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Thread: My Stewardship of 10439

  1. #1
    Gess dodint's Avatar
    Join Date:  Nov 2015

    Location:  Pittsburgh, PA

    Posts:    363

    My VIN:    Between VINs

    My Stewardship of 10439

    If this thread is in the wrong place or inappropriate feel free to shift it elsewhere. I'm not sure if it's going to be a travelogue for the trip home or some place that I might use to jot notes through the ownership that are not appropriate for subject specific threads.

    I've purchased 10439 sight unseen and intend to fly down to Atlanta, GA and drive it back to Pittsburgh, PA over New Years weekend. The car actually already has a thread here on DMCTalk which was a great help to me. I hope that this new thread will be a resource to whomever has 10439 after my time with it is done.

    I've been actively reading about DMCs since I was fourteen years old, or since 1998 or so. I've toured DMCMW and spoke to Mike about my buying decision, and attended DCS 2016 to get to talk to owners (some I know are here, hi Lenny, Josh!) and vendors and to do my last bit of research. I had planned to buy in spring of 2018 but I came across the 'perfect' car and felt it was time to end the search and get it home.

    I originally wanted to spend between $30-35k for a really nice runner that did not have any immediate needs. I ended up going up to $39k to get a car that already had the Stage II upgrade since that's something I knew I wanted to do in the future anyway. I got the interior color, transmission, and engine upgrade package I wanted in a car with decently low mileage. I am very excited. The only thing I conceeded on was the hood, I really dislike the hood with the logo tacked on. Would love to get a grooved hood one day but it's unlikely.

    Once I get the car and receipts home I will enumerate this list fully, but for now this is what I know about the car:

    '82 Gray 5-speed, 21,040 miles

    Interior:
    *New Seat Covers
    *New Carpet
    Bluetooth Stereo Receiver

    Mechanicals:
    *Stage II Motor/Exhaust
    *New Fuel Pump and Accumulator
    *Rebuilt Fuel Distributor
    *New Brake Calipers w/Rotors
    *New SS Brake Lines
    *New Clutch, SS Clutch Line, and Slave Cylinder
    *SS Coolant Bottle
    *New Radiator
    Lowering Springs/Shocks
    *Relay Update Kit
    *140 Amp Alternator
    *LED Door Lights
    *All Grounds Checked/Cleaned
    *New Shift Bushings
    *Wheels, Powdercoated
    Fascias Painted and Mounted w/New Studs

    * denotes performed by DMCMW November 2012 ~3,000 miles ago.

    Sale included 2 keys, Car Cover, DeLorean World back issues, Tech Manual, receipts.

    I already have the tech manuals (and have read them, even the K-Jet manual) but a hard copy will be a nice addition.

    The car is about an hour northeast of Atlanta. I have an Uncle that lives near Knoxville, TN and is a big car guy. My wife and I will drive from Georgia to Tennessee and spend the night at my uncle's on Saturday, then drive the remaining distance on Sunday. My uncle lives on one side of The Tail of the Dragon so if the car feels good under me I intend to take 129 to get there which is a fantastic way to start ownership. That's about four hours on Saturday for the initial shakedown and then eight hours to get back to our house. Then it goes in the garage until the last of the snow is gone for winter.

    About me: I'm a cyber security specialist for the federal government who attends law school part time. I was a Marine but wised up and escaped.

    Other vehicles: R56 MINI Cooper, E63 BMW 650i, BMW R1200CLC.

    I'll take some pictures at Cheoah Dam if the light is good. I plan to take some essential tools with me but I'll probably end up just letting my AAA Premier card do the heavy lifting if something happens that I can't sort quickly.

    For now I've attached some older pics from the other thread and eBay auction just to allow for an idea of what I've bought into.

    IMG_20140111_092951.jpgIMG_20140111_092917.jpgIMG_20140111_093011.jpgs-l500 (12).jpgs-l500 (1).jpgs-l500 (3).jpg

  2. #2
    Senior Member DMC-81's Avatar
    Join Date:  Apr 2014

    Location:  Florida

    Posts:    2,371

    My VIN:    <2000

    Club(s):   (DCF)

    Very nice car. Congratulations!!
    Dana

    1981 DeLorean DMC-12 (5 Speed, Gas Flap, Black Interior, Windshield Antenna, Dark Gray)
    Restored as "mostly correct, but with flaws corrected". Pictures and comments of my restoration are in the albums section on my profile.
    1985 Chevrolet Corvette, Z51, 4+3 manual
    2006 Dodge Magnum R/T (D/D)
    2010 Camaro SS (Transformers Edition)

  3. #3
    Motors about after dark Michael's Avatar
    Join Date:  May 2011

    Posts:    4,761

    My VIN:    Your VIN'S mom

    Excellent looking example. Personally I love the flat hoods with the badge(always have).

  4. #4
    Senior Member
    Join Date:  May 2011

    Location:  Northern NJ

    Posts:    8,570

    My VIN:    10757 1st place Concourse 1998

    Right now they are predicting a snow storm for this Saturday for the Northeast. Not too specific as to timing or amounts yet but they are already saying it will be a significant storm. I am not sure how it will affect PA but if it travels up the coast it may affect you. Keep your plans flexible and you may have to adjust your trip and/or schedule. Not a good idea to drive the Delorean in snow, especially if you are not familiar with it. A better plan would be to trailer it if at all possible. In any case make sure you have the car covered with adequate insurance. Planing on using a trailer and doing it that way in advance is a much better (and cheaper) plan that driving and getting stuck out on the highway. You can wait hours for the tow and the cost will be a LOT more.
    David Teitelbaum

  5. #5
    Gess dodint's Avatar
    Join Date:  Nov 2015

    Location:  Pittsburgh, PA

    Posts:    363

    My VIN:    Between VINs

    I have been watching that system. It's projecting to miss the cooridor I'm traveling, that danger doesn't seem like it will be realized in my case. At worse I would reasses on Sunday morning and leave it at my Uncles and rent a car one way back to Pittsburgh, or just stay another day as I am off Monday. Or I can go back down and get it later if need be. My Sunday travel would be mostly I-79. Saturday from Atlanta to Knoxville looks unremarkable, 40s and sunny.

    I really don't see that as being an issue though. The concern now is that the high for Sunday is 16F. I have read next to nothing about operating a DMC in below freezing weather. I know about the throttle recall but that's about it.

  6. #6
    Stupid Newbie DaraSue's Avatar
    Join Date:  Jul 2016

    Location:  The LC

    Posts:    1,057

    My VIN:    10907

    Congratulations on your purchase! Road tripping in a DeLorean is always an unforgettable experience (and if you're lucky, in a good way, LOL). They do good work at Midwest so I'm sure your car will be solid as long as it's been taken proper care of since then. Being in Pittsburgh you're pretty close to DPI out in Akron, too. I've never had major work done there but Josh helped me out with a flaky starter on my last road trip (and probably kept me from getting stranded in Nebraska).

    I didn't see the throttle shield in the engine bay pics in the other thread. If you don't have the recall done, I'd try to avoid snow or freezing rain. I've gotten caught out in the snow in mine before and the car didn't perform that badly but it's every other idiot on the road that you'd have to worry about. I talked to Dave at MW about cold weather operation and he said it should be OK with the 20W50 oil even at cold temps but to let it warm up a bit before driving if it's below freezing.

    Good luck, please keep us updated on your trip!
    Last edited by DaraSue; 12-27-2017 at 05:12 PM.

  7. #7
    Motors about after dark Michael's Avatar
    Join Date:  May 2011

    Posts:    4,761

    My VIN:    Your VIN'S mom

    Quote Originally Posted by DaraSue View Post
    Congratulations on your purchase! Road tripping in a DeLorean is always an unforgettable experience (and if you're lucky, in a good way, LOL)!
    I second this. When I bought mine, I flew down to FL and drove it almost 1,000 miles home. It was at the end of February and I got very lucky with sunny days and warm temps all the way home.

    I would however suggest you document your trip via YouTube or Facebook and link to it here. I documented my journey in detail with pics and in an instant it was all deleted when dmctalk.com went bye bye over some kind of family squabble.

  8. #8
    Gess dodint's Avatar
    Join Date:  Nov 2015

    Location:  Pittsburgh, PA

    Posts:    363

    My VIN:    Between VINs

    I thought about bringing the GoPro I use for track days but don't think I want to burden myself with fussing with all of that the very first moments of ownership. There will be time for that later.

    The route we're beginning or trip on is pretty great though and I plan to get some pics. Sunday is all business interstate for 8 hours so I'm really going to try and enjoy Saturday.

    The fly-to-pick-up road trip was always part of the vision, I just assumed I'd have to go to CA to get it. Now I don't even have to use PTO from work.

  9. #9
    Senior Member
    Join Date:  May 2011

    Location:  Northern NJ

    Posts:    8,570

    My VIN:    10757 1st place Concourse 1998

    Make sure all of your paperwork is in order. For extreme cold weather take all of the usual precautions like checking your anti-freeze, washer fluid, wiper blades. Tire pressures are VERY important. If the tires are old they don't grip well. Till you can trust the fuel gauge keep the tank full and watch the trip odometer. Figure conservatively 250 miles on a full tank till you know your MPG. Don't push the car hard till you are comfortable with it. For the beginning of the trip stop often and check the fluid levels and tire pressures till you know everything will be OK. Wouldn't hurt to check the lug nuts too. Bring along a battery pack if you have one just in case of a battery failure. A can of Fix-A-Flat or a small compressor is a good idea along with a tire gauge, flashlight, and flares. If you can, prepare a list of owners along the way who could help if necessary.
    David Teitelbaum

  10. #10
    Gess dodint's Avatar
    Join Date:  Nov 2015

    Location:  Pittsburgh, PA

    Posts:    363

    My VIN:    Between VINs

    Excellent, a lot of that has been planned for. The lug nuts is a good tip, what size socket do I need? I will toss one in my bag with a breaker bar or torque wrench.

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