DMCH new build discussion **Split from Ebay car vin thread***

[DMCMW Dave]

Of course. I didn't think that. Just wondering how it all worked, because it's not considered a restoration, is it?

Houston considers it a new build as it is mostly new/NOS. Legally it's the same car, although there isn't generally much of the original car left.

[Michael]

You have fallen victim of the media's hype. They take the phrase "New Build" and translate in their heads to "New Car", then it's a short trip for anyone who just skims headlines to take it as "they are building new Deloreans in Texas!"

Really you can call it what you want, in truth it's a frame off restoration. All Houston really needs is a clear title and set of vin plates...the rest(even an underbody or frame) they can provide if need be.

As of 2010(maybe late 2009?) the major difference between an older rebuild and a new rebuild is they now use a remanufactured stainless frame and control arms, rather than take an old frame, strip it and powdercoat it.

In the end, when you get the title with your "new" car, it will say 1981/2/3 Delorean, the mileage will be whatever was on the title at the transfer date(to Houston), even if it's a new engine/transmission, etc.

[David T]

Everyone is playing with semantics here. There is nothing "new" about the car. It will have it's original or a donor vin and an original build date back in the '80's. There will be new and N.O.S. parts on it (and a lot of old parts) but no one can call it a NEW car. Some would call it a frame-off resto, others might call it a rebuilt car, DMCH calls it a "new build". It will be bought and sold as a used car as you can NEVER be an original owner on that vin if it was ever registered. Here is the crux of the question, at what point does replacing parts qualify as a "new" car? A tune-up, a rebuild, a "new build"? I submit EVERY part must be new (or NOS (New Old Stock))and the Title must never have been registered (really there is not a Title but a Certificate of Manufacture on a new car) for someone to use the claim NEW. Since none of these words are clearly defined people are at liberty to use them as they wish for advertising purposes. When you go to Title the car in your name you will see that legally you are buying a USED car. And by the way, what is the mileage on that "new build"?
David Teitelbaum

[Dracula]

I never liked their misleading practice of calling the car a "new build" and I get tired of being asked if my car is one of the new ones built in Texas or a "real" DeLorean... Seriously, Houston, did you have to be so intentionally deceptive about the refurbished cars you sell? I've also got to remove that infernal Stage II build-date tag from the engine bay. If I have it open at a show, I'll always get someone who says, "Look, there's one of those 'new' DeLoreans."

[DMCH James]

Everyone is playing with semantics here. There is nothing "new" about the car. It will have it's original or a donor vin and an original build date back in the '80's. There will be new and N.O.S. parts on it (and a lot of old parts)

Out of the approximately 2800 parts used that make a up a DeLorean, it's about 25-40 "donor" parts, the rest of which are either NOS, OEM or reproduction parts. Hardly "a lot of old parts".

James

[stevedmc]

Out of the approximately 2800 parts used that make a up a DeLorean, it's about 25-40 "donor" parts, the rest of which are either NOS, OEM or reproduction parts. Hardly "a lot of old parts".

James

YEAH, How many new binnacles are used?

[DMCH James]

How many new binnacles are used?

Just the ones we're keeping from you.

James

[tjd]

Still 80% of your parts are 30 year "old" NOS parts or reproduction, it is built on a 30 year old underbody. 30 year old used car. Previous owners. Varying mileage. Built by your techs instead of a factory trained workforce. How do you sleep at night advertising it as "new"?

If you only knew the headache your misleading advertising causes me as a DeLorean owner (DeLorean owners = your biggest customers) when people go on about the "new" cars being built in Houston, next to BTTF your misleading description of your restorations is the most annoying thing I have to hear about at car shows and gas stations. I'll take the cocaine jokes anyday then here something about BTTF or your "new" builds.

[dmc6960]

This is hardly a subject I tend to comment on, but think of it like this folks...

DMC calls their completely rebuilt cars, "New Builds". From a certain context, its fairly accurate. In other contexts, not really.

DMC's "new build" cars generate a HUGE amount of press and media hype, thus raising the general knowledge of the car and DMC's existence.

Now that a LOT more people know that they can get "new" DeLoreans, even the thought of an "old" DeLorean is much more appealing now, figuring that any DeLorean can be serviced by this "DMC" company!

Now there are a lot more owners out there actively driving their cars and needing service and parts, thus raising income for DMC thus allowing a continuous influx of newly remanufactured parts to replaced the exhausted old new stock of them.

Think about that next time you have to explain to someone for 15 seconds that a "new" build is really and old car rebuilt with nearly all new/new old stock parts.

[DMCH James]

Tim,

You were all nice to me at Woodward 10 days ago, it's only here and on FB that you turn into someone different. Why is that? Not enough people there to make it worth making a scene like here and on FB?

I'll put one of these cars up against any "used" DeLorean that you can find. We take a bare chassis - galvanized and powdercoated original or SS at the customer's request - and assemble the car from that point forward with the parts combination as I described above. 1-2% of the parts used came from the donor - which allows the cars to be titled as 1981-1983 cars - which are rebuilt or refurbished. The balance of the parts have never been on a car before.

We've just shipped off the underbody molds to Louisiana to have the first new underbody in nearly 30 years manufactured out of modern materials. Somehow, I don't even think that will make you happy. We're scheduled to have the first one here at the Open House in October, along with some other surprise new parts.

Factory trained workforce? The guys here putting the cars together have more experience with these cars than any of the good people in Dunmurry did. We also have the experience of working with the car for nearly 30 years and knowing the faults and weaknesses that the the original DMC never had the time to learn about, much less fix.

Calling the cars restored or refurbished actually does the finished product a disservice. Those terms are thrown about by so many people to refer to so describe so many different things - I'd wager that no DeLorean has been "restored" or "refurbished" to include the outright replacement of approximately 98% of it's part content. Probably only a miniscule number of restorations in the world can say that. I can't control what the media reports, or what people interpret from that. Anyone who calls asking about these cars gets told this exact same thing I've just written here.

Finally, if this truly causes you a headache, I'd wager that you're in the minority - most people are glad to hear something other than cocaine jokes and BTTF references.

James