We need a D at the salt flats

[SamHill]

Yeah, I know that's not what the car is for, but what the hell. Reading this very short description on BAT puts it on my bucket list. And isn't that Mercedes still the most beautiful car ever made? But most importantly: who is going to be first to get a D in on the action?

http://bringatrailer.com/2012/08/14/speed-week-2012-wrapped-lessons-learned/

[thirdmanj]

Yeah I agree......... no roads.

[tyb323]

12528
Oliver Holler has already been there done that =)

[thirdmanj]

Ooooo neat! Any video?

[SamHill]

We need a D to make an attempt at a run... that one on .com with the roll cage already inside it would be perfect... wonder what happened to that car.

[Mike C.]

97mph doesn't excite me

[dmc6960]

This would be a job for someone with a stainless steel frame. Followed immediately by a car wash.

SALT! HELLO!

[SamHill]

Which is why that boogered up D with the roll cage would be perfect. Don't remember if that car had orig. engine or not

[Dangermouse]

97mph doesn't excite me

Depends on what you are riding in/on :)

[Stainless]

It's kind of funny that I live so close to the Bonneville Salt Flats, but have never been to them. I only drive that direction when heading to northern Nevada on I-80, which has only happened a few times in nearly 30 years.

Looking back, I find it quirky that I am more eager to see things that are outside of my home state instead of the other way around. The salt flats are pretty lame to just see, so in order to motivate myself to go there, I'd need to try and schedule a trip when some races are going on.

I just looked at their website and realized that this is the time of year when the cool events are taking place... perhaps I'll mark this on my calendar... http://www.saltflats.com/

[Nicholas R]

I would LOVE to get my car out on the salt flats some day :D

[Kenny_Z]

I've always wanted to build a salt flats racer, just not out of a Delorean. It'd have to be an old lead sled with a period correct engine.

[Rich W]

Which is why that boogered up D with the roll cage would be perfect. Don't remember if that car had orig. engine or not

12553

12554

Not sure if you were referring to this car or not, but it did have a roll cage and a 4.3L V6 engine in at one time (about a decade ago).

I have been thinking about taking a DeLorean to the Salt Flats for over a decade, with my first thought taking my Grand National powered DeLorean,
but with it being a "hot air turbo" with no intercooler, that is exactly the wrong setup to use for maximum HP during the Summer at higher elevations.

To have a real shot at getting into the 150 mph club (qualifying incrementally) then the 200 mph club, you really need a whole lot of reliable HP and
experience driving on salt (or even driving on hard packed sand, like some dry lake or river beds). Anything over 125 mph on salt needs experience.

I now have the Diesel RV to do the transport...now all I need to do is race prep a DeLorean for the salt...no small task. Maybe one day in the future.

Later,
Rich W.

[SamHill]

12553

12554

Not sure if you were referring to this car or not, but it did have a roll cage and a 4.3L V6 engine in at one time (about a decade ago).

I have been thinking about taking a DeLorean to the Salt Flats for over a decade, with my first thought taking my Grand National powered DeLorean,
but with it being a "hot air turbo" with no intercooler, that is exactly the wrong setup to use for maximum HP during the Summer at higher elevations.

To have a real shot at getting into the 150 mph club (qualifying incrementally) then the 200 mph club, you really need a whole lot of reliable HP and
experience driving on salt (or even driving on hard packed sand, like some dry lake or river beds). Anything over 125 mph on salt needs experience.

I now have the Diesel RV to do the transport...now all I need to do is race prep a DeLorean for the salt...no small task. Maybe one day in the future.

Later,
Rich W.

I watched a mid 80s vid of a 928 on Youtube, and somewhere in it, the guy says it doesn't matter how fast you're going, because it's all dangerous. I'm thinking that pushing a slow, old Delorean to the limit would be pretty scary. I will never do this, because I doubt I would want to spend the $. But I would definitely assist. If somebody is doing it with a million dollar Mercedes Gullwing, I don't see why not a Delorean: not for the speed, just for the marque. I would absolutely "wrap" the frame with something before going out. Once salt gets in those crevices, it's not coming out.

[Rich W]

I watched a mid 80s vid of a 928 on Youtube, and somewhere in it, the guy says it doesn't matter how fast you're going, because it's all dangerous. I'm thinking that pushing a slow, old Delorean to the limit would be pretty scary. I will never do this, because I doubt I would want to spend the $. But I would definitely assist. If somebody is doing it with a million dollar Mercedes Gullwing, I don't see why not a Delorean: not for the speed, just for the marque. I would absolutely "wrap" the frame with something before going out. Once salt gets in those crevices, it's not coming out.

I agree that the process needs to be safe, as well as effective. Guys like Wolfgang (deloman) and Ed Uding have been pushing the performance
of the suspension and chassis (for pure racing purposes) that helps boost the confidence level and reduce the "scary factor" with their DeLoreans.
Once all of the "race car" short-comings are addressed, then you can "push the envelope" with regards to increasing HP and the top speed on salt.
Then decisions need to be made how you want to "run" (classification) and how to meet or exceed those requirements with the selected DeLorean.

I believe that experience can be gained from an "initial effort" before an "all out effort" is attempted, and I agree that this can be good for the marque.

As a side note, I have seen Ed Uding drive a DeLorean "on the track" at a few Houston Open Houses and he would be my first choice to take on the salt.

Later,
Rich W.

[Jonathan]

Some of the guys at work had been putting this together for the better part of 4 years. They took it down to the salt flats for the first time this past weekend. Still waiting for them to get back to hear the stories. 770 hp and it sounds like he got it to touch 200 mph. Uses about a gallon of fuel a minute from what they were saying.

12560

[Kenny_Z]

The forum really needs a drooling smiley. I love that car. It's beautiful.

[yellowmxwheels23]

We need a D to make an attempt at a run... that one on .com with the roll cage already inside it would be perfect... wonder what happened to that car.

Thats my car.
It had the v6 in it but from the years sitting uncovered with no engine cover the motor was toast. It's one of my projects that hasn't been finished.
I was thinking along the lines of the STI motor someday.
So now the car sits in my Dads shop. I haven't really worked on it much after cleaning the 6 inches of leaves and rat S!*t that layered inside. That and all the old wiring.
Maybe I'll really start into it after this summer.

[yellowmxwheels23]

A built STI motor. 300hp stock but you can get a little extra out of it:rollin:

[DMCVegas]

Thats my car.
It had the v6 in it but from the years sitting uncovered with no engine cover the motor was toast. It's one of my projects that hasn't been finished.
I was thinking along the lines of the STI motor someday.
So now the car sits in my Dads shop. I haven't really worked on it much after cleaning the 6 inches of leaves and rat S!*t that layered inside. That and all the old wiring.
Maybe I'll really start into it after this summer.

Holy SHIT! Is that the car from the DML For Sale section back in the 90's that was raced in the Baja 1000?

[yellowmxwheels23]

I'm not sure if it was ever on the DML. I also doubt that it was raced in the Baja 1000. No way this car would have made it through the course with its current suspension set up.
Someone tipped me on the car a couple of years ago so I went to take a look. The guy said that it had been sitting on the trailer for atleast 7 years.
The owner of the car lives in Mexico and the guy said he was like a Mayor or something(Cartel?) and was loaded, so he raced alot and this was one of his cars. He didn't know what race it was used in.
I went home and got a text later that night saying the owner would sell it for $7000 but I would have to come to Mexico to get all of the original parts out of storage. (Not sure if any of you watch the news but I haven't been to Mexico since like 1999 and its 20 minutes away.)
So I told him that I didn't need the original parts.
After the back and forth for a couple of days I got a text that he would take $1000 for it. Went right up and grabbed it.
The frame is actually good couple small dents here and there. Only glass is the windshield.
It's going to be a fun project when I get around to it.

[Rich W]

Not on the DML, per se, but it was on DMCNews
Cars for sale page back in early 2000's.

I may still have the ad, since I emailed for more info.
I need to check the email archive for the details.

Later,
Rich W.