THE REATTA LOUNGE

[Ronnie]

50 minutes ago, 2seater said:

5*F right now and still dropping,

Man that is cold. We are heading into a cold snap and the temp has been dropping here to. It was 63* here today but down to 39* right now. We are going down to about 31* tonight but they just said on the news it will be back up to a high of 70* by Saturday. Our weather is usually a roller coaster this time of year. Our coldest weather normally comes in February.

[Padgett]

Coldest week of my life was in Davenport, Iowa. Day I left it got up to 0F.

[alchemist]

21 hours ago, 2seater said:

Mine too. Our friends north of the border are sending our first real chill of the season, 5*F right now and still dropping, with gentle gale force NW winds all day. The feels like is well below zero F if you are unfortunate enough to roam around in the open. At least the mosquito flocks have been sent packing, although once in a while one thaws out when the car warms up so I still get a little practice swatting at them.🙄

Agreed, perhaps the one good thing about winter, no mosquitoes.

[Ron Walker]

My Reatta will soon be shod with 4 winter tread tires. The winter treads are mounted on wheels (package from Tire Rack) which replace the summer/OEM wheels for limited winter time driving. Usually drive the 4x4 Avalanche but the Reatta is readied for winter time driving just in case. Because of limited winter time use, the battery maintainer is always attached and plugged in because of the long intervals between being garaged or on the road. The Tire Rack package (for both the Reatta and the Avalanche), along with an impact wrench, makes jacking up and changing out the 8 wheels/tires a relatively simple task - and can be done at my convenience or hurriedly if I waited out the fair weather too long. I store the extras on a Tire Rack tire storage rack. 

[DAVES89]

15 years ago this week I bought my first Reatta, the Red. Flew down to Fort Lauderdale and the guy I bought it from picked me up at the airport with it. It had clear coat peeling but was in very good mechanical condition. Drove it home [long drive back to Wisconsin], had it repainted and then a sun roof added and back in storage until my first spring. Early Christmas present to myself but yet a late one as I didn't drive it until April.

Every year I look forward to spring as I get to drive the Red again...

[Ronnie]

2 hours ago, DAVES89 said:

15 years ago this week I bought my first Reatta, the Red.

Happy Anniversary Dave! 🙂  I've had mine 14 years. Will be 15 years next May. Our red cars are almost twins. These photos are from when we met in Nashville. We need to do it again.

 

[2seater]

Daves89 and I had lunch today and we solved all the most pressing issues of the day so everyone else can get a good nights rest to take care of tomorrows problems in turn🙄

[ship]

9 hours ago, 2seater said:

Daves89 and I had lunch today and we solved all the most pressing issues of the day so everyone else can get a good nights rest to take care of tomorrows problems in turn🙄

I felt the vibes all the way from WI to MA!  Much appreciated!

[Padgett]

Bought my first in 2001 so a double decade now, had a Whole Bunch in middle but 1988 triple blue sunroof will be in my estate sale,

 

 

 

 

Edited December 10, 2021 by Padgett

[Ron Walker]

Nice crosslace wheels! Pontiac? Firebird or Grand Prix?

[DAVES89]

bonneville.

[BlakesReatta]

Does anybody use Meguiars Waterless Wash and Wax in a spray bottle? I think Rainx makes a similar product. The water hose is put up for the winter and I like to use this to take the dust off my car. 

 

Edited December 13, 2021 by BlakesReatta

[Padgett]

Yes, 95ish Bonneville 16x7 with "ABS" center cap. Later ones were just 16x6.5 but GTP had a 16x8.

 

[2seater]

On 12/4/2021 at 2:23 PM, 2seater said:

I have a question that is way out in left field but a multi discipline group here. The attached photo is the objective lens of an 8x32 monocular I have had since the 90’s. The defect on the lens appears to be in the coating and I am looking for a possible source to recoat the lens. This particular scope was sold by Orion telescopes with the “Eagle Eye” model name. It is Japanese. I have found the same scope under a couple of other names, KenMax Galleryscope for one. Exact same specs 7.8 degree field of view. I thought I had tracked down the actual Japanese manufacturer but somehow I have lost the trail. I would really like to have this one fixed  if possible. It isn’t Zeiss quality but is generally rugged, compact and weighs six oz. Any suggestions welcome.

I should add, it has a long eye relief so full field is available with glasses on and the eyepiece is over 3/4” diameter, not the little peep hole like on inexpensive small monoculars. 

I am updating this post because it may be of interest in other areas. After trying to ferret out the original maker of the scope, which I think is Ikeda Lens in Kyoto Japan, I did what I should have done earlier. I took it to a local camera shop. He took one look at it with a bright light from behind and stated it is a fungus🤨 I had never heard of such a thing but he said it isn't uncommon and he sometimes sees it in older camera lenses. He said it is on the inside and may be able to be cleaned off if it hasn't damaged the lens coating badly, it will be improved. A new one for me and I should know in a few days.

[CameraGuyLou]

On 12/14/2021 at 12:15 PM, 2seater said:

I am updating this post because it may be of interest in other areas. After trying to ferret out the original maker of the scope, which I think is Ikeda Lens in Kyoto Japan, I did what I should have done earlier. I took it to a local camera shop. He took one look at it with a bright light from behind and stated it is a fungus🤨 I had never heard of such a thing but he said it isn't uncommon and he sometimes sees it in older camera lenses. He said it is on the inside and may be able to be cleaned off if it hasn't damaged the lens coating badly, it will be improved. A new one for me and I should know in a few days.

It makes sense, but I've never heard of such a thing, either.

[2seater]

1 hour ago, CameraGuyLou said:

It makes sense, but I've never heard of such a thing, either.

I checked some of my other optical devices and scopes and haven't found anything significant. Doing a Google search on it turns up a lot of information but the common thread is enclosed storage that isn't low humidity. I guess my cigar humidor was a bad idea🤪 Seriously though, everyone in my circle is getting a baggie filled with desiccant packs as a stocking stuffer at Christmas, food safe ones that don't change color. Exposure to UV light will kill the fungus too, but not remove it. 

[2seater]

Well, the damage is in between lenses of the objective lens set, which are cemented together, so repair is out of the picture. It will now become one that is kept in the car as it still functions but isn't a crisp image.

[2seater]

I picked up the scope and they wouldn’t take any money for it since they couldn’t improve it. At the same time I noticed this vintage Celestron C8 telescope in the front with window, for a good price. Would be a substantial upgrade from the small monocular🤔

[Philbo]

How much did they want for it?

[Ron Walker]

These are the wheels on my '92 Grand Prix. The picture is from the internet and not my car, though my car is the same color, as is the matching paint scheme in the cross-lace wheels. In the photo below, the center cap appears to be missing. The center cap on my car shows it as a Richard Petty Edition. And, the photo looks like the OEM tires, and if so should be replaced due to their age.