Guest Kitskaboodle Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 Is it just my imagination or do Reatta's seem to suffer from excessive wheel well gap?Anyone have pics of lowered Reatta's? (especially WITHOUT aftermarket rims)Thanks! <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Kit / 90 Reatta Coupe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MauiWowee Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 A member here, Spyhunter, is in the midst of being the first (sorry F-14) to lower a Reatta, front and rear. Do a search on lowering to get up to speed od the subject. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vincent Vega Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 They(The General) helped when they went to 16's in 91. Still too much space for some. I like the stock 15" rims. Less gap is better? I don't know. I think 22" Rims on a SUV make it look like Steve Urkel. To each his own. Some cool stuff out there. Big rims/skinny tires doesn't do it for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeeBee Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 Here is a pic off Graigslist of a Reatta with 20s. Not my cup of tea but the wheel wells are filled. In the East Bay there are lots of Reattas with 20 inch wheels. Seems a favorite thing to do with Buicks of that vintage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoreice Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 That looks as bad as the excess gap. Wonder how far he can turn the fronts without rubbing? 17x8 seems to look best without clearance problems. Saw a reatta with 13x10s and rubberband tires, slammed the car to the ground and looked really stupid, but that was the style. Just my opinion, Kenny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olbuickman Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 I just had delivered yesterday,four 17"chrome 2006-2007 chrome Lucerne wheels and tires I placed one up on the black Reatta convt. to check for fit and I can tell you it fills out the wheel well and looks great. I am waiting on the rest of the chrome lug nuts that I ordered then i will put them on and get a picture of it. I personally think chrome wheels on an all black car look fantastic. Shoreice what part of the Jersey shore are you from? I lived during my High school and college years in the Ocean City and Marmora area, Frank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kitskaboodle Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 Ya, I saw that one one Craiglist too. That car has been listed on and off for at least 4 months.Not my cup of tea either........Kit / 90 Reatta Coupe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest F14CRAZY Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 Really big wheels, say past 17'' without lowering just lifts the car. Like the dudes around town with 20''+ wheels on their 80s G-bodies I think (monte carlo, regal, cutlass...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoreice Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 Frank, looking forward to the pictures. I'm near Bradley Beach, NJ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeeBee Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 Yeah, stock looks pretty good. I've always found that stock wheels, unless they are whoefully small have a nice balance. I'm not much into lwo pro tires either. For some reason a bit of rubber around the wheel also looks more balanced.The more they get customized, the more unique my stock Reatta becomes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest spyhunter2k Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 I will be scheduling my car today to go in to the mechanic to have the front lowering springs done. He's usually booked about 1-2 weeks in advance. I'll post pics of the final results and a few bits of advice about this whole lowering process when it gets out of the shop.I've delayed putting the Reatta in because the mechanic has finally been making progress on my Cimbria SS kit car and have had to pay for that. It's a gull-winged car about 40" tall on a VW platform with a '65 Cotvair 140 hp engine (actually makes closer to 165 hp after rebuild). Seth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest F14CRAZY Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 Is that the turbo-ed Corvair motor? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Eaton Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 The 140 HP (164ci or about 2700cc) Corvair engine was available from 1965 till the end of production in 1969. The 140 had 4 single barrel carbs with the car running on two and the other two were set-up progressively. The engine had a hotter cam and bigger valves than the standard engine.The Corvair turbocharged engine was introduced in 1962 with 150HP and 145ci displacement. In 1965 the engine displacement went to 164ci and the HP bumped to 180. If you can find an old road test, the turbo engines had about double the torque of a standard engine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Eaton Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 There is a problem with some of the assumptions posted here. You cannot just put larger tires on the car and fill the wheel well.Look at the attached picture of a Reatta front wheel opening (rear is similar)The "X" clearance is the distance between the tire and the lower spring mount.Doing nothing but putting larger tires on the car will cause the tire to rub or not even turn because of contact with this lower mount.If the spring/strut is modified in such a way to raise this lower mount then a larger tire can be used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manikmekanik Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 Thanx, Barney!The bigger wheels you use, the lower the profile of the tires - resulting in a very hard ride, and a goofy look if you go tooooo far with the wheels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest spyhunter2k Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 And one must remember that for every 1" in increased diamter of the wheel/tire combination, the wheel/tire only protrudes .5" into the wheel well. The other .5" goes towards making the whole car sit higher.As for my Corvair engine, it is exactly as Barney said, a 140 hp version with four small single Rochester (I beleive) carbs.My car goes in the shop Monday to have the front lowered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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