Need advice. I just inherited a 1981 Delorean with 1,248 miles. Been in dry storage

[hillbillysims]

I've been a member of many forum/communities.. I gotta say.. this has been one of the best experiences so far & great feedback.. thank you guys so much!

I know 1 thing.. I will not be turning it into a BTTF car. I know I want it to be transformed into a very dependable car & I'll want the electrical upgrades & probably an upgraded stereo unit.

As far as customizations... it will probably be limited to nice looking exhaust tips & slightly lowered front end. Other than that, I feel like John Delorean hit a home-run on the styling of this car & see no need to change it.

Based on your suggestions, I will probably research what all I need to do on cleaning the fuel tank / fuel delivery.. maybe myself.. and depending on what the parts look like, replace some of them.

Any suggestions specific to engine and transmission before ever attempting to crank (after fuel system & lines have been cleaned out)?... I know I'll need to drain all the fluids and replace those... do you guys do any motor flushes or anything?... I don't have much experience with clutch and transmission work at all, so I will likely seek help on that for sure. I have heard of people manually turning motors without cranking them to oil them up good before the 1st crank attempt etc etc

[axh174]

Help is abundant for you as well, so don't see dollar signs. Think of the car as a new hobby. It will open many doors to new adventures. Savor them, and enjoy the ownership experience.

I don't have much to offer beyond what has already been stated, but I do want to emphasize what DTOUR said. The kind of help at your disposal through this forum and the community in general is nothing short of remarkable. There are plenty of individuals within it who genuinely want to help for no reason other than they are wonderful human beings and possess a love for these cars. You'll find members driving hundreds of miles to help another for a weekend rebuild of a system; you'll find members at meet-ups running with tool boxes towards DeLoreans limping into the parking lot, eager to lend a hand; and you'll find minutely-detailed and thoroughly illustrated write-ups on this forum ranging from how to rebuild an engine to how to change a marker bulb. If you're ever feeling overwhelmed by a task, remember you're not alone in this amazing journey of ownership, and the memories and friendships you build are going to last a lifetime.

Welcome to the club!

-Kevin
VIN2234

[bfloyd]

When I bought mine, it had been sitting untouched in a guys garage for 20 years. I didn't know anything about Deloreans except that I had always wanted one since I was a teenager. Reading these forums for hours on end was the biggest asset I've gained since I bought it. Like others have said... don't even thing about trying to start it. I found a thread on here somewhere about priorities, order and procedure for bringing a car like this back to life.

I went about mine in this order....

1st year - Make it mechanically roadworthy and safe. One of the first things I bought (which is NOT on the "mechanically roadworthy & safe list) is a set of new pneumatic door struts. Hard to brag to your friends about your new Delorean when the doors are being held up with broomsticks. I actually put the jumper cables on to the car long enough to turn on all of the lights, radio, turn signals, etc. Made me giddy with excitement, made my wife think I bought a car that actually works.

YEAR ONE
In order (best that I can remember) - Washed it, vacuumed it, shined it up (just for a little confidence of what it can look like when I get done).
Cleaned out the fuel tank, replaced every single belt, hose, hose clamp, all new fuel lines, new fuel pump, new fuel accumulator, new fuel filter, new water pump, did the whole "Valley of Death" thing, new plugs, wires, distributor rotor, oil change and filter, new coolant bottle, cleaned the "sticky plunger" fuel distributor, new fuel filter, powder coated the valve covers, new vacuum lines, new radiator, auto bleeders (front and rear), new brake calipers & pads, new master cylinder, cleaned the injectors, new injector boots, had the auto trans shift computer rebuilt, new auto trans filter and gasket, and new tires all the way around.

This second year of ownership led me to the interior of the car to do more "comestic and comfort" things. (Most were not necessary, but sure made driving the car more fun... which is kinda why I bought the thing to begin with)

YEAR TWO
New leather seat covers, new touch screen stereo and dashboard/console face plate, HVAC mode switch rebuild, new speakers and wires all the way around, reverse camera system, power antenna, Cellular / GPS tracking system, all exterior lights converted to LED (except headlights), new tail light circuit boards, correct previous owner's creative wiring attempts at the fuse panel, new air conditioning compressor, hoses, accumulator, condenser, new shock cord in the cargo net.

NEXT YEAR
Next year I will more than likely replace both cooling fans (just because), new relay kit, new springs and shocks all the way around, and have the sagging headliner replaced.


I did all of the work myself over the last year and a half, with my previous mechanical experience with cars prior to Delorean ownership was changing the oil on my F150.

[bfloyd]

I have heard of people manually turning motors without cranking them to oil them up good before the 1st crank attempt etc etc

I pulled all of my spark plugs and squirted a syringe full of "Marvel Mystery Oil" into each cylinder and followed it up with a shot of air from the air compressor. Then I let it sit for about a month or so while I did the rest of the work. While I had the fuel system out (and spark plugs) and the cooling system apart, I put a pair of jumper cables on it and cranked it over several times just to make sure the engine wasn't seized up. Turned over as smooth as butter.

[hillbillysims]

the more I hear you guys talk.. the more confident I am getting thinking I can handle a lot of this (at least on getting it running).

I'll get pics the next time I go to grandpa's and post them. The only pics I have right now show mostly the higher mileage car (35k).. the lower mileage car is hiding behind it

[dn010]

I wouldn't use motor flush, just drain the oil, dump a fresh QT in with the drain still open and see what comes out. Refill, run it and then depending on how bad it is change it again shorty after. After putting new oil in and prior to staring it up for the first time, I would disable the ignition so it doesn't fire up and then crank it for a few bursts, allowing the oil pump to kind of prime things before spinning at 750+ revolutions/minute.

[David T]

One way to get started on the motor would be to pull the spark plugs and put some oil into each cylinder. Marvel Mystery Oil is good but any good light oil will suffice. Let it sit for a while. Put it into 1st gear and try moving (pushing) the car back and forth and see if the engine turns. Forget trying to use the clutch at this point. Also don't step on the brakes, they won't work either and will only lock up. The emergency brake may work though. I would not change the motor oil just yet. If anything it may need a little, same with the transmission. I would not change the motor oil or the transmission oil till I got it to run and warmed up. As for the clutch, just order a master and slave cylinder and a braided S/S line, it all has to be replaced. For the cooling system, fill with plain water when you are ready to start the motor. You will be flushing it several times before you put anti-freeze back in.
We are getting way ahead of ourselves here. Right now the most important thing is to get your paperwork in order and get insurance on it.

[burch]

I've been a member of many forum/communities.. I gotta say.. this has been one of the best experiences so far & great feedback.. thank you guys so much!

Agree with this, wholeheartedly. The overwhelming majority of my interactions on here have been positive and enlightening.

[Ron]

I have inherited a basically brand new Delorean from my grandfather & need advice on what steps need to happen to make it totally roadworthy/dependable because I plan to drive it regularly. I just want to do it right.

...great advice in the thread. Particularly:

Do not let ANYONE try to start it.

Check out SEDOC...we are currently procrastinating when/where to set an overdue meet (SOP ;-)

[mluder]

Are there any books you can buy regarding rebuild/repair/maintenance of these cars?

As mentioned there are no Chilton or Haynes manuals for the DeLorean... There are however guides for the generic PRV engine (Volvo cross referenced) as well as guides for the Bosch injection system.
I have them somewhere in digital form... I'll see if I can find them.

Cheers
Steven