I f***ed up big time yesterday..

[81dmc]

After the manual conversion, I wanted to drive in the neighborhood to get accustomed and test. Forgot I had the header panel off as I'm still waiting for my windshield replacement, got a little too fast, and bam! T-panel folded over itself.

Even a day later I'm still pissed off that I did such a stupid thing!

IMG_7917.jpgIMG_7920.jpg

I'm currently in talks with DMCFL on getting one, but if anyone has a used T panel they are willing to sell, lmk.

[82DMC12]

Damn, sorry to hear that. Fortunately it is still an available part if you have no other options besides a new one. Amazing how thin the stainless actually is.

[81dmc]

Damn, sorry to hear that. Fortunately it is still an available part if you have no other options besides a new one. Amazing how thin the stainless actually is.

The worst part is I have an early T panel. I don?t know what the VIN cutoff was, but still sucks.

[David T]

The right person can fix it like new. See if DMCH or one of the other vendors can get Chris Nickleson anymore. He is a Wizard with S/S.

[81dmc]

The right person can fix it like new. See if DMCH or one of the other vendors can get Chris Nickleson anymore. He is a Wizard with S/S.

DMCFL was quick to say it's not fixable. Maybe they want to sell me a used one?

There's the wide body Delorean owner down here who may be able to repair it. Will have to see.


In the meantime, I'm trying to work out a deal on a used one from DMCFL. The NOS ones are super expensive now ($800).

And now that you mention it, I may call DMCH tomorrow and see what options they have. I can probably bring it with me next time I visit Houston, and maybe they can weld that hole I stupidly made mounting that antenna years ago.

[ssdelorean]

The worst part is I have an early T panel. I don?t know what the VIN cutoff was, but still sucks.

OK, I'm ignorant on this. In all my years of ownership and before that being a fan I have never heard of T-panels being early or late VINs. What are the differences?

[81dmc]

OK, I'm ignorant on this. In all my years of ownership and before that being a fan I have never heard of T-panels being early or late VINs. What are the differences?

Early cars like mine use glue to secure the rear clips.
IMG_7946.jpg

This makes them invisible from the outside. Later ones use excess stainless of the panel itself as the clips. This mean you can see the cutout from the back.


I never knew the later cars were like that until a couple days ago.

[DavidProehl]

Don't beat yourself up too bad. I'm not sure I'd have remembered the impact of wind resistance on every part of the car. Not the kind of thing you normally have to think about.

That does suck from a cost and inconvenience standpoint though. You'll get it back to good soon I'm sure.

[ssdelorean]

Early cars like mine use glue to secure the rear clips.
IMG_7946.jpg

This makes them invisible from the outside. Later ones use excess stainless of the panel itself as the clips. This mean you can see the cutout from the back.


I never knew the later cars were like that until a couple days ago.

Thanks for the photo.
Always learning something new about these cars. :-)
I guess every T panel I took off, or help aligned, or torsion bar adjustment was NOT an early panel as I never have seen a glued one before. Always a tab bent over from the main panel.

[Dickey]

I suspect you'd be surprised at what an english wheel can do for the stainless on these cars. I've run a few wrinkled quarter panels and fenders through mine with what little skill I have and was impressed with the results. At $800, I suspect it'd be worth chasing down someone with actual talent on a wheel to ask before buying another one.