This is off topic but I have always admired the Reatta for what it was which was a nice looking stylish 2 seater and the 3800 was a nice package but have often thought how easy would it be to swap a series 2 or 3 SC 3800 into the car? They seem to be really reasonable in market value at the moment even for low mileage ones. I think my wife would accept one easier than a Fiero.

Is there a Reatta website out there as friendly as Pennock's? I might consider trading my modified 87 GT for one to keep her happy but I think it would need a SC 3800 to keep me happy and my guess is the swap would be a piece of cake.

Comments?

You would have to find out what ecm and electronics the Reatta uses, because electronically it resembles a Cadiliac which is not too friendly. If it does use a base 3800 ecm out of any 3800 GM fwd car of the same era than yes it would be easier. As far as forums, they likely would be pretty small since the car was so rare along with a fairly older aged group.

Pete

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quote Originally posted by Mike Murphy: This is off topic but I have always admired the Reatta for what it was which was a nice looking stylish 2 seater and the 3800 was a nice package but have often thought how easy would it be to swap a series 2 or 3 SC 3800 into the car? They seem to be really reasonable in market value at the moment even for low mileage ones. I think my wife would accept one easier than a Fiero. Is there a Reatta website out there as friendly as Pennock's? I might consider trading my modified 87 GT for one to keep her happy but I think it would need a SC 3800 to keep me happy and my guess is the swap would be a piece of cake. Comments?

Didnt Fiero X do this a while back or atleast seems like he was talking about it.

The largest Reatta forum is on the Buick Club of America website. It is not as user friendly as this site. It is a straight message board and all threads of any type are listed chronologically so it is hard to find pertinent information. I started a Reatta forum that was more like this one when I had mine but it never caught on so I just took it down. There is a lot of good information over there if you can find it...

One thing about that message board is that most people there do not believe in modifying Reattas. When I brought up ideas about 3800SC engine swaps or lowering suspension, it was met with less than enthusiastic response. Basically, I was told that it couldn't be done. Obviously I knew it could be done because of all the things we have learned that can be done to Fieros. The major reason for them saying that engine swaps can't be done is because of the electronic controls in the car. While it may not be just as simple as dropping in an engine, it can be done. At this point, several have done it. I think the consensus from the people who have done it is to use a Series I engine for simplicity. I don't know that anyone has done anything newer yet. Hopefully, someone will take on the project and show them that it can be done and really maximize the Reatta.

Here is a link to the BCA Reatta page.
http://forums.aaca.org/post....php?Cat=&Board=UBB3

Thanks Songman. I registered and posted there today and you are right it is not user friendly and sorry to hear you met with opposition there. Sounds like a bunch of Puritans. We shall see though. I have too many Fieros and always liked that car but felt it needed more engine potential just like the Fiero. So why the Series 1 over 2 or 3? Computer & wiring issues?

I think my wife would like one and they seem to be very reasonably priced in the market even for low mileage cars.

One last question and I think I know the answer but are the headlight motors the same as the 87-88 Fiero?

Thanks

Exactly right. The wiring to make all the various sensors and stuff are pretty complicated on the Reatta. Part of the price for putting technology in the car. The few who have tried it went as basic as possbile, I think just to get it done. With what I have seen on this forum, there is no doubt that someone could figure out the electronics and do a great swap with a newer engine.

I bought the Reatta for my wife as well. She did love it but in the end it was not what she wanted. She already had the Miata and the Sebring convertible. As I already mentioned, the 90-91 are the ones to get because you get away from the trouble of the touchscreen and you get a complete updated interior. The rounded dash on the 90-91 really compliments the car. The early cars had square pod dashes like Fieros and most other GMs of the late 80s. If you really have some money or find a deal, grab a 91. Cosmetically it is the same as a 90, but it has a Series II 3800 in it instead of the Series I in all the others. Just like the Fiero, they save the best for last and then kill it.

Actually, you'd be surprised. The motors are not the same. They are very similar and rebuild exactly the same and also use the same bushings... But the are not the same motors.

Saw some headlamp motors on ebay that were for a Reatta but a lot less on bid. I wondered if they could interchange?

We're a little off topic here - but what the heck.

The Reatta ECM is intimately tied in with the rest of the car's electronic systems. Making any other engine than the one it came with work would require a HUGE engineering effort.

Not impossible, but might as well be...

Well I've done the DOHC 3.4 5 speed swap into a 88CJB coupe and still want to do an L67 to my 88 auto Formula but wife does not care too much for our little cars so I'm thinking this way I can satisfy her and me both with an L67 in the Buick with a little effort but down the road after the Formula is done. 7 Fieros is quite enough for a collection. I plan on keeping the DOHC, Formula, 4 speed Indy and maybe the all original 57K red 4 speed GT. That means my 87 GT stroker and the Indy auto will probably go bye bye. I will have a building available by Spring to store most of these in so what will not fit may be sold.

I also have a 1975 Pontiac Grandville Convertible with a 455 that I have owned since new but needs a frame off restoration I need to squeeze in there someplace. God how did this all happen? I started out with just 1 Fiero!

Sorry, can't offer much useable info but maybe some enthusiam. I Love my Reatta, but its in very rough shape. These cars were handbuilt by a special team. Anyway, Cheers!

.
Oh & BTW: My wife loves the Reatta and wouldn't mind me getting a nice one so it seems women do like the car so you wife probally will too. hopefully anyway.
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91 NSX - Black/Ivory w/40K (Daily Driver)
89 ESPRIT -White/Black
00 NAVI -Black w/Ghostflames/Black
92 600SL -Red/Tan
87 928 S4 -Red/Black
86 928 S -Red/Tan
83 944 EURO -Black/Checkerboard SOLD
85 FIERO GT -Indy Clone
84 INDY -41k, 57th built
91 ALLANTE -Red/Black
85 S10 -355 V8
77 T-BIRD -Maroon/Tan
90 TROFEO -White/Burgandy
94 GMC INDY -84 500 GMC Hauler clone
69 CAMARO -SOLD 2 aid NSX fund
.
PROJECTS:
90 REATTA, 85 FIERO GT, FORMULA,
INDY, 80 MASERATTI V8

[This message has been edited by Greg Z (edited 02-22-2007).]

Another reason for choosing a 91 Reatta is that they put a "normal" braking system on the car and got rid of the Teves system.

As for who has done a 3800SC swap, I recall that user "F14" has done it and would be the guy to contact. (on the Reatta board)

Kit / 90 Reatta Coupe / 86 Fiero GT

quote Originally posted by Kitskaboodle: Another reason for choosing a 91 Reatta is that they put a "normal" braking system on the car and got rid of the Teves system. As for who has done a 3800SC swap, I recall that user "F14" has done it and would be the guy to contact. (on the Reatta board) Kit / 90 Reatta Coupe / 86 Fiero GT

Now even I didn't know that! I thought all Reattae used Teves... Along with lots of other high dollare cars, like Jaguar.

Yeah, F14Crazy did it. He is who I was talking about.
Here is his build thread for those interested. http://forums.aaca.org/show...=0&page=1#Post361222

quote Originally posted by Kitskaboodle: Another reason for choosing a 91 Reatta is that they put a "normal" braking system on the car and got rid of the Teves system. As for who has done a 3800SC swap, I recall that user "F14" has done it and would be the guy to contact. (on the Reatta board) Kit / 90 Reatta Coupe / 86 Fiero GT

Wow. Read through that thread and see if you want to embark on such an adventure...

I remember these Reattas from the 80s. Very rare and odd car. Main problem with them is they were too heavy and slow for a two seater. I see them here in snowbird land every now and then but have never seen anyone younger than 65 driving them so I can see why they think of it as a perfect resto car rather than hotrodding it. Like the Fiero (maybe less) I think it will be a great collector car maybe in 20-30 years. Now a stock looking one with a 400+ moded SC3800 at the track would be an incredible surprise for many

I have been working with members of the Reatta community for some time now (including F14crazy) concerning engine upgrades/swaps for the Reatta's. I even did a 3800 Series II SC / 4T60-E swap into a Reatta a couple of years ago.

What people have said about the on-board electronics used in these cars is true. Most of the gauge/speedo data comes from the ECM (engine computer) via the BCM (body computer) over the serial data line to the instrument cluster and driver info display. The bad thing about this type of communications setup is GM changed the data communications protocols almost every year the Reatta was in production, making it very difficult to "hack" that protocol so other engine computers could be used. I put a lot of time into researching if a 94-95 3800 PCM could be made to communicate with the Reatta's BCM but wasn't able to come up with any solutions before I had to move on with other projects.

Now having said that, I have been burning custom chips for Reatta computers so people could run Supercharged Series 1 and Series 2 SC 3800 engines in these cars. The stock Reatta ECM with one of my custom chips can run one of these engines just fine; but don't look for it to control a modern electronic automatic transmission because it doesn't have the hardware or techonolgy to do that.

Now that's not to say you couldn't swap in a newer engine/transmission computer into this vehicle and drive down the road, because you can. However, without the presence of the reatta's stock ECM, you won't have a working tach, coolant temp gauge, nor driver information display center. Also, the command to turn on the A/C compressor clutch comes from the HVAC head thru the BCM to the ECM via the serial data bus. And there is no way of getting the HVAC controller to tell a newer computer to turn on the A/C system without the presence of the Reatta ECM. Having said that, it would be possible to leave the Reatta ECM installed as a "dummy" to feed needed gauge info to the instrument cluster. Certain sensors on the engine would be "shared" between the two ECMs, but the newer ECM/PCM would actually be the unit controlling the engine (and tranmission). If anyone needs details on how to do all of this shoot me an email and I would be happy to discuss it.

Here is a pic of the swap I did...



-ryan

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power corrupts. absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Custom Computer Tuning | Engine Conversions | Turbocharging | www.gmtuners.com

I knew it was someone from this forum helping F14 because of the Fiero 3800SC pics in his thread. I just didn't know the user name to go along with it...

Good job!

Darth is obviously a man of many talents. All of which I am extreemly jealous of.

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Ron
Land of the Free because of the Brave. Most gave some, some gave all. Some ran the other way.