VIN 5510 - Bill's DeLorean Restoration

[CyberBill]

I thought this would be a fun adventure to document my DeLorean project. I found the car, VIN 5510, on Craigslist doing my normal weekly search. It was listed for $19,500 firm, and looked really really great. I contacted the seller, went back and forth, and due to the COVID-19 situation going on, I bought the car without even sitting in it. I got a lot of pictures and videos, and was able to stalk the owner enough to know they were real. On 4/20/2020 we signed the bill of sale, on 5/4/2020 the car was picked up and put in an enclosed trailer and shipped over 3,000 miles from roughly Boston to Seattle. Cost was $1,450 for the trip, and the car arrived on Saturday 5/9/2020 in the morning.

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She looks beautiful!! I wash her off, blow off some leaves, do a quick drive around the block, and realize that - in addition to the automatic transmission slipping under load - the cars brakes are completely unassisted, which means I have to use both feet to push the brake to stop. I also haven't driven a manual steering car this millennia. Also, this is the first time I have ever touched a Delorean, sat in one, or driven one.

Before moving on, let's take a quick note of the car's current condition. The car's body is great, there is a little ding in the T panel, a small dent in the left rear quarter panel, and a nearly invisible ding on the right front fender flair. Doors hold open, but gas struts may be a bit weak. Driver's side door rubs on the T panel when fully open. All the plastic bits are great, the vinyl decal stripes are good. The 'D' metal insert from the bumper is sitting on the center console.

The interior is decent - lots and lots of little issues, though. Seats need to be recovered, binnacle leather is ripped, steering wheel leather is ripped. Door sliders are rusty, and thus the carpet is rusty. Door cards don't seem to fit well, lots of gaps, the panel on the driver's door with the handle doesn't stay. None of the lights seem to be working on the interior, but that might be me not knowing how they work. All of the seals on the doors are terrible, brittle, and falling apart. The steering wheel shakes around when you steer.

The driver's door-closed sensor is bad, and also falling out. The parking brake sensor is sketchy. Speedometer hits ~22 and stops going higher. Tach seems to be working, oil pressure and gas gauge work. Battery voltage looks good, same with temp.

The gas strut that holds the sunshade is weak on the left side, but still holds fine, and the engine cover latch works well. The engine looks, for it's age, really nice. Fuel lines have all been upgraded to braided stainless steel. There is basically no visible rust anywhere in the engine compartment. The exhaust looks to be new, the asbestos panels have been replaced. The engine starts up perfectly and quickly every single time. Under the car, it's leaking. Definitely leaking red transmission fluid and some kind of black oil from a few inches rear of the transmission fluid, so I think it may be the final drive oil or perhaps the rear main seal.

Under the hood, the rubber gasket looks like it was replaced but didn't quite stick in some areas. Otherwise it looks nice, a few rust spots. Spare tire is there and in good shape. The jack is in the little cubby. Carpet and thin wood panel thing are there and in good condition, though there is evidence is moisture on the wood.

The tires look fine and have some tread left, wheels look good. Suspension feels a little rough and hard, but not terrible. Brake pads and calipers look a bit rusty, along with the rotors where the pads can't rub them clean. I'll need to do a closer inspection on suspension and brakes later.

Phew, that was a lot....

[CyberBill]

[Mostly copied from my "What did you do the DeLorean today?" post]

A few days before the car shipped, the seller had the hood release cable snap. He ordered a new cable but didn't have time to replace it, so that was my first task yesterday [5/9/2020]. He was able to rig up a backup line and put some vice grips on the broken release handle, so I was able to get into the hood. Took about 30 minutes or so to install, which I did record because I couldn't find a video of anyone doing the procedure. I may post that at some point in the future if the footage is good enough. Hardest part was getting the cable to snake over top of all the stuff under the dash, the rest is just a cotter pin and a couple of retaining nuts.

Now back to the brakes... My brake pedal feels soft until it goes a little down, and then is very hard to push. Whether the car is running or not, the pedal doesn't feel different at all. After watching a few hours of YouTube videos and some threads here on the brake system, I felt that the brake booster/servo was likely not functioning. I pulled the vacuum line off of the booster and it has no vacuum. So, effectively I'm running with manual non-assisted brakes, which explains why I need to use both feet to stop.

On the engine I found the vacuum line that splits into a T, and I took that apart and verified that when the car is running there is a very nice suction pressure there (and when it is not connected the car runs terribly). I hooked up the T, connected the end that goes to the vacuum tank, and verified that I still had good suction. This pretty much tells me that there is something wrong on the vacuum line that runs from the engine to the booster. I hooked up my air compressor to the line at the booster, used vice grips to close the line near the engine, and pumped some air into it - which did not hold. I set the air compressor to like 20-30 psi, and then started trying to hear and feel for air leaking. A quick walk around pointed me to the rear right - I took off the rear right wheel, jacked up the car, and crawled under. Unfortunately, it isn't good news. The line seems to be leaking all of the air from the hard line, somewhere above the frame on the passenger side, just above the transmission, near where the trailing arms attach. I don't think there is any way I can get to it without dropping the frame.

For a temporary fix, I ran to Lowes' and for $25 picked up 3/8", 20' coiled copper tube. I had to cut the hoses off the ends of the hardline, since they were so corroded that they wouldn't move. I run the tube under the car, zip tying it along the way, roughly following the original path - but now under the frame rather than on top of it. I used hose clamps on each end to connect it to the rubber vacuum lines. The whole process probably took me 1 1/2 - 2 hours. The vacuum is holding perfectly, and the brakes actually work now!! I don't have to sue both feet to stop from 10 miles per hour!!

[Domi]

Congratulation on your purchase :)
Can't wait to see more picture of it ;)

[cdrusn]

It might seem like a monumental task to take care of all these issues but for the price you paid I would say you will come out ahead and with a lot
of new working parts and interior when you are done. You didn't say whether you checked the fluid level in the transmission but given the leaked fluid
you saw under the car that could be the problem and you won't have to rebuild the transmission just the seals. It's a fairly easy job to pick up the body
from the frame to put a real fix in for the brake vacuum line. While the body is up I would also replace the a/c hoses. :race:

[CyberBill]

It might seem like a monumental task to take care of all these issues but for the price you paid I would say you will come out ahead and with a lot
of new working parts and interior when you are done. You didn't say whether you checked the fluid level in the transmission but given the leaked fluid
you saw under the car that could be the problem and you won't have to rebuild the transmission just the seals. It's a fairly easy job to pick up the body
from the frame to put a real fix in for the brake vacuum line. While the body is up I would also replace the a/c hoses. :race:

I didn't check the transmission fluid - probably should have... The transmission was slipping for the previous owner, and he redid the fluid and replaced the filter. Honestly on the drive I did on Saturday - about 10 miles - I only had it slip once as I was going up a hill. Basically anytime I give it a lot of throttle or there is extra load, the transmission slips.

When you say 'pretty easy to pick up the body from the frame'... How easy? I have skimmed through the process a bit, looks like I have to disconnect all the wiring in the back, take the bumpers off (just rear?), and probably disconnect the brakes and steering up front... The process of raising the frame up looks pretty straight forward once everything is disconnected. But yes - I will absolutely do a real fix for the brake line ASAP.

Do you suggest that I replace any other hoses or anything that are otherwise inaccessible? I'd rather do it once and be done!

[CyberBill]

One thing I want to do with my build log here is keep very good track of every dollar spent on the car... So, today I spent a whole lot money. lol

I was able to get the car's title changed over, get it registered, and get license plates. That cost me $2,453! Most of that was the use tax (sales tax) - in WA it is pretty expensive. I decided if I was going to spend money today, might as well buy some stuff!!

Since I've got the replacement transmission sitting here, I cleaned it up and took off the bell housing because it was cracked in shipment. After closer inspection, I decided not to weld it because the broken piece wasn't near any threads, and there is already a casted-in hole (inspection hole?). I wish I would have realized that prior to taking the housing off the transmission, because now I have to replace the seal and a bunch of transmission fluid and diff fluid spilled out. Most of the purchases are transmission related:

First, my Amazon order, $260

High temp gasket material (the original gasket isn't available individually, and the kit is $150+)
High temp RTV gasket maker
10mm Square male drain plug socket
Socket set that includes 10mm square female drive
O-ring kit
Stainless steel hose clamp kit
4 quarts of Red Line MT-90 (final drive oil) - enough for 2 changes
3 gallons of Castrol Dexron III (auto transmission fluid) - enough for 2 changes


And then my DeLorean Go order, $854

Delrin Steering Column Bushing
Upgraded M10 driveshaft bolts
Automatic Transmission Filter
Automatic Transmission gasket & rebuild kit
Crush washers for drain bolts


This purchase list is enough for me to install the replacement transmission, rebuild the existing transmission out of the car, and reinstall it. That will leave me with a perfectly good and matched engine/transmission, and another transmission I can sell. Hoping that I didn't forget anything! Also.. probably going to have to pull the trigger on a 3d printer soon, so I can make all the tools to disassemble the transmission fully.

Aside from these items, 5510 is currently residing at Delorean Service Northwest for a full technical inspection. So far it looks like the hose leading to the fuel accumulator has split (pretty common, from what I can gather), the brakes look bad, and its idling higher than it should.

[CyberBill]

[This section is as posted in the "What have you done to your DeLorean today?" post]

Got some bad news from Toby at Delorean Service Northwest - looks like 5510 needs a new frame, or some extensive frame repair. Still trying to decide whether to bring it home, pull the body off the frame, and go to work on a full frame restoration... If anyone has thoughts on the subject, I'd love to hear it! The Stainless Steel frame is out of my budget. Tips on what work to do at the same time, how to approach it, materials to use, etc. Someone had recommended replacing the coolant lines? Maybe rebuild the suspension? If it makes a difference, my father is a professional welder with 30+ years of experience and would likely be able to do the welding for me if I handle ripping it apart and cutting out the bad stuff. He lives ~1700 miles away, so I would have to prep everything for him to do over a few days or a week, then I'd wrap it up by POR-15'ing the whole thing.

Prior to getting the news about the frame, I also ordered a complete brake rebuild kit. New rotors, pads, seals, caliper pistons, hoses, etc. I think I'm going to pick up a full set of stainless steel brake lines as well, since the brake vacuum line is toast and the body is coming off anyway. This would mean replacing everything in the brake system except the booster, master cylinder, and calipers.

In non-Delorean news, I sold my Honda CR-Z. I now have ample funds and room in the garage to work!

Amazon: $123

Oil/fuel drain pan & funnels
Silicone Brake Parts lubricant
Wheel chocks
Castrol DOT4 brake fluid (3x 12oz - enough for a full replacement, I think)
Thread locker
Disk brake compressor
Brake cleaner
Copper anti-seize


Delorean Go: $699

Front & rear rotors
Front & rear pads
Front & rear rebuild kits
Front & rear caliper pistons
Front & rear brake hoses
Misc brake hardware (retaining clips, pins, shims)

[mhanch]

Have you joined PNDC (http://www.pndc.org/)yet? Looking forward to seeing your build over time!

[CyberBill]

Have you joined PNDC (http://www.pndc.org/)yet? Looking forward to seeing your build over time!

Not yet, I have the signup form sitting on my desk right now - signed and ready to go, just haven't sent it in. :)

[CyberBill]

Successfully separated the body from the frame on Saturday (May 23th, 2020). My brother-in-law Joe came to help, thankfully. No way it would have happened in one day (roughly 10 hours) without him. We did the poor man's lift using 16"x8"x4" and 16"x8"x8" cinder blocks, along with some jack stands and two floor jacks.

My entire body is aching, every muscle feels like its pulled, and after we finished my entire body was covered with dirt... but... there's now a DeLorean body sitting on two furniture dollies and 4x4's, and a DeLorean frame sitting on 4 wheel dollies.

We started with the checklist here: http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?14602-How-To-Body-and-Frame-Separation-Checklist - It gave us a HUGE boost. I've now replied to that thread to add some additional details for anyone else making the plunge, but honestly it was pretty straight forward, just a lot of hard work. Concrete blocks are really heavy!

63799

Since then, I took a couple or days off, and tonight (Tuesday, May 26th, 2020) I finally went out and cleaned up. Got all the tools back organized, swept up as best I could, and also took the time to drain as much of the fuel out of the tank I could and transfer it into our daily driver. I had pretty much filled up right before taking the car into the shop. I also took some time to start scraping on the frame and find some rust spots, and also investigating one of the main reasons I took the body off - the brake booster vacuum line and fuel return line. Here's how it looks:

63798

Not good. There is literally nothing left of the vacuum tube, it fell apart as I picked it up. The fuel line is still in-tact, but the rusty area smells strongly of gas, so that's definitely the source of the leak. All of these pipes will need to be replaced - I'm currently debating whether to order a full set of stainless steel brake hard lines and fuel hard lines (along with the vacuum booster) - or make my own.

The frame also has a lot of rust in some small areas - the front crumple area has had a lot of work on it, the rear engine mount area is similar, and near where the trailing arms connect. The plan is, over the next month or two, to strip down to the frame of most components (definitely engine, transmission, and brakes - maybe suspension) - find all of the rust spots (inside and out), grind them clean or cut out the rust where necessary, and then I'll have an idea of what it'll take to restore it.

[Delorean Industries]

[This section is as posted in the "What have you done to your DeLorean today?" post]

Got some bad news from Toby at Delorean Service Northwest - looks like 5510 needs a new frame, or some extensive frame repair. Still trying to decide whether to bring it home, pull the body off the frame, and go to work on a full frame restoration... If anyone has thoughts on the subject, I'd love to hear it! The Stainless Steel frame is out of my budget. Tips on what work to do at the same time, how to approach it, materials to use, etc. Someone had recommended replacing the coolant lines? Maybe rebuild the suspension? If it makes a difference, my father is a professional welder with 30+ years of experience and would likely be able to do the welding for me if I handle ripping it apart and cutting out the bad stuff. He lives ~1700 miles away, so I would have to prep everything for him to do over a few days or a week, then I'd wrap it up by POR-15'ing the whole thing.

Prior to getting the news about the frame, I also ordered a complete brake rebuild kit. New rotors, pads, seals, caliper pistons, hoses, etc. I think I'm going to pick up a full set of stainless steel brake lines as well, since the brake vacuum line is toast and the body is coming off anyway. This would mean replacing everything in the brake system except the booster, master cylinder, and calipers.

In non-Delorean news, I sold my Honda CR-Z. I now have ample funds and room in the garage to work!

Amazon: $123

Oil/fuel drain pan & funnels
Silicone Brake Parts lubricant
Wheel chocks
Castrol DOT4 brake fluid (3x 12oz - enough for a full replacement, I think)
Thread locker
Disk brake compressor
Brake cleaner
Copper anti-seize


Delorean Go: $699

Front & rear rotors
Front & rear pads
Front & rear rebuild kits
Front & rear caliper pistons
Front & rear brake hoses
Misc brake hardware (retaining clips, pins, shims)


We have no record of contact regarding a stainless frame or quoting one to you. Curious as we are the only manufacturer of stainless frames and only advertise our manual version. We have no authorized dealers and only sell directly to clients with VIN numbers. It sounds like someone was trying to pull a fast one on you.

[CyberBill]

We have no record of contact regarding a stainless frame or quoting one to you. Curious as we are the only manufacturer of stainless frames and only advertise our manual version. We have no authorized dealers and only sell directly to clients with VIN numbers. It sounds like someone was trying to pull a fast one on you.

The price is on your website. :) Starting at $12k, and I believe there used to be an option to get the automatic version listed for ~$1k extra? Doesn't seem to be there now, but with an option or two and shipping I'd be looking at $14-$15k.

https://deloreanindustries.com/delorean-1-stainless-frame-base/

Don't get me wrong - if I had the money I'd be all over it, it's clearly the top of the line best option available, and I don't think it is a bad deal or overpriced for the product - it's just far outside of my budget.

[Delorean Industries]

Yes, that is the all-out version with all of the add ons and EFI provisions. Significantly cheaper without all of that bare-bones.

[CyberBill]

Yes, that is the all-out version with all of the add ons and EFI provisions. Significantly cheaper without all of that bare-bones.

Good to know!! Once I get the frame ripped apart so I can really see how bad the rust is, I'll consider shooting you an email to get a quote.

[Delorean Industries]

We also save all good mild steel chassis removed for frame updates. If your current frame is beyond repair, we have a massive stockpile of good mild steel chassis available.

[Rich_NYS]

Nice job!

Would you please post pics of the body on the furniture dollies? Is is easy to move around?

I'm planning to separate 4519 this year.

[CyberBill]

Nice job!

Would you please post pics of the body on the furniture dollies? Is is easy to move around?

I'm planning to separate 4519 this year.

Sure, here you go:

63826

The jack stand there isn't actually under anything, I just didn't move it out of the picture. :) I would say that this is a pretty crappy system and does not move around almost at all. Might be caused by the kitty litter still sitting there that I need to get out of the way (was soaking up coolant), or maybe that it's not quite centered. I will say that when we first dropped the body on the dolly, we had it straight across the middle of the wood, and it flexed so much I was sure it would break if I left it like that! across the wheels is much nicer.

[Rich_NYS]

Sure, here you go:

63826

The jack stand there isn't actually under anything, I just didn't move it out of the picture. :) I would say that this is a pretty crappy system and does not move around almost at all. Might be caused by the kitty litter still sitting there that I need to get out of the way (was soaking up coolant), or maybe that it's not quite centered. I will say that when we first dropped the body on the dolly, we had it straight across the middle of the wood, and it flexed so much I was sure it would break if I left it like that! across the wheels is much nicer.Cool, thanks.

Sent from my LGL164VL using Tapatalk

[CyberBill]

Cool, thanks.

Sent from my LGL164VL using Tapatalk

Check out my other thread - I made a new dolly that is awesome: http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?18233-How-to-move-body-when-removed-from-the-frame

[CyberBill]

This past week I've been making (slow) progress on getting the transmission and engine out. Currently the transmission is fully disconnected and likely only hanging on by the one bolt on the bell housing whose head sheared off. I can see a ring of rust around the bolt that is probably holding on. I've got a tiny gap going, and I'm constantly spraying it down with penetrating fluid and doing my best to try and free it. I may end up drilling out the bolt to get it free, but I'm going slow and taking my time. The engine is also mostly disconnected except for some coolant lines and stuff, which I suspect will all come off pretty easily.

In the last week or two I've purchased a lot of tools, though! Roughly $1,000 worth. Here's the list as best I can remember:

1 ton engine/shop crane
2 ton load leveler
lifting sling
1 ton engine stand and M10x75mm bolts
1/2" ratchet w/ pivoting head
3/8" and 1/4" torque wrenches
adjustable wrenches
long socket extensions
various pry bars
"front wheel drive axle socket set" (included 35mm for the crank)
2 transmission jacks
2 furniture dollies (as previously mentioned, for holding the body)
4x wheel dollies (as previously mentioned, for holding the frame)
4x4s, L-brackets, structural screws, and casters for DMC Dolly
cheap angle grinder and a couple packs of metal grinding/cut off/flap wheel discs
4" PVC flange, cleanout, plug, tiki torch wick, PVC glue, baby oil, resistance wire, etc for DIY Smoke Tester.
corded electric torque wrench

[CyberBill]

From my other post:


I got the engine and transmission removed from the frame!! Only missed one hose, which was a coolant line coming from the overflow tank. I learned some things - first was that you can get stainless steel carabiners (or similar) that can hold 1800 pounds, which work really great to hold the load balancer chains to the lift rings on the engine. Second, since the engine and transmission weigh about 750 pounds, its best to stick the engine hoist out there - mine is rated for 1-ton, and I set it at the 3/4 ton spot. I wish I would have put it at the 1/2 ton spot, because when I lifted the engine up high it started to rub on the hoist itself.

Once out, I was able to take off the two little plates that have to come off in order to separate the engine and transmission, and since both are present I will assume that the transmission has never been removed from the engine.

The transmission is still stuck to the engine, though. I got some MAPP gas and tried heating up the area around the stuck bolt, but that wasn't successful. I can get quite a large gap (1/2") on the passenger side, and a small 1/8" gap on the drivers side, so it's definitely just that bolt. I also tried using an SDS hammer drill set to hammer mode to try and punch out the bolt, but that didn't work either. This damn bolt is really stuck in there!!

Since my last update, I went and bought some stuff... I sold my plate compactor and used the proceeds ($400) to purchase a pressure washer and accessories. I also paid ~$650 for a Titanium MIG 140 welder, plus an auto darkening helmet, gloves, welding apron, and a bunch of welding accessories.

The past few days I spent cleaning up the garage and working on tearing down the frame. Today it was finally nice enough that I rolled the engine and transmission out of the way, then pulled the frame into the driveway and pressure washed it. TONS of dirt and nasty crap came off, plus probably a pound of epoxy chips. I then took this chance to walk around the frame and inspect all of the areas of rust:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcTgm-ec3XM

Anything is repairable - but I'm not sure whether I have the skills to make it happen, and I'm also not sure whether this is what I should be using my time doing. Strongly considering a stainless frame.

[David T]

Most of the frame damage is pretty common for a rusted frame. The "repairs" if you want to call them that do make the job a bit more work because they should all be removed and redone properly. On a car like this one of the big problems is that all of the fasteners are so rusty that when you try to undo them they all break. Makes for a lot of extra work. The frame is very repairable BUT. You have to decide how much time you want to spend fixing it, who is going to fix it, what another frame will cost and what it will cost to get it shipped (shipping is a significant cost because of the size and weight). To fix the frame all you need is some 16 gauge cold rolled steel which is not expensive. You already bought a welder (I would have suggested gas or MIG but TIG is OK, it will just take more skill to master it). Wither you fix the frame or replace it you have to remove everything anyway. An additional cost to fix the frame would be to have it stripped, either blasted or dipped unless you do it yourself. Keep in mind unless you buy a S/S frame, any frame you do find may require at least some repair, if only to convert it to automatic. Because the transmission was slipping you may have to get it rebuilt. With the body removed, replace ALL of the metal lines because they can't be replaced once the body is back on. My vote is to fix the frame but you will need to learn to weld. Plenty of videos on Youtube or you can go to an adult education class or many shops that sell welding supplies can show you how to weld. It takes more patience than skill and the more you do the better you will get. The "exfoliation" you saw is when you have rust, it expands and forces the pieces apart. You must remove the plate and repair the underside before replacing the other piece. Rust is like cancer, you must cut it all out till you get to good, solid metal. Where you have surface rust you can just grind it off. Once all of the rust and repairs are done you have to decide to paint it or have it dipped in molten zinc. Dipping in zinc, it will last nearly forever but you will add some weight and is expensive. Painting is cheaper and you can do it yourself. Once you strip the frame you can refer to R:02:02-03 to verify that the frame is straight. If you do spend for the S/S frame IMHO it doesn't make the car worth anymore than if you had a good steel frame and it is a bit heavier. The Delorean is underpowered enough, adding more weight to it will just make it's performance worse. If you can buy a good frame cheap you will save a lot of time but figure you will still have to strip and paint it.

[CyberBill]

Most of the frame damage is pretty common for a rusted frame. The "repairs" if you want to call them that do make the job a bit more work because they should all be removed and redone properly. On a car like this one of the big problems is that all of the fasteners are so rusty that when you try to undo them they all break. Makes for a lot of extra work. The frame is very repairable BUT. You have to decide how much time you want to spend fixing it, who is going to fix it, what another frame will cost and what it will cost to get it shipped (shipping is a significant cost because of the size and weight). To fix the frame all you need is some 16 gauge cold rolled steel which is not expensive. You already bought a welder (I would have suggested gas or MIG but TIG is OK, it will just take more skill to master it). Wither you fix the frame or replace it you have to remove everything anyway. An additional cost to fix the frame would be to have it stripped, either blasted or dipped unless you do it yourself. Keep in mind unless you buy a S/S frame, any frame you do find may require at least some repair, if only to convert it to automatic. Because the transmission was slipping you may have to get it rebuilt. With the body removed, replace ALL of the metal lines because they can't be replaced once the body is back on. My vote is to fix the frame but you will need to learn to weld. Plenty of videos on Youtube or you can go to an adult education class or many shops that sell welding supplies can show you how to weld. It takes more patience than skill and the more you do the better you will get. The "exfoliation" you saw is when you have rust, it expands and forces the pieces apart. You must remove the plate and repair the underside before replacing the other piece. Rust is like cancer, you must cut it all out till you get to good, solid metal. Where you have surface rust you can just grind it off. Once all of the rust and repairs are done you have to decide to paint it or have it dipped in molten zinc. Dipping in zinc, it will last nearly forever but you will add some weight and is expensive. Painting is cheaper and you can do it yourself. Once you strip the frame you can refer to R:02:02-03 to verify that the frame is straight. If you do spend for the S/S frame IMHO it doesn't make the car worth anymore than if you had a good steel frame and it is a bit heavier. The Delorean is underpowered enough, adding more weight to it will just make it's performance worse. If you can buy a good frame cheap you will save a lot of time but figure you will still have to strip and paint it.

Thanks David, I really appreciate the info! I've read many of your comments in other threads about galvanization and what not.

The welder I picked up is a combination gas MIG and Flux Core, not TIG. I thought about TIG, but it seemed like too steep of a learning curve for me.

You're definitely right, that I'm having a heck of a time with the fasteners - but I am learning. ;) I use lots of Liquid Wrench (among others), I've mostly switched to using my impact wrench to loosen things, and I go slow and work the bolts back and forth. The goal right now is to continue to strip the frame to bare, which resulted in this outcome:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uLKoNDtlf0

Taking out the fuel tank shows a lot of rust and delamination of the steel. I think at this point I am beyond the cost-benefit of fixing the frame, at least given my connections. The cost I calculated to acid strip, galvanize, replace the front frame extension, and powder coat came out to over $3k. Add in the cost to do the welding, and time needed to get the processes done, transport the frame from one place to another, redrill and tap all of the holes in the frame, I'm looking at months of work before I can even start putting it back together.

From looking around here, I think I can get a decent used frame for about $4-5k, but you're absolutely right that it would still require some work, and wouldn't be galvanized, and would likely need more work down the road. I'm talking to someone now that has one locally, but it's a manual frame. If I bought it then went through the stripping, galvanizing, and powder coating process, that's another $2k, and I can get a new mild steel frame, galvanized and powder coated from DeloreanGo for $8,300 + shipping. Shipping will be expensive from the UK, though. And I just got a quote from DeLorean Industries for a stainless steel frame that's for quite a bit more, but isn't apples-to-apples since it includes coil overs and brake lines. If I try to wiggle the numbers to be equivalent, it's roughly ~$2k more, which is actually quite a deal if you ask me.

Regarding power, I think I have that covered. ;) I haven't mentioned it here, but I plan on converting the drive train to electric in about 6 months, which will roughly double the horsepower at the wheels. That will be fast enough for me. If I ever feel the need for a fast car, I'll buy one. lol

[David T]

My vote is still to fix what you got. If you get a used frame you might wind up with one that is bent. You will learn a new skill (welding) and it will serve you well in converting the car to electric. Painting the frame is a good option, the epoxy did last a long time but nothing lasts forever. You can grind the old epoxy off or get it blasted. If you have more money then time, then getting another frame may be the way to go though.

[CyberBill]

I didn't realize it had been a couple of week since my last update! Well, I have the frame stripped down completely bare at this point and am working my way through taking apart all of the suspension and brake components that are sitting in a pile... but the big news is that I've got a replacement frame on the way!!

After much thought, I decided on the stainless steel frame from DeLorean Industries. Yes, it is expensive, but it will make the car last another 40 years. The existing frame is quite far gone and after reaching out to a bunch of places, I wasn't able to find a solution to getting the frame stripped. I'll be selling the frame for cheap soon, probably as soon as I get everything moved over to the new one. The old frame would need to have the front frame extension replaced, and the front and rear cross members need to be rebuilt, there are at least 4 places where a small area will need to be cut out and then replaced, and most of the frame (including trailing arms) needs to be fully stripped to bare metal and repainted or powder coated or something to get rid of the surface rust. It's just too much time and work for me to do just to have a mediocre frame covered in spot repairs, and not able to drive the car for 6 months. If I could find a place (or places) to acid strip (or sandblast), galvanize, and powder coat it, then things might be different since I'd end up with a better-than-new frame, and if I'm not able to get rid of the frame in short order, I'll probably continue down the path of restoring it so it can live on as someone else's replacement.

Along with the stainless frame, I also purchased a lot of addons from DI. Stainless radius arms, SPEC coilovers front and rear, SPEC lower arm supports, stainless brake and fuel hard lines, and new cooling hoses. I also got the frame powder coated and it will be crated up and shipped from Ohio to the Seattle area in a couple of weeks. In the mean time, I'm making my way through the brakes and suspension and all of the parts pulled from the car. All the hard pieces that are remaining will be pressure washed, sand blasted, and powder coated. The lower control arms will be boxed in. All bushings and bearings will be replaced. The brakes will be rebuilt and new rotors, too. Basically, the frame and everything on it (except for the motor and transmission) will be better than brand new the next time the car drives out of the garage. :)

[Delorean Industries]

You actually ordered billet front lower arms with the Coilover system. No need to box the factory front lower arms. The only things you will need to refurbish are the rear upper and lower links, front upper control arms, front sway bar, and front/rear hub assemblies.

[CyberBill]

You actually ordered billet front lower arms with the Coilover system. No need to box the factory front lower arms. The only things you will need to refurbish are the rear upper and lower links, front upper control arms, front sway bar, and front/rear hub assemblies.

Oh joy! I didn't realize the lowers came with the kit! :D One less thing to deal with!!

[CyberBill]

Look what I got!!

64275 64278 64276

The new frame is here! It was an ordeal to get - nothing to do with DPI, but the shipping company I chose (Road Runner) did not take care of me as a customer. They missed 2 deliveries, and on the last one the driver called 10 minutes before arrival, was rude to me on the phone, and then never showed up and didn't call me to let me know. So instead, I had to drive ~45 miles each way and rent a trailer to pick it up. BUT it's here!! I've recorded a lot of video and one day I'll edit together, but for now I'll just say that this is AWESOME! Every piece is beautiful, and as I opened each package I was blown away at how nice everything was. It was expensive, for sure, but it is also clearly worth the expense. I pretty much went all out and bought many of the upgrades available. Let me catch up the thread on some recent purchases:


Dorman 611-310 and 611-221 lug nuts, 10 of each - $110
Steering rack with ball joints - DeloreanGo - $250
Parking brake retraction plate - DGO - $20
Exhaust manifold gasket kit - DGO - $176 [I just realized that I accidentally ordered 24 studs/washers/nuts rather than 12 - oops - so maybe take $60 off of this as I'll try to send that back]
Coolant pipe kit - DGO - $399
Stainless hose clamp kit - DGO - $65
Engine mount bolts & washers - DGO - $6
SS Frame (powder coated in grey), SS radius arms (powder coated in grey), SS closing plate (powder coated in grey), SPEC coilover kit (front & rear coil overs, new front lower control arm with bushings and ball joints, lower control arm supports), SS brake hard lines, SS fuel hard lines, silicon coolant hose kit - $16,130 + ~$750 shipping (cost prior to me changing to pickup, so this will go down)


This last week I went to clean my coolant pipes, since they weren't leaking and I figured they were fine - but as soon as I started cleaning them I found that roughly half had a bunch of pin-holes under the hoses. I didn't think it was worth getting them welded, so I got a new full setup. At this point there is actually quite little going back on the chassis that isn't brand new. The engine, transmission, and radiator on going back on mostly as-is. I'm only replacing the exhaust gaskets and stuff because they are so rusted (and welded to hell by a previous owner) that I couldn't disassemble them, which I don't want to deal with when I pull the engine again. Plus the larger suspension items like the spindle, hub carrier, etc, but those are all getting rebuilt.

Oh, I also got a lot of new tools!!


Air hammer
Air hammer punch/drift pin set
Rounded-nut remover kit
Amazon Echo Dot for the garage
12-ton shop press
Various sets of press dies and sleeves for bearings, bushings, etc
Wheel stud installer tool
Stud extractor tool
Riv-nut installer tool kit
Oiler can, for 50/50 ATF/Acetone mix, which has been recommended a lot
Electrolysis setup for rust removal


The last item to mention is that I've created a public project board to help me track my progress and know what tasks I have left to do. Since I work at Microsoft I get access to this site called Azure Dev Ops, though I don't think anyone externally uses it. It's still a work in progress.

https://billcarlson.visualstudio.com/DeLorean%20Restoration/

I haven't started rebuilding anything, still working my way through refurbishing all of the components that will go back on. I'm also working on a full list of items to purchase. It's currently about 150 unique items long, and I suspect I'll hit 250 or so by the time I'm done. Each of those items is listed and I look up the price on DMCH, DeloreanGO, DPI, and (if possible) BoltDepot or McMaster Carr. There are a few other supplies that are included on some items (DeLorean Parts Northwest, for example). By default I chose the lowest cost out of the bunch, but for many items there are different options available such as stainless steel or rubber/poly or old stock vs. newly made, so I have additional rows for those as well. It is incredibly time consuming doing it by hand - easily tens of hours so far, and I'll be very happy if I'm done by the end of this weekend!

64277

[CyberBill]

Wow, time sure flies - it's been another two weeks and I'm ready for another update.

Using ADO/VisualStudio.com for project management has been a god send. Seriously - it keeps me on track and has prevented me from restoring dozens of parts that I don't need. Having everything in Excel is also SUPER helpful. Here's my current statistics:

Identified 226 unique parts / 480 pieces on the frame for restoration/replacement/reuse
Identified 75 unique parts / 172 pieces on the car for restoration
70.9% (122) of the parts slated for restoration are ready for zinc plating/powder coating, only 50 remaining

Here's what my Excel sheets look like:

6439764398

If you want to see the full excel document, it is attached to this work item in my project: https://billcarlson.visualstudio.com/DeLorean%20Restoration/_workitems/edit/28

Let me give you a glimpse into the process here - because it's an insane amount of work. :) I started with the parts diagrams and identified each part, put it into Excel with it's name, part number, and area on the car. I looked up the pricing information of the part from all of the vendors and a generic provider, if possible. I then visually inspected that part on the vehicle to see it's condition. Then, I weighed (abstractly) the time, effort, and cost to repair/restore the component vs. purchasing new. Some items are easy here - the pivot bolts on the suspension, for example. They're expensive, like $30 each, and restoring them is essentially wire wheeling the gunk off of them and sending them out to be zinc plated. There are some items like basic washers that I can buy for like $0.10, and it makes no sense to even spend 5 minutes to clean them. Most parts fall somewhere in the middle, where they are fairly expensive - but they take a lot of time and effort to restore, and so I just do my best to make a good decision, usually erring on the side of buying new.

This process has really opened my eyes to the parts availability for the DeLorean!! I was routinely blown away when a particular piece was unable to be sourced or hugely expensive. Transmission mount brackets ($300 each), for example, or exhaust manifolds (>$400 each).

Some things I've been doing a lot of:

Manual wire brushing (nylon, brass, and steel)
Angle-grinder wire wheeling
Bench grinder wire wheeling
Wire pipe-brushing
Soaking things in a bucket of degreaser
Using elecrolysis for rust removal
Soaking things in Evaporust
Using blending pads on things
Dremel wire wheeling


The rust electrolysis system is one I'm particularly happy with. Total investment is well under $100 for a plastic tub, some washing soda (sodium carbonate), a 30V 5A digital variable power supply, and some scrap sheet metal. I can let things sit in there for days without worrying about it 'going too far', and it seriously just eats the rust right off. If it misses anything, like on the steering rack mounts that have some weird inset parts, I toss it in Evaporust (at $30/gallon) and let it sit for a few days.

Now onto some recent purchases for the car:


Toby's Disassembly Service (removed bushings, bearings, and stuck bolts that I couldn't) - DSNW - $543
Front sway-bar combo kit - DPNW - $108.55
Roughly 50 nuts, bolts, washers - Bolt Depot - $28.53
510 Piece stainless hex bolt/nut/washer set - Amazon - $18.49
55 piece stainless cushioned pipe clamp set - Amazon - $25.99
Cotter pin set - Amazon - $6.99


And some new tools:


Pipe cleaning brush set - Large, Stainless
Pipe cleaning brush set - Small, Nylon
8" Bench grinder and 8" Dewalt wire wheel
Bench vise, with anvil

[CyberBill]

Another two weeks, and I'm ready for another update!!

I'm really nearing the end of the process of getting all the parts ready to start rebuilding. The first big news is that I was able to find a local shop to do TIG welding and machining. I dropped off the hub carriers, knuckles, and exhaust manifolds a few days ago and just got the email confirming they are done and ready for pick up. (I'll include the cost for this once I pay it)

Next big news is that I found a local place (Monroe, WA) called Metal Tech who can do zinc plating. I got a quote, which is their minimum, of $324 to plate all of the items here in this picture:

64478

Here's a closer look at some of the items, this is what things look like after they're hit with the wire wheel and/or had a rust removal process done.

64479644816448264483

All of these items will be sand blasted as needed, aggressively degreased, acid etched, then zinc plated with a yellow chromate finish. This was all dropped off, and they gave me an ETA of about a week.

The only remaining process I need to send out items for is powder coating. I've got most things ready to go except for the upper control arms and rear brake calipers, which are currently in the rust bath process and should be wrapped up this evening. Also the knuckles and hub carriers are going to be powder coated as well.

Next up - I put in orders through pretty much every vendor. :) Through BoltDepot I picked up about ~150 items, all the generic bolts and washers and Nyloc nuts and stuff. From DPI I picked up stainless radius arm brackets, front hub snap rings, plus some generic nuts and bolts and stuff. Through DeLorean Go I picked up brake line clips, trailing arm shims, a couple of fuel hoses, caliper bleed screws, body bolts, and coolant pipe brackets, among the generic nuts and bolts and things. I also splurged and picked up the LED Tail Light Boards, Bulb, and Flasher kit. My last order is from DMCH, and included a new rear suspension lower link (I severely disfigured one while trying to remove the bushings), a dipstick upper bracket, and misc. nuts and bolts and things. I'm also working with Toby from DPNW to get an order ready, but haven't made the purchase yet.

Purchases:

Generic nuts & bolts - BoltDepot - $40
Wings-B-Cool Self Bleeder kit - DPNW - $76
Radius Arm Brackets, Misc parts - DPI - $104
All sorts of random things - DGO - $200
LED Tail light board kit - DGO - $160
Rear Lower Link, Misc parts - DMCH - $148

[CyberBill]

It's been a very productive and fruitful two weeks!

First - the TIG welder got the parts back, and they look excellent! Most of the repairs were very minor, and the total was $120. He wasn't able to do the machining on the exhaust as I was hoping, but I was able to flatten them myself with an orbital sander and 80 grit paper. Still LOTS of pitting and stuff, but the areas where the exhaust should seal look good to me. The entire exhaust is now fully disassembled, the last part was getting the O2 sensor removed, which required me to cut it off so I could use an impact wrench on it and I have a new one incoming from DGO. The exhaust is going to be painted in VHT paint and the crossover pipe will be wrapped in some fiberglass wrap material to cut down on heat since the heat shields are missing.

Second - Zinc plating! The items are all returned, and they are AWESOME! Oh man, they look so good, it's incredible. With these items back in my possession, there are about a dozen things I can get installed. Here's a very short video:

https://youtu.be/ig57n0Ih9dk

Third - Powder coating! They are currently all at a powder coating place and the ETA is the 9th. Cost estimate was $350, which is 1/3rd the price of the other places I found. The other places wanted $400 just to powder coat the brake calipers!

Fourth - I've received loads of parts. The biggest order was from Toby at DPNW, which included all the replacement bearings, bushings, and ball joints that are on the car, a new dipstick tube, a full set of stub axle nuts, auto transmission cooler pipes, pivot bolts, and inconel trailing arm bolts (Toby TABs, except he doesn't make them anymore), and new heater tubes. I put in a couple of orders through DGO for some pipe clips, performance air intake (no way I'm using a soggy piece of cardboard as an air intake), some fuel lines, fuel filter, air filter, a new set of struts all around, lambda sensor, and a tiny stupid friction spring for the parking brake caliper that costs $10 - which is $9 more than it should cost. From Amazon, I picked up all of the parts to put together a vibration dampened lower steering column. Quite expensive, if you ask me, but the parts sure do look and feel a lot nicer.

Fifth - I've actually started putting things together! The frame now has the fuel tank installed, the closing plate, most of the brake and fuel hard lines, the steering rack, the gear selector and shift linkage, motor mounts, heater core hard lines, and I also tossed the front coil overs on. Here's a longer video showing the current status of 5510:

https://youtu.be/ooAghBC1Rb8

Purchases

TIG welding repair - $120
Zinc plating - MetalTech - $355
Bearings, Bushings, etc - DPNW - $1,092
Intake, filters, struts - DGO - $350
Lower steering column - Amazon - $275
VHT exhaust primer, paint, and wrap - Amazon - $75

[Michael]

Wow! That's to be too pretty to cover up with a body.

[CyberBill]

I was really hoping to get a lot more done over this past week, since I took the week off to work on the car. But unfortunately I didn't get my powder coating order back and those parts make up most of the suspension and brakes. ETA is now 10/21. It's funny, though - I thought I didn't do that much, and then I went and started writing down the list of what I did, and it's a TON of stuff over the past two weeks!!

Here's a short list:

Fuel accumulator, filter, and fuel lines - these are now fully installed! I only need the final hoses to the engine.
Heater core silicone hoses - Heater core lines are complete and ready to attach to the engine and heater core.
Cooling pipes & silicone hoses - These are run from the radiator to the engine compartment, going to hook up to the engine before tightening everything.
Radiator is temporarily installed (to align the cooling pipes) - Mounts are being powder coated, once they are back I'll install permanently with new bushings.
Lower steering column is built and installed - It looks like a work of art!! Beautiful!!
Lower control arms and stabilizing arms are installed, but not torqued down.
Transmission mounts are installed on the frame.
Exhaust is now primed, painted, and the manifolds are installed on the engine. O2/lambda sensor is installed on the crossover pipe.
Parking brake calipers are built and ready to be installed once I have the main brake calipers.

I've got a bit of a story with the transmission. I've got two - one is the original with ~67k miles and sometimes slips and leaks and needs to be rebuilt. The other has like ~25k miles if memory serves me, and was meant to replace the other one while it was being rebuilt. Unfortunately, the replacement trans is missing the shift cable and it looks like it would be quite a bit of work to swap them, and I'm on kind of a tight deadline. So instead, I'm going to use the original for the time being and swap them once we've moved to our new house with the shop. This week I refinished the transmission oil dipstick tube and vacuum lines for the transmission, and I chased the M7 threads. The M10 threads will get chased tonight, and if all goes well that will mean the trans is ready to mount back onto the engine.

Here is a video from about a week ago, that covers some of the info here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfPpzU47J1c

Purchases:

Fuel line 'olives' and swivel nuts, parking brake pieces, roof box repair kit - $116 - DGO
Stainless bleed adapter, air box oil breather hose, fuel supply & return hoses, radiator mount bushings - $200 - DGO
Stainless rivnuts & bolts kits - $32 - Amazon
Stainless cable clamps - $26 - Amazon
Mobil 1 10W-40 (10qt) - $77 - Amazon
M5, M6, and M8 bolts and washers, for hose clamps and the closing plate - $25 - BoltDepot
M7 and M10 bolts and washers, for catalytic converter and engine mounts, plus bolt organizer boxes - $57 - BoltDepot


Tools:

Tap & Die sets to cover everything M5 and up.
Fuel pressure tester kit
Stubby wrench kit
Cooling system pressure tester/filler

[CyberBill]

A week later, and some more progress! It really feels like its coming together and starting to look like a complete frame! Big news is that the powder coating came in! 90% of the parts look great, except the rear hub carriers... and the powder coating took twice as long as expected... and they tried to charge me double... and they didn't clean up the parts or remove the silicone inserts or high temp tape so they took a lot of cleaning up... but they're HERE!

Let me first by back tracking on my last update about the transmission. I misunderstood how the shift cable attaches on the inside of the transmission, and I thought I was looking at one thing when it was really another. It turns out that you can simply put the transmission in park, then twist the cable and it will unscrew a tube from over a bolt inside the trans. It then pulls right out, and is easy to swap. Took me all of 5 minutes! So I'm back to using the ~26k mile transmission. It also had some damage on the torque converter bell housing, and that was repaired (welded) a few weeks go, so I replaced the bell housing on the transmission and I'm now back in business! The only thing I'm waiting for now is the 6 bolts that attach the mount brackets to the trans, and I'll be able to mount the engine and transmission together and get them in the frame.

Since my powder coating stuff is in, that means I could build the brakes... so I did that! They look really bad ass, if you ask me. Here's a little video showing them o
https://youtu.be/Dso822F5qZ4

Other than that, my focus has been on the suspension components. I used the shop press to put wheel bearings in the front and rear. I pressed the bushings into the upper suspension links, and then found out that I totally ordered the wrong number of bushings! I missed ordering bushings for the front upper control arms and for the lower link (same as the upper links). But that's OK, because I was able to get everything installed on the passenger side mocked up and make sure it lines up and everything. Glad I did, too, because it took about 5 tries to get right!

Here's the current status of the project:
https://youtu.be/YTWTwALtfbk

I'm still having issues with the coolant tubes under the fuel tank... Just can't get them positioned how I want. And the front bearings don't slip on the spindle like they are supposed to. And I'm still waiting for the coil over brackets in the rear, and the trailing arm support brackets. But I really do think here in a couple of weeks I'll be ready to drop the body back down!!

Purchases

Powder coating services - $400 - Thermo Tech Coatings
Rear suspension bushings, Upper control arm bushings, Trailing arm shims, misc parts - $141 - DGO

[Michael]

That is going to be one nice chassis!

[Rich_NYS]

I'm really liking this thread, I'll be doing much of the same work to 4519 starting next month.

Lookin' good Bill!

[Victor]

That is going to be one nice chassis!

Indeed!! That is like a brand new chassis! The basic fondation to build on 👍🏼🔧

[CyberBill]

I've hit a huge milestone today- the engine and transmission are back in the frame!!

This past week I've made a lot of progress all around. I got the bushings for the rear suspension lower link, and they went in without a hitch. I also got new bushings for the front upper control arms, and those were slightly more tricky - but still I got them in and got the UCAs installed. I also was able to get the front end reinforcing brackets and sway bar MOSTLY installed (still fighting it a bit because there isn't enough weight on the car). I pressed the front hubs onto the spindles, and installed the brake calipers, plus all the brake lines, so at this point the front suspension and brakes are pretty much complete other than brake pads and the bolts needing to be all torqued down.

On the rear, the suspension links are all installed, as well as the hub carriers, hubs, and rotors. Trailing arms are installed. I installed the brake caliper and brake lines on the passenger side, but then realized I need to file down the parking brake pads before I can install them, so that'll be on the short list.

Since getting the suspension mostly hooked up, I started working on the transmission. The torque converter wouldn't go on, and after getting some help on Facebook, I found out that the oil pump rod was bent slightly, and had caused some mushrooming on the oil pump sprocket. Took about 3 hours, but eventually I was able to get the torque converter installed and then get the transmission (and torque converter) mounted up to the engine. Once attached, there are 3 plates that need to be installed - the transmission protection plate on the bottom, the inspection plate on the driver's side, and the starter on the passenger side. They all bolted up without issue.

The engine and transmission were then dropped into the frame mounts, which was pretty straight forward. Actually a lot easier since the bumper section of the frame is removable on the DPI frame.

I've got two videos - first is the engine prior to installing into the frame:

https://youtu.be/8TPu2GjkfjE

And then after installing it, which also shows many of the other items installed over the last week:

https://youtu.be/938Z3JPC2SQ

[NorthEastJBD]

This post it great!

Mine will never look this nice.

Excellent job.

[EngineerGuY]

Amazing updates! This build is epic Bill. Looking forward to more pictures and updates!

[CyberBill]

Another long week, working at least a couple hours each night after work and 8+ hours each weekend day, and quite a bit to show for it!

Since the engine and transmission are now in the car, most of the focus was on things that connect to it. The transmission mounts and engine mounts are now torqued down. I installed the half shafts on both sides. I put on the replacement intake pipes from DeloreanGo that replace the strange collection of construction paper-based tubes. The transmission shift linkage was installed and realigned (it was off by about 3 turns). The heater core tubes (plus new valve) were installed and connected - up front I used a short piece of aluminum pipe to bridge the supply & return lines (like the heater core would) so I can pressure test, fill, and bleed the whole system before putting the body on. The rear brakes are complete and installed on both sides, including parking brakes and hard lines, and with brake pads all around - the brakes are now complete and ready to be pressure tested!!

The exhaust crossover pipe is installed, and both it and the catalytic converter have been wrapped to try and cut down on temperatures in the engine bay. I didn't realize that it would be impossible to get a bolt onto the catalytic converter from the 'front', so after struggling with it for a couple of hours I decided I will go back and weld on some studs. The PO had put bolts on and welded them, but they were in terrible shape, so hopefully I can do a

I also spent a ton of time on the cooling system. The pipe under the fuel tank on the driver's side would just NOT fit. At all. I must have tried for 3 hours. So I pulled out the old one, cleaned it up, and then used brazing rods to fill in the few pin holes - we'll see if it holds up. The old one fit easily - so on went the closing plate and all of the rest of the pipes all the way back to the engine. All new silicone hoses were installed, including the ones that connect to the water pump (but not the ones under the intake). On the passenger side, the automatic transmission cooler was installed and the overflow tank, along with the bleeder system from DPNW.

Here's an updated video! https://youtu.be/y8gSE1GjU6Y

Purchases:

Various Nuts and Bolts - $45 - BoltDepot
Silicone trans gasket (for later!), Angle drive dust shield, Radius arm mounting plates, olives & nuts for fuel lines - $120 - DeloreanGo

[Michael]

I can hear the excitement building in your voice during the videos. She is really looking good!!!!

[EngineerGuY]

I can hear the excitement building in your voice during the videos. She is really looking good!!!!

Right? Excitement and confidence. Amazing to see the progress through videos. Subscribed and looking forward to more.

[CyberBill]

This week was spent finalizing the frame, which is now complete!

On the cooling system, I got the bracket on the underside of the frame installed and tightened up. The transmission cooler was put into place, wrapped in the heatsink thing, and the pipes connected to the transmission. I installed the otterstat and the front bleeder from DPNW. Then I pressure tested the system, which discovered a few loose clamps, and it was able to hold vacuum pressure for well over an hour! Here's a video on this process:

https://youtu.be/91iWi-9dHOE

I also installed the catalytic converter, muffler, and heat shield, so the exhaust system is now complete! The horns were installed (and I might change them later...), and also the trailing arm brackets that were missing. The fuel system was finalized, which was basically installing the final braided hose between the filter and the distributor, plus tightening up the filter bracket and installing the evap hoses. Then the fuel system was pressure tested, and also the brakes. Here's a video showing all this:

https://youtu.be/YPk59FatIbM

Lastly, today I worked on getting the body raised up and the frame installed. I wanted to get further than I did, but I ran out of concrete blocks and had to go buy some more, and tonight we had a small gathering with our close friends before Washington goes under COVID lockdown starting Tuesday. I've got two videos on the progress so far:

https://youtu.be/TbW5S_quv1U

https://youtu.be/pbnpRUQlCc4

As of now the body is 2' in the air, the frame is below it, and I'm working on moving the blocks around so that I can lower the body down. It'll probably take two evenings after work to drop the body and start hooking things up, and hopefully this next weekend the car will be driving around the block!

[Michael]

Sure is a pretty frame!

You may need to turn your pump 180 degrees to allow the cover plate to seat properly. Also, depending on the pump used, you might need a good check valve on the feed side.

[CyberBill]

Sure is a pretty frame!

You may need to turn your pump 180 degrees to allow the cover plate to seat properly. Also, depending on the pump used, you might need a good check valve on the feed side.

Thanks Michael! Funny enough, it was faced the other way and I had to turn it to make the lines fit... and then I swapped the lines and probably need to twist it back! Feed side does have a check valve in it.

[CyberBill]

Tons of progress since the last update, the car is nearing completion and has already made it around the block once. :)

First, here's some videos showing the remainder of getting the body lowered:

https://youtu.be/IrFWwr2k1-Q

https://youtu.be/iCB7UIHInOA

https://youtu.be/Yc6Cp8prL64

And here is going over the first start (ok, more like 3rd):

https://youtu.be/G1u_AvNunmo

and showing the first drive:

https://youtu.be/HX8x2B5Y4_w

And the longer update video:

https://youtu.be/RQKpo1GG3PM

The body is now on the frame, with about half of the body bolts in place. The remainder of the body bolts are off just a hair, and I need to fiddle a bit with the frame to get them to line up (off by 1/8" max). Once the body was down all the connectors and things went on without issue, and all connectors were cleaned with contact cleaner and all thicker wires were cleaned up with a wire wheel on my Dremel. First attempts at starting the car failed because the starter wasn't attempting to start - eventually this was traced back to the shifter linkage being slightly out of adjustment. Once that was fixed, every start of the car has been painless. It does seem to take a few seconds to start up after the car has been off for a long time, which my current thinking is that it's losing fuel pressure over time... haven't investigated, though.

From that point, I've been hooking up all the rest of the bits and bobs on the car. The brakes were hooked up the master cylinder and bled, the parking brake cables were installed and adjusted, the horns and fans were plugged in, the steering column was put in place, and lots and lots of little things like filling the coolant and what not.

Lastly, I have also spent a lot of time over the past two weeks working on the move to our new home and shop. You can get a video of the new home to DeLorean 5510 here:

https://youtu.be/eclkQejB7g0

Coming up in the next installment I will install the final remaining items on the car, get it washed, and prepped for it's longest journey since I've been its care taker.

[DMC-Ron]

Bill,
Fantastic progress and awesome job with the work you have done on the car. I have thoroughly enjoyed watching your video progress updates. Your enthusiasm is pervasive. I get as excited as you do with your victories. Keep up the good work!

Congratulations on your new house. The shop looks fantastic.

Sincerely,
Ron

[CyberBill]

I was able to give the car a nice rinse now that it's all put together, here's a short walk around:

https://youtu.be/l9_sXQ3fVa8

Biggest thing from this last week that's visible is that the rear fascia went on permanently. That included the fascia bracket / heat shield, impact absorber, and the fascia. I decided to replace the terrible nuts in awkward places with rivnuts for almost all of the parts that go into fiberglass - which makes the job a whole lot easier. Tail lights went in - and the board has been replaced with new ones from DGO along with LEDs. The radio antenna went in the rear pontoon, as well as charcoal cannister.

I also fixed the latch and release mechanisms on the engine cover and louvers. They both latch now and the engine cover is released with the normal handle behind the driver's seat. Those have been broken since I got the car, so it's nice to finally have them 'fixed' (good enough for now, but it's using hardware store parts).

Mechanically I did get some shims on the trailing arms and got it torqued down (I was waiting for an offset wrench), I also got the rear suspension top bolts working as intended. DPI's setup is slick, but it took me a few times of putting it on before I realized what I was doing wrong (top bolt has a 'shoulder' portion that goes through the frame AND through the suspension bracket). I also got all of the body bolts in place - which took some pry bars and a little help from my wife to screw in the bolts while I pried the body into position. The angle drive has been filled with oil and lower speedo cable is in place, but I need to rig up something to keep it from rubbing on the tire during hard left turns. The O2 sensor wire was replaced (not long enough), as well, and I finally took the time to install the gas filler neck and the two other hoses and ground that go to the metal bit at the top.

A few days ago I tried to do another test drive around a slightly larger block around the house, and it did NOT go well. I drive the car down the street and took a turn going up a hill - as soon as the car starting going up, it died, then spurted to life for a second and died again. I immediate thought "Oh crap, I'm out of gas!" so with the engine off I popped it in reverse and slowly rolled backwards down the hill, then made a turn pointing back home, and luckily the engine started up and I was able to make it back into the garage. A quick trip to the gas station got me a couple gallons in a can, and that issue went away. I was then able to drive around the block a few times and honestly it feels 10x better than it ever has. Better acceleration, better brakes, better steering. I was able to drive over to the gas station and filled it up - but then, for whatever reason, the car started acting funny... sort of felt like it was running out of gas. Holding the gas pedal down and letting it rev at 2k for the two or three minutes I was at a stop light cured it, though... Not really sure what to think about that. It's very possible that I overfilled the tank. I think a few lunch-time test drives this week are in order. :)

Some great things to note so far - the high-idle that the car had pre-teardown seems all but fixed. It used to hold at 2.2krpm while idling and now it starts there when cold and over the course of a few seconds drops down to just above 1k, then as it warms up, drops to a but under 1k. I haven't had a long enough test to see if it gets down to ~800, but it's now within spitting distance. I was worried that the temperature gauge wasn't working, and I know now that it is - though it may be reading low. The fans do kick on, so that's also great.

Now, let's talk about some not so great things! The transmission is definitely leaking ATF. Not a ton, but it seems to drip constantly. I'll double check some things, but if needed I can make a 120 mile trip with a slow leak. My heater core lines are crushed and I need to fix them before I can get heat in the cabin. Since my drive is through Snoqualmie Pass at ~3,000 feet elevation, and the current high temps there are in the 30's, I think I probably want to fix this before the trip.... Or wear a coat. The defroster will be handy to have, though. The gas gauge is totally wrong. I'll have to pull the pump and sender from the tank and see if it's sticking or something. It reads 1/2 when at a full tank, and when I ran out of gas going up a hill, it still showed 1/4 of a tank. And lastly, the voltage gauge has me worried - it runs a bit under 13V when the car is running and the head lights and stuff are on. When I turn a turn signal on, I can actually watch the voltage 'tick' down when the light is on. I think I need to clean off a few more electrical contacts! I've got a list going of other issues that can wait, but these are the important ones.

There's just a handful of things left to do and a bunch of test drives before I'll be ready to make the trip, weather permitting.

[Rich_NYS]

Awesome, great to see you rollin'!

Sent from my LGL164VL using Tapatalk

[CyberBill]

Cross-post from the daily thread:

Had a pretty fun day today - this is the first time I've driven the DeLorean on a highway!

I visited a place called Stew's Garage in Kirkland, WA (Totem Lake). This is a shop space where you can rent a bay, complete with a full suite of tools and a car lift. For roughly $100 I rented a bay for two hours, and it was AMAZING!! With the car up on the 4-post lift I could easily torque down all of the suspension components, which was the plan. I also poked around to try and figure out where the transmission is leaking from (In short - everywhere). It was nice to be able to have all the high quality tools available, and I surely got more done in 2 hours than I could do in a full day at home.

On the way to the garage I took only back roads, it's about 10 miles away or so, and it did really well. I was pretty nervous, since the farthest drive since the rebuild has been around the block!! On the drive home I was much more confident, and took the highway. Got it up to about 70 with no major issues.

As far as I can tell, there seems to be a small exhaust leak when I give it some gas. I can also hear a slight squealing at higher RPMs. The gas gauge is definitely not right. Temperature gauge seems low (fans come on, though). I got a little bit of smoke on the way home, but this is probably the exhaust paint & wrap, and it stopped. The steering wheel isn't centered - and the car needs an alignment. And lastly, the automatic is just... Ooof, especially as far as power is concerned. It will trigger the kick down switch and max out at about 3krpm, but going up steep hills takes a lot. It's begging for that EV conversion. :)

[CyberBill]

It's been a while since I did a video, so this one catches up on the last few weeks:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G84Sbmb12GQ

Since my last text update I have fixed the heater core pipes and then installed the lines so the heater core is working, and I get heat in the cabin. I also cleaned up all the windows and removed stickers and stuff like that, so the view is MUCH better now. Lastly, I went to a local alignment shop recommended by Toby and they made sure the toe in the front and rear was correct.

The car is now loaded up on a trailer and heading to our new home in Ellensburg. I didn't feel comfortable driving up through Snoqualmie Pass, and was able to get it transported for $275, so I thought that was pretty reasonable.

Once in it's new home, 5510 is going to be sitting for a few months. I have some other projects I need to take care of (moving into the new house, cleaning out and selling the current house, renovating the foyer, launching an updated website for my business) and the weather is going to be pretty snowy anyway. Once I'm ready to get back to work, I've got a bit of a list going, but I really need to determine which path I'm going to go down... One option is that I can rebuild the original auto transmission and put it back in the car, which will let me really drive around without worrying and hopefully resolve the issues with having low power, and will probably increase how much I'll get when I go to sell the engine and both transmissions. The other option is to sell them just as they are, leaks and all, and jump straight into the EV conversion. I guess I have a few months to think about it!! :)

Purchases:

Stainless bumper studs, stainless air-deflector retaining strips, throttle stop, LEDs for doors and side markers - $146 - DGO

[CyberBill]

The DeLorean made its way to Ellensburg just fine, though it's dirty again and needs another wash!!

https://youtu.be/CyQv-nypDYc

Also, I realized that I didn't mention the cost of some services that I paid for:


Stew's Garage - 2 hours - $94
Omni Brake & Alignment - $193

[CyberBill]

It's been a few months with the DeLorean sitting in the shop, just waiting for winter to end. Last week I was finally able to take it out on a beautiful day, drive it through Ellensburg around the WSU campus and back home. She held up like a champ! Starting her up after so long did take some coaxing and a new battery, however. I'm going to let it sit for a week without the charger on it to make sure it holds up and to give myself the confidence to take the DeLorean on errands.

In lieu of working on the DeLorean much, building out the shop has been top priority for my time now that the old house has been sold. I built some stairs up into the loft area, which basically doubles the amount of storage available, and put together some shelving units and started filling them up. As I'm nearing the time when I'll be able to start working on things again, I went and ordered some parts to fix up some leaks on the transmission and rear main seal, and hopefully get both transmissions in tip-top shape. Helping that happen is... *drumroll*... my new 2-post Bendpak lift!! Got it ordered a few days ago and it will get delivered sometime in May or June. Quite the long wait, but I know it'll be worth it. After having the pleasure to try out Stews Garage and put the car up on a lift and so easily work on everything, I know that having the lift will turn a lot of 8-hour days into 2-hour days. I'll never have to stack up 80 concrete blocks to take the body off the frame or put it back on, and when the EV conversion starts it will really help to be able to drop the battery pack from the donor and lift the motor out, etc. I have a feeling that once I have the lift I'll find a way to use it weekly.

That's about it for the update for me until I can wrap up some things around the house and get to working on the transmissions.

Purchases:

Battery - $184 - O'Reilly's
Auto shift cable - $86 - DGO
Parking brake cables (both sides) - $134 - DGO
Lower speedo cable - $49 - DGO
Replacement rear main seal and some transmission seals - $75 - DGO

[CyberBill]

Last weekend I got the lift completely installed and mostly dialed in. It's amazing how quickly and easily it lifts compared to how I've been doing it the whole last year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ur_L-rMT0VU&ab_channel=BillCarlson

Running power for the lift took a bit longer than expected due to needing to make a couple of trips to the store and make an Amazon order for missing bits, but was surprisingly easy. I've never used a conduit bender before and I was nervous to make some more complex bends (like a single piece of pipe that needed a 90 and then a weird offset bend at a 45-degree angle to get into the panel) - but other than it taking a while to figure out, I didn't ruin a single piece. The total run was about 70 feet. Up the wall from the panel, then around the shop and up into the loft, where I put two boxes for future equipment (air compressor and dust collector), then down and around to the middle of the shop where it terminates to a 240V-30A locking outlet.

This week has been a busy one at work, as it is "Connect" (review) and Rewards (bonus/stock) season at Microsoft. Very rarely do I work more than 40 hours, but this one was an easy 60. But I still found time to tackle the first item on the list - figuring out why the car doesn't start! I had a hunch, which is that some wire in the starter circuity has some corrosion, and that does seem to be the cause. Turning the key to Ignition resulted in some relay clicking and the accessory lights going out, but not a peep from the starter. Once it was up on the lift I pulled the rubber boot off of the starter wires and jumped the solenoid and main starter wire, and it fired right up. Somehow that must have cleaned up some corrosion, because now the car happily fires up as usual!! There's about 20 different places where corrosion could be causing an issue (the main +12V and Ground wires, plus the wire from the starter relay back to the starter solenoid) I've got about $300 worth of wires and lugs and distribution blocks and heat shrink and a crimper in the Amazon cart ready for me to pull the trigger on, which is enough to rewire the main +12V and ground wires from the battery outward.

In the mean time I need to replace the parking brake cables and lower speedo cable, which are both pretty simple.

So much to do, so little time! :)

[CyberBill]

Parking brake cables and lower speedo cable are replaced!!

The lower speedometer cable was a simple job... that I made more complicated than it needed to be. For some reason I thought I needed to take off the entire angle drive to replace it, so I spent probably 20 minutes getting that nut off, only to instantly realize "Oh. I don't need to do that." and then I put it back on and torqued it down (one "Bill" hanging from a wrench is probably 200ft-lbs of torque?). Replacing it the right way was a 10 minute job.

The parking brake cables are a completely different story! I thought it would be easy, but it took me all damn day. First, the only way to get the cables in and out of the parking brake lever is by removing the seat, and then moving the carpet, and then opening up the little cubby behind the driver's seat and removing the carpet from there. Then since one of the cables was completely seized, I ended up having to cut it with an angle grinder anyway. Then I found that the parking brake level bracket was all bent to hell, so I spent 20 minutes with a hammer and punch knocking it back into the shape it should be. Then I found that the lever's little auto-balancing thing was bent to hell, so that got bent back on the anvil and re-drilled out. Then those damn ends of the cable with the springs - UGH. Trying to get those things in the cable bracket on the caliper is just a huge pain.

I'm glad the work is now done - and I routed the passenger side cable OVER the transmission, as was suggested on the forum. That will save me some time when I pull the transmission.

On the short list of DeLorean projects is to make a jumper cable for the RPM relay, then see if I can figure out why the gas gauge isn't working (I'm using the DMCH replacement system, which seems to only be powered on when the car is running).

[CyberBill]

The other day I was working on figuring out what was wrong with my DeLorean. Low power, gets 'jumpy', and after searching the forums I was like - Oh, it might be the frequency valve. Since I was already investigating the RPM relay so that I could jump the fuel pump and figure out why the gas gauge wasn't right, I decided to investigate. I just jumped the RPM relay today and it doesn't buzz.

I took off the intake filter housing and jumped the RPM relay (the pin that controls the frequency valve and the WUR, not the one that controls the pump - Glad I found that tidbit of information!!) - no buzzing. I fiddled with the wires with everything all connected and didn't get anything, so I disconnected the plug, cleaned it with contact cleaner and a wire brush and a tiny file. Plugged back in - nothing. Fiddled with the wires some more, and then BZZZZZZ.

After some more poking and prodding, I found that it wasn't the connector on the FV, it was the ground wire right next to it! I removed the bolt, cleaned it and the washer and the ring terminal. I pulled the quick connect apart and it was completely brown and corroded. Spent a few minutes brushing, filing, and cleaning, and it would hold sort of, but still would disconnect and stop buzzing when wiggled... Then the wire fell out. D: Cut the wire and used a butt splice connector, tested, works great. Solid buzzing even when wiggling the connectors.

Went for a drive through town - absolutely massive difference!! The car had significantly better acceleration and it no longer stops climbing at 2k RPM. Driving up a small hill didn't chug it down. I got gas and a cute college girl said "I really love your car!" My wife was not amused. Then we ran the first errand we've ever run in the DeLorean, which was to stop at the Post Office and drop off a package. I also confirmed that the speedometer is now working, and the brakes (especially the parking brakes) don't squeal as much. I'm still getting some noise when I go around a corner.

The car is driving better than it ever has!!

[CyberBill]

Had my first-ever meet up with a fellow DeLorean owner! This was Jeremiah from Ellensburg, who has had his car for a couple of years. Stupid me - I forgot to take any pictures of the cars together!!

The car is driving reasonably well, but the time has come to finally let the drivetrain go on to find new homes. I have posted the engine and both transmissions for sale here and in other places, and I believe I have secured new homes for all of them. We are hosting a bunch of our friends for 4th of July weekend, and I'm keeping the car together so I can give people 'one last ride' before I start the "next big thing". I've scheduled the week from the 5th-9th off, and I'll be pulling the engine and transmission out and getting them crated for sale. I've also started searching for the replacement drive train.

I've sort of mentioned it here and in other places casually - but I'm ready to fully announce it! DeLorean 5510 is going electric!!

I'm on the auctions now trying to find a good deal on a used or salvage Chevrolet Bolt EV. The entire drivetrain and electrical system will be pulled out and will replace everything in the DeLorean. For those unfamiliar with the Bolt, here are some specs:


150kW/200HP Electric Motor
60kWh Lithium Ion Battery
0-60 times in the mid 6's
250 miles on a full charge
DC Fast Charging up to 50kW


High level, I'm going to put the electric motor in the same place as the final drive, the battery will be split into two packs - one will sit on top of the motor and the other will be up front sitting on the crossmember.

I fully expect 5510 to sit as an empty shell for the next 6-9 months while I disassemble the Bolt, 3d scan everything, design a mount or framework in CAD, and assemble it all ready to install. I'll do my best to document everything so if I'm successful others can replicate the conversion.

[CyberBill]

It's time to start my EV conversion!!!

I'll be documenting the process on my YouTube channel, and the first video was released today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eCvUGx6OkE

[Helirich]

It's time to start my EV conversion!!!

I'll be documenting the process on my YouTube channel, and the first video was released today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eCvUGx6OkE

Could you update this thread every time you put up a new video? I know I could subscribe, but I strongly object to Utube s censorship policies. I won't say I never watch them, but I will not subscribe to it. I would really prefer you post it on anther platform, but I understand if you don't feel like it.

Great project, BTW.

[CyberBill]

Could you update this thread every time you put up a new video? I know I could subscribe, but I strongly object to Utube s censorship policies. I won't say I never watch them, but I will not subscribe to it. I would really prefer you post it on anther platform, but I understand if you don't feel like it.

Great project, BTW.

Yes, I will absolutely post here! I agree with you on not being a fan of YouTube's policies. Do you have a suggested platform that you'd like?

[Helirich]

Yes, I will absolutely post here! I agree with you on not being a fan of YouTube's policies. Do you have a suggested platform that you'd like?

I don't pretend to be an expert on computers, so this might not be a good site.

https://ugetube.com/videos/category/2

[CyberBill]

Also - some really good news!

I won an auction this morning for a 2019 Chevy Bolt LT that will be the EV donor for my build! My fingers will be crossed for the next two weeks until it arrives and I can make sure the wheels spin. :)

[Mark D]

Also - some really good news!

I won an auction this morning for a 2019 Chevy Bolt LT that will be the EV donor for my build! My fingers will be crossed for the next two weeks until it arrives and I can make sure the wheels spin. :)

Congrats! I'm excited to watch your build as you progress. I've been enjoying following along on your Youtube channel so far.

[CyberBill]

For the past few days I've been working hard on the EV conversion! Step 1 is to gut the DeLorean and remove the engine, transmission, and all gas components. This is now done!

66767

The DeLorean is going to sit like this, empty, for at least 3 months or so, until I can get the parts from the donor prepped and ready to go. My Chevy Bolt donor should be here in just a few days, on Saturday. Total delivered price is looking to be about $13k. Once it's here and I'm 100% certain, I'll post a breakdown of the cost. Currently when I search online for a used 2019 with DC Fast Charging, they're $20k!! And that doesn't take into account tax, title, and delivery fees.

[Mark D]

I just searched through your thread but couldn't find any info on the front LCA supports you have installed. Do you have any more info on those?

[CyberBill]

I just searched through your thread but couldn't find any info on the front LCA supports you have installed. Do you have any more info on those?

They are the supports from DPI!

https://deloreanindustries.com/delorean-spec-front-lower-arm-support/

No complaints from me at all - easy to install and seem to work. I'll really be putting them through their paces once the battery is installed up front.

[CyberBill]

Newest video is up! This one showing the removal of the internal combustion engine.

https://youtu.be/W_Fbzzugni8

A quick update on the donor - total cost was $13,229.88, which includes the cost of Copart membership, auction price, buyer's fee, virtual bid fee, gate fee, sales tax, storage fees, and transportation costs. I've already got the donor running and driving, at least as much as the rear wheels (which are destroyed and sitting on dollies) will let me. The next video update will likely be talking about the process to buy the donor and a break down of costs.

[Rich_NYS]

Very cool Bill! I like your videos, you do a great job filming and narrating.

[Helirich]

Very quality video! Easy to watch. I like that you pretty much show every single detail. Fast forward is fine, but Please don't change the style. The narrative is great.

[CyberBill]

I guess it's been a couple of months, so I should do an update!

I've done two more videos since the last update. First shows the process of buying the donor 2019 Chevy Bolt on Copart: https://youtu.be/aVaQtd0LQRI
Second one goes over how I fixed some trouble codes and got the donor running and driving: https://youtu.be/xeBpbdhsARU
Third video will be released in the next week or two (already written and mostly recorded, but needs to be edited) will go over fixing some final error codes and getting the Bolt driving down the street at speeds far higher than is safe. ;)

The Bolt does 0-60 in about 6.5 seconds, and with a few hundred pounds removed it's probably closer to 6.0 - so it's QUICK!! Even without the backend.

Current status is that the DeLorean is sitting empty, with no engine, transmission, or fuel tank. The engine was sold for $2500 and transmission for $1500. The Bolt is fully running and driving, but I'm pretty much stalled waiting for GM to handle the battery recall going on right now. I'm expecting to get a new battery - but it might be months away. I'll try to be as patient as I can and distract myself with other projects. :) At this rate I'll be happy if I can get the Bolt disassembled by the end of the year.

[CyberBill]

Another couple of months have gone by!

Current status is that a lot has progressed on the situation with the Chevy Bolt and its battery recall. GM made the decision to replace the battery packs in all Chevy Bolts produced, and to do this in a prioritized manner where higher risk Bolts would be replaced first. Some analysis of the fires showed that cars manufactured in a certain date range were roughly 30x more likely to catch fire, and mine was in that range. My Bolt is currently sitting at the nearest EV Certified Chevrolet dealer awaiting replacement. The battery is on order and should get replaced in the next couple of weeks.

The DeLorean is sitting mostly as it was 2 months ago (no engine, transmission, or fuel system), except the rear interior panels have all been removed, the bulkhead connectors are removed, and the engine bay is covered in 3d-scanner markers and matting spray. I've made multiple attempts to 3d scan the engine bay with not great results. If I can get some success, I think it's going to make the EV conversion process MUCH easier - plus I'll be able to 3d print out parts and test fit them as a scale model.

I've decided to take all of December off from work, which will give me some much needed rest and time to work on the conversion!

[CyberBill]

Quick update!

The Chevy Bolt is back home, sitting in the shop, currently on the charger. It has a brand new battery which will be removed and disassembled here in the next week.

[CyberBill]

Time for another short update! I also realized I didn't put my recent EV purchases in the same format, so I'll do that properly now so it's easier to scan through and compile a total price.

The Bolt is now fully stripped down, and I've posted some items that I won't use up for sale on the ChevyBolt forum. I've also completed my initial designs of the battery box and cooling system. I'll have videos of those in the future.

I've also starting purchasing items for the conversion. In addition to the long list of tools and organizational supplies for the shop, I've also got some supplies for the battery packs - heat shrink tubing, 20 feet of 24-gauge wire in various colors, 25 feet of 2/0 cable in black and red, 2/0 cable lugs, BMS connectors (male & female to make extensions), 30 meters of all-thread, and some SB350 Anderson connectors (rated for 500A).

On the cooling side I've ordered 4 copper manifolds with 1/2" outlets, 1/2" elbows, 1/2" bulkhead fittings, 25 feet of 1/2" tubing, some custom cut aluminum plate, and TONS of hose clamps.

Purchases:

2019 Chevy Bolt donor vehicle - $13,230 - Copart & others
Wires, cable, heat shrink, etc - $335 - Amazon
Manifolds, elbows, bulkhead fittings, tubing - $260 - Amazon
Battery BMS connectors - $50 - Digi-Key
30 meters of M6-1.0 all-thread - $100 - Grainger
Custom-cut cooling plate inserts - $900 - SendCutSend
8x 350A Anderson connectors, handles, boots - $315 - Powerwerx


Sales:

DeLorean engine - $2,500
DeLorean transmissions - $1500

[Timeless]

Any worries about battery fires? I'm not up to speed on the Bolt but wasn't every production car built recalled?

[CyberBill]

Any worries about battery fires? I'm not up to speed on the Bolt but wasn't every production car built recalled?

Not anymore! :)

My Bolt was one of the first to get the battery replaced from the recall, so there should no longer be a risk of fire.

[Timeless]

Not anymore! :)

My Bolt was one of the first to get the battery replaced from the recall, so there should no longer be a risk of fire.
Cool. Specific reason you chose GM over Tesla components?

[CyberBill]

Cool. Specific reason you chose GM over Tesla components?

Oh yeah, lots! I've got a video that covers it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eCvUGx6OkE&t=121s&ab_channel=BillCarlson

tl;dw: Technical manual availability, tools availability, serviceability, and price... to name a few. :)

[CyberBill]

I have some additional purchases! I think this mostly rounds out everything I need to build the battery boxes and get the motor mounted. The motor is now placed appropriately in the vehicle and I took measurements for custom CV shafts from The Drive Shaft Shop. Those specs went out yesterday evening, though I don't expect to get them for a few weeks at least. I also had a near miss with the battery boxes. Once the motor was in place I made a cardboard mockup of the rear battery box and found that it didn't quite fit! I was easily 2" short! I had failed to take into account where the motor would sit when I was measuring, so I'm very VERY glad that I did this check now before I started building anything. I quickly redesigned the pack - I moved the rear most battery module from the back to being under the other modules, and it should fit now with ample room to spare.

I need to take a day to work on some non-car stuff, then I'll be teaching myself how to tig weld. :)

Purchases:

Steel angle, flat bar, steel plates - enough to make the battery boxes and motor mounts - $1065 - Metal Super Markets
Engine-swap motor mounts and transmission mount - $93 - Amazon
Nuts, washers, button head screws, and U-Bolts - $115 - BoltDepot
PEX tubing and reducer fittings - $56 - HomeDepot


Sales:

Chevy Bolt Rear headrest - $100

[CyberBill]

It's been about a month and I'm ready for another update. :)

I designed and built some motor mounts for the electric motor from the Bolt - honestly, it feels like this motor was built to go in the DeLorean. It fits perfectly. I'm using an LS-swap mount kit that had 2 poly mounts and some 1/4" mild steel plate. I had to teach myself how to TIG weld, which took about a week or so to get competent enough to weld the mounts together. With a little tweaking the motor went in and is almost perfectly aligned. There is roughly 1/8" difference in the position of the output shafts. The Drive Shaft Shop wanted me to wait until I had the positioning locked in, so the info has now been kicked off to them.

The battery modules have been broken down as far as I need to take them, which includes cutting some mounting plates off of each one and removing some long threaded rod that connects the modules together into sections. I've got my own threaded rods cut to size and have a nut positioned and loctite'd into place on each, and I think tonight I'll get those all installed back in the modules and tightened down so they aren't so delicate. They basically lose all structural stability without the rods in place.

I'm on my 3rd iteration of the design for the battery boxes - I'm pretty happy with how the design looks now and will start manufacturing the boxes in the coming weeks.

The design for the cooling system is also complete and I will begin working on manufacturing the cooling plates. I have all materials on hand, including the 3d laser cut aluminum plates that route the water, end plates, and hose barb fittings.

Purchases:

1/2" weldable aluminum hose barbs - $180 - ICT Billet
M8 and M10 nuts and bolts for motor and battery mounts - $61 - BoltDepot

[Helirich]

Moving along good. Thanks for the up date, but you know what would be better? Pics!

[CyberBill]

Moving along good. Thanks for the up date, but you know what would be better? Pics!

Even better than a picture - VIDEO!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8LeZlg6Tb8

:)

[CyberBill]

Things are going great on the conversion!

As I had the main motor mounts complete on the last update, I've now added a 3rd mount to ensure that torque from accelerating/braking doesn't twist the motor. All 3 were then removed, cleaned, and painted. I've sent off the cups from the CV shafts to The Driveshaft Shop and they will be fabricating the CV axles. The estimated price I have is around $1800 - as expected it's one of the more expensive components of the build.

The battery modules have the threaded rods inserted and somewhat tightened down - I found that blue loctite wasn't strong enough, so I scrapped it all off and went with red. Had to do that for 40 of them! The threaded rod is 6mm inside of a 7mm hole through the pack, which means there is quite a bit of slop when you tighten them. It means that when I drill the 6mm holes with exact spacing that holds the modules in the right spot, I have to loosen them, put them through the holes, then torque them down. I only have to do this once per module, as they'll hold the position from that point on. This will make more sense with some videos and visual aids in future YouTube content on the topic. :)

Progress is coming along great on the battery boxes. The design seems to be holding up as I get through construction. At the moment I'm building a frame out of 3/16" steel that will hold 4 battery modules upright then I'll create another that is mirrored. One will go in the back where the motor was and use the original motor mount holes plus some additional attachment points on the frame rails near the rear fascia. Another battery module will be mounted below it. The other box will go up front in the trunk, with an additional module inside the gas tank area.

Once I've got battery boxes I can work on the brakes... Then once I've got brakes I'll work on getting all the electronics mounted... Then first drive. Seems so simple, right? Just 3 more steps!! :D

Purchases:

6mm nuts for battery pack, 8mm and 10mm bolts & nuts for motor mounts (different size than before) and battery mounts - $57 - Bolt Depot
1/8" flat bar in 1/2", 1", and 1 1/2" for battery boxes - $150 - Metal Supermarkets
WIRE! Multi-color packs of every gauge from 20awg to 10awg - $321 - WireBarn
25x 2awg lugs for 1/4" (6mm) - $25 - Amazon
Replacement coolant temperature sensor - $15 - Amazon



New Tools:

Tap & Die set (the cheap one from Harbor Freight went dull after ONE tapped 6mm hole
Drill bits in 5mm, 6mm, 7mm, and 10mm
EEVBlog multimeter
High voltage protective leather gloves
Tungsten carbide scribes, Metal markers, layout fluid
7"/9" angle grinder, grinder disks
argon

[CyberBill]

The first battery box frame is pretty much complete! Imagine a cube frame made of 2" wide 3/16" thick steel angle. There is just a little bit of work to grind the welds flat on the cover so that it sits flush, then I'll hit it with some spray paint and start work on the 2nd box this evening. It sucks that it took me 2 weeks to build it, but I'm hoping that the 2nd box will be faster. At some point in the future I will add panels to the frame to close it in and make it water tight.

Since the first box is close enough, I test fitted it in the DeLorean with amazing results. :) In the back I have inches of space all around - TONS of space remaining for all the other electronics. In the front, I also have tons of available space, including space for the radiator and fans in front and connections to the heater core in back, but the stock location of the brake booster and master cylinder would interfere significantly. Luckily, that is something I expected, but it will be a challenge to get the new iBooster installed without interfering with the steering linkage.

Purchases:

8mm forged eyebolts (for lifting the battery boxes) and more 6mm screws - Bolt Depot - $127


Tools:

Cleco fastener kit
Band saw (didn't end up working to cut metal as I had hoped)

[CyberBill]

Battery Box #2 was much quicker! Only took me about a week - roughly 20 hours or so - and it's now got a coat of paint on it. I'll hit it with another later today and then I'll mock up its placement in the car. This will mostly be so that I can get the iBooster in the right spot.

Once I'm happy with the placement I will weld on some tabs so I can mount it securely in place, then remove it and fill the battery boxes with battery modules. I'll do most of the electronics work with the batteries on a moveable cart, rather than mounted in the car. I have to build bus bars and wire up the BMS, high voltage lines to the inverter and DC-DC converter and all of that. There is a significant wiring harness to deal with, and I suspect it'll keep me busy for a month.

Purchases:

Orange heat-shrink tubing - $14 - Amazon


Tools:

Ryobi

[CyberBill]

I've got a new video released! This one shows the design and fabrication of the motor mounts.

https://youtu.be/juMBsJDW-0I

[Helirich]

Nice! I would have rounded the corners a bit. I know those parts are not for show, but it’s nice not to scratch your arm when you’re working on it later.

[Mark D]

I've been following along for a while now on Youtube. You're doing great and producing some really interesting videos, so keep up the great work.

After watching the last video I was surprised you didn't cut off the engine mount tabs and reweld them after the motor alignment ended up being slightly off. Modifying the holes on the mounts into slots to make the positioning adjustable may not have been an ideal solution. There is a possibility that as soon as the brackets are loaded up with torque from the motor, the position of the mounts will shift in reaction to the load.

It may not be a major issue if you were only correcting the position of the motor along the vertical axis. I'd just double check that the amount of clearance you have to the surrounding frame would still be acceptable if the mounts do shift. I'd also find the the appropriate torque specs for those mounting bolts from the Chevy Bolt manual, and make sure everything is tightened down to spec. You want to be sure you've got enough clamp load, but don't want to overtighten and yield the bolts, unless the spec calls for them to be torque to yield and are single use.

My OCD also noticed the sharp corners on the brackets, but that would just be for esthetics. And I probably would have hit the brackets with some primer first before painting black if I'm going to nitpick. :)

Again, great work and can't wait to see the next episode.

[CyberBill]

I've been following along for a while now on Youtube. You're doing great and producing some really interesting videos, so keep up the great work.

After watching the last video I was surprised you didn't cut off the engine mount tabs and reweld them after the motor alignment ended up being slightly off. Modifying the holes on the mounts into slots to make the positioning adjustable may not have been an ideal solution. There is a possibility that as soon as the brackets are loaded up with torque from the motor, the position of the mounts will shift in reaction to the load.

It may not be a major issue if you were only correcting the position of the motor along the vertical axis. I'd just double check that the amount of clearance you have to the surrounding frame would still be acceptable if the mounts do shift. I'd also find the the appropriate torque specs for those mounting bolts from the Chevy Bolt manual, and make sure everything is tightened down to spec. You want to be sure you've got enough clamp load, but don't want to overtighten and yield the bolts, unless the spec calls for them to be torque to yield and are single use.

My OCD also noticed the sharp corners on the brackets, but that would just be for esthetics. And I probably would have hit the brackets with some primer first before painting black if I'm going to nitpick. :)

Again, great work and can't wait to see the next episode.

Thanks Mark!

Now that you mention it, I don't think I explained this very well in the video - but if you take a look at ~17:31 in the video you can see that I elongated the bolt holes, then got them lined up, and then re-welded the holes back to circular, so they won't be shifting. :) You're right though - looking back I should have just cut them and rewelded it. Frankly I just don't have the fabrication experience to know yet when to push forward and when to take a step back.

And yes, all the bolts are torqued to the spec in the shop manual!

My "shoot for the stars" goal here would be that somewhere down the line someone else will want to follow in my footsteps and do the same conversion, and I will go back and have new mounts CNC cut out, welded together, and powder coated. I've already learned a ton in the process, so I know that my 2nd attempt would be much nicer.

[CyberBill]

Lots and lots of things going on this past month!

The wiring harness from the Bolt EV is now splayed out on the shop floor and I have successfully "started" the car this way, without any of the high voltage components. The wiring harness has been stripped, a bunch of items I won't need have been bundled up and removed from the harness, and some of the plugs have been cut out (rear doors, being the big one). The high voltage components are all sitting on my cart and the wiring harness for it has also been stripped and some connectors bundled up.

The interior for the DeLorean is now completely gutted. The seats, center console, binnacle, steering column, pedal box, rear parcel shelf, most of the carpet, and the entire wiring harness has been removed. It's basically a bare shell in there at the moment with only the dash and climate control system (blower, evap core, heater core, etc) remaining. I also pulled the body off the frame and removed the few remaining gas lines, coolant lines, and shifter and stuff. While it's gutted I took the time to scrape off all of the insulation on the parcel shelf and in the little back cubbies - the car smells much nicer now! Also while the seats are out of the car I ordered all new seat tracks. The driver's side was functional, but very rusty. The passenger's side was completely seized. Of course all the carpets are ruined due to the rust.

Mock fitting of the battery packs went... OK. Major hurdle up front is that with the pack in place there is no room for the brake booster in the normal location, however with the iBooster system there is room to tightly fit it against the fiberglass frame rail. However, that means there are significant fitment issues with the stock steering linkage. However, I'm going to replace the steering column with the one from the Bolt EV, so I guess it was going to change anyway! Of course I didn't expect to spend $500+ on u-joints and steering shafts and completely redo everything.

I've got the DeLorean pedal box all cut to bits, I've fabricated all the mounting locations to get the Bolt EV steering column at the right spot - which means I will have a tilting and telescoping steering wheel with power steering and all sorts of integrated buttons. The pedals will be located a couple of inches to the left, which is nice - I absolutely hate the stock pedal locations (particular the gas pedal). I also have to fabricate a new brake pedal assembly bracket/push rod. Essentially I'm gutting everything in the driver's footwell and fabricating everything from scratch. I also have to rotate the brake master cylinder 90 degrees and extend the brake booster out from the firewall (if you can call it that) by a few inches - meaning I have to extend the push rods on both ends of the iBooster.

In the rear, the battery pack fits nicely on it's own, but my original plans had me using the stock Bolt EV high voltage component bracket and leaving them in the same relative spots - this is the inverter, charger, dc-dc converter, and high power distribution module. But they don't fit. I thought the battery pack would sit low enough to have the HV components on top, or far enough back to fit the HV components on the firewall, but neither were true. I need 18" between the pack and the firewall and I've got 12". Instead, I'll be attaching them directly to the firewall and sides of the engine bay instead. It might make running the cooling tubes a little more challenging, and I'll have to end a lot of wiring, and I'll have to fabricate a mount for each component, but overall it's not a huge road block.

Oh, I guess lastly... I want to get the car able to move on it's own in roughly 10 weeks - 4th of July week. Because of that, I'm going to start relying on SendCutSend for parts more than I have previously. They really are very reasonably priced, and since I have a lot of 3d modeling experience it wasn't too difficult to pickup the basics of Fusion 360.

Purchases:

Nuts and bolts for firewall and mounting steering wheel and pedal assembly - Bolt Depot - $73
All new seat tracks and stainless release bars and related hardware - DMCH - $313
Brake Booster brackets, Brake Booster-Master Cylinder 90 degree rotation adapter, Front battery box mount tabs - SendCutSend - $71
1/8" steel firewall (footwell?) plate - SendCutSend - $65
Borgeson Steering U-Joints - Summit Racing - $300
4awg studs, 4awg wire (black, for grounds), ground distribution blocks - Amazon - $159
Copper terminal crimp kit, adhesive lined heatshrink tubing kit - Amazon - $39
Borgeson steering u-joint and stainless steering shaft support (heim) - Amazon - $196
Borgeson steering shaft - 3/4" DD, and steering shaft support (firewall) - Amazon - $95
Weld nuts (M6, M8, M10) and double sided tape - Amazon - $40


Tools

Plastic razors
Countersink drill bit set (for metal)
Argon gas flow meter
New TIG torch and hoses
Ratcheting wire crimpers
Digital soldering station
Terminal plug removal tool set
Digital level and angle gauge

[CyberBill]

My new video is live! This one covers design and fabrication of the battery boxes for the DeLorean EV.

https://youtu.be/PFFFqAO2o-k

[Helirich]

Lots of work. I’m amaized you do so much welding with a magnet next to the weld. I find it really draws the arc.

[CyberBill]

Lots of work. I’m amaized you do so much welding with a magnet next to the weld. I find it really draws the arc.

That's interesting - I guess I've never really noticed. I pretty much always hold everything together with magnets, give them a tack, then remove the magnets and complete the weld. Maybe I'm using high enough amperage to not matter? (120A for most of this stuff)

It could also be that I'm just too new to notice, as my welds are pretty crappy! haha

[CyberBill]

Another month has gone by! I'll say right away that my hopes to get the car moving on its own by 4th of July are out the window at this point. I hit so many issues with the pedal box/brake booster/steering column/steering intermediate shafts that are taking wayyyy longer than expected, and it still isn't complete yet.

The interior firewall is mounted, and it's perfect!! I have it welded to the upper half of the "pedal box", which is really just the steering column mount. That meant I could get the steering column mounted and it properly tilts and telescopes and is positioned quite well (after a few attempts!). I also have the exterior firewall aligned and ready to install, but I've got it removed to work on steering and brakes without having two plates of 1/8" steel in the way.

Just last night I got the steering joints and shafts in place. I cut down the steering column on the Bolt - then a U-joint and a support bearing and another U-joint - then a firewall bearing - then another U-joint, a 3/4" DD shaft, then a support joint, then two more U-joints, one of which is attached to the steering rack. I'm not quite at a place where I can turn the steering wheel and the wheels turn, because I need to mount the two steering support joints. I think tonight I'll be able to mock up where they go, and maybe work on fabricating them. Each one of these U-joints is about $100... so just for those it's about $500 - then the support bearings are about $50 each, and the shafts are in that range, too. So damn expensive!!

I was hoping I would be able to run the steering shaft low enough to avoid the brake booster with it mounted flush with the firewall, but at the moment l think I'll be able to get it within a few inches of the firewall, which is way better than I had originally thought it would be.

Once I've got the steering hooked up and the brake booster installed, then next up is the pedal box from the Bolt.

As far as the battery boxes - I've got the laser cut parts for two 'small module' packs from SendCutSend and one of them is tacked up and it's perfect. I'll be finalizing them and I've got the parts to build the mounts all ready to go as well - so it's just a case of finding the time to weld it all together and make some bolt holes in the frame.

I think at that point the only thing remaining will be the high voltage components in the rear, which will involve a lot of fabricating of little mounts and things, and then wiring this beast up! Oh, and I also got the CV shafts coming in, which should be very simple to bolt in place, AND a personalized license plate, which I'm pretty excited to see. :)

Purchases:

Borgeson steering shaft support - Amazon - $40
Borgeson steering u-joints - Summit Racing - $329
Exterior firewall plate - SendCutSend - $49
Rear battery mounts - SendCutSend - $26
Small Module battery enclosures (2x) - SendCutSend - $500
CV shafts - DriveShaftShop - $1640


Tools:

Drill guide blocks in Metric and Standard
Metal file kit
Step bit for metal

[Riley88]

Another month has gone by! I'll say right away that my hopes to get the car moving on its own by 4th of July are out the window at this point. I hit so many issues with the pedal box/brake booster/steering column/steering intermediate shafts that are taking wayyyy longer than expected, and it still isn't complete yet.

The interior firewall is mounted, and it's perfect!! I have it welded to the upper half of the "pedal box", which is really just the steering column mount. That meant I could get the steering column mounted and it properly tilts and telescopes and is positioned quite well (after a few attempts!). I also have the exterior firewall aligned and ready to install, but I've got it removed to work on steering and brakes without having two plates of 1/8" steel in the way.

Just last night I got the steering joints and shafts in place. I cut down the steering column on the Bolt - then a U-joint and a support bearing and another U-joint - then a firewall bearing - then another U-joint, a 3/4" DD shaft, then a support joint, then two more U-joints, one of which is attached to the steering rack. I'm not quite at a place where I can turn the steering wheel and the wheels turn, because I need to mount the two steering support joints. I think tonight I'll be able to mock up where they go, and maybe work on fabricating them. Each one of these U-joints is about $100... so just for those it's about $500 - then the support bearings are about $50 each, and the shafts are in that range, too. So damn expensive!!

I was hoping I would be able to run the steering shaft low enough to avoid the brake booster with it mounted flush with the firewall, but at the moment l think I'll be able to get it within a few inches of the firewall, which is way better than I had originally thought it would be.

Once I've got the steering hooked up and the brake booster installed, then next up is the pedal box from the Bolt.

As far as the battery boxes - I've got the laser cut parts for two 'small module' packs from SendCutSend and one of them is tacked up and it's perfect. I'll be finalizing them and I've got the parts to build the mounts all ready to go as well - so it's just a case of finding the time to weld it all together and make some bolt holes in the frame.

I think at that point the only thing remaining will be the high voltage components in the rear, which will involve a lot of fabricating of little mounts and things, and then wiring this beast up! Oh, and I also got the CV shafts coming in, which should be very simple to bolt in place, AND a personalized license plate, which I'm pretty excited to see. :)

Purchases:

Borgeson steering shaft support - Amazon - $40
Borgeson steering u-joints - Summit Racing - $329
Exterior firewall plate - SendCutSend - $49
Rear battery mounts - SendCutSend - $26
Small Module battery enclosures (2x) - SendCutSend - $500
CV shafts - DriveShaftShop - $1640


Tools:

Drill guide blocks in Metric and Standard
Metal file kit
Step bit for metal


I think you overpaid for cv axles bud. DPI has really good ones for like 500-600. I installed them and they are great. Or did you find something interesting?

[CyberBill]

I think you overpaid for cv axles bud. DPI has really good ones for like 500-600. I installed them and they are great. Or did you find something interesting?

These aren't standard DeLorean CV axles. Custom designed to have the Chevy Bolt EV CV cups on the inboard side and DeLorean / Porsche 930 on the outboard side - with custom lengths for my specific application. Also designed to handle the increased torque of an EV (although honestly the stock ones don't seem to have a problem handling 300HP+).

[Riley88]

Even cooler, sweet man. I wanna see when ya post pictures!

[CyberBill]

I released a new video on the DeLorean EV conversion today - this one is focused on stripping the DeLorean's interior and wiring harness - taking it down to basically an empty shell in preparation for moving the EV components over.

https://youtu.be/aZVWvsji8sg


https://youtu.be/aZVWvsji8sg

[Helirich]

That was the best episode yet. I learned a lot. Got me thinking about possibly making my trunk bigger. This is an exciting point in your series because pretty much everything from now on is going forward. (As appose to removing something first.) I’m amazed you took so much care removing the harness. Your certainly committed now and can’t go back.

Thanks for posting.

[CyberBill]

Thanks!

Yeah, I agree - mostly all "building" from now on, rather than breaking things down. The next video will come up shortly, and it's on stripping the Bolt wiring harness and prepping it for install, but certainly after that it's all fabrication.... battery packs, battery mounts, steering, brakes, high voltage components and wiring...

I saw a video from one of the DeLorean yearly shows that was the guy who did the Iron Man DeLorean and he also did an EV. He cut open his front trunk, similar to what I did, but he did it so he could hold the spare tire and have a lot more space up front, plus he could hold one of the rear tires in there. The space in that area is very much underutilized!

It should be pretty straight forward to build a mold and create a replacement trunk in fiberglass that greatly expands the amount of storage space available. I'm planning to make a replacement myself once I've got the pack in place.

[CyberBill]

These have been a slow couple of months on the car, and I realize that I haven't made an update in a while. As everyone here is surely familiar - sometimes other things come up. :) One of those things was installing a NEMA 14-50R outlet in the garage, which now has a "Level 2" 40 amp EV charger in place (240V * 40A = 9.6kW). This is more than the 32A max that the Bolt/DeLorean charger will accept, but we just bought a Mustang Mach-E that can charge at 48A. 40A means we can do a full (0-100) charge in under 10 hours, though we keep it capped at 80% unless we are doing a long trip. This is a huge improvement over the level 1 charger (120V * 12A = 1.4kW).

One big thing is that my custom drive shafts have been shipped out from The Drive Shaft Shop, and are scheduled to be here on Friday!! While that isn't even close to holding me back at the moment, it is a requirement to get the car to move, so I'm very excited to get them installed!

Next is that I've taken some time and I've pivoted on the brakes & steering situation. I decided to stop working on the steering and instead get the brake booster and pedal box installed so that I can confirm placement and fitment of the pedals, and then I'll go back to the steering linkage. This required me to make 2 brackets - one that holds the Bolt's pedal assembly to the interior firewall plate/pedal box, and one that holds the Bolt's brake booster - plus an arm that holds the brake "clevis" in the right spot on the brake pedal. This has been tack welded and I'm planning on testing it over the next week. Testing it will mean the brake booster is installed and I can press the brake pedal to activate it.

With the booster working, I'll switch over to the steering linkage - and I *might* have a new path for the linkage where I can go to the driver's side of the pedal box, rather than passenger side of the box. At the moment it is basically right in the middle of the car, and if I can move it to the driver's side it will come out a few inches from the stock location. If I can do that, I'll likely be able to remove one of my U-joints, which will make me very happy, and simplify the linkage.

I also have both small battery boxes tacked together. On the short list is to weld the rear small and large packs together, which will let me properly place it in the engine bay and get the mounts fabricated. I think having the full rear pack (empty) mounted will be a huge milestone!!


Brake booster stuff - SendCutSend - $66
Bolts for brake booster - Bolt Depot - $35


Tools

Grizzl-E 40A EV charger and 50A NEMA 14-50 outlet
3" die grinder mandrel w/ cut-off discs
MIG welding wire, TIG electrodes, other consumables
Riv-nut install tool (for use with a drill)

[CyberBill]

I hit a pretty awesome milestone this evening while working on the car!

I've got the pedal box from the Bolt installed in the DeLorean - along with the electric power brake booster and master cylinder! This means I can sit in the car and hit the brake pedal and it actually "does" something! The brake fluid hard lines aren't installed yet, but that should be pretty straight forward, and at that point I will literally have working brakes again!!

The accelerator pedal is also a component of the booster, and it is installed and working. And the final piece, steering, is coming along. The steering column is installed - it has both tilt and telescoping, along with lots of buttons. The main piece not hooked up here is the steering linkage, but I'm pretty sure that the setup I was getting frustrated with before WILL work, I just need to get the heim support joints really strong. My thought that I might be able to route the steering linkage to the "left" did not work out once I test fit everything. There just isn't any room.

Side note - if anyone wants to replicate this build - avoid this situation. I'm too far along now, but had I known I would run into this I would redesign the battery pack to give more room on the driver's side of the trunk. Then the steering linkage could go through the original path (or maybe a bit to the left) and then move the brake booster 4" to the right (of my current location... which is probably 6" to the left of the original brake booster location) to give it enough clearance.

Anyway - once I've got the steering working I'm going to switch over to the batteries. I've got to finish constructing the rear battery box and then build the mount for it, then mount the big front box and build a mount for the small front box and mount it. Then I'll need to mount at least 2 of the high voltage boxes (HV distribution box and inverter - I won't need to mount the DC-DC converter or AC charger for the first run around the block). Once they are installed I'll run the high voltage cables around the car and hook up the packs, then low voltage wiring harness. I did receive the custom CV shafts last week and they are gorgeous and will fit perfectly! Because they are splined and go into the electric motor, I will need to remove the lower suspension links in the back to install them.... THEN I'll be able to drive it for the first time!!

[Helirich]

Sounds like a lot of work yet. Keep at it. I have a custom Truck that took me ten years to build. It was worth it, now that I’m driving it. My only regret is now I have to pick between two awesome vehicles when I go for a drive.

[CyberBill]

Haha - well, all that progress from a few weeks ago has been ripped out. It's all for for the better, though!!

The short version is that the steering linkage setup was just terrible and not going to work very well, and I wasn't happy with it. It had something like 6 U-joints to snake around the brake booster, and every one of those is a potential place for binding to happen. It also would require 3 support joints in there (you can have 2 u-joints in a row, but not 3) - and I just hated it.

However as an engineer, I've learned that sometimes if you want to do something right you have to do it wrong a few times first. ;) Having all of the components in the car really let me decide exactly what was working and what wasn't, what things I could be more flexible on, and other things that I couldn't.

The brake booster location was PERFECT, and basically unmovable without redesigning the battery pack. From the top looking down I thought it was right up against the driver's side fiberglass frame rail, but when I lifted the car up and took the driver's side wheel off, I found out that I could get about 2" of space between the rail and the booster because the rail kind of flares out. This is just enough space to fit the steering linkage!! I'll only have to use 3 u-joints - maybe down to just 2 if it happens to line up, but probably not, so I will have to use one support joint - probably mounted on the firewall.

I drilled a hole through the firewall and my firewall plate and then had to come up with how to put the accelerator pedal and brake pedal in there. This is really tricky because the pedal assembly from the Bolt doesn't leave any room for the steering linkage. The accelerator pedal assembly from the Bolt is a couple of inches thick (left/right) and is all one unit, made of plastic, that I can't make any thinner - but I found out that I can put the assembly right between the steering linkage on the left and the brake booster on the right, and in this position the steering linkage will work, the brake booster plunger can be pressed, and the pedal itself is in a comfortable position!! GREAT!

This leaves just the brake pedal. After lots and thinking about it and trying things - the end result is that I'm going to scrap the pedal box from the Bolt and make my own. For the brake it's just a couple of standoffs that accept bushings for a 3/4" rod. The rod has the pedal shaft welded to it, along with a piece that presses the brake booster, and a third piece that activates the brake position sensor. I'm even going to use the original brake pedal from the DeLorean, since it has a better shape. However the rub here is that this means also having to recreate the mount that holds the plastic accelerator pedal - which isn't flat, has all sorts of weird curves to it, and is just generally a pain.

I tried using a 3d scanner (Revopoint Pop 2) without any luck, so I ended up using reference photos, then tracing them to design a bracket. Took me the weekend to 3d print a bunch of attempts, refine them over and over, and end up with a pretty snazzy design that I can make out of laser cut metal.

All of this has been designed in Fusion 360 and just this morning I sent them off to SendCutSend. It was only $107! It's insane - it would take me WEEKS to make these things from scratch. I should have everything back in a week, so during the downtime I'll get back to the rear battery box.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention that I'm also working on hooking up the brake lines and ran into some issues there with the iBooster. All the posts here on DMCTalk are using an iBooster brake master cylinder that uses M12-1.0 threads, but mine is M12-1.5! I can't seem to find anything that lets me use this... so I've got a lot of brake line tools and fittings coming in to come up with a solution. Also, to make it easier to do this work I've removed the steering wheel - and the bolt was crazy tight. Ended up snapping a T50 torx bit and ordering some beefier replacements, and it also stripped the bolt out a bit.

Purchases:

M8 weld nuts - Amazon - $10
Brake line coupler set - Amazon - $11
Chevy Bolt brake pedal sensor - Amazon - $30 (I accidentally drop and broke mine, woops)
Bronze flange bearings, shaft collars, and 3/4" rod for brake pedal - $50
Chevy Bolt steering wheel bolt - Amazon - $8
12" M10-1.0 Bubble brake line sections (4) - Summit Racing - $61
Steering linkage couplers - Summit Racing - $94
M12x1.5 - 3/16 brake fittings - BrakeConnect - $36
M12x1.5 - to 7/16x24 brake adapters - eBay - $27
3d cut parts for steering, brakes, accelerator pedal - SendCutSend - $107


Tools:

Brake tubing bender, rimming & deburring tool, tube cutter, flaring tool set
Torx bits (I snapped one getting the steering wheel off)

[Helirich]

Good up date, better with pics/video.

Carry on.

[CyberBill]

Good up date, better with pics/video.

Carry on.

All in good time!! :)

[CyberBill]

I did a video update showing the latest status as of today!


https://youtu.be/bU-SVdMPJwg

https://youtu.be/bU-SVdMPJwg

[Helirich]

Good video. That steering setup is cool. I’m sure it was a PITA. One thing I noticed was it looked like a bolt was going to hit your pedal support if you turned too much. Probably just the camera angle. I’m sure the bolt could be trimmed if it really hits. I assume the battery’s can be removed relatively easy in the future if need be?

Plate is cool. It would be neat if you could source/make some kind of official looking badges that would indicate or hint at it’s secret. Ha ha.

[CyberBill]

You are totally right - that set screw DOES hit the accelerator pedal as it is. Good eye! The reason is because I haven't drilled a spot for the set screw to go into yet, so it's just sitting on top of the threads on the steering column shaft.

The batteries are pretty easy to remove. Each battery box has 4 eyebolts that I can install and then pick the whole thing up with an engine hoist. The one in the front will come in at around ~325lbs and the rear will be ~400lbs. These will go up once I add all the cooling plates, covers, high voltage cables and connectors, etc. The individual battery modules simply slide into the packs and are bolted into place.

I like your idea of a badge visible from the outside... I'll see if I can come up with something!

[CyberBill]

Since last month, I got my SendCutSend order in for all of the pedal box and brake booster stuff, and it went together PERFECTLY! The accelerator pedal assembly is all good to go, fully welded up. The brake pedal is well placed and presses the booster. The only minor issue is that the arm that presses the booster has to be too long in order to reach the booster plunger, so pressing the brake pedal takes a lot more force than I want. I'm going to fix this with version #2 of the brake booster mount - essentially lifting it up by an inch, but maintaining all the angles. The steering linkage is great, and I think I'll be able to have it all hooked up with about 2 hours of work. Mainly I need to mount the firewall support joint - then cut the linkage shaft to length.

The other big item is that all 3 of the battery boxes are now complete and mounted in the car!! I had some trouble with the small battery box that goes in the gas tank area, but nothing an angle grinder and welder couldn't fix. ;)

This week I will be dropping all of the battery boxes and filling them with battery modules, then hooking up all of the high voltage cables and BMS wiring. The BMS is going to live in the gas tank area, attached to the small battery box. I'll need to extend half of the BMS sense lines - roughly 50 of them - to reach the rear pack, but I think the wires to the front pack should be good. The high voltage cables are composed of 8 copper bus bars that I had laser cut and CNC bent into 'U' shaped bars that connect the large modules within a pack together. Then I will connect the packs together with 2/0 welding cable, which I hope to snake through the inside of the frame. Depending on how much space and time I have, I may hook these together with Anderson 350A connectors... or wait until I can find proper sized Amphenol connectors.

These next two weeks I'm going to be pushing to try and get the high voltage system functional so I can spin the motor for the first time, then take a much needed vacation.

Purchases:

Welding consumables - gas lens, collets, TIG torch head - Amazon - $75
Split loom conduit and orange electrical tape - Amazon - $35
Copper bus bars - SendCutSend - $126
Version 2 of brake booster mount - SendCutSend - $31
Clevis rod end for brake pedal - McMaster Carr - $24
Bolts, flat washers, nuts, fender washers, etc for battery mounts and bumper - Bolt Depot - $48
6mm button head bolts, washers, and lock washers - Bolt Depot - $33


Tools:

Drill Doctor DD750X drill bit sharpener
Cobalt spiral flute step drill bits
Welding supplies - Argon flow meter/regulator (for MIG welder), welding sleeves, magnetic TIG torch holder,
Tap socket set
6" Digital Calipers

[CyberBill]

I've released a couple of new videos!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLnAoDDNaJQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLnAoDDNaJQ

[CyberBill]

A video short showing the complete rear pack:


https://www.youtube.com/shorts/NiRePIkHVuo
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/NiRePIkHVuo

[CyberBill]

Video detailing the final construction of the rear battery pack:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOvPzqsIM18
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOvPzqsIM18

[CyberBill]

I am so close to being able to spin the motor for the first time!!!

The low voltage (12v) system has been thrown into the car, basically just sitting in the passenger seat area with all the wires strewn everywhere. There are some key things placed in decent areas (the main screen, the rear fuse box, etc) so that I can get at them to turn the car on, hit the brakes, shifter, and the accelerator. The tail light bulbs are in a plastic bag and those work, the remote works, the stereo works, I can use Bluetooth to stream my phone audio, so a lot is there.

The high voltage battery packs are all constructed and are filled with batteries. Some of the high current wiring is there and hooked up, I've got a couple Anderson connectors in place, but I didn't get the BMS lines all hooked up yet and am currently waiting on a bunch of wire. It turns out there are 59 BMS sense lines and each one is 8' long, so 500' of 22-gauge wire and originally I had only ordered about 200'.

Most of this is what I accomplished prior to vacation, and for the last two weeks I was hanging out in Orlando right after Hurricane Ian stopped by. Two days before we left I also had a bad accident with the drill press, where it caught on some copper bus bar material and ended up smashing me in the wrist with a pair of vice grips. I thought I had broken it - got X-rays - but lucked out and just had to wear a brace until it healed.

Once I get the BMS lines setup and the high current wiring, I'll install the packs in the car and then make the final high current wire connection between the front and rear. Then I need to plug in the contactor pack and other high voltage components, and the motor should hopefully work.

With the motor spinning, the next big milestone is driving down the block, which I should be able to do before winter hits.

Purchases:

Butt connector crimps - Amazon - $25
Wet-dry sandpaper (for polishing bus bars) - Amazon - $17
8awg wire and ring terminals for grounds - Amazon - $82
Deutsch connector kit - Amazon - $160
Bus bar stubs - SendCutSend - $42
Anderson 350A connectors, plugs, handles, safety boots - Powerwerx - $517
22awg TXL wire for BMS sense line extensions - WireBarn - $121
4x Eaton 400A 500VDC fuses - eBay - $59



Tools:

Wire thickness gauge (wire gauge gauge?)
Large gauge wire strippers
Drill press/bench vice
Alligator clip jumper wires
Deutsch connector crimper

[CyberBill]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CALZay8WoEs

The electric motor is spinning in the DeLorean!

[CyberBill]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DN4GdjU6Euc

Mounting the rear battery pack in the DeLorean

[CyberBill]

Huge milestone - the motor is spinning!!

I got the motor spinning on October 27th, and honestly I haven't looked at the car since then! The week getting it going was insane, I felt I was so close that I probably worked at it for 40+ hours over the week and desperately needed a break afterwards. It's hard balancing my day job, my side businesses, wife and friends, and then the EV conversion on top! I have a thread with some more details on getting the wiring (low voltage wiring) from the Chevy Bolt to work in the DeLorean here: https://www.chevybolt.org/threads/cant-enable-high-voltage-contactors-after-ev-swap.46656/

Last post I was really hoping that I'd be able to drive the car around the block before winter hit - but... winter has already hit!! Overnight temperatures are now freezing, and during the day it hasn't been much better, so I'm going to slow down and take all the time I need to get the car ready for it's first spin. The short list is basically to get the high voltage components permanently mounted (contactor box, high power distribution module, motor inverter, charger, dc-dc converter), then get brakes and steering working, and then a handful of miscellaneous things like the turn signals and low voltage wiring for the accelerator and brake pedal. Then I'll probably be waiting until spring (or an unusually dry winter day) before I have the maiden voyage.

Purchases

2/0 gauge wire in black and red, 10 feet each - Amazon - $161
1350 piece resistor kit - Amazon - $14
Replacement coolant temperature sensor - Amazon - $18


Tools

10mm insulated nut driver & 10mm insulated socket
Rigol DS1054Z Oscilloscope and back probe kit
Diagonal cutting pliers (4 1/2" and 6")

[CyberBill]

I ended up taking about a month off from physically working on the car. Besides relaxing, I used that time to do some video editing and CAD work, and ordering lots of parts and things for the build. About a week or so ago I finally got back to working on it. The rear battery pack is removed and disassembled, and I'm working on installing panels that enclose it and mount points for the motor inverter and contactor box. I'm also going to redo the way I connect the lower battery module up to the rest of the pack - I really did not like how my first implementation went, it was potentially dangerous. I'm switching over to using RadLok high voltage connectors and I'm integrating a 400A fuse inside the box, so that if the wires were every pinched in an accident it will blow a fuse rather than blowing up the battery! The BMS sense lines are also getting updated while I'm here. They weren't terrible - but I'm being overly cautious and moving the wires, and then wrapping them in split loom and putting on a grommet.

Besides the battery, I'm also trying to wrap up the brakes and steering. The brake booster mount v2 has been fabricated and installed in the car. I'm waiting on a delivery from SendCutSend (tomorrow?) and I will then weld up v4 of the brake pivot mounts... V1 is 120mm tall (4.75"), V2 is 100, V3 is 75, and V4 is 50mm. Turns out - 50mm is pretty much the height of the original DeLorean brake pedal pivot, so that's what I'm going with. This literally means a 70mm (2") difference in pedal location, and is why the pedal felt a little cramped for me how I had it. I will need to move the accelerator pedal to compensate - but I've got the parts for that on the way as well, and it should be straight forward. I've also updated the push-rod attachment point to hopefully fix the hard pedal issue. It now matches the original Bolt's length. The brakes will then need to have lines installed between the booster and existing lines.... then wire it all up... then bleed the system.

On the steering - I previously shoved some random bits of metal to act as a shim on the steering column, and I've replaced that with properly welded shims with little tabs to hold them in place. I've also got everything I need to put the final bulkhead support in place and install the lower intermediate shaft. Looking back to my previous posts - I realize that this is the state it's been in for two months!! I really just need to get it done!

Purchases

Bus Bars (version 2) and brake pivot mounts (version 2 & 3)- SendCutSend- $138
Battery box side panels and Brake pivot mounts (version 4) - SendCutSend- $369
Battery box high voltage fuse panel cover and RadLok mounts - SendCutSend- $41
M3 screws & set screws, M4 screws, washers, nuts, M6 screws, bolts, and flange nuts - BoltDepot- $67
RadLok receptable and plugs (2 pairs) - Mouser Electronics - $126
Electrical connectors for tail lights, 9-pin, 2-pin connectors and pins - DeLorean Go - $121
CV Axle ABS Magnetic Tone Rings - eBay - $38 [I will likely not be using these, but have them as a backup]
Grommets of varying sizes - Amazon - $34


Tools

Grizzly GO-956 80-Gallon 5HP air compressor [My Christmas present!!]
Ryobi Brushless angle grinder kit
Sheet metal clamps / shears
Step-drill bits
Magnetic field viewing film (for diagnosing the ABS wheel speed sensor ring)
Drill bits and taps for M3 and M4 bolts
ABS filament for 3d printer
Rolling cart for laptop stand

[mike123]

Hi Bill - a question on the battery modules. Sounds like there's 10 modules coming from the Bolt. I was wondering - if you found the space - whether it would be possible to add more modules from another donor car.

Also thank you for continuing to post your costs; it's helpful to see how it breaks down across the car and car-specific fixes (e.g. frame) versus the EV conversion.

[CyberBill]

Hi Bill - a question on the battery modules. Sounds like there's 10 modules coming from the Bolt. I was wondering - if you found the space - whether it would be possible to add more modules from another donor car.

Also thank you for continuing to post your costs; it's helpful to see how it breaks down across the car and car-specific fixes (e.g. frame) versus the EV conversion.

Hey Mike!

I'm glad you appreciate having the costs posted! I felt that it was very hard to figure out how much the project was going to cost because people are very wish-washy on how much stuff costs. So I try to keep it accurate to the dollar, even if I buy a part and later don't use it... because I still had to buy it to figure out that I can't use it!

Regarding adding more batteries... For my situation it would be pretty difficult. For piecemeal EV conversions it would probably be easier.

Some things to consider - when you add a battery you're either adding it in series or parallel. You can't add just one battery in parallel, you basically have to have 2x, 3x, etc of the total number of cells in series. For me I have 96 cells in series and 3 in parallel, so if I wanted to add another in parallel I would have to add 96 additional cells. Pack voltage would stay the same, and I could source more amps of current (if I upgraded all the bus bars and HV wiring and fuse), and I would get more range.

When you add a new module in series, though, you increase the voltage of the pack. It might be fine to add 5%, maybe 10%, but at some point you reach the voltage limit of your components. 96 cells at 4.2V puts me at 400V when fully charged. I think my inverter is using components rated for 500V, but I have no idea what the rating of the DC-DC converter is, or the heaters, or the contactors, or the AC compressor. Higher voltage does mean that the current required to do something goes down, and the efficiency and top speed and max power goes up. I would also get the same additional range as adding it in parallel. Another big issue with adding a module in series is that your BMS needs to support the number of cells in your battery pack. My BMS supports 96... so I really can't add another module unless I replace the BMS, which is kind of integral to the car. I would have to reverse engineer the CAN protocol and create a replacement interface that allows the rest of the Bolt to talk to the new BMS.

Personally I would be more interested (for my personal build) to take my pack from 3 cells in parallel down to 2. Pack voltage stays the same, but total pack size would drop from 66kWh down to 44kWh. Range would also drop from ~250 down to ~165, but I would save something like 300 pounds and a ton of space up in the trunk!

[mike123]

You can't add just one battery in parallel, you basically have to have 2x, 3x, etc of the total number of cells in series. For me I have 96 cells in series and 3 in parallel, so if I wanted to add another in parallel I would have to add 96 additional cells.


your BMS needs to support the number of cells in your battery pack. My BMS supports 96... so I really can't add another module unless I replace the BMS, which is kind of integral to the car. I would have to reverse engineer the CAN protocol and create a replacement interface that allows the rest of the Bolt to talk to the new BMS.

Thank you for the explanation! The two details above are the exact two things I was wondering about. The parallel requirement to multiply evenly makes sense, and I am sure there are massive advantages to keeping the stock BMS and not trying to code up something custom.

And yes, totally agreed on the cost piece. Trial and error is a bit of the process, especially when you're doing something totally new like this!

[Bitsyncmaster]

You could probably add odd number of cells if those cells drive an inverter driving a charger for the main battery pack.

[CyberBill]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYcTZHigHqc

New video uploaded! This one covers mounting the front large battery box.

[Mark D]

Nice progress and another enjoyable video to watch.

[CyberBill]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvuUHLNbaEU

Another new video - this one covering the mounting of the front small battery box that lives in the old gas tank area.

[Helirich]

nice progress and another enjoyable video to watch.

x 2

[CyberBill]

Merry Christmas!

Thanks to having some time off around the holidays, I've been able to get some good work done on the car.

First up - steering works!! It works really quite well, without any binding after my initial adjustments. The entire setup is far more straight forward than my original version, and I'm very happy with it now. The final setup is that I've got a vibration reduction U-joint attached to the steering rack - it connects via a 3/4" DD shaft up through a coupler (for easy assembly/disassembly) and into another U-joint. That U-Joint connects through the firewall support joint and into the steering column's U-joint. It's a lot better than the 4 or 5 U-joints I thought I was going to use, and I also don't have to use any support joints other than the one on the firewall. Initially I had a TINY bit of binding, but found that it was caused by one of the joints being installed too far onto a shaft, and cutting it down by just a hair resolved it.

Secondly - the brakes work!! After a ordering brake fittings over and over again, I finally got a solution that works. It was incredibly annoying when I would order something through Amazon or eBay and the wrong part would show up - which happened 3 times!! The final solution is that I use an adapter to go from the Bolt master cylinder's M12x1.5mm threads into a standard AN-4 fitting. Then I downsize it to AN-3 - and use a stainless steel braided PTFE brake hose to another AN-3 fitting. Then I have one final AN-3 to the standard brake line (M10x1.0mm bubble) so I can attach it to the car's existing lines. I'm getting a teeny bit of leaking on one joint, but I've got some thread sealant on the way to fix that up. Otherwise the brakes are bled, and they work, and it's ready for the first drive.

Thirdly - the rear battery pack is complete and reassembled. I've done a bunch of upgrades to it to make it safer and easier to work with, which I will cover in depth in a video on my YouTube channel in probably 2 months (I'm very slow with editing!)

Lastly - I'm just finalizing some work on the low voltage system in the car, and prepping everything to be reinstalled so I can FINALLY drive the car around the block for the first time. It's SO CLOSE!!

Purchases

M8 bolts of various sizes, M4 screws in various sizes, and some spacers for M6, M8, and M10 - BoltDepot - $80
12-pin Flange mount Deutsch connectors (5x) - eBay - $61
Amphenol SurLok 350A connectors (2 pairs) - Mouser - $113
DOT4 brake fluid - Autozone - $8
Wire grommets - Amazon - $11
Brake line parts - Amazon - $210


Tools

Ryobi 1/4" Extended Reach Ratchet
Various 1/4" drive socket accessories - magnets, 10mm with nut holder, new ratchet
Long reach tap handle
Sheet metal bender tools
Face shield
More step bits

[Helirich]

Very nice! I?m surprised the rear tabs on that box didn?t pull out when you finished welding. I guess you could pound them back in some if they did. Nice job?

[CyberBill]

Very nice! I?m surprised the rear tabs on that box didn?t pull out when you finished welding. I guess you could pound them back in some if they did. Nice job?

You mean warp out due to heating from the welding?

I don't tend to get a lot of warping when I weld unless I really go crazy with the heat and stick on one area for too long. Typically I will do tack welds all around the piece, and then do short stitch welds around it multiple times until it fills in completely. I also use an air compressor and a small battery powered fan to cool off the parts.

[CyberBill]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knEoKNq8yjs

New video showing the latest up-to-date progress on the conversion. I've got another full episode coming out in a few days, too.

[CyberBill]

FIRST DRIVE!!!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbKG0eMJlnQ

[Helirich]

Fantastic! Too bad it wasn?t nicer weather. I imagine it wasn?t good for ?full on? excellerating or braking. Is the only thing you hear tire noise? Or is there some motor noise. I guess that will change some as you button up the interior.

Good job! Can?t wait for next video.

[CyberBill]

Definitely would have been better if it was a bit warmer! We're hovering just above freezing temps at the moment, which is about as good as we can ask for this time of year.

Acceleration is currently limited because the car is in "propulsion limited mode". Since I haven't hooked up the wheel speed sensors, the car doesn't know how fast it is going and it limits the output. I'll do a 0-60 test once I've got that fixed.

Almost all of the noise is tire noise, but there is a sci-fi sounding 'whiiiiiz' that comes from the electric motor. :)

[Timeless]

I left a comment on your YT page. Excellent achievement sir! :cheers1:

[CyberBill]

This last month has been pretty awesome. :)

As you can see with my recent video - the DeLorean EV is alive! I had the first drive on January 13th, and it went brilliantly. Since then the car has sat while I focus on other things.

On that list - we are now an EV-Only house! Late December we took delivery of our new 2023 Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Edition. GREAT car! And then just two days ago I purchased a 2022 Ford F150 Lightning Pro. I've never owned a truck before, but living out here in central Washington we really do have a frequent need. We still have to sell the old car, but that should be pretty straight forward.

Purchases

Wire in 12awg (50 feet), 20awg (1400 feet), 22awg (900 feet) - WireBarn - $275
BTTF Plutonium box stickers - eBay - $7
Shifter mount plate, Manual Service Disconnect mount, small battery module lid - SendCutSend - $93
Tail lamp control module - GM Parts Direct - $34
Tinned copper braid sleeving in 3/4" and 1/2" (EMI Shielding) - Amazon - $60
10 feet of 1/0 welding cable - Amazon - $70
Various sized wire crimps - Amazon - $62
Load resistors for turn signals - Amazon - $9


Tools

Air line parts for air compressor - Amazon

[Helirich]

Do you have lots of solar panels for charging?

[CyberBill]

We don't yet - but we are planning to get as many as will fit on the roof in a couple of years.

What makes it hard is that our electricity is already super cheap and over 90% is wind, the remaining is hydro, so there just isn't a big financial or green incentive.

[MrChocky]

We don't yet - but we are planning to get as many as will fit on the roof in a couple of years.

What makes it hard is that our electricity is already super cheap and over 90% is wind, the remaining is hydro, so there just isn't a big financial or green incentive.

Also, the PNW is not exactly known for its copious sunshine. Nor is Western PA, for that matter.

[FABombjoy]

Also, the PNW is not exactly known for its copious sunshine. Nor is Western PA, for that matter.
Panel efficiencies are going up as costs are going down. We're in a similarly cloudy area and are on track for 10-12yr system payoff. You might be surprised.

[Chris4099]

Wow, I can't believe I missed this thread for so long! Doing an electric conversion has long been a goal of mine. While I'm very comfortable with the wiring side of things, I'm not much of fabricator. My hope is one day somebody comes out with a conversion kit at which point I could then simply bolt it all in without having to do a bunch of fabrication. Hopefully that happens before my PRV suffers some sort of catastrophic failure. My D is the last ICE vehicle I now own, so it really sucks having to get gas for it and only it when both my other EVs just refuel at home.

I'm now subscribed to your channel and can't wait for the next video to come out! Hopefully in the future you can also start driving it out to the Seattle area PNDC tech sessions as I would love to see it in person.

[Ron]

We don't yet - but we are planning to get as many as will fit on the roof in a couple of years.With that setup, any idea on how long would it take it to recharge the D?

[CyberBill]

At home, we'll always be limited by the built in charger from the Bolt, which is 240v @ 32A, or 7.6kW. With the Bolt's battery, that means about 8 hours to go from 0 to 100%. It has 50kW DC fast charging abilities, which will do a full charge in about an hour, but that is going to take a lot of work for me to get working in the conversion. It requires the AC system.

Where we are in central WA, we actually get a good amount of sun. About 20% more than Seattle, which is only 90 minutes away. I would like to do a minimum of 10kW of solar, targeting 20kW if we can fit it.

I should be able to drive the car from here to Seattle for Pacific Northwest DeLorean meetups by the end of the summer - so long as I can secure a level 2 charger in the area for a few hours. :) I really want to bring it over to my office in Redmond, and we luckily have a charger on site.

[Chris4099]

Here in Portland, OR, I have a south facing solar array. Over a decade, it averaged around 3MWh per year from a 3.2kW array. So a 10-20kW array would produce about 10-20MWh annually. Based on that, it's pretty easy to figure out the ROE on the system. I'm sure most installers can do an even better job calculating average output based on a particular region and how the panels are oriented. Regardless, even here in cloudy Pacific Northwest, a solar system can produce enough to cover its cost well within its lifetime.

If you end up going to a tech session hosted by Toby, just ask in advance and see what he has. There's plenty of power in his shop, so he might have a 14-30 or similar outlet around there. You might need a 14-30 extension cord though. I still have one from back in the "dark ages" of limited public charging. Thankfully I haven't needed it in about 8 years now, but it still sits in my trunk just incase.

[Bitsyncmaster]

Here in Portland, OR, I have a south facing solar array. Over a decade, it averaged around 3MWh per year from a 3.2kW array. So a 10-20kW array would produce about 10-20MWh annually. Based on that, it's pretty easy to figure out the ROE on the system. I'm sure most installers can do an even better job calculating average output based on a particular region and how the panels are oriented. Regardless, even here in cloudy Pacific Northwest, a solar system can produce enough to cover its cost well within its lifetime.

If you end up going to a tech session hosted by Toby, just ask in advance and see what he has. There's plenty of power in his shop, so he might have a 14-30 or similar outlet around there. You might need a 14-30 extension cord though. I still have one from back in the "dark ages" of limited public charging. Thankfully I haven't needed it in about 8 years now, but it still sits in my trunk just incase.

Thanks for that data. I've always wondered what solar would save. From my last electric bill my cost per KWH is $.155 so your 3 MWh would save me $467. That is assuming I can use all that power and not sell it back at reduced rates.

[mhanch]

At home, we'll always be limited by the built in charger from the Bolt, which is 240v @ 32A, or 7.6kW. With the Bolt's battery, that means about 8 hours to go from 0 to 100%. It has 50kW DC fast charging abilities, which will do a full charge in about an hour, but that is going to take a lot of work for me to get working in the conversion. It requires the AC system.

Where we are in central WA, we actually get a good amount of sun. About 20% more than Seattle, which is only 90 minutes away. I would like to do a minimum of 10kW of solar, targeting 20kW if we can fit it.

I should be able to drive the car from here to Seattle for Pacific Northwest DeLorean meetups by the end of the summer - so long as I can secure a level 2 charger in the area for a few hours. :) I really want to bring it over to my office in Redmond, and we luckily have a charger on site.

Will the car have any regen? that will help. But there's charging in Snoqualmie, North Bend, and all over the area if you need it.

[CyberBill]

Will the car have any regen? that will help. But there's charging in Snoqualmie, North Bend, and all over the area if you need it.

Yes, it already does!

Most of the chargers around here are DCFC using CCS, which my car will not support for at least a year. Some stations do have a Level 2 J1772 port, which I'll be able to use, but speed will be an issue. I'll be limited to 7kW of charging.

[CyberBill]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWGEWrFZRL0

New video! This one goes back a couple of months before first drive and covers getting the high voltage system plugged in, and debugging issues with the 12v system.

[Helirich]

Video is good, but I don?t like seeing it after the driving video. Order matters!

Carry on.

[CyberBill]

Not a ton to report - but the DC-DC converter and AC charger are now both permanently mounted in the car (and plugged in). I've done some initial routing of coolant lines for the electronics loop, and just got in some new components for that. The overflow tank and pump are both mounted, so just the tubing is left. I decided to go with some very nice quality silicone heater hose that turned out more expensive than I expected - but I'd rather get the good stuff that I know will last. For now I don't think I'm going to include the front radiator in the loop, but having the coolant as a heat buffer should be fine with the temps near freezing.

The shifter is now mounted using the metal plate, so it's nice and secure and feels much better than being held on with zip ties. :D The manual service disconnect (high voltage disconnect) is located in the position I want it, and I need to fabricate a couple of mount points to call it 'done'.

Purchases

Cable glands assortment (1/4"-1") and ring terminals - Amazon - $56
FlexFab 3/4" x 50' silicone heater hose, 5/8" x 10', 5/8" - 3/4" adapters, and 3/4" couplers - Amazon - $448


Tools

USB wall charger & cords to have a central charging location in the shop
Seek CompactPro thermal camera

[CyberBill]

Continuing on with the coolant loop - I was able to really quickly cut and route the silicone tubing, then fill the loop with DexCool coolant. Somehow I did the whole loop and pressure tested it and didn't have a single leak! I did have to extend the control wires to the pump - but that's a very simple process. With the coolant loop taken care of, I was able to charge the car up to about 40% and leave the DC-DC converter plugged in, and the Bolt happily charged up the 12V battery and the coolant loop kept everything nice and cool.

Next up was all the external lights. Back when the car had an engine, I had replaced the rear lights with LEDs, but hadn't done anything to the front. So I purchased everything needed to convert the headlights, front turn signals, and side markers to LED! Now at the same time I realized that the DeLorean and Bolt aren't really aligned as far as what wires control what items, so I completely rebuilt the front bumper harness from scratch. I used a Deutsch 12-pin connector in the same spot as the DeLorean's 9-pin one, ran all the wires through the front frame rail, and the end results are simply AWESOME! One slight complication was the turn signal ballast resistors that I needed to install (on both front and rear), but honestly the whole setup is pretty simple. The lights look incredible all the way around! For the rear bumper I bought a new 9-pin connector and wired it from the Bolt's wires to the DeLorean's as best I could - while it isn't quite 1-to-1, it works perfectly. At some point in the future I will rebuild the rear bumper harness in the same way as the front bumper harness, switching to Deutsch connectors and nicer wires. As of now, I have all external lights working - parking lights, low beams, high beams, reverse lights, and turn signals.

Some minor other items include hooking up the wires to the power steering motor, building mounts for the Manual Service Disconnect and mounting it, and hooking up the GPS and LTE antennas.

With lights and proper cooling, I did my first drive through town! I have some slight rubbing with the parking brake lines, a little squealing, some rattles... but it drove really REALLY nicely. Significantly faster than when it was gas powered - however my car was having transmission and/or engine issues, so it was like 0-60 in about 30 seconds. It's now about 7 seconds, as best I can tell. I expect to get that down by another second or two once I get the car out of "reduced power mode". I got the car up to 80mph, too!! As always, handling was fantastic, and I got a lot of looks while going through town. :)

Most recently, I've been spending a lot of time on the wiring harness. Just as an example... the doors each have a big connector with ~20 wires going to each. But nearly half of those wires are for things that the DeLorean won't need going to the doors. Things like speakers, antennas, and crash sensors. I'm going through each one, making a label for each wire, and then cleaning up the mess of wires in the passenger area. I have my fingers crossed that by July 1st I'll be able to give people rides. Solo trips just aren't as fun!!

Purchases

Black stainless rear screen finisher w/ screws, license plate clips w/ screws, side marker LEDs and sockets, new brake pedal pad - DeLorean GO - $354
Chevy Bolt EV tail lamp control module - eBay - $43
600' of 16awg GXL wire in various colors - WireBarn - $92
Stainless hose clamps and cable clamps - Amazon - $71
H4 LED Conversion Lamps, H4 wiring sockets, LED headlight bulbs, LED turn signals bulbs - Amazon - $185
Thermal adhesive tape, heat shrink butt connectors, heat shrink spade connectors - Amazon - $58


Tools

Ryobi compact brushless impact driver and long magnetic screwdriver bits
IGAN-P6 flush wire cutters
Elgato Green Screen XL