Guest Beck Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 Hi all, I want to introduce myself my name is Beck Im from Long Island NY. I hope to meet you all soon. I just purchased my first classic Reatta. Aren't all Reatta's classic?The car is Red and is in good condition. Shiny paint, interior is in good condition with a few odds and ends to attend to. The leather is in very good condition. The headlights go up and down as they should. The car doesn't leak oil or any other fluids for that matter. I paid $2000 and a prayer for it. I took a chance and Im sure it will pay off. The PO took pretty good care of the car but Im certain I will have to catch up on neglected maintenance. I think I have realistic expectations and have some $ in reserve for expected service. ciao Beck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machiner 55 Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 Beck,Welcome. Lot of good stuff going on here and over HERE.We'd all like to see some pics of you new find.John F. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Beck Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 John F , thanks for the welcome and the link. I love reading up on this stuff. I believe I am in the right place. Is there a Compendium or some downloads I should get familiar with? I suppose I should get my hands on a service manual. They look like they run about $100+ via typical online sources. I wonder if there is an insider version of the manual. for those "in the know" so to speak. Any help is very much appreciated. I cant wait to be able to give back. Im sure I will be a PITA at first but I will calm down as I am no stranger to difficult cars. Thanks for everything. ciao Beck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wws944 Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 Welcome!For an online copy of the Factory Service Manual (FSM), sign up at: http://reatta.net/docs.htmlAlso use the 'Search Forum' feature of this forum. Just about every detail of the Reatta has been covered.Finally, Ronnies ROJ site (Machiner 55 linked to it above) has a lot of good summaries of common issues with lots of photos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Beck Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 Nice, Thanks for the welcome and the link wws944. Good stuff to know. Seems the resources are aplenty and everyone is willing to help. I feel at home already. thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KDirk Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 Beck,Welcome to the "club". I think you'll find the Reatta to be an exceptionally enjoyable car to own and drive, at least once any deferred maintenance has been attended to. I may be biased (ok, I am certifiably obsessed with Reattae as I now own four) but they are great, unique cars and are not generally difficult to repair and maintain. The bonus is that they can be purchased downright cheap which leaves one some breathing room for restoration, and gets you a rare car that should - and could eventually - be a collectible, all for a beater price tag. From a buyers perspective, a wicked good deal. For sellers, not so much.At any rate, feel free to pose any questions or problems you have here and we will take our best shot at helping out. there is a lot of collective knowledge and expertise to be found here and at ROJ. In the meantime, I'd heavily recommend getting a print version of the 1990 service manual. These can usually be found on ebay for under $100 shipped. The online version is helpful in a pinch but nothing beats having the complete book in your hand.KDirk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machiner 55 Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 Welcome to the "club".Here, "club" and "asylum" are interchangeable.John F. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Beck Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 KDirk, That's what I thought about the users manual. Thanks for the welcome and advise. As well as the invite to ask what Im sure will be an open floodgate of questions. Downright cheap is right. I bought the red one cheap enough and saw another for $650 from an estate sale that claimed to have been sitting for only 6 months and only needed a battery. Only if I had room for a parts car. Arent Asylums for crazy people? hey wait what? How many members wide are y'all? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ol' yeller Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 Welcome. Instead of paying Ebay prices for a FSM, I went to a swap meet and found a vendor who had one for $40. He had to go home after the meet, find it and ship it to me as he didn't bring it to the swap meet. Hemmings Motor News should have listings for several vendors who may have an FSM. Personally, I wouldn't pay more than $60 for one unless I needed it in a hurry. I agree that the paper version is good to have but I'm an old fart! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KDirk Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 I would generally agree with ol' yeller on the manual, however ebay is convenient and not always over priced. I just picked up an extra 1991 manual in almost perfect shape for $52 shipped. If you can do better elsewhere, by all means go for it, but don't rule out ebay.I also note you have two Maserati Bitturbos in your collection. An interesting car, though it gets a bad rap in some circles. I'm no expert on them but understand their reputation for being "difficult" is somewhat overblown.KDirk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Beck Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 The Biturbo can easily be sorted but some sacrifices are eminent. If you are hoping to keep your AC on the early models you are going to have trouble. If you care about the environment you are not going to have success with the Biturbo. The emissions equipment cant stay. It chokes the car to death. Someone asked DeTomaso why the Biturbo was such a lemon in the USA and he responded " Because of the Americans. You see the Italians didn't catalize there early models and didn't have those restrictions.those minor adjustments have made my Biturbos very reliable. Anyway enough about them Itaian cars Im setting my sights on the American build. I can say my Biturbos are built way better than any modern day cars by a long shot. I cant wait to compare build quality of the Buick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Beck Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 ol' yeller, Good advice, thanks for the welcome. I got great news today. My Classic 90 Reatta passed NY state inspection with flying colors. The mechanic said the PO put a lot of money into the car and updated the ABS system with what he said where very expensive parts. My only hope is that the PO did things correctly. I am going to try to track the PO down and see if I can get any service history. I think the used car lot guy might help me out with that. So far the place I bought the car from has re-upholstered the arm rest, detailed the inside and fresh coat of wax, had the car inspected and registered and all for roughly $2500What a bargain.ol' yeller, Good advice, thanks for the welcome. I got great news today. My Classic 90 Reatta passed NY state inspection with flying colors. The mechanic said the PO put a lot of money into the car and updated the ABS system with what he said where very expensive parts. My only hope is that the PO did things correctly. I am going to try to track the PO down and see if I can get any service history. I think the used car lot guy might help me out with that. So far the place I bought the car from has re-upholstered the arm rest, detailed the inside and fresh coat of wax, had the car inspected and registered and all for roughly $2500What a bargain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Beck Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 I have questions, I do appreciate all the help I get I want you all the know. On the front page of ROJ Reatta Store the first thing I see is portable battery charger. My question is, Is the Reatta prone to killing batteries? If I install brand new top of the line battery am I risking a dead battery frequently for some reason? Out of fear of getting stranded Ive upped my AAA membership to the 100 mile tow plan, hehSecond question, are the emergency brake lever handles prone to breaking? Are the handles obtainable? 3rd question, are the horn buttons on the steering wheel prone to breaking and can part be obtained? I think that's all thats wrong with the car. I get the car tomorrow and Im sure there will be many more questions. meanwhile I will be reading everything there is to know about the 1990 Classic Reatta. Thanks Beck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 We had a discussion one time about portable power stations and their use in You Pick salvage yards. I buy the lighter weight ones at about 400 amps. [Weight is important when carrying things in a yard]. I just need them to power up a car to make sure the electrical items I want actually work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mc_Reatta Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 Welcome to the Loony Bin Beck! 2 Bi Turbos; think you'll fit right in.Since you mentioned expensive brake work done by PO, I'm guessing he replaced the Teves unit. First tidbit to place into your memory bank is to flush and replace all the brake fluid every two years and you will not have to relive that bit of history. You'll also learn about the accumulator but that's another story.The handbrake lever is a footbrake lever and you won't break it, but it might rust out. It's a PITA to replace as dash has to come out. You can search for how to do this.Reattas love gobs of electricity. After all they had more computers than the first space shuttle had. They have very good alternators and a good battery should last a good while. But that said, there are lots of circuits that are powered all the time. Sometimes old electronics will go south, and drain the battery at a good pace. So if you don't intend on driving every week or two at the minimum, invest in a trickle charger so it's good to go when you are. Horn buttons on a 90 are very prone to breaking. Folks here can sell you replacements or you can swap out airbag wheel for an 80's version or something else if you want as you will find some others have done.Your going to love driving around in it vs an non ACed Biturbo this August. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Beck Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 The parking brake release lever handle is the part that is actually broken. Thanks for the heads up Mc_Reatta I'm looking forward to all the fun stuff and finally some AC. DAVES89 I suppose a good back up charger is always a good idea. I actually plan to drive my 90 Reatta every day at least for the summer so hopefully no battery issues. How do these cars handle in the snow? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mc_Reatta Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 The parking brake release lever handle is the part that is actually broken. Thanks for the heads up Mc_Reatta I'm looking forward to all the fun stuff and finally some AC. DAVES89 I suppose a good back up charger is always a good idea. I actually plan to drive my 90 Reatta every day at least for the summer so hopefully no battery issues. How do these cars handle in the snow?OK, I'll have to look to see if the plastic T handle piece is replaceable or if that whole cable needs to be replaced. Hopefully it's not a hard job either way. Can't imagine how one would break it unless was operated by a gorilla or something was rusted solid and just kept pulling on that handle hoping to break it free. Doubt you will have any problem getting a replacement as they are very common and wouldn't be broken normally. Now don't talk to me about breaking the T handle off of a dipstick though. I may hold the record for that.:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 Welcome to the forum Beck. If you intend to drive your Reatta frequently the battery going dead won't be a problem. Putting a trickle charger on your Reatta is a good idea if you intend to let it sit for long periods. A battery on a Reatta will eventually go dead even if the battery is new. There is quite a bit of current draw while the ignition is off from electronic components. It's a good idea to have something on hand to charge the battery or boost it off if you let it go dead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Beck Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 Ronnie, thanks for the welcome. I actually have a brand new charger I bought to charge my '81 Honda NC50 scooter. Oh that reminds me I have to add that to my list of vehicles. Is a classic scooter a vehicle? I guess it is. In the eyes of the law a bicycle is a vehicle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ol' yeller Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 Beck, The others have given good advice about the battery. They are not prone to failure if you use the car often. I drive mine 2 or 3 times a week for short mileage with an occasional (monthly) long trip (30 miles or so on freeway) to blow stuff out. My battery stays charged with no failure. Some of us don't exercise their Reatta as much so then it may need a trickle charger. Mine hasn't yet. The battery box In the Reatta store is more for testing electrical components in a wrecking yard.As for snow, the Reatta handles as well or better than any other front wheel drive car which is pretty well. They are heavy in front over the drive wheels so traction is generally pretty good in slippery conditions. They do sit fairly low and with the front air dam (if it is still there) deep snow may be an issue.Once you get an FSM go out and play with the diagnostic system before you have any trouble. These cars are pretty amazing (for the '80's or 90's cars) in what they can tell you to check. It is almost impossible to screw up something so don't be afraid to play with it until you become familiar with it.I have never seen a broken brake release handle on a Reatta and I've had 3 of them (all 90's, 2 coupes and 1 vert). I did replace one on a '65 Skylark I restored and it was pretty easy. I just heated up the metal of the brake and gently pushed the new plastic handle onto it. When it cooled it was on there tight. Dunno about a Reatta but they look similar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Beck Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 So I take it junk yard hunting is a pass time for old rare parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ol' yeller Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 A guy needs to do what a guy needs to do when driving a 23-26 year old car that was made in limited numbers. Salvage and scrounge everything you might need to keep as spares as the aren't making any more of them. Besides, it is fun to explore a wrecking yard for treasure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mc_Reatta Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 So I take it junk yard hunting is a pass time for old rare parts.Darn toot'n it is. Those who don't have a well stocked pick-n-pull nearby rely on those that do to get some parts for them at a fair price. Classic scooters count. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 So I take it junk yard hunting is a pass time for old rare parts.That's true. If you happen to be like me and don't have a junk yard with any Reatta parts nearby, we have a network of good people here who will pickup the parts and ship them too you at a reasonable price. Between a handful of guys here most any used part you will need is available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Beck Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 So when you see the odd parts car for $600 its a good Idea to pick it up then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 (edited) It depends on your situation. Where I live a parts car sitting in the yard isn't allowed and I don't have room for one in my garage. Besides that I'm not sold on the idea of having a parts car as being the best source of used parts. With a parts car your money for used parts is spent up front and you're betting the parts car will have the part you need and the part will be in good condition. I doubt that would always be the case unless you have the option of checking each and every part on the car before purchasing it. If all the parts on the parts car were good it wouldn't be a parts car and someone would be driving it.On the other hand, if you keep your money for used parts in you pocket until you need a part, you can purchase a good used part from one of the vendors that hang out on this forum. The vendors I have used usually test their parts (if possible) before shipping them to you. They may even give you a short warranty on the part so you are guaranteed not to get a part DOA. These guys are honest Reatta owners that take pride in making sure you get the parts you need for your car. Some of them sell Reatta parts for a living and some do it as a hobby because they enjoy it. Having the money in your pocket also gives you the option of trying to find the part in a yard yourself.It is a good idea to always have a few used parts on hand in case you need them. You should grab the following parts when you have the opportunity:instrument panel ignition control module MAF sensor brake pressure switch electrical switches (any of them you can get your hands on) I'm not saying a parts car is a bad idea. I'm just saying it may not be the best source of used parts for your Reatta. Edited May 13, 2014 by Ronnie (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Beck Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 Got it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Beck Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 I pick up my Reatta today around 5pm Inspected, registered, detailed, full wax and buff and with some minor re-upholstery to the center armrest. I cant wait. I might as well get busy at work to pass the time away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 Post photos if you can. We all love to see photos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Beck Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 Oh yes I will. Thanks for your enthusiasm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Beck Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 I think I'll have to design a limited edition Classic Reatta silkscreened poster. That's what I can do at work today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Beck Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 Ronnie congrats on your website, well done. I will visit it frequently. I hope to be able to give back what I hope will be given so freely to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harry yarnell Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 Don't forget the '89-'93 Riviera's for parts. Almost an identical car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 Ronnie congrats on your website, well done. I will visit it frequently. I hope to be able to give back what I hope will be given so freely to me.Thank you. I'm glad you like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KDirk Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 Beck, you in graphic art/design? You mentioned doing a poster, and if you do produce one I may be interested in a copy. I have a cousin who does a lot of screen and block print type art (picture contemporary loft condo style wall art) and think something along those lines featuring the Reatta would be great. I have a Reatta corner in the basement with the 36" dealer sign, the cutaway poster and some original marketing postcards framed and matted. Would like to add something new and unique, so keep us posted!Oh, and the parts car makes more sense if it is the same color; at least the interior. That way you have a supply of color keyed pieces available.KDirk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Beck Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 KDirk, Im a master screen printer, mostly textiles but I have a lot of experience with screened posters as well. Once things calm down with my new acquisition I will whip something up. Im not so much on the design side of things but am will to accept art ideas if anyone has a nice layout to consider. Art files should be 300dpi actual finished print size. Photoshop files are best. save a PDF. If the art is line art (vector), Illustrator files work best but I can flip Corel Draw files pretty easily. This may be a way I can give back sooner than I hoped. Thanks for the tip Harry nice to meet you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Beck Posted May 14, 2014 Share Posted May 14, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Beck Posted May 14, 2014 Share Posted May 14, 2014 Questions if you all don't mind. Ok, is the 'Security" light suppose to be flashing all the time when the car is off?One of the test lights states "Electrical Problem" now that's pretty vague do those lights always come on when the test button is pushed or is it actually telling me I have an electrical problem?A total of 6 lights come on in the test mode is that normal, good, bad?Also Ive got no speedometer or tachometer. Ive been told the instrument panel has been replaced.There are a few odds and ends inside the cabin that need attention like the bottom of the door panel carpet patch needs to be re-glued, the center armrest needs to be re-attached, the center console seems as if it is separating or spreading apart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Beck Posted May 14, 2014 Share Posted May 14, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Beck Posted May 14, 2014 Share Posted May 14, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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