VIN 559 - Captain's Log

[Shep]

I love this thread. Great that you have the car back.

Can I make a request though. Probably more of vin599.com, than this thread in particular.

I view the forum using Tapatalk a lot. When I view a post that has a few pictures in it (pictures that have been uploaded to dmctalk) and I click on one of the thumbnails to view, TT opens a pop-up that shows the photo as 1 of 5 (or whatever number of pictures are in that post and subsequent posts). The picture opens quickly and then I can scroll through the rest of the pics quickly too.

However, because all of your pictures are hosted on vin559.com, when I click on the thumbnail, firstly it only opens that picture and secondly it takes foooooorever to do so. I’m not sure why that is, as the pictures aren’t that big. Should I wish to look at the next picture, I must close the first and reload the next one. Invariably I give up halfway through the first download, and wait until I get to a PC.

As you are a professional programmer, is there anything you can do on the vin559.com site that might help this? No big deal if you can't, but I know you enjoy challenges

I've actually been thinking off and on about a gallery function of some sort, but never could figure out how to design it. The problem I was facing was how to design it for car shows, which wouldn't have all the pictures posted outside the gallery, but now that I know how Tapatalk works, I have an idea for how to go about doing it. Although I will say that clicking on the image links you directly to the full-size image, which is about 3648x2736 and on average about 2 MB. I suspect the thumbnails on Tapatalk are actually smaller versions of the already-smaller 640x480 versions I post, so clicking them bypasses the smaller versions entirely and skips to the large image. This is probably more a design flaw in Tapatalk, but that being said, I can design around that so that it links to a gallery rather than the full-size image in the future.

In line with the rest of VIN559.com, I will design it to be as low-tech as possible, so older devices will still be able to view it without any issues. I just had that epiphany moment where I see the complete finished product in my head, so now I'm feverishly taking notes before I forget it all come morning. It's never failed me yet, and it always works perfectly every time!

[Shep]

So I have a partial update on multiple fronts. For the past few days, I've been installing the set of angel eyes I got. The headlights are secured in the buckets, and the angel eye wiring is partially laid down. Just tonight I turned them on, and the headlights work! The angel eyes aren't quite wired up yet. I'm going to run a wire from the fusebox to an on/off switch from DMCH that replaces the dummy switch to the left of the driver's window switch, then down to the lambda counter, where it gets hooked up to a relay that triggers the lambda light to turn on whenever the angel eyes are on. I'll rewire it so the light remains on at all times regardless of key position after I switch it to LED's, but I'm anal retentive about scheduled maintenance at mileage intervals, so the intended function of the lambda light is useless to me. From there, it goes through the same opening that the trunk release cable goes through, down the gas tank spout cover, under the trunk mat, into the jack storage compartment, through the rivnut (I removed two bolts for that), then it meets up with the rest of the wiring. Still have to figure out a ground, but I'm going to ditch the wire way before it gets into the cabin. No point making things more complicated than they have to be.

Back to my last picture update: the puzzle pattern for the bumper letters shipped yesterday and should arrive here tomorrow. I'm in the process of designing the pattern for the side trim (in line with the door handle and side marker lights, and including the former), and also for the grille. I made a plexiglass grille that I'll be securing to the front fascia with some sort of bracket, and it will feature the signature DMC logo in the front. The timing's perfect though since that logo will be cut out, made diffuse, then I'll hook up some LED's to light it up when the angel eyes come on. The wiring for that will be a snap. Really the hardest part will be mounting everything, since I'll have to fabricate a mount to secure the LED's and the grille itself. And, naturally, I'm going with security bolts to hold it in place (spanner or tri-wing or such), with a driver in the glovebox so it can be easily removed as long as there is access to the cabin. Wouldn't want to have a wiring problem on the road with no way to assess the damage!

And last on the list, something I changed my mind about. I originally wanted to have the driver's door made "correct" for the door alignment, removing the striker guides and changing the wedge opening to a slot opening. Josh gave me a metaphorical wake-up call as to how difficult and expensive it would be to get that just right, and that's when it hit me: all this time I've been assuming the original owner made those modifications, but now I realize this may very well be part of the CFR ordeal. The passenger door and windshield were both removed and left off for up to two years. Considering even the factory had a jig to secure the roof while the windshield was replaced, it's not farfetched to believe there was some warping over time, and the exact alignment needed for the driver's door could easily have been thrown off as a result. When a new passenger door was added back on, it most likely opened and shut perfectly fine, but the driver's door may not have fared so well. I suspect it was here that the slot was cut into a wedge, and the striker guide was added. Since it now appears to be part of the whole CFR ordeal, just like every other non-standard modification that happened during that time frame (rear window, fender antenna, rearview mirror), I'm keeping it as-is.

One side note: I think I can narrow down two things about 559 that make it a 1 of 1 deal. I believe it may be the only DeLorean missing a door sill VIN plate but having a fender antenna. Strangely, based on pictures the Texas DeLorean club has here, VIN plates started somewhere around 551, included 556, skipped over 559 (), was painted entirely black on 569, and resumed on 570. Assuming there's some sequential order to this, that leaves at most 60 DeLoreans without door sill VIN plates (503-550, 557-568), and if I were a betting man, I'd wager that only mine has a fender antenna.

[Don Camillo]

I'd wager that only mine has a fender antenna.

VIN 573 had the fender antenna as well. Actually VIN 573 had all 3 types of antenna from the factory, or at least form DMC in Irvine. As VIN 573 was also cannibalised like 559 my guess would be, that at one point the early cars get lost of their factory installed window glass including the window antenna. Later somebody added a windshield to get the car back on the road. And as the reception on the windshield antenna was bad, the next step was to go for the fender antenna. In the case of VIN 573 it was different that VIN 559. VIN 573 was used as a company car by one of the managers at DMC in Irvine starting summer of 1981. They added all the service recalls to the car and tested the stuff on VIN 573, also the rear fender antenna. Strange stories are coming with the early cars

Best wishes
Don

[Rich W]

One side note: I think I can narrow down two things about 559 that make it a 1 of 1 deal. I believe it may be the only DeLorean missing a door sill VIN plate but having a fender antenna. Strangely, based on pictures the Texas DeLorean club has here, VIN plates started somewhere around 551, included 556, skipped over 559 (), was painted entirely black on 569, and resumed on 570. Assuming there's some sequential order to this, that leaves at most 60 DeLoreans without door sill VIN plates (503-550, 557-568), and if I were a betting man, I'd wager that only mine has a fender antenna.

I think you are basing your assumptions about the 500 series cars on too little data, since VIN...562 has a door sill VIN plate.

As it has been documented elsewhere, by several sources, the 500 series DeLoreans were not built sequentially, so there is no
evidence that the VIN plates were installed sequentially or even as the cars were actually considered completed.

[LEVY]

I think you are basing your assumptions about the 500 series cars on too little data, since VIN...562 has a door sill VIN plate.

As it has been documented elsewhere, by several sources, the 500 series DeLoreans were not built sequentially, so there is no
evidence that the VIN plates were installed sequentially or even as the cars were actually considered completed.

Yes, and according to his rules, 559 is the most unique out of the 500's series.

LEVY

[Shep]

Yes, and according to his rules, 559 is the most unique out of the 500's series.

What the hell is your problem, honestly? If you don't like the things I post, you don't have to post about it, and you certainly don't have to read it. I've made a point to stop interjecting 559 into other threads, so everything is contained to this thread alone. Is it really a cardinal sin to be proud of my car? Just because you don't have anything to be proud of with your car doesn't mean you have to be a jackass to anyone who is, and that's really all you've done in this thread. It's perfectly acceptable for me to be as big an enthusiast about my own DeLorean as I am, and you about yours. Although seeing as you can't even be arsed to post your VIN in the sidebar of your posts and don't have a thread going, it's fairly obvious you're not, and instead choose to be a douchebag to anyone and everyone. News flash: some of us actually give a damn about our DeLoreans.

It is the only 500 series DeLorean with a SPEC exhaust, that is a fact. It's quite possibly the only one with a stainless steel coolant bottle. It's one of only two 500 series DeLoreans that was an unassigned company car, again fact, and it was the only one of those two driven on national TV. It's the only 500 series DeLorean that came with a handwritten letter from CFR proving its company car status, which I have not yet found to be sent to anyone else on any VIN range. Within a week it'll be the only 500 series DeLorean with angel eyes, and not too long after that the only one with cupholders. It will also be the only 500 series DeLorean with an amp of any sort installed, and a sub to boot. Long term it'll be the only 500 series DeLorean with door poppers and an anti-theft system, not to mention BTTF vents. After that, it'll be the only 500 series DeLorean with carbon fiber.

Now tell me, how exactly is it not unique?

[thirdmanj]

What the hell is your problem?...only one this, only one with angel eyes, only one that...what's not unique?

I'm not sure what you mean by "angel eyes".

Btw, I like the 559 blog.

[tjd]

What the hell is your problem, honestly? If you don't like the things I post, you don't have to post about it, and you certainly don't have to read it. I've made a point to stop interjecting 559 into other threads, so everything is contained to this thread alone. Is it really a cardinal sin to be proud of my car? Just because you don't have anything to be proud of with your car doesn't mean you have to be a jackass to anyone who is, and that's really all you've done in this thread. It's perfectly acceptable for me to be as big an enthusiast about my own DeLorean as I am, and you about yours. Although seeing as you can't even be arsed to post your VIN in the sidebar of your posts and don't have a thread going, it's fairly obvious you're not, and instead choose to be a douchebag to anyone and everyone. News flash: some of us actually give a damn about our DeLoreans.

It is the only 500 series DeLorean with a SPEC exhaust, that is a fact. It's quite possibly the only one with a stainless steel coolant bottle. It's one of only two 500 series DeLoreans that was an unassigned company car, again fact, and it was the only one of those two driven on national TV. It's the only 500 series DeLorean that came with a handwritten letter from CFR proving its company car status, which I have not yet found to be sent to anyone else on any VIN range. Within a week it'll be the only 500 series DeLorean with angel eyes, and not too long after that the only one with cupholders. It will also be the only 500 series DeLorean with an amp of any sort installed, and a sub to boot. Long term it'll be the only 500 series DeLorean with door poppers and an anti-theft system, not to mention BTTF vents. After that, it'll be the only 500 series DeLorean with carbon fiber.

Now tell me, how exactly is it not unique?

Wow.

[tjd]

I'm not sure what you mean by "angel eyes".

+1

I'm having a hard time visualizing what your DeLorean is going to look like with all these mods your describing.

[thirdmanj]

+1

I'm having a hard time visualizing what your DeLorean is going to look like with all these mods your describing.

You should have left your original post the way it was. You were respectful in your criticism.