Purcahsed Vin712: My God, What Have I Done?!

[Gatoona]

It was a hot Sunday evening, and my brother had just picked me up from the train station to take me home after I had called and notified him that I had just missed my connecting bus. I don't have my own car, never drove, and don't even have a driver's license. Driving never really caught my interest or needs, and from birth have lived as a car-free individual.

Anyways, so as my brother is driving me home, he stops by a gas station to fill up his car. The gas station doesn't have a public bathroom, so I decided to go in the back of the station to quietly take a leak. As I'm pissing away at the wall, I notice that there's a whole slew of junk cars stocked around me. From Jeeps to Jaguars, all of which were in pretty bad shape, there was car after car in the back of this gas station.

As I finished up, I started to head back. Then ... from the corner of my eye I saw something that caught my attention: The DeLorean. Up until that moment, I had never seen a real DeLorean in person before. As I walked around admiring it, something about its shape and look made me want to just stand there all night gazing at it.

"HURRY UP, I'M GOING TO LEAVE YOU HERE BRO'!," my brother shouted. "I'm coming," I replied.

During the car ride back home, I couldn't stop thinking about the car. I even had trouble sleeping that night, as questions about the DeLorean I just saw ran rampant through my mind. "Why was that car there?" "I wonder who owns it." "I wonder how cool it would be to drive that car with Huey Lewi's 'Back in Time' song blasting out of the speakers?" Stupid things like that.

The next morning, I called in sick for work, and decided to check out the car once more. I had never been interested in cars before. What the hell was happening to me...

Having arrived at the same gas station once more, I went to the back again to inspect the DeLorean. She was in pretty bad shape. From having a dent in the right front fender, to the rear and front fascia coming off, interior completely torn up and cracked from the California sun, etc. Even under her horrendous current state, I had fallen in love. You know what they say, for someone to see the faults and imperfections in something and still love it for what it is, it must be true love ... or borderline insanity.

As I stood idolizing the car, the owner of the gas station had crept up behind me demanding who I was out of curiosity. I explained to him the situation and how I came last night (not the pissing part on his property) and saw the DeLorean, and how it caught my interest.

"You want to buy it?" He asks.
"How much are you selling it for?" I reply out of curiosity.
"I've been trying to sell her for $12,500."

Whoa. Even I knew that for a car in that condition, especially a DeLorean, that it was way too much.

"She's been sitting here for about four years, 23,000 miles, engine still works, but you'd have to clean up the fuel system and do some work here and there. Frame is in great shape, and just about everything inside and out is original. Haven't added or modified a thing since I bought it. I've been collecting cars, as you can tell by looking around you. It's an addiction the wife hates, but cars are my passion. I've just never had the time to fix up most of it, and with my age, I don't have much time." He replied.

"$12,500 is pretty high," I state. "Can't you go any lower?"
"Well... the best I can do is $11,000"
"Really? How about $6000?"
"I don't think so. That's a definite no. I'm really in no rush to sell the car."
"$8,000?"
"No."
"Can't you go any lower?"
"Alright, I can do $10,000."

The world around me paused for a bit. Here was the deciding moment that will essentially change my entire lifestyle.

"Yes. I'll take it." I answered.
My God, What Have I Done?!

So here I am now ... a DeLorean owner. She sits and waits for my next move.


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[Rich W]

Wow. Great Story. Not sure if you got a good deal on it yet (I think your early offers were much closer to the current value).

I would take a lot more photos of the car and a few of the frame from the under-side, then go to DMC CA and talk to Danny.

Look at this car as a long term project, in stages, and decide what you want to get done in Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3, etc.

Then have some fun with it.

Later,
Rich W.

[Silverbullet]

Welcome to the club?..... We are all crazy.... looks like you will have your work cut out for you... Lots of help here though...

Craig

[mluder]

Yeah... You have a long haul ahead of you. You do realize that many of the interior pieces are no longer available? I ask because when I bought my car a year and a half ago I was not. Fortunately my interior was just discolored not torn to shreds. I agree with Rich - $6000 would have been a generous offer.

That being said, welcome aboard! This site is a great reference and will serve you well on your journey.

Cheers.
Steve

[DeLorean03]

Ok, you bought a DeLorean and are trying to save it. Admirable - good for you. There's the fluff, here's the truth:

I sure hope you're in this one for the long haul. You've got a pretty solid amount of work ahead of you. Nothing that can't be done - it will take time and money - but it's doable. This could nearly be Project Vixen Part 2 (Google: Project Vixen).

We're here for you, and we all can help you. Bottom line: hope you're not wanting to drive this thing like next week or something :P.

[Mark D]

Congratulations on the purchase... you have a very long road ahead of you from what I can see in the photos, but for the most part these cars are easy to work on. There are lots of people here on this forum with incredible knowledge and a willingness to help out their fellow DeLorean owner. Don't be afraid to ask questions. I agree with Rich that your first move should be to have the car thoroughly inspected by DMC in Garden Grove. You should be able to get a feel for what it's going to take to bring the car back to a reliable status and then to take care of some of the cosmetic issues.

It's good to see another one saved from rotting away in a parking lot.

[ramblinmike]

Ask a bunch of questions and search the forums. Everybody here will try and help you. Take Rich's advice to heart. Make small goals. This week I will... It will help keep you from getting overwhelmed.
My little bit of advice would be this: it is just a car. It works like any other car. Don't get caught up in the mystique and hype. Go through each system in order of importance. Don't expect it to just work. No 31-year-old car could do that.
There are a number of known issues with the cars as they left the factory. Go through each one and make the upgrades. Be smart about what needs to be done-you don't need to just start throwing money at it randomly. Be aware that many of the car's components are not specific to the DeLorean. If you have any mechanical experience with cars, all if it is applicable here.
Above all, don't set unrealistic timetables for yourself. Do it right the first time and you will be rewarded with a reliable car that you can enjoy. Get your hands dirty and treat it like a hands-on learning experience.

Welcome to the group.

[Jimmyvonviggle]

When you first see a DeLorean it's like meeting a beautiful woman, you can't speak and all sense goes out the window. Welcome, nice to have a new owner.

[Gatoona]

I want to thank everyone for the support and advice.

I was talking to a fellow mechanic about the purchase this morning, and he had mentioned that there was a very strong relationship between DeLorean owners, almost like a family-bond. After reading some of your replies, it has given me a great sense that I won't be going into this project alone. The DeLorean community is simply awesome.

I knew before and after purchasing this vehicle, that it would as most of you have already stated, require large amounts of time, money, and dedication. But, time, in terms of putting hours into the car myself is something I have little of as I am working four jobs/7-days a week, so ideally most of the major and even minor touch-up work would be done by the DMC shop in Garden Grove, CA. That's not to say that they will do all the work. Minor things like replacing the fender, starting up the engine, and electrical work I WANT TO and can do.

I'm looking to spend at least around 25-30K in labor and parts with the DMC shop here. A lot of folks have told me that I should just abandon this project and buy a new Honda Accord or Civic with that kind of money, or better yet, just buy a DeLorean in better condition.

The fact of the matter is, first off, as someone who has been living a car-free lifestyle for his entire life, my goal is not to get a car to drive around. If that was the case, I would have purchased a working car already.
As for purchasing a better DeLorean, one that's in working order, I could... but that would mean seeing the car I currently now have, ultimately end up crushed or taken apart to be used as a parts car. Something I, even with the short amount of time I have been with this DeLorean would be extremely saddened by.

I don't know what it is with this DeLorean #712 and I, but I want nothing in the world but to see her running again and fixed up. Does this sound a bit corny or nuts?!

Anyways, I have already spoken with and met in person Don from DMCCA at the shop while purchasing a car cover there last week. Don has been nothing but helpful and kind. We have agreed that the car will be with them for the entire span of the restoration.

I will document the progress and costs of the restoration and share them with you all.

[pezzonovante88]

I think this is a great story and it makes me glad that this DeLorean is being rescued. I also like how you 'fell in love' with this particular one and that you'd rather fix 712 than buy a new one. The money you are looking at spending at DMC is in the realistic ballpark and that is also relieving to hear because you don't have an unrealistic idea of what it'll take to get this car back in order.
Most of the interior can either be replaced by new old stock parts or aftermarket DeLorean vendor parts. The few pieces that are no longer 'available' will come up for sale here and there, or they can be custom made and recovered.
Good for you, welcome to the family, and good luck!

Cheers for 712


Ps. I like the Jag XJS Conv. he has parked next to your car.