Padgett Posted March 21, 2022 Share Posted March 21, 2022 My Allantes make me wish for another Reatta 'vert. Will swap two 89 (big engine) Allantes both resale red for one very nice (no rust) Reatta convertible. One Allante nice, one lesser but too nice to be a parts car., both with hardtops, cold AC, 65k miles, no rust, and drive well. Plus lotsa unobtanium parts and manuals. Both have clear Florida titles. better one has a Reatta steering wheel with functioning telescopic and cruise control. Quite a few parts can be made to interchange with Reatta. Sanity may return but for now.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Padgett Posted March 22, 2022 Topic Author Share Posted March 22, 2022 ps no Black. Polo Green a plus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ship Posted March 26, 2022 Share Posted March 26, 2022 Is it true that the Allante electronics are totally "unobtainable"? And, that one needs to stay clear of the '93's because they have the first year NorthStar V8? Inquiring minds want to know! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Padgett Posted March 26, 2022 Topic Author Share Posted March 26, 2022 Agree 93 Northstars are either very very good or horrid. 93s are also very decontented. Specifically bought 89s because have big engine, hardtops were still standard, have wind wings. Originally bought second one as a "spare" but really too nice to part out. Have acquired much of the electronics from eBay including two complete center stacks, several display modules, coolant fan module, analog speedo cluster, ECMs, BCMs, etc. Radio module is same as Reatta/Riviera/Corvette with Bose. Many other common fail parts (e.g. HVAC controller) are also the same. Pull down motors (top & trunk) in nice one are both replaced and have spare. Dunno about other, have not had hardtop off. Have service and parts manuals for all years . Questions ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ship Posted March 26, 2022 Share Posted March 26, 2022 Like most of us, I read that you went hoopy buying a lot of "just in case" parts. I agree re: NorthStar engine. I've owned both '99 and '00 Eldorado's (still have the '00) ...never had an issue with either one but also have heard horror stories. Typically, by the time GM perfected the NorthStar they stop producing them (same with 4.1 V8, 4-6-8 V8). A friend of mine always says, "Cadillacs are just Buicks with bad engines".... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Padgett Posted March 26, 2022 Topic Author Share Posted March 26, 2022 (edited) and Cadillacs with Buick engines are just slow. I also have a lot of Reatta parts particularly electronic and a whole 3800/4T60 on a stand. Also waaaay too many factory aluminum wheels. From what I can tell, about 15-20% of 93 Northstars had major ($$$$) problems, particularly the ones from 1992. The rest are great engines. Cad finally got them reliable for the '04 models. But there was major decontenting done on the 93 Allantes and 90-93 had the early airbags. That and not so much the engine is why I wanted 89s. However in many ways the Northstar is really two Quad-4s and I worked on a number of those despite many different TSBs on head tightening sequences. That said the 200hp 4.5 in mine makes lots of torque low down and will stay with a Northstar up to 65-70. It has the kind of power a Reatta should have had. Northstar only makes 17 lb-ft more torque but about 1,000 rpm higher than the 4.5 - why the HP is higher. Edited March 26, 2022 by Padgett 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted March 26, 2022 Share Posted March 26, 2022 A friend of mine just gave away a nice Cadillac to get it out of the yard. It looked great inside and out. It would crank and run just fine. You just couldn't keep water in it because of the Northstar head bolt problem. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Padgett Posted March 26, 2022 Topic Author Share Posted March 26, 2022 Yup, when they are bad they're horrid. No such problems with a 4.5. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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