First Reatta convertible?

[Barney Eaton]

I recently picked up a book on the Chicago Auto Show. It has a couple of pages for every show from the start until 1998 when the book was published.

The 1988 (80th) show has a picture of a Reatta convertible. The picture is dark so I did not attempt to copy and post it. The Chicago show is in Febuary so this would be 2+ years before the convertible was released.

We know of two red Reatta convertibles with 1988 vins, there may be more. It would be interesting to see the dash ....I suspect that it had the early dash with the CRT. The photo is black and white so it would be a guess as to the color of the car.

In the summer of 1989, Buick sponsered the Interstate Batteries Great American Race and there was a white 1990 Reatta convertible that crossed the country with that group, but that was only a couple of months before the 1990 models were released.

The Buick Reatta is not the only car from 1988 that is no longer around...

Jeep-Eagle division has gone away. Ford announced the Probe, Lamborghini had the Hummer like LM002, Fords Escort was announced, the Mercury Capri was announced, there were also Sterlings, Zimmers, and Yugos.

[Guest imported_tempest6cyl]

Barney,

Are the photo's of convertibles with tops up or down? If they are down, can you pick out the latch bezels on the top of the tonneau panel? Are there two latches or just one in the center ?

[RGILL]

Barney, I have before me a May 1988 Copy of "WORKING", A paper put out by BOC (GM) and the UAW's Gm Division. On the back page is A red/tan convertible with the crt and an 88 steering wheel, 16 way seats. It was being previewed at a SAE dinner in Bloomfield Hills, Mi I bought it at the RE Olds transportation Museum when we were there during the Reatta Homecoming.

[Guest TommyH]

how about posting the pic? i got the reatta press kit for x-mas, and im still contemplating putting it on here for others to see.

[Barney Eaton]

The car at the 1988 Chicago show has the top down but the angle does not show the boot. The early prototype photo that is in LaFayette Indiana has a 1988 vin number but has a 1990 style dash, however it would be pretty simple for them to upgrad the dash on an earlier car. Also the car in Indiana never had a top, the black latch holes on the boot are "dummies" with no holes in the middle.

The other 1988 convertible prototype found in California (Mike in AZ now has it) also had a 1988 vin number, 1990 style dash and airbag steering wheel but it had a top. Another interesting side note, the top on the car was tan cloth, we have never found another Reatta convertible with a tan cloth top.

[Guest imported_tempest6cyl]

There was a car built for the auto show circuit early on that had just a single latch at the center of the tonneau panel. I believe the Detroit show was it's first and 1988 sounds about right which would put it before the 1988 Chicago.

[Guest crtnrds]

Hmmm. This makes me want to put the dash w/ CRT from my '88 parts car in my '90 convertible which has a "worn" dash & bezels. What do you guys think?

[Guest Reatta1]

Suspect there would be computer and electrical issues doing that.

[Guest TommyH]

i thoought the stuff w the same, so you could just change out all the computers,except the keyless reciever, and maybe whatevers under the hood. i think it would be sweet to do something like that, but i would need 2 more reattas to do it, cuzz i dont want to scrap mine. i also think it would be sweet to have a removable hardtop for the convertable, like they had on the allante, and masserati TC.

[Shelby]

Barney,

From the 32,000 mile always garged series.

If the original didn't have a top then it couldn't be a convertible.

I just had to say it.

[padgett]

Sounds feasible to me. Would need the dash wiring harness because it is different, 89 PROMs for the ECM and BCM (computers are the same), CRTC, CRT, IP display, and radio. Power supply and HVAC programmr are the same. Anti-theft system is different (to accomodate the passkey ?) but should interchange. May need to exchange the consoles also.