Wednesday, 17 July 1996 Volume 02 : Number 142
In this issue:
Knee board followup.
SB Car Show and Compartment Releases
Part 2: Heater/AC Fan Speed +new motor data
Demand going up?
C2 and his/her steering problems
Volvo car with same engine (info)
Re: Ka-Jing! Ka-jing! From the front suspension
Re: Volvo car with same engine (info)
Re: Demand going up?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Mike Substelny, SUBSTEM@cesmtp.ccf.org
Date: Mon, 15 Jul 1996 15:51:12 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Knee board followup.
As I said a couple of weeks ago, the passenger side knee
board can get an ugly brown discoloration when exposed to
the sun. Note that it is a bit expensive to buy a replacement!
I solved this problem by removing the vinyl and having an
auto interior shop sew up a copy. They matched the color
and texture perfectly (probably the same off the shelf material
DMC used) for a reasonable price. I kept the same foam,
which I was surprised to find was still in excellent condition.
As soon as my clutch is done (sigh) I'll let you know how
installation of the new vinyl goes.
- -Mike Substelny
------------------------------
From: zerkle, zerkle@west.net
Date: Mon, 15 Jul 1996 15:51:24 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: SB Car Show and Compartment Releases
I went to the Santa Barbara Car Show yesterday and I found a
DeLorean stuck in among some roadsters in the back. It had already been
up
to auction, but nobody wanted it. I called today, and it still didn't
sell.
Does anyone in SB know if someone ended up bying it? I mean this was one
hot care to sit in! It was a non-stick shift with the steering wheel on
the
correct side! What a car. I wanted it, but they said I had to wait for
the
next days auction. Sad story.
I was messing around with the trunk and engine releases, and
realized how stupidly they were placed. Not only are they impossible to
get
to, but They aren't fixed down and sometimes pull out of there socket and
are unusable. I mean you have to reach behind the foam behind the drivers
seat for the engine. The trunk release is out in the middle of nowhere by
the brake. Oh, well. I still love this car. I still wabnt one.
See you in the Future,
Geren Piltz
zerkle@west.net
http://www.west.net/~zerkle
MiniReal Industries
_________________)___
H O V E R M E R I C A
__ __
\____/
/____\
0 0
------------------------------
From: D.L.Stalling, dstall@trib.net
Date: Tue, 16 Jul 1996 13:02:00 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Part 2: Heater/AC Fan Speed +new motor data
Blower speed and related AC diagnostics II.
As noted earlier, I undertook a diagnostic assessment of the AC blower
speed. subsequently,I replaced the original fan motor with a new fan
purchased from NAPA (their part number: 655-1076).
(I have attached a new HTMP file with the original and new data to be
posted on server.)
Comparison of data from the Original and New Motors are:
__________ ___________RPMs________________
Fan Switch Original New Motor
Setting Motor NAPA #655-1076
__________ _________ ________________
1 700 1000
2 2100 2300
3 2500 2800
4 3000 3400
________________________________________________
The result of the new motor installation was a significant improvement in
air flow, but it's not a Hurricane.
Diagnostic for vacuum cannister and check valve.
I looked over the functional diagrams of the heater/AC in the
service manual and decided to verify that the vacuum storage unit was
holding vacuum. This was done by inserting a tee with 3/8" ends and a 1/4"
side arm into the vacuum line and attaching a vacuum gague (one I've had
for years without much use). The tee is inserted after the one-way valve
that comes from the intake manifold; the hose going to vacuum canister
goes
through the wall into the void space on the left side of the engine
compartment. One arm of the tee may has to have a short piece of 3/8" hose
to attach to the vacuum valve. Also, you may have to wrap a few turn of
black tape around the other end of the tee (to make the connections leak
tight) before connecting it into the vacuum line. The car won't idle well
if you've got a leak in these connections.
To do this check, be sure that the heater mode switch is turned to
off. this avoids any leakage from the mode switch or vacuum lines beyond
the heater mode swith (I've yet to look into this). What I found was a bad
vacuum check valve that slowly leaked air into the manifold and also
wouldn't let the vacuum reservoir hold a vacuum.
I replaced the old one-way valve with a valve rigged from a new
valve (you can get a one-way valve with a 3/8" pipe connection on one end
and a 3/8" hose connection on the other at 90degrees to the hose
connection; this valve took a hose clamp to make the pipe fitting leak
tight. I rechecked the vacuum gague now attached to the vacuum reservoir
and found it held a good vacuum for more than 10 minutes after turning off
the engine. However, this fix did not radically alter function of motor
speed. However, I could now clearly hear baffles moving as I turned the
mode switch. I also found the AC hose going to the right door was poorly
attached to the distribution box in the center console. With the mode
swith
now turned to AC the vacuum will leak down somewhat slowly; this is not
consequential as long as the baffles get to the right place.
End of diagnostic II. DaveS.
------------------------------
From: Mike Substelny, SUBSTEM@cesmtp.ccf.org
Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 09:11:47 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Demand going up?
In Sunday's Cleveland Plain Dealer I saw the following ad:
DELORIAN '81, low miles, Auto $7000
Aside from the misspelling, I have seen ads like this before.
Usually these sellers boast about the super-low odometer
reading; never mind that he couldn't put miles on it if he
wanted to because the car is an undrivable junk heap. I try
to look at every DeLorean I find for sale locally, good or bad.
I look at two or three cars a year this way. Once, after the
ad ran for weeks without a sale, the seller confessed to me
that I was the only person who even came to look at it.
There just weren't very many DeLorean buyers out there. I
once had another seller call me months later to ask if I would
PLEASE buy her car.
I called this guy to ask if I could view that $7000 DeLorean,
planning to describe it here in the DMC NEWS in case any
of you were interested in a project car. I was shocked to
hear that the car was sold already! It was gone within hours
of the newspaper printing!
This was the first time in my life that someone else was
more interested in a DeLorean than I was. I wanted to know
about the car's condition, but the seller was not interested in
taking his time with yet another caller . . . it seems people
were beating down his door for this car! Sure, maybe this
was the bargain of the century, but I've heard other
DeLoreans described as the bargain of the century that
couldn't attract a single prospective buyer no matter how
much the seller exaggerated over the phone. I think it's safe
to assume this was just another heap. (If the buyer reads
this and is offended, I appologize.)
My conclusion: demand for DeLoreans is on the rise! A price
increase may be just around the corner!
------------------------------
From: BRS6688@ACS.TAMU.EDU
Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 09:21:49 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: C2 and his/her steering problems
C2-
You wrote that your steering wheel is loose and that your tires also seem
to be loose. I had these exact symptoms with my car and it turned out to
be a bad rack and pinion unit. Most likely what the problem is is that
your inner tie rods are worn and loose. On most cars these tie rods are
removable and seperately replacable...not so on the Delorean. The rods are
a single piece with the rack. The good news is is that the rack is very
simple to replace.(took me just 3 hours from start to finish.) THe bad
news is is that the rack is rather expensive. I would suggest buying
from P.J. Grady. For two reasons. First he says that (supposedly) his
reconditioned racks are better than the originals. and second the
reconditioned
racks are about $150 cheaper than the originals. If you have any questions
feel free to write.
Burton
------------------------------
From: Blarness@aol.com
Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 09:23:12 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Volvo car with same engine (info)
I remember someone mentioning the other
day that there was a possibility the Volvo
740 shared an engine with the Delorean.
I don't think this is correct as Volvo lables their
cars with the middle number being the number
of cylinders the car has. I think...
For instance all 740's came with 4 cylinders and
the 760's came with 6 cylinders. I believe the
same is true for the "9" series. 940 and 960's having
4 and 6 cylinders respectively.
- -C2
#3876
------------------------------
From: Marvin S.Sterling, marv930@ix.netcom.com
Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 09:26:05 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Re: Ka-Jing! Ka-jing! From the front suspension
I have the same noise but it is coming from a loose housing on my front
shocks ... the Girlings are really bad news. Does anyone have any
experience with another brand of shock absorber ?
Regards,
Marv Sterling
------------------------------
From: ausmith@pdx.oneworld.com
Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 10:50:33 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Re: Volvo car with same engine (info)
C2 wrote,
(snip)
> For instance all 740's came with 4 cylinders and
> the 760's came with 6 cylinders. I believe the
> same is true for the "9" series. 940 and 960's having
> 4 and 6 cylinders respectively.
>
> -C2
> #3876
Actually, all you need to remember is that the Volvo engine cross
reference is B28F.
Chris
------------------------------
From: Chase Clark, stormrider@socketis.net
Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 13:24:21 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Re: Demand going up?
>My conclusion: demand for DeLoreans is on the rise! A price
>increase may be just around the corner!
Convertible prices are always highest in the spring, while 4-wheel drive
vehicles do best in the winter. Sports cars do best in the spring and
summer. I've seen a number of DeLoreans listed for sale that have been for
sale for months in the $14,000 to $25,000 range. Demand for cars can be a
finicky thing that goes through cycles.
1960's Mustang sell dirt cheap in Kansas, bur here in Missouri they are
"Classics" and sell for $9,000 and more quite often. So the location can
also affect demand.
Anyway, I think DeLoreans should average better than $25,000, but there is
a problem going on that prevents this which you just hit upon. Owners with
poorly maintained cars that want to unload them list them in newspapers
and
end up selling them for $7,000 to $10,000 (I got mine for $9,000 and it
was
driveable).
There is a demand for these cars in foreign markets. I have been thinking
it would be a wise idea for someone to buy all these "cheap" DeLoreans,
rebuild them back to updated driveable specs and then sell them overseas
for around $35,000 apiece. If about 500 "cheap" DeLoreans of the estimated
6,000 DeLoreans were sold this way, then I expect the average value of out
cars would double within five years.
Just a thought rambling around my head. Is automotive school in my
future? Hmm.
~ Chase
------------------------------
End of dmcnews-digest V2 #142
*****************************
Go to previous digest | Go to next digest.
Back to DeLorean Mailing List Page.
Return to Back Issues page.
Having problems with these pages? Have a good idea for the back Issues? Email me at: backissues@dmcnews.com
Member of the LinkExchange