ship Posted March 15, 2020 Share Posted March 15, 2020 This morning I changed out the air filter. Since I can no longer get under a car due to vertigo (and very fast approaching 71), I have to have a shop change the oil and filter. Come April I will have that done along with the MA state annual safety inspection. Get this : Because I plan to have my Reatta 400 point judged this July at the BCA National, I put a new AC Delco oil filter on the passenger seat so I wont forget to give it to the shop to install. I don't want to take any chances that a non-factory oil filter will result in any points deduction! WHAT....I'm not anal! I expect no laughing, folks!! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted March 18, 2020 Topic Author Share Posted March 18, 2020 Well it's official. 2seater came over on Monday and got the keys and title to the Black '89. As you can see I removed the car from my signature line so it's gone. This car has treated me well over the 11 years of ownership and now 2seater can take it the rest of the way. I didn't want to sell it because while it is a good runner someone who is familiar with Reattas needs to own it for whatever may pop up requiring attention. It has 318,000 miles of which 120,000 were put on by me. I just didn't want to be the one to put it in Gibson's [my local you pick]. Later this summer he comes for my driving parts car [which has many almost new parts put on by the previous owners. For the record I am not getting out of Reattas I am just getting down to what can fit in my garage. I have the parts car at a friends house [which is okay as he has a barn with extra room] and one car is kept at a widow lady's house, but she is 84 and her health is failing. We bought a property in Texas so I will be driving the 'vert down there to use as our "vacation" car which is perfect for a couple of empty nesters. That will give me a "summer" Reatta [the Red] and a "winter" Reatta the '88 Black for here in Wisconsin. My wife's car? She drives an Enclave... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted March 18, 2020 Share Posted March 18, 2020 Lots of life changes all at once for you Dave. I think it was time to let the Black Reatta go and I know 2seater will give it a good home. Glad to hear you got a vacation home away from the Wisconsin winters. I'm disappointed that you chose Texas instead of Tennessee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted March 19, 2020 Topic Author Share Posted March 19, 2020 My wife hates almost any kind of cold weather [in the winter time] so rather then look for something in Florida we thought we would try Texas [Brownsville]. Real estate is still fairly reasonable so here we are! Tennessee is a beautiful state and I always thought I would end up there, but now I don't think that will happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted March 19, 2020 Share Posted March 19, 2020 I had a cousin, now passed, that had a condo on South Padre Island near Brownsville. He invited me down many times and I never got around to going. He loved that area and I'm sure you will too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ship Posted March 19, 2020 Share Posted March 19, 2020 Wow Dave, you're right on the boarder. Had an uncle (my dad's older brother) who once lived about a hundred eighty miles north of you in Aransas Pass, TX. He actually kept a coupe of/a few cows on his spread. Sold the place in the early 90's and bought a farm in MO....moved the cows with him. He and my dad grew up on the Shagley/Shipman farm in NE Kansas during the 20's and 30's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted March 20, 2020 Topic Author Share Posted March 20, 2020 We are and so far I/we like it. Today was in the 80's overcast with a real short misty rain. It looks like it's clearing up so off to the pool. On a side note I drove the '88 Black about 250 miles on kind of a "shake down" cruise and it drove real well. I think the strut mounts are going but it could also be something else. I'll have to crawl under the car and see. However one thing happened and I did address it as soon as I got home. As I was driving down the road I thought I might have hit some road debris and it really rattled through the bottom of the car. But everything seemed fine when I stopped at my first appointment and I checked the tire and other observations. But when I got back in the car and went to back up as soon as I hit the brake I got a big bang and vibration through the car. At first I thought it was the tranny, but when I went to back up again it worked fine until I used the brakes and then it happened again. So long story short when I got home and got the car up on jack stands I saw that both of the caliper bracket bolts had worked loose from the bracket. The front one was gone [which caused that road noise as it went out underneath the car] and only the rear bolt was there still keeping the caliper bracket in line. That bolt allowed me to go forward but not backward because when I applied the brakes the bracket would pivot up, and then drop back in place when I went forward. At first I didn't realize what I was seeing so I went to Gibson's and got more bracket bolts and a caliper bracket. I also got the brake caliper slider pins [like new] all for $11.00 so it was good deal. Then back home, so what was up and used one of the bolts from Gibson's to replace the "lost" one and got everything back together. Didn't have time to do the other side as I was late to get to Kendall's house to beat him at pool. So the day ended well and the car looks to be a great buy [at least after 250 miles]. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted March 20, 2020 Share Posted March 20, 2020 I had a bolt come out of the rear caliper on my S10 Blazer one time. Same symptoms that you had. When I backed up the caliper would hit the aluminum wheel and make a grinding noise. It scratched up the inside of the wheel a little but other than that no damage. I was lucky that it happened while backing out of my driveway. That's when I started using blue Loctite and the torque wrench on brake bolts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ship Posted March 22, 2020 Share Posted March 22, 2020 All gassed up and nowhere to go. Still sitting in my garage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2seater Posted March 27, 2020 Share Posted March 27, 2020 Dave's former winter driver, the Black 89, finally came home with me today. I saw Ronnie's post about covid 19 disrupting many things we sort of take for granted. I found the opportunity to have a friend take me to Dave's to pick up the car, but there is a sense of living on the edge for us old folks just riding in a car together. We decided if we had a Corona beer before and after the car transport it would ward off evil spirits. Sort of tongue in cheek that but no doubt our awareness, and wariness, has certainly changed. The car was a bit reluctant to start but more from operator error due it sitting for an extended period. Ran well once started, and drives pretty well. Definitely a more "floaty" ride than my regular, but for over 318k miles, it is remarkable almost everything works well which is a testament to the care Dave lavished on this car. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted March 27, 2020 Topic Author Share Posted March 27, 2020 (edited) Well thanks Hal. Glad you picked it up and it ran for you. It did get "good" car treatment in the early years and actually last fall it got front tie rods and ball joints along with front brake lines. The rear brake lines were done I believe the year before. You have Barney cranks so that is good as well. Overall still a nice car that still looks good. Between this one, and the Red one at Bob's as well as your own "in need" Reatta you should end up with two nice cars. I have decided also that the 'vert will be our Brownsville Reatta as we purchased a mobile home down here for a "winter" retreat [the months of January, February, and March]. We'll need a car here and the place we bought has both a car port and a one car garage so the 'vert would be great for that and have inside storage. This also gets me back to a situation where my remaining three cars will fit in my garage. The "off season" Reatta along the back wall and the Enclave on the left and the driving Reatta on the right. This also will end the snow shoveling for the "Widow Schneider" the lady that allowed me to store a Reatta in her garage for snow blowing her driveway. She will be 85 this year and has been hinting at selling her house and going into assisted living. I think that I was one of the reasons why she could stay in her house, but that can't weigh into my decision as to what I want to do. I did her driveway for over 12 years and now it is time to move on... Edited March 28, 2020 by DAVES89 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ship Posted April 2, 2020 Share Posted April 2, 2020 Got the '91 Reatta's and '00 Eldorado's oil & filter changed along with their annual safety inspections yesterday (4/1) while the sun was out somewhat. Right now they both wait for the rain to let up hopefully by sometime Friday afternoon. Weather here has been cold and raw. Just want to get them out for some exercise around and about and down the highway with no stops anywhere in particular and no human contact by/toward me. Keep safe folks. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ship Posted April 11, 2020 Share Posted April 11, 2020 Such a nice day in my area today (4/11). So I took the Reatta out for a quick exercise down the highway for one exit and back home through the back streets...no pictures. Highways are almost void of cars but those who are on it are speeding wicked...bunch of looser's! Then it was on to raking my front lawn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted April 11, 2020 Topic Author Share Posted April 11, 2020 I'm envious as I am still in Texas, returning on Wednesday. Then I'll get the Red out for a drive! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 I drove my Reatta yesterday for the first time in a long time. I didn't know it was going to get me in trouble but it almost did. I headed out toward Oak Ridge and I saw a new sign that said "The Heritage Center" at the old site of the Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion plant. That plant was part of the Manhattan Project, known as K-25, that enriched uranium for nuclear bombs in the '40s through the '80s. They have been tearing down buildings and decontaminating the site for years so they can turn it over to private industry. When I saw the new sign for the Heritage Center with an arrow pointing down the road through the site I thought it would be OK to take a drive down the newly paved road. As I drove down the road rubber necking I saw a visitor center that was closed but somehow I failed to see a sign that said "No visitors allowed beyond this point!" as I drove through a huge metal gate that was standing open where the new pavement ended. As I continued driving down the road looking at old buildings and stuff like you would see in an abandoned industrial park, I noticed a white car and a white truck coming up from behind really fast. I thought to myself, "Those fools are going to get in trouble going that fast on a road with a 25 mph speed limit." As soon as they caught up with me the car went flying by me but the truck fell in behind me and stayed there. The car went on about another 300 yards and stopped in the middle of the road and the driver got out. He was wearing an official looking uniform. ? There was a small parking lot beside where he had stopped and he was making hand gestures indicating he wanted me to turn around and get out of there. As I turned around in the parking lot I saw "U.S. Department of Energy" on the side of the vehicles. I'll bet this Covid-19 thing saved me from getting a good ass chewing or maybe even a ticket or something. They probably didn't want to get close to me and risk being infected any more than I wanted to have to try to explain what I was doing there. I'm glad it worked out that way. ? 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ship Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 2 hours ago, DAVES89 said: I'm envious as I am still in Texas, returning on Wednesday. Then I'll get the Red out for a drive! If you're driving back take caution and have a mask handy while driving through certain states....some more stringent than others re: requiring masks at all times even while in your own car. Don't forget to put one on while stopping for gas or takeout food. BE SAFE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted April 12, 2020 Topic Author Share Posted April 12, 2020 I have a mask, but here is my plan as I drive back. I will have water bottles packed and will be cooking a frozen pizza to take along. I will also just pay at the pump, and hopefully if I need to use a rest room it can be at a way side rest area. I leave Tuesday morning and hope to make Tulsa before I stop for the day either to sleep in a rest area or truck stop as I don't want to sleep in a motel. Sounds weird but my wife is flying back as she hates the long drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ship Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 14 minutes ago, DAVES89 said: I have a mask, but here is my plan as I drive back. I will have water bottles packed and will be cooking a frozen pizza to take along. I will also just pay at the pump, and hopefully if I need to use a rest room it can be at a way side rest area. I leave Tuesday morning and hope to make Tulsa before I stop for the day either to sleep in a rest area or truck stop as I don't want to sleep in a motel. Sounds weird but my wife is flying back as she hates the long drive. Sounds like a solid plan. My wife doesn't like long drives either. But I say she misses out on the experiences of car travel across somewhere in the USA. That's why I attend ROA and BCA Nationals by myself. Stay Safe and report in along the way if possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 2 hours ago, DAVES89 said: I have a mask, but here is my plan as I drive back. I will have water bottles packed and will be cooking a frozen pizza to take along. I will also just pay at the pump, and hopefully if I need to use a rest room it can be at a way side rest area. I leave Tuesday morning and hope to make Tulsa before I stop for the day either to sleep in a rest area or truck stop as I don't want to sleep in a motel. Sounds weird but my wife is flying back as she hates the long drive. I would take a spray bottle with water and Clorox in it (1/2 cup Clorox per gallon) and a rag to spray it on. It is good for quick cleaning of your hands and wiping down any surfaces you suspect someone has touched like at the gas pumps. Also a roll of paper towels to dry excess spray. Our neighbor who is a nurse recommended it to us. We use it to wipe down door knobs, door handles, steering wheels and counter tops. Anything you suspect someone might have touched. Got to be careful of getting it on clothes and other colored items. It will take the color out if you don't get it off quickly. Ask me how I know. Are you driving the convertible back home? I assumed you were going to leave it in TX and fly back and forth. That sure is a long drive. I think it would be hard for me to sleep on my car. As Ship said, Be safe and let us know how it goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ship Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 (edited) As for a mask while driving: just have one readily available. Every town/county/state has different regulations. Better to be prepared, just in case. An example here MA: town of Salem will fine you if you don't wear a mask while outside your house, period...never mind outside your property or even while driving. Talk about infringement of individual freedoms!! But, today I went grocery shopping. MA Governor "strongly suggests" shoppers wear masks and gloves. Yet, I saw about one third of the shoppers with neither. Edited April 12, 2020 by ship Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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