new guy with a few silly questions

[OverlandMan]

Have you driven one yet? I find it amusing when people criticize the performance but have never been in one. A stock DMC will still blow the doors off a Prius .

I was thinking the same thing. Just drive a stock setup and then you have something to compare. I remember driving mine the first time and thinking to myself "This thing has plenty of pep". I think I too had been poisoned by the negative performance press that this car has had from day one.

I also agree that if you want to do smokey burnouts, look for something different.

[Lou and "Boo"]

Oh yes, Deloreans are not for burning out, but here's one smokey burnout who loves driving fast and awesome! LOL

[refugeefromcalif]

I remember driving mine the first time and thinking to myself "This thing has plenty of pep". I think I too had been poisoned by the negative performance press that this car has had from day one.

People always ask me if the DeLorean is Fast. I tell them No but, it is very Peppy.
If I wanted a fast car I would've bought something else.

George

(Funny, when I'm first in line at a stop light, I tend to be 5 car lengths ahead of the rest of them after it turns green)...

[opethmike]

My honest take on it is that a stock DeLorean is perfectly useable in modern traffic, but it is VERY pedestrian acceleration wise. Mine was stock until two years ago, and during its time stock it felt exactly like my 99 Saturn SL1.

I did heads, cams, exhaust, and EFI on the stock motor. I don't know how much horsepower gain that is (I call a HUGE bullshit on the purported 197 out of Houston's stage 2), but it is now 'almost quick'. However, with the cams and exhaust, the sound is tremendous and brings a huge smile to my face.

The stage 3 setup is stupid expensive at around 13 grand to get less than 200 at the wheels. If you have that kind of money to spend on improving the horsepower, spend it with Eddie G. in Florida and you'll make out WAY better.

However, honestly, the first few years you have a DeLorean you're going to want to be spending that time and money on bringing it up to snuff as far as brakes, transmission, tune-up, cosmetics, etc.

[Nicholas R]

I drive fast AND awesome, thank you very much!

I just drive fast

Anything can be done, the hardest part is deciding what to do and how committed you actually are (time wise, effort wide, and monetarily).

[Lightning]

My honest take on it is that a stock DeLorean is perfectly useable in modern traffic, but it is VERY pedestrian acceleration wise. Mine was stock until two years ago, and during its time stock it felt exactly like my 99 Saturn SL1.

I did heads, cams, exhaust, and EFI on the stock motor. I don't know how much horsepower gain that is (I call a HUGE bullshit on the purported 197 out of Houston's stage 2), but it is now 'almost quick'. However, with the cams and exhaust, the sound is tremendous and brings a huge smile to my face.

The stage 3 setup is stupid expensive at around 13 grand to get less than 200 at the wheels. If you have that kind of money to spend on improving the horsepower, spend it with Eddie G. in Florida and you'll make out WAY better.

However, honestly, the first few years you have a DeLorean you're going to want to be spending that time and money on bringing it up to snuff as far as brakes, transmission, tune-up, cosmetics, etc.

This is very true. I am only now doing an engine upgrade on mine and have had it for 10 years. Granted mine needed a lot of work to bring it up to par, and I'm still doing things to make it better, but if you have money for a stage 3, talk to Eddie, you'll be happier in the long run. Just as a note, I'm getting a turbo on my stock, I'll let you know the performance at the wheels when he's done so you can compare what was done with a stock engine and I know he could do more if I tossed more money his way.

[Lou and "Boo"]

My bad! I drive awesome and a slightly above average rate. I should not have generalized!

No problem Dave! We are all driving awesome !
Cheers from over heres.

[Rich W]

There have been a bunch of engine swaps. Ill bet nearly half no longer run properly if at all like the grand national, rotary and North Star swap.

Not sure about the Rotary (3-rotor) and the NorthStar, but there are at least a few Grand National swaps (Buick 3.8L Turbo V6) including mine.
I believe there are two or three "single turbo" (like the Grand National) and at least one "twin turbo" (never offered as a twin turbo in the GN).

Like any DeLorean, these engine swap cars need to be driven and maintained to be reliable, but many of these engine swap cars are just "toys"
that are not driven as much as they should be or could be driven (I admit I am guilty of not driving my Grand National powered car enough too).

My personal recommendation would be to test drive a Stage II with an automatic. A friend of mine has been running this setup since May 2012
and he has been very happy with the results, especially when stuck in traffic, and he is used to daily driving a few Mercedes with 250-350 HP.

I have driven this DeLorean, before and after the swap, and it certainly did "wake up" the performance, while keeping it fairly stock appearing.

[DeLorean03]

I dont understand how someone gets an engine swap done (expen$ive), and then it's just a toy. When I get mine back - dude - you can bet I am going to drive that car and enjoy it like the 1st day I got my DeLorean.

[Lightning]

Delorean03: I agree, mine is part of my effort to have a daily driver that I want to drive and at the same time pick up and move when I want it to.