Dave M vin 03572
http://dm-eng.weebly.com/
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I finally got around to installing Bitsy's front relay ground buss. This project was on the backburner for a long time, because I didn't really think it was high priority. Boy, was I wrong. When I pulled all the relays out of the way, I could see that about 75% of the wire insulation had been melting off in various locations over the years. In fact, the portion between the fan fail and fan relay had almost completely melted off. A previous owner had obviously been in there before, because they had simply re-wrapped the melted portions with electrical tape! The picture above does not do it justice. You should see this thing in person. I'm surprised that haven't died in a giant ball of flames in the last year.
Posts: 4,808
My VIN: 3937
Dave M vin 03572
http://dm-eng.weebly.com/
Location: Fort Lauderdale
Posts: 4,740
My VIN: 02613
Club(s): (DCF)
Replaced the blown glass fuse on the brake light circuit with a blade fuse of the same amperage. A light day.
3.0L, automatic, carbureted
Location: Ellensburg, WA
Posts: 190
My VIN: 5510
Got some bad news from Toby at Delorean Service Northwest - looks like 5510 needs a new frame, or some extensive frame repair. Still trying to decide whether to bring it home, pull the body off the frame, and go to work on a full frame restoration... If anyone has thoughts on the subject, I'd love to hear it! The Stainless Steel frame is out of my budget. Tips on what work to do at the same time, how to approach it, materials to use, etc. Someone had recommended replacing the coolant lines? Maybe rebuild the suspension? If it makes a difference, my father is a professional welder with 30+ years of experience and would likely be able to do the welding for me if I handle ripping it apart and cutting out the bad stuff. He lives ~1700 miles away, so I would have to prep everything for him to do over a few days or a week, then I'd wrap it up by POR-15'ing the whole thing.
Prior to getting the news about the frame, I also ordered a complete brake rebuild kit. New rotors, pads, seals, caliper pistons, hoses, etc. I think I'm going to pick up a full set of stainless steel brake lines as well, since the brake vacuum line is toast and the body is coming off anyway. This would mean replacing everything in the brake system except the booster, master cylinder, and calipers.
In non-Delorean news, I sold my Honda CR-Z. I now have ample funds and room in the garage to work!
Posts: 743
Check eBay. There were two frames for sale recently. Both appeared to be in good shape. Toby might have a lead on a good frame as well. I think Don S. had a few frames but now that he has passed I’m not sure what’s going to happen with his stock of DeLorean parts. DeLoreanGo will make you a new, non stainless frame but with shipping from England it will probably be prohibitively expensive.
Been there ... done that ... and did so before all the great resources available via the internet. It doesn't take long to remove the frame but it takes some ingenuity. You'll also need space. Space for the car, the frame and stuff. I put the body on a snowmobile trailer so I could move it and store it. 4x4 lumber will be your friend for raising and lowering the body. A method to raise, lower the engine/transmission is needed. Make a rolling dolly for the engine to store and move it. Put all bolts back in place when removed. Don't make a bucket of bolts. BTW ... there are a number of small bolts on the facia that will break and the studs in the facia may need to be replaced. Grinf them out clean and get new stud plates and polyurethane them into the cleaned spots.
Go out right now and start applying penetrating oil on the nuts and bolts so it has time to work.
Patch the frame as needed. You may or may not decide to grind the welds. Strip as much of the old finish as possible. I believe that there are places that will bake the frame to remove it all. The bare metal can be zinc chromated. But it is optional. I then used a zinc rich powdercoat. That wasn't available in the right color so another color coat was powdercoated.
You will get the mizewells ... mize well do that while you are at it. Mizewell upgrade the suspension and powdercoat all suspension parts.
This will be a bonding experience with your car and you will understand it better than most when you are done. ...... And have fun, enjoy the process!
Nick
- No matter how many people believe in a dumb idea ... it is still a dumb idea!
- Some cars look fast. Some cars look faster than time!
- The question is not "where did the time go" but rather "where to go in time".
Started my deep interior detail yesterday.
It all starts with the dark bits no one ever sees. Everything - and I mean everything - gets detailed down to the harness and electrical connectors. Yes, it's a little over-kill, but you know me. This is the first proper interior detail since I bought the car in 2016 and I want to make sure it gets the works.
The center harness wires are a little messy as I removed all of the old 39 year old (very sticky) black and grey electrical tape grouping the wires together. I'll replace the tape with some fresh 3M electrical tape so it matches the original wire grouping.
Working top to bottom. Next stop, the doors.
Oh, and you're probably wondering - why did you remove the dash to detail the interior you nutter? Well, it's getting a very rare NOS grey dash that hasn't seen a day of sunlight.
DeLorean DMC-12 (October 1981)
Manual transmission. Grooved hood. Grey interior. Rear antenna.
Obsessive perfectionist and 64th annual 2019 Hillsborough Concours D'Elegance class winner.