Anyone have info on wind tunnel testing?

[Shep]

When I finally met the owner of my DeLorean this past Saturday to officially purchase it, he was at my house for a couple of hours talking about it. Great fun, and I learned quite a bit about the history of the car. Documentation turned out to be mostly service records (I'll post a thread later regardless), but he still has some in boxes as he just recently moved, and he said he'd pass them along as he finds them. Something in particular he said though really caught my attention, and after some research, I cannot seem to find any evidence either way on this one. It's a two-owner DeLorean (I'm the second owner), so he knows everything that ever happened prior to my purchase.

He pointed out fairly strong evidence that my DeLorean (vin 0559) was used in wind tunnel testing to some degree. Specifically to test the rear air vents. The driver's rear glass is flush with the stainless steel, as are all production DeLoreans. But the passenger's side rear glass is recessed about half an inch to an inch. It's very noticeable once you know about it. There's quite a bit of caulking (or sealant or whatever the term is) around the passenger's rear window, and I see absolutely no reason to recess the window that much and use that much caulking around the window if it was replaced due to an accident. Plus there's zero damage to the RR wheel and zero damage to the stainless steel and fiberglass in that area. This was done deliberately, and with 4,641 miles on the odometer, there's not a lot of wear and tear. None of my service records mention glass or window repairs, but they do list just about every other part on the DeLorean (and they're over an inch thick combined -- I doubt any service records were lost on this one).

I know a large portion of DMC records are scattered amongst owners, DMC locations, and others with connections to the original DMC, so I'm wondering if anyone happens to have any information on wind tunnel testing. Specifically things like what areas were tested, how they were tested, ideally a listing of VINs used in testing, but really anything relating to wind tunnels or even a mention of them would be wonderful. So, who wants to be included in an episode of Mythbusters: DeLorean Edition?

[ccurzio]

I find it a little hard to believe that a production-line model would have been used for wind tunnel testing, at least by DMC themselves. There's nothing to say that it wasn't done on your car by a third party for whatever reason, but I sincerely doubt a random line car would be used for such a purpose. That kind of stuff gets hammered out in pre-production.

[dmcjohn]

With a vin as low as 559, it is not really a random production line DeLorean. Those earliest cars were used as engineering mules and company cars. So, it would be possible that this story is true.

Can you post a pic of the window in question?

Thanks,
John

[Shep]

I find it a little hard to believe that a production-line model would have been used for wind tunnel testing, at least by DMC themselves. There's nothing to say that it wasn't done on your car by a third party for whatever reason, but I sincerely doubt a random line car would be used for such a purpose. That kind of stuff gets hammered out in pre-production.

From what I've read, VIN 559 is in the pre-production range, and the owner used that same term in referring to my DeLorean. VIN 558, one before mine, is allegedly a Legend Industries single turbo car as discussed here, so it's not terribly out of the question.

Can you post a pic of the window in question?

I'll do you one better: side-by-side comparisons of the driver's side and passenger's side windows, from a 3/4 angle and a side-on angle, that I just took a few minutes ago.

3/4 view:
IMG_7286.jpgIMG_7285.jpg

Side-on view:
IMG_7287.jpgIMG_7288.jpg

Please excuse the dust on the window -- I haven't had a chance to clean anything quite yet. Not truly side-by-side, but I can do that if someone requests it (I'm pretty handy with Photoshop and GIMP).

And yes, the color is accurate. Apparently whoever attached the passenger's window didn't even try to hide it with a darker color, which further adds to the "function over looks" side of this that wind tunnel testing calls for. As I said, it's very noticeable, but it's more the color than the depth that everyone saw when I first got it. I'll definitely point this out at car shows if I can find some evidence that supports it.

EDIT: Forgot to mention: both windows have the DMC logo on them, if that helps.

[vwdmc16]

That is strange. Maybe some turbulence there would assist is funneling air into the little air intakes at the back of the glass.

[Shep]

That is strange. Maybe some turbulence there would assist is funneling air into the little air intakes at the back of the glass.

That's my guess as to what they were testing, if this was true. I can't think of any other aerodynamic test that can be performed on the rear glass other than how the air goes into the intake, since really that's all that resides back there.

[Rich W]

EMDF

I have plenty of photos of this car from back in 2006(?) when it was first listed for sale.

Spent hours with the original owner of the car (while in Vegas). The owner (Dick) was
hoping to get others interested in the car at the DOA Convention in Vegas, but the DOA
cancelled the convention and Dick lost his opportunity to spot-light the car at the event.

Some very interesting "engineering features" are also on this car.

Some other recent history you may be interested to know.

Later,
Rich W.

[jawn101]

EMDF

I have plenty of photos of this car from back in 2006(?) when it was first listed for sale.

Spent hours with the original owner of the car (while in Vegas). The owner (Dick) was
hoping to get others interested in the car at the DOA Convention in Vegas, but the DOA
cancelled the convention and Dick lost his opportunity to spot-light the car at the event.

Some very interesting "engineering features" are also on this car.

Some other recent history you may be interested to know.

Later,
Rich W.

If the history and features are interesting, don't leave us hanging!

[82DMC12]

I hope the OP won't mind if Rich divulges for our collective curiosity???

[Dangermouse]

Looks like residential window putty holding that glass in/on.

Any chance of a picture from the "inside"?