What have you done to your DeLorean today?

[DashEight]

Well, today was to be the big day that I turn the key and start the engine for the first time in 13+ years. Everything bolted back together with all new parts. A fresh 4 gallons of gas in the tank, new battery, etc.

I turned the key and she turned over (and over and over...) I tried a handful of times thinking the new fuel system had to pressurize. I threw in the towel until I could get a second person down at the shop with me to start trouble shooting the fuel, air, and spark. I didn’t want to burn up the starter. So maybe next week.

I did manage to put new seats in my jeep after that so all was not lost. Productive day. -Patrick

[Farrar]

Started putting the interior, such as it is, back into the car.

Added washers to prevent screws from going through wood:
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Re-installed the carpet:
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Rear trim piece with added LEDs installed:
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Rear carpet piece installed -- what's with that gap?
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Leftmost knee pad lost a stud. Doesn't look factory to me -- a previous repair that failed?
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Replaced it with a 6mm stud using JB Weld.
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The legacy of Sparky's water leak is evident, but only until I put the seats in.
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Getting ground for my footwell lights:
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Console has seen better days:
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Looks OK when inatalled, though:
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JB Weld did not hold the new studs in, but I installed the knee pads anyway. The knee pads and gauge cluster can now flop around in unison while I drive.
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Seats are installed. Passenger seat back is broken, so it doesn't fit right:
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Still to do: add fresh fuel, check fuel gauge sender, change brake fluid, charge air conditioning.

Ordered a steering column bushing and front swaybar kit from DPNW. Hope to install them this weekend.

[Lenny]

I would be wearing my louvers for referring to my sweetness as "wifey" .

Why you may not want to refer to your wife as " Wifey"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wifey's_World

[Josh]

One of the things I did yesterday was disassemble my axles. Boy is that terrible. Worst thing I have done yet, and I have ripped the whole car apart.

[eagle-co94]

Why you may not want to refer to your wife as " Wifey"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wifey's_World

You say that like it's a bad thing?

[Rich]

My doors have to take twice the force (what seems like an almighty slam) to close than anyone else's doors that I've tried. ....I also suspected a slight bit of roof separation on the RH side.

....but on the RH side it looks like the hex socket took a bit of abuse. My 3/8 hex socket also shows a bit of play when inserted. The RH clamp is also showing some signs in the paint/surface that suggest a bit of rotation (under the left bottom edge).
Attachment 20485
Something tells me this could get exciting

Well, it could be worse but you're on the right track.

Yes, your hard-to-close door is a direct symptom of a PO or technician who tried to solve a door droop problem (due to worn lift struts) by up-torquing the door. This often contributes to a roof box delamination and it looks like you have that going on there, too. Further evidence is the pair of pencil marks on the torsion bar head, the ones that are 4-5 splines apart. Given that each spline adds another 14 lb-ft of torque it looks like somebody ratcheted the door up by 70-85 lb-ft and that's excessive.

So you should detorque at least that door as soon as you can manage it.

A bit of play in the head of the 3/8" allen tool is OK. Just be sure that the socket is NOT a 3/8" sq. drive on the back end. You must use a 1/2" sq. drive or you risk shearing the drive, especially at the preload your bar looks like it's set to. It could be >140 ft-lb when it's open. Again, that over-torque is just bad for everything and the distortion of the hex head in the bar goes right along with that. Be prepared.

Based on the photo you shouldn't experience any mushrooming problem getting the bracket off the torsion bar. The head of the bar is beneath the back end of the bracket already. But you never know.

[Farrar]

Parts arrived from DPNW today! Front sway bar kit and steering column bushing. The instructions make everything look pretty straightforward, but I'm still nervous -- I've never before dismantled anything so critical to the car's safety. Still, I'm excited.

[Rich]

Parts arrived from DPNW today! Front sway bar kit and steering column bushing. The instructions make everything look pretty straightforward, but I'm still nervous -- I've never before dismantled anything so critical to the car's safety. Still, I'm excited.

Your safety-related comment is probably aimed at the front sway bar kit.

You probably know there is a How-To for that part - LINK: http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?42

Pay attention to all of the torque settings, use the proper retaining nuts/washers. And be sure to double-check everything at the front and back of the bar 100-300 miles after you get it back together just to be sure nothing is getting loose.

I haven't seen the instructions - in case any of this conflicts with what DPNW says pay attention to them, not me.

[Nick774]

Finally today after six months we received the soft lifts from Hervey. I ordered the whole set of six for the hood and engine but only received the door struts. Either way today I got to throw the broom stick away and spend about 30 minutes having a ball with the doors. I love these struts. Both doors go up nicely all the way withouth very little bounce. Passenger side is a little harder to close and still had some spring to it without the strut so I will like to have the torsion bars evened out.

While Im at it here's an update. New frame is Freshly welded and POR 15 with the rustolium smoke gray. All thats left is to attach the crumple tubes that are now ready. New engine mounts, motor seals, new engine. Gettin' there...

[Farrar]

Your safety-related comment is probably aimed at the front sway bar kit...

Thanks, Rich! I hadn't looked up the how-to yet, but DPNW included instructions which dovetail with your warning about torque settings and re-checking after a certain number of miles driven (they suggest 50-100). Wish me luck...