligible for Medicare about 3 years ago. When I got to his house back then I commented on his having an out building that looked like a garage for storing vehicles. I always tease clients about how I need to store my cars and would he have space for me. That usually opens up the flood gates in regards to what their hobby is. So this guy tells me that he and his son restores cars and would I like to see them. Of course I did so I get "the tour". Turns out he is a model T collector/restorer. He also had some other cars. While he is showing me these cars he asks me about my Reatta. I tell him what I have, etc. and he says that somewhere he has Reatta memoribilia and that if he ever finds it he will call me. I said great and never thought anymore about it until today, because he called me and he said he found that box of Reatta stuff and would I want it. He said there was portfolios, brochures and more.

Would I want it? I said when can I come and get it? He had some questions about his current insurance and that he wanted to make some changes, so we made an appointment to meet.

I am pretty charged about the memoribilia but I keep thinking what if? Like maybe a pewter Reatta? It could be possible, as there were some pretty successful Buick dealers in the area.

I guess I wait and see.

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I see him tomorrow. No jackpot [meaning no pewter car] but it told me a little more about this stuff. It turns out he was contacted by Buick as he was a designer back in the day and they wanted him to do some work for Buick. He said that if he wanted to do work for them he would have to see what they had done in order to have a "feel" for what he was to do. He said that there are a couple of portfolios [w/pen, flashlight and tire gauge] one that was never opened. As well as some brochures that have never been seen [maybe/maybe not] from 1988 forward.

At any rate he wants some money for some of the stuff and some stuff he will "throw in" but it doesn't matter it all leaves with me.

I will bring it all to the BCA reunion in July so that we can take a look at it.

Remember I haven't seen this stuff yet so don't accuse me of making too big a deal out of this...

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In the words of the soup nazi "No soup [brochures] for you"!

I've always had a policy of understating and over delivering so we will see. Just want you guys to get your blood pressure going. Just find it interesting that a guy in Wisconsin did or have these things when one would think that the hotbed of automotive talent would be either the coasts or Detroit...

At any rate sorry for putting the cart before the horse.

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OK spoke to the guy a little more in depth after we got done with his insurance issues. Turns out this guy designed the covers for Buick, [Reatta] as well as Cadillac. He worked for a leather manufacturing company called Enger Kress in West Bend, Wi. They [Enger Kress] recruited him from Amity also a leather company [owned by Rolfs]. Enger Kress is now gone as is Amity but Rolfs is still manufactured. [You might check your wallet, it could say Rolfs]. At any rate I grew up in West Bend and never thought that my home town would be solicited by G.M. to make this stuff. Enger Kress got the job for two major reasons, quality and turn around time after order placed with price also being important.

Here is what he found so far;

2 1989 Leather Folder [empty]

1 1990 Leather Folder

1 1989 Leather Folder w/owners manual, plastic keys and pen

1 1988 Leather Folder w/owners manual, plastic keys and pen

1 plastic bag with part #25534532 stamped on it [what the 1988 leather folder came in]

1 Zippered 1990 Portfolio [empty]

I hoped there would be more, but this is what he had for me today. I asked him about any Pewter cars, but he didn't know of any but said he would ask around. He asked how rare they were and I told him. He said he knew some guys so we will see. I have a little invested [$50.00 total] in these things so if anyone wants to offer I will sell. I will keep one 1990 Leather Folder to hold my owners manual otherwise everything else can go.

Sorry if I bragged this up, but hey in this part of the country it is pretty crappy weather and it sure "perked" me up...

To be clear I only want the 1990 Folder that holds the 1990 owners manual.I do not want the empty zippered portfolio.

Edited by DAVES89 (see edit history)
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... Puzzled how these are different from the owners manual covers and why some logos are portrait vs. landscape.

Landscape is '88-'89. Portrait is '90-'91.

Note that in '90, there were both the small owner manual only folios, and also the larger portfolio. According to previous posts by Barney, the large portfolio wasn't ready for early '90s - so they got the small folio. Dealers were apparently sent large folios to give the early '90 owners when they became available, but that didn't always happen. I think that also explains why a lot of the Craftsmans Logs are identical.

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Landscape is '88-'89. Portrait is '90-'91.

Note that in '90, there were both the small owner manual only folios, and also the larger portfolio. According to previous posts by Barney, the large portfolio wasn't ready for early '90s - so they got the small folio. Dealers were apparently sent large folios to give the early '90 owners when they became available, but that didn't always happen. I think that also explains why a lot of the Craftsmans Logs are identical.

My early red vert came with only the small folio

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