DeLorean Mailing List - 12/17/96
dmcnews-digest Tuesday, 17 December 1996 Volume 02 : Number 202
In this issue:
DMC parts for sale
FUEL QUESTION
A different fuel question / how to treat rust
Re: Fuel Question
Buying a DeLorean
Re: Buying a DeLorean
Re: Buying a DeLorean
Things to look for when DeLorean shopping...
RE: Buying a DeLorean
Re: Buying a DeLorean
Re: Buying a DeLorean
Recent work done, and HELP!!!
RE: Buying a DeLorean
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: SAND131@aol.com
Date: Sat, 14 Dec 1996 19:37:18 -0500
Subject: DMC parts for sale
I have avail for sale 162 DMC part # s orig equip parts new in box or bags.
if intrested E mail me and I will send you the list.I have wheels, grill and
other stuff.
My E mail is SAND131@AOL.COM
THE SANDMAN / RALPH
I have owned my DMC since 85
#1606 CHICAGO AREA
------------------------------
From: CDIUSAMPS@aol.com
Date: Mon, 16 Dec 1996 01:20:08 -0500
Subject: FUEL QUESTION
Question to anyone listening that might have an answer. About 2 months ago I
was smelling gas in my 81 DMC everytime I gassed up. I took the car to the
shop (Jaguar & Volvo dealer, who has done great work in the past), and they
installed a new fuel boot. Then the car would run out of gas at half a tank
(I could never get more than 5 gallons in when she ran out), or would stall
at heavy acceleration. I removed the boot, fuel pump, baffle, etc. and found
the fuel intake hose was not anchored to the baffle and was "floating". I
reanchored the intake hose and reassembled the system. The car started and
ran, but again, the car smelled like gas everytime I refueled, and further, I
could see the boot was full of fuel. I took everyting apart again and
tightened everything as tight as it would go. Now the vehicle will not start.
The fuel pump is pumping, as not only can you hear it, but you can feel surges
through the intake hose on top. A couple of times it started to
"pop" like it was about to start, but did not. I have now run down two batteries.
I hesitate to go back to the shop because of the backlog, and further feel very
uncomfortable having the vehicle sit around with everyone
and his brother laying hands on it. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
------------------------------
From: James Espey
Date: Mon, 16 Dec 96 09:08:16 -0000
Subject: A different fuel question / how to treat rust
I spent the better part of Sunday helping out local member work on his '81
DeLorean, seems that the car would not start. We tried all the easy things
first, and all seemed well. Incidentally, this is a very nice condition, low
mileage ( >20K miles), grey interior automatic transmission car that reportedly
ran fine last May when the owner left the desert for the summer. Now that he is
back, the car would not start.
There did not seem to me to be adequate fuel pressure, and upon inspection of the
fuel pump, we thought we had found the problem - the fuel feed hose had broken off
and was squirting fuel all over the pump! We replaced the hoses (both the feed and
return) at the pump and reseated the pump in the boot (the pump, having been
replaced a year to two ago, and the car only having been driven less than 100 miles
since then was still in good shape). The car then started right up and we thought
the probelm was solved. Wrong.
Fuel began to practically gush from underneath the car. So, I lit up a cigarette to
help myself think, and WHOOSH, the whole thing goes up in flames. Okay, just kidding
about that last part, but at least you're paying attention again. Seriously though,
there is some kind of fuel leak from the area of the accumulator, but it is difficult
to see exactly where. Is this a sign of a bad accumulator? All the hoses on this end
of the car seem to look great, and all the clamps are tight. There are feed and
return hoses/fittings in this area, I'm guessing that judging from the amount of
fuel, it's one of the feed hoses or perhaps the accumulator itself. I'm reluctant
to get underneath it as fuel flows out to try and see where the fuel is coming from
as I have had gas in my eyes/face before and have no desire to repeat the experience.
Additionally, the confines of this area make for very tight working conditions, with
some fittings looking VERY difficult, if not impossible to reach without remocing the
whole body from the frame. Can you access the fuel lines that run on top of the frame
by removing the console?
Evidently it has been leaking from there for some time, because after we attached the
new hoses and this new leak appeared, we were unable to determine it's exact lcoation
until we removed the plate underneath the fuel tank (fuel was running down along it
from the area of the accumulator, making it difficult to assess where the fuel was
coming from). This plate was VERY rusty in comparison to the rest of the practically
flawless car. The rust has begun to spread to the front "Y" frame members, as well.
Does the fact that it has been leaking for long enough to create this rust shed any
light on exactly where the leak may be?
Also, what is the best way to treat this rust, and what/where can I get some of the
epoxy to re-coat the frame, or is there a better solution?
Thanks!
James Espey
Happy Holidays - buy a poster!
http://www.goodnet.com/~mikasa/poster.html
------------------------------
From: Mike Substelny Date: Mon, 16 Dec 1996 11:08:12 -0500
Subject: Re: Fuel Question
CDIUSAMPS said:
>. . . I took everyting apart again and tightened everything as tight as it would go.
Now the vehicle will not start. The fuel pump is pumping, as not only can you hear it,
but you can feel surges through the intake hose on top. A couple of times it started
to "pop" like it was about to start, but did not . . .
Don't panic! This is probably a simple problem that you can fix yourself. The
DeLorean's Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection system requires a constant, specific fuel
pressure to function. The "surges" and "pops" you describe are consistent with each
other. I am 99% confident that there is still something wrong inside your fuel tank's
intake that you can fix. It is not good for your fuel injector to crank and crank with
no fuel so stop trying to start the engine until you fix the intake problem.
I know you hate to do this, but you should remove the fuel pump again. You might have a
collapsed or kinked inlet line. Your intake screen may be fouled. The inlet hose may be
loose. You may have tightened something too much (when you say you "tightened everything"
does that include inside the tank? Overtightening clamps inside the tank might cause the
no-start problem, and that would not have solved your gas smell problem anyway.)
WHILE DOING ANY WORK THAT INVOLVES REMOVING THE FUEL PUMP it is a good idea to cover the
tank's fuel pump opening with something. You don't want dust / leaves / bugs / your lunch
to fall into the gas tank! The cover should not be soluable in gasoline (so no styrene or
rubber). Good materials are glass, steel, or polyethelyene (trash can lid/saran
wrap/garbage bag). It is possible that something fell into the tank while you had it open
the last time and it is fouling your inlet.
Make sure the car starts before you close up everything. Be reasonable when you tighten up
the parts, it shouldn't take Superman to get a good seal.
BEFORE YOU REPLACE THE ACCESS PANEL, spare tire, or anything else in the luggage compartment
drive to a gas station and fuel up. If there are any leaks that would cause you to smell
gasoline from the fuel pump boot, sender unit, return line, or filler tube you will be able
to see them easily the moment the tank gets full. Have appropriate tools and a flashlight
with you as well as a fire extinguisher (you should not need the extinguisher, but it's good
to be safe). Tighten up the offending part just a little beyond the point where it stops
leaking.
Good luck!
- -Mike Substelny
------------------------------
From: "David Jacobs (Volt Computer)" Date: Mon, 16 Dec 1996
10:00:02 -0800
Subject: Buying a DeLorean
I found a DeLorean for sale from a Sports Car dealer. It's an 81 with 25,000 miles on it.
They were asking $12,000 for it.
The car was a trade-in for a Dodge Viper, and they gave the person 15,000 for the trade.
The dealer said they had put another $4,000 worth of repairs into the car ( driver side
window didn't work, engine trouble, driver side door won't open unless you slam it shut
to begin with ). I found that some of the problems they apparently fixed were still present.
The car looked very nice on the outside, and very clean on the inside...but it was also in
a showroom. =L
The openly visual problems I found were the following:
- -Driver side door won't open unless you slam it shut. - -Driver side door handle was
broken on one side, so the door was hard to open.
- -Inside panel on driver side door wouldn't stay affixed to the door. - -Rear de-frost
button is broken.
- -Hood release handle broke off.
- -Back engine cover won't lock and inside grate that goes over the engine is cracked down
the middle.
- -Also with the rear, the highdrolics don't hold the back engine cover up...they slide down.
- -Both doors hang down significantly low. - -Tachometer doesn't work.
- -Engine looked oily.
The DeLorean was in a showroom, so I couldn't start it up or take it for a spin.
So who knows how well it runs, or if everything electrical even works. My question is...with
what I just observed, what would be a fair price to pay for this car??
Thanks for your time!
Dave Jacobs...
a-djacob@microsoft.com
------------------------------
From: James Espey
Date: Mon, 16 Dec 96 12:33:12 -0000
Subject: Re: Buying a DeLorean
>I found a DeLorean for sale from a Sports Car dealer. It's an 81 with 25,000 miles on it.
They were asking $12,000 for it.
What is the cars VIN (or at least the last five or six numbers)? Someone on the list may be
familiar with the car. What state is the car in?
>The openly visual problems I found were the following:
>-Driver side door won't open unless you slam it shut.
Door adjustment can be a pain in the neck. Did you notice if it has the door guides attached
near the latches on the doors themselves? They look kind of like machined wedges that are
supposed to help guide the pin on the body into the latch on the door. Some of the 1981's
did not have those installed at the factory. Mike Substelny bought some of these for his
car at KAPAC, so I know they are available, though different ones are used on different
production number cars.
>-Driver side door handle was broken on one side, so the door was hard to open.
Inside door handle or outside door handle? Original outside door handles are made of plastic
and have been known to break in cold weather, cast aluminum replacements are readily available.
Interior door latches are also available, but unless the underlying problem is fixed (dorr
alignment, maybe?), it'll probably happen again or cause other damage.
>-Inside panel on driver side door wouldn't stay affixed to the door.
Probably just needs new fir trees attached to the panel. An indication that someone may have
been poking around in the door to try and fix the closing problem, perhaps someone who really
didn;t know what they were doing, hence the now loose door panel.
>-Rear de-frost button is broken.
In a cold weather environment? If note - don't worry about it and if it bugs you that much,
they are repairable in most cases. Someo have even said that the ehat from the motor does a
good job defrosting the back window anyway.
>-Hood release handle broke off.
Is the HANDLE broekn, or just the braided cable attached to the handle? Whn I bought my car
the cable was broken and I used a pair of pliers to grab the end I could still see and open
it up to cchange it out - easy fix.
Once you get hte hood open, though, there's a whole bunch of stuff to look for in there.
>-Back engine cover won't lock and inside grate that goes over the engine is cracked down the
middle.
"Back engine cover"? If oyu mena the louvre, it will not lock, just latch down. The "inside
grate" is generally referred to as the engine cover and it is a replaceable item, but I have
no idea as to cost.
>-Also with the rear, the highdrolics don't hold the back engine cover up...they slide down.
Louvre struts are readily available. Pittman DeLorean even has them on special right now for
Xmas, either $50 or $60 a pair, I think.
>-Both doors hang down significantly low.
As above, door struts are available for approx $90 a pair.
>-Tachometer doesn't work.
If you didn't start it, how do you know? Or perhaps, what makes you say that? If it because the
tach is not resting on zero, with the ignition off, it will rise to about 1200 RPM. Turn the key
on and it should drop to zero.
>-Engine looked oily.
Where did it look oily at? Bottom, at the oil pan? There has been a lot of talk about oil sending
units leaking. May or not be the case here.
>The DeLorean was in a showroom, so I couldn't start it up or take it for a spin.
>So who knows how well it runs, or if everything electrical even works. My question is...with
what I just observed, what would be a fair price to pay for this car??
Tough to say, though the $9,500-10K range is probably not far off. Expect to put some money into
it, especially if you want it to be a daily driver. I will see if I can find my notes on the things
that I look for when I evaluate a DeLorean and I will forward it to you.
Good luck!
James
------------------------------
From: jory bell
Date: Mon, 16 Dec 1996 10:25:36 -0800
Subject: Re: Buying a DeLorean
>I found a DeLorean for sale from a Sports Car dealer. It's an 81 with 25,000 miles on it.
They were asking $12,000 for it.
>The car was a trade-in for a Dodge Viper, and they gave the person 15,000 for the trade.
The dealer said they had put another $4,000 worth of repairs into the car ( driver side
window didn't work, engine trouble, driver side door won't open unless you slam it shut to
begin with ). I found that some of the problems they apparently fixed were still present.
The car looked very nice on the outside, and very clean on the inside...but it was also in
a showroom. =L
>The openly visual problems I found were the following:
>-Driver side door won't open unless you slam it shut. -Driver side door handle was broken
on one side, so the door was hard to open.
can replace these with aftermarket metal handles. the originals were plastic ad prone to
failure.
>-Inside panel on driver side door wouldn't stay affixed to the door.
>-Rear de-frost button is broken.
this part is nearly unobtainium. i found one guy who had some for sale for like $120!
>-Hood release handle broke off.
>-Back engine cover won't lock and inside grate that goes over the engine is cracked down the middle.
>-Also with the rear, the highdrolics don't hold the back engine cover up...they slide down.
easy to replace the struts
>-Both doors hang down significantly low.
easy to replace the struts
>-Tachometer doesn't work.
>-Engine looked oily.
>The DeLorean was in a showroom, so I couldn't start it up or take it for a spin.
>So who knows how well it runs, or if everything electrical even works. My question is...with what
I just observed, what would be a fair price to pay for this car??
i'd say 10K, i would be most concerned with body and trim, as the mechanicals are fairly
straightforward and easily cross referenced.
i have seen nicer cars for 12K. also, you should drive it before even considering anything else.
:jory
------------------------------
From: James Espey
Date: Mon, 16 Dec 96 13:22:42 -0000
Subject: Things to look for when DeLorean shopping...
This is a re-post of a thread from August that Mike Substelny and I contributed to, and I rather
hastily cut and pasted it together, but I think it will give you some idea of some more things to
examine.
James
**********************
Subject: Re: looking at a D for sale
Sent: 8/19/96 6:33 AM
Received: 8/19/96 7:48 AM
From: SUBSTEM@cesmtp.ccf.org
To: DMCNews, dmcnews@world.std.com
Steve asked:
>What else is there to check?
Door struts are incredibly easy to repair. Call any DeLorean parts supplier (there is a nice
list in the survey section of James' page) and order a pair of new struts. The swap takes minimal
tools and no skill to accomplish.
Check the shock towers and all welds and joints for rust. Even a small spot of frame rust is a
pain in the neck to repair, but anyone can do it if they try. Also check the condition of the
rear trailing arms and the bolts that hold the to the frame.
Almost anything is repairable, frame rust and fuel system damage are just two of the most expensive
ones. Do not be surprised to find a few minor electrical bugs. Look in the relay compartment
behind the passenger seat and in the junction box in the engine compartment. Look for corrosion /
damage to the wiring. Do not be surprised if one or two of the relays have been bypassed by jumpers
(fan control module, center consol light relay).
Items below are common faults repairable for a few hundred dollars or less. Be aware of them when
negotiating price:
Check all electrical accessories, including the power locks, door marker lights and driving lights.
Often the fuel gauge will read improperly due to a bad sender unit (under the spare tire in the trunk).
If you smell gasoline this may also be the sender unit (rather than a bad fuel line).
Listen for a ticking sound from the speedometer. Does the speedo read accurately? Speedo angle drives
and cables are *notoriously* fragile. Thus, there are many DeLoreans out there with more miles on them
than their odometers show! Check the pedals/seats/carpets for unusually high wear on "low mileage" cars.
Feel for loose steering. Steering naturally loosens up as the car is driven, but it should be very tight
on a low mileage car!
Do the brakes pull to one side? Inactivity may have allowed part of a caliper to freeze up.
Put a tape in the tape player. Listen to all four speakers individually.
Sorry for rambling on and on. I haven't had time to look at any sale DeLoreans yet this year, and I'm
living vicariously through you!
- -Mike Substelny
James adds:
Certain pieces that have become scarce (read: expensive) and other things that I would look for include
the cargo netting behind the seats, the binnacle surrounding the instrument cluster (look for crack),
check the condition of the louvres for cracking in stress areas, cracking of the leather on the seats,
condition of the headliners (waters stains, "rub" marks from the weatherstripping), original radio
(Craig on '81's), condition of carpets (passenger side, behind seat may be damaged if the battery has
ever leaked), jack and toolkit in storage area behind grille in luggage compartment, front and rear
domelights work, DMC logo on all glass (if not it has been replaced), rear defrost switch works
(REAR DEF on center console lights up), trip odometer reset shaft NOT broken off and in good operating
condition, fusebox covers are expensive to replace (this falls in the "nice to have" category, rather
than "have to have") - - those are the things that immediately come to mind for me.
------------------------------
From: "David Jacobs (Volt Computer)" Date: Mon, 16 Dec 1996 12:28:49 -0800
Subject: RE: Buying a DeLorean
>----------
>From: James Espey
>Sent: Monday, December 16, 1996 4:33 AM To: dmcnews@world.std.com
>Subject: Re: Buying a DeLorean
>>I found a DeLorean for sale from a Sports Car dealer. It's an 81 with 25,000 miles on it. They were
asking $12,000 for it.
>What is the cars VIN (or at least the last five or six numbers)? Someone on the list may be familiar
with the car. What state is the car in?
I'll check on the Vin#'s . Thanks! The Car is in Seattle Washington.
>
>>The openly visual problems I found were the following:
>>-Driver side door won't open unless you slam it shut.
>Door adjustment can be a pain in the neck. Did you notice if it has the door guides attached near
the latches on the doors themselves? They look kind of like machined wedges that are supposed to help
guide the pin on the body into the latch on the door. Some of the 1981's did not have those installed
at the factory. Mike Substelny bought some of these for his car at KAPAC, so I know they are available,
though different ones are used on different production number cars.
I'll look for those door guides. Thanks!
>>-Driver side door handle was broken on one side, so the door was hard to open.
>Inside door handle or outside door handle? Original outside door handles are made of plastic and have
been known to break in cold weather, cast aluminum replacements are readily available. Interior door
latches are also available, but unless the underlying problem is fixed (dorr alignment, maybe?), it'll
probably happen again or cause other damage.
It's the outside door handle ( sorry I wasn't specific ). You're right...it is plastic and hard to work
open.
>>-Inside panel on driver side door wouldn't stay affixed to the door.
>Probably just needs new fir trees attached to the panel. An indication that someone may have been
poking around in the door to try and fix the closing problem, perhaps someone who really didn;t know
what they were doing, hence the now loose door panel.
>>-Rear de-frost button is broken.
>In a cold weather environment? If note - don't worry about it and if it bugs you that much, they are
repairable in most cases. Someo have even said that the ehat from the motor does a good job defrosting
the back window anyway.
- -That's hilarious! Cool thanks!
>>-Hood release handle broke off.
>Is the HANDLE broekn, or just the braided cable attached to the handle? Whn I bought my car the cable
was broken and I used a pair of pliers to grab the end I could still see and open it up to cchange it
out - easy fix.
>Once you get hte hood open, though, there's a whole bunch of stuff to look for in there.
- -It's actually completely broken off. I had to use pliers as well. What should I look for under the
hood??
Thanks!
>>-Back engine cover won't lock and inside grate that goes over the engine is cracked down the middle.
>"Back engine cover"? If oyu mena the louvre, it will not lock, just latch down. The "inside grate" is
generally referred to as the engine cover and it is a replaceable item, but I have no idea as to cost.
Is there any way to lock the louvre or engine cover?? Hate to think that just anyone could open that and
possibly mess with the engine.
>>-Also with the rear, the highdrolics don't hold the back engine cover up...they slide down.
>Louvre struts are readily available. Pittman DeLorean even has them on special right now for Xmas,
either $50 or $60 a pair, I think.
- -Got it! Thanks!
>>-Both doors hang down significantly low.
>As above, door struts are available for approx $90 a pair.
>>-Tachometer doesn't work.
>If you didn't start it, how do you know? Or perhaps, what makes you say that? If it because the tach
is not resting on zero, with the ignition off, it will rise to about 1200 RPM. Turn the key on and it
should drop to zero.
- -Sales man was pretty honest and informed me that the tach didn't work. He also told me that there
were some electrical problems with the car. He said that they had it fixed, but he hasn't been able
to confirm that himself (He said that because they also told him that the doors were fixed, but they
were still broken).
>>-Engine looked oily.
>Where did it look oily at? Bottom, at the oil pan? There has been a lot of talk about oil sending
units leaking. May or not be the case here.
It looked like both the top and lower gaskets needed to be replaced.
>>The DeLorean was in a showroom, so I couldn't start it up or take it for a spin.
>>So who knows how well it runs, or if everything electrical even works. My question is...with what
I just observed, what would be a fair price to pay for this car??
>Tough to say, though the $9,500-10K range is probably not far off. Expect to put some money into it,
especially if you want it to be a daily driver. I will see if I can find my notes on the things that I
look for when I evaluate a DeLorean and I will forward it to you.
>Good luck!
>James
I have put $5,000 aside for repairs. I woud like to fully restore this car to it's original state. I
have started a car collection, sort to speak, and this is my second edition. I buy them cheap,
usually in poor condition, and then restore them myself. Hobby. So far I have a Saleen Mustang.
Great car! And now I'm working on getting a DeLorean. My favorite all time vehicle.
>Hey thanks James!! I look forward to hearing from you again.
Dace Jacobs...
------------------------------
From: Henry Breer Date: Mon, 16 Dec 1996 17:53:27 -0800
Subject: Re: Buying a DeLorean
David Jacobs (Volt Computer) wrote:
>Huge Snip
>Is there any way to lock the louvre or engine cover?? Hate to think that just
anyone could open that and possibly mess with the engine.
As others have stated, the louvres just latch at the back, but the engine cover
is secured by a cable release (handle on rear firewall behind the driver's seat)
so engine security isn't any more of a problem on a DeLorean than with any other
car with an inside-release hood.
Hank Breer
DOA 4637
VIN 1141
------------------------------
From: STANDLOR@aol.com
Date: Tue, 17 Dec 1996 00:46:14 -0500
Subject: Re: Buying a DeLorean
DAVID- REGARDING BUYING AND FIXING UP A DELOREAN. I AM PRESENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF DOING
JUST THAT HAVING OBTAINED AN "ABANDENED CAR" I DO ALL MY OWN WORK AND HAVE EXPERIENCED ALL
OF THE ABOVE PROBLEMS. IF YOU BELONG TO THE DELOREAN OWNERS ASSN LOOK FOR ALL YOU ANSWERS
IN THE MAGAZINES AND THEY
WILL TELL YOU NOT ONLY HOW TO FIX YOUR PROBLEM, BUT GUIDE YOU AS WELL. ALSO
USE THE PEOPLE IN OUR ORGANIZATION WHO ARE EXPERTS - CALL STEVE WYNN AT .DMC
IN HOUSTON, ED BERNSTEIN AT DELOREAN ONE, OR ROB GRADY AT PJ GRADY, ALL HAVE
800 NUMBERS. THEY WILL ASSIST YOU IN FIXING YOUR PROBLEMS AND HAVE THE PARTS
AVAILABLE TO YOU WITHIN A SHORT TIME VIA UPS ETC THAT YOU WILL NEED.
WHATEVER YOU DO DON'T BRING YOUR CAR TO A MECHANIC THAT KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT A DELOREAN
WHATSOEVER. I CALLED A SHOP TO GET MY CAR ALIGNED AND HE ASKED ME WHAT KIND OF ENGINE AND
TRANNY IT HAD FORD-GM-OR CHRYSLER ? AND THIS WAS A PRETTY GOOD SHOP. I HAVE BEEN WORKING
ON THIS CAR FOR OVER TWO AND ONE-HALF MONTHS NOW STARTING IN THE FRONT AND WORKING BACKWARDS.
EVERYTHING CAN BE FIXED DEPENDING ON WHAT YOU ARE WILLING TO INVEST. I HAVE
SPENT ALMOST $3,000.00 IN PARTS AND KEEP FINDING OTHER THINGS MISSING WHEN I
AM EXAMINING THE CAR. AS JIM STATED - CHECK THE BODY FIRST FOR CONDITION, PUT THE CAR ON A
LIFT TO CHECK UNDERNEETH, FRAME, FOR ANY SIGNS OF COLLISION
DAMAGE OR REPALCEMENT OF FRONT OR REAR FRAME, CHECK THE ENGINE AND TRANNY FOR
MAJOR LEAKS, CHECK THE BRAKES, DISCS AND ROTORS (CHECK FOR THICKNESS OF ROTOR
AS THEY CAN BE COSTLY TO REPLACE, BUT ARE READILY AVAILABLE). CHECK FOR BALL
JOINT PLAY. GET THE CAR GOING AND SEE HOW IT RUNS, AND HANDLES. MAKE SURE
THE WINDOWS GO UP AND DOWN FREELY. THE REAR LOUVERS PRESENT A DIFFERENT PROBLEM. THEY CAN BE
RE-INFORCED BY PURCHASING A METEL BAR FROM TERRY JENNINGS (SEE BACK ISSUES OF DELOREAN WORLD)
AND SIDE CRACKS CAN BE REPAIRED
USING RE-INFORCING BARS AND EPOXY. THE ENGINE COVER IS ANOTHER STORY AND IF
BROKEN SHOULD BE REPLACED, CALL ONE OF THE SUPPLIERS ABOVE FOR PRICES. CHECK
TO SEE THAT ALL THE UPDATE PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN DONE TO THE CAR - AGAIN SEE DELOREAN WORLD WHICH
YOU NOW SEE IS TRULY AN INVALUABLE HELP AND AID. IF YOU
TRULY WANT A GREAT FUN CAR THAT WILL ONLY GO UP IN VALUE, BE PREPARED TO SPEND SOME MONEY ON
IT AFTER YOU PURCHASE IT TO BRING IT TO SPECKS. YOU WONT
BE SORRY. I'VE HAD MINE FOR 13 YEARS AND EXCEPT FOR A COUPLE TIMES WHEN THE
WATER HOSE BROKE IN TRAFFIC, HAVE LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT. HOPE I HAVE HELPED YOU IN SOME
WAY. NEED MORE ADVICE MORE SPECIFIC - HAIL ME
BACK AT STANDLOR@aol.com - Stan Marks,
------------------------------
From: Mpeak@aol.com
Date: Mon, 16 Dec 1996 23:43:06 -0500
Subject: Recent work done, and HELP!!!
Well, this past weekend I travelled to Los Angeles and had a major going
through at Delorean Motor Center. They did a 62 point check on the car and
almost everything turned out as predicted. I then ended up having my headliners
replaced, the front end recall performed, my mode switch rebuilt,
and new door shocks installed. The mode switch turned out to be an
understandably misdiagnosed problem due to the fact that my center vents
weren't opening. It turns out that I'm actually going to have to remove my
dashboard and replace a $45 part which Don says has a failure rate of about
1%. So, the $83 to rebuild to mode switch turned out to be a waste. But that's
O.K. Overall, I am very satisfied with the service performed at Delorean Motor
Center. Don is a kind of funny guy, makes a couple of totally
random comments here and there, but talks in a professional, respectful manner
and shows you what's going on with your car so you don't feel like your turning
it over blindly or having needless work done on it. The shop (much like his
advertisements) is not much to look at, nothing flashy, but when it comes down
to knowledge and respect, Don doesn't lack it. I recommend him over any other
shop in the L.A. area.
In addition to having work done, I also bought some parts. Trailing arm bolts
(which I will install when I get back in school next month and have access to
a lift), "christmas trees" to refit my door panels properly, and a
new reostat dimmer switch. I intended this trip to L.A. to act somewhat as a
launch of the snowball effect, keeping things rolling on the car until it is
complete and 100% to my standards. So, tonight I decided I would replace the
door seals, the reostat switch, and upgrade the Lucas relays with Bosch ones.
So, I went to the Chrysler dealership since I had heard over the list that
Delorean seals are replaceable with Chrysler minivan seals, but had no luck
since I didn't know which year minivan people were talking about (anybody know?)
So then I went to Economy Imports and bought new Bosch realys (part
#0 332 019 150). I tried out the relays at the shop on the headlight slot and
they worked fine. However, when I replaced the cooling fan relay at home, the
slot sparked then the relay compartment began to smoke . The wiring diagrams on
the two relays are not the same but they were so similar
that smart me thougt that it may just be because one relay is 15 years older
than the other. I think it could be a very subtle difference such as the Bosch
relay is normally closed while the Lucas is normally open and vice-versa. This
really pissed me off because I love my car pretty much more
than anything and so far I have had no problems with it. I wouldn't want to
start having problems just because I made a stupid, careless error. So, after
reinstalling the Lucas relays, I decided to do the reostat switch. I
followed the instructions in the service manual exactly, but when it came time
to remove the panel around the shifter, it wouldn't come out and I think
I may have pulled too hard initially and made a very slight bend (unnoticable
except to me) near a bolt (or plug, or something) holding the panel on in the
upper left hand corner. I reread and reread the service manual and it said
nothing of a plug holding the plastic on in the upper left hand corner.
If anybody knows how to properly remove the center console fascia, which Chrysler
door seals and which Bosch relays (and while you're at it, which circuit breakers)
are interchangeable with the car, please let me know (are
they all Delorean specific only to be found at Delorean specialty shops?).
Did I cause permanent or serious damage to my wiring by having it smoke like
it did? I am also not sure what the proper procedure is to remove the upper
door panels. I don't want to use too much force where not very much force is
needed and I don't want to use too little force where much is needed. I have
a problem being anything but gentle with my car and it scares the crap out of
me when I'm not.
Thanks in advance,
- -Matt
P.S. Judging by my RPM's, it appears to me the top speed on a stock Delorean
is about 125MPH. I was at 4600 RPM in 5th (120 MPH) on a level straight of
land with little wind blowing and the car felt that it had just a tad more to
give.
P.P.S. In regards to recent talk about frame rust, I remember reading about
a Delorean for sale over the internet a while ago which had it's engine box
rusted through and it's engine was sitting on the ground in the guy's driveway.
Imagine the damage that would have done if the car had been moving
at the time!
------------------------------
From: Dan Berglund
Date: Mon, 16 Dec 1996 22:00:04 -0800
Subject: RE: Buying a DeLorean
>What is the cars VIN (or at least the last five or six numbers)? =
Someone >on the list may be familiar with the car. What state is the car = in?
If this is the Car at Sports Car's International the vin# is 3275
also it has the black interior. It's funny because I was gonna go over = and
look at this car, now that they have supposedly "fixed" the problems = that
this car had before... I looked at it a few months back, and there = were some
problems with it. It did have the cargo net, spare tire, = Stainless steel
cleaning kit(I think that's what it was), and car cover, = oh I think it also
had the tool kit. Anyways, I was thinking about = trading my Miata in on this
car but if it is really in the shape = described(and iam sure it is) then I
think I better wait.
By the way, is it pretty hard to find black interior pieces? And = should that
be a factor when looking at a car?
Hope some of this helps...
------------------------------
End of dmcnews-digest V2 #202
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