General Anti-Theft / Door Popper Solutions [Archive] - DMCTalk Forum

TTait

09-09-2014, 02:23 PM

Shep

09-09-2014, 02:23 PM

No direct ready-to-drop-in alternative solution is available, at least none that I'm aware of anyway.:thankyou::thankyou::thankyou:

NOW we're getting somewhere. Major, major thanks NightFlyer! :biggrin:

Okay, so maybe I should clarify a couple points:

- It does not need to be one single unit for every function. I can go with a generic anti-theft (I've seen a few pictures floating around of DeLoreans with aftermarket systems installed, and have personally sat in another), and a generic door popper and/or remote relay activator. I know they have generics of both -- my mom's old Dodge Caravan had an aftermarket security system, and I've seen Pimp My Ride episodes where they add remote door opening and remove the handles entirely. This is what I'm trying to accomplish, minus the "removing the door handles part". I simply do not know what brand/make/model/type/etc. these systems are nor where to begin looking for them.

- It does not need to be DeLorean-specific. More to the point that everyone seemed to miss, I just wanted to know what's already been used in DeLoreans. I know there is a ready-made kit. What else is there? What features does it come with? Etc. etc. that's why I made this thread in the first place.

Thank you again for keeping it civil, as I was trying to accomplish all along. :thumbup:

Shep

09-09-2014, 02:35 PM

Uhhhh...

Shep. I thought I might have some insights that would help you. I took my time, late at night, to try to help you. I'm sorry you felt my information was attacking you in any way. I am sorry - really.

I don't want to see you running in circles if the established solution can work for you after all
[...]
If you would like an apology via PM, happy to do that as well, I'm just not sure what to apologize for. I was trying to help you get what you wanted out of your car.

I wish you all the best with your Delorean experience.

Sincerely,

Tom.... :hmm:

Okay, now I'm REALLY confused. I read your post and it came across completely differently than what you describe here. No need to apologize via PM or anything, really, it was a misunderstanding on my part, but what confuses me more is how it was a misunderstanding on everyone else's part and devolved into a flame war about me allegedly "dissing" Toby's products and service etc. I don't know if I worded something wrong or what, but this thread was all I was trying to accomplish when was blindsided with anger and hatred. I still can't figure out why it happened. Sincerely, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for clearing all that up. Hopefully everyone else will take suit and respect the fact that you were trying to help rather than starting a really nonexistent rampage that others joined in on and made a reality.

No hard feelings Tom, none at all! I'm very glad you cleared that all up. Leaves me more confused than before, and still more questions than answers, but at least the biggest question is answered.

Something I said, or the way I've said it has really set you off somehow, and I apologize. I'll do my best to not respond to your posts in the future as it seems like I've rubbed you the wrong way by trying to help, but if you ever run across a post that I've put up that raises any questions or you need more info on, you are welcome to contact me.Oh now let's not go that far. Simple misunderstanding on my part from the tone of your post. No need to cut me out of your communication circle entirely. Frankly, my apologies go out to you for getting you involved in this mess. Say what you will about what my intent was, any towards your directions was ill-conceived and misguided. No harm no foul.

Tell you what, I'll shoot you a PM about this Wings-A-Loft deal. Maybe there's a way to get it to do what I want after all :)

Nicholas R

09-09-2014, 09:35 PM

I have seen people use generic keyless entry modules in DeLoreans. Never have I seen or heard of another system that opens the doors. No one else has done the legwork to develop the actuators to open the doors. If someone had, they would likely have to be pretty active helping people trouble shoot. Even Wings-a-loft doesn't work on all cars, which is why people like Toby and Dave are available to help troubleshoot. You have to have your doors aligned pretty precisely to be able to open on their own; something many DeLoreans do not have.

Edit: Also I dont really know how door poppers relate to anti-theft, but plenty of DeLoreans have had alarms put on them. A few days ago DMCW Dave posted about all the alarms he had installed that had been very poorly installed that he had removed.

Dangermouse

09-09-2014, 11:52 PM

I don't think even M-B SLS have door poppers.

Not counting the emergency pyrotechnic hinge pins of course.

Exolis

09-10-2014, 12:44 PM

So here is an idea that you could possibly try if you're up for it.

http://www.advancedkeys.com/Prod_AK104B.html This was posted in another thread, I personally don't have this product but since seeing it a few days ago, I am planning on installing this in mine. Now from the looks of it, it doesn't come with a solenoid/linear motor for Door Popper/Trunk release, but does come with the function for it. So basically you would need a spring loaded solenoid or linear motor (either hand picked or just get something for a modern car with Trunk release). Instead of release trunk, you'll be releasing door handle when used.

Now I can't say how the alarm is like, but frankly with a Smart Key, you'll have pretty solid security considering that module will control your ACC, IGN ON and Cranking relays. While I personally do not work on Smart key systems for Nissan, I am in the same group as the people that do and I have a pretty good familiarity with it and it's really not something easily hackable. Tbh, I never heard anyone hacking the signal for Smart Key system and to modify it back to the point of hot wiring it and stealing it would be essentially impractical to steal.

Hope that helps.

Shep

09-10-2014, 01:04 PM

Never have I seen or heard of another system that opens the doors. No one else has done the legwork to develop the actuators to open the doors. If someone had, they would likely have to be pretty active helping people trouble shoot.That underlined part most definitely answered a lot of questions. Thank you Nicholas! Okay, so it's not a matter of the system being a one-of-a-kind, it's the actuators. That makes a lot, lot more sense than what I was previously thinking. So the actuators are DeLorean-specific then, but the wiring to them, not necessarily.

You have to have your doors aligned pretty precisely to be able to open on their own; something many DeLoreans do not have.Good to know, so if I have any problems, I more than likely "just" need a door alignment (intentional quotes there). Already got one, but that was before my driver's door was beaned with my own mailbox (damn pothole), so that I'm not 100% sure on.

Also I dont really know how door poppers relate to anti-theftMostly because Wings-A-Loft offers both, and I was curious if there were any similar packages.

Okay, so what this whole subject boils down to is this:
- Solenoids won't work period (which I've read elsewhere but will reiterate for clarity)
- Actuators will work, however only DMCNW has developed them (no other vendor has as of yet)
- The rest of the system to interface with the actuators may or may not be off-the-shelf, adapted, etc, but either way it works

That third and last point has me curious now. I've seen commercials for new cars with systems where a smartphone app can be used to perform various features of a car (lock, unlock, raise/lower windows, activate alarm, etc.). As far as I know, DMCNW doesn't currently offer such a system, however I don't know if there are any third-party ones that do either. It may just be a "new car" feature yet to be replicated outside of the manufacturers. Interesting...

I'll definitely be doing more research into this kind of thing and see what I can find. Hopefully I can find a system that interfaces with my smartphone so there's one less remote in my pocket. And hey, if it works for me, maybe I can get DMCNW to start offering the same system for others to have too. I'll see what I can find.

Now I can't say how the alarm is like, but frankly with a Smart Key, you'll have pretty solid security considering that module will control your ACC, IGN ON and Cranking relays. While I personally do not work on Smart key systems for Nissan, I am in the same group as the people that do and I have a pretty good familiarity with it and it's really not something easily hackable. Tbh, I never heard anyone hacking the signal for Smart Key system and to modify it back to the point of hot wiring it and stealing it would be essentially impractical to steal.Not to deter you from your project, but I will say that a Google search for "Smart Key Hacking (https://www.google.com/search?q=smart+key+hacking)" may be enlightening for you. It's not nearly as secure as you think, only more convenient. :)

(Although for what it's worth, the smartphone option sounds better for me, so I'll research that more.)

ALEXAKOS

09-10-2014, 01:23 PM

I am combining a viper alarm with some ebay actuators to create the combination you are thinking of

Shep

09-10-2014, 04:04 PM

I am combining a viper alarm with some ebay actuators to create the combination you are thinking ofThe hilarious part is that I just sent an inquiry to Viper about my DeLorean over lunch hour, and right afterwards I got an email with you saying this. :) Great minds think alike, although I'm probably going with the tried-and-proven DMC NW actuators. Frankly I just want smartphone control of everything. There's an app for that, and I'll build one myself if I have to.

Actually, I just came to a realization -- why the hell am I not asking Toby himself about this?! I have his email somewhere, I'll see what I can find out. Will keep everyone posted on both routes (DMCNW and Viper).

Shep

09-10-2014, 05:45 PM

The hilarious part is that I just sent an inquiry to Viper about my DeLorean over lunch hour, and right afterwards I got an emailthat went right to spam. :dead: Just dug it up, they want me to call them to discuss details. I provided an email address only for a reason, so hopefully I can get them to send it via email.

Also sent an email to Toby asking about smartphone control of the Wings-A-Loft. Will keep everyone posted.

acaciolo

09-10-2014, 10:11 PM

Tillsy

09-11-2014, 12:07 AM

Good to know, so if I have any problems, I more than likely "just" need a door alignment (intentional quotes there).

Not just the physical door itself - but the rods inside the door need to be perfectly adjusted as well, otherwise pulling the handle with your own strength will work but an actuator pulling on the rods will struggle.

Shep

09-11-2014, 06:07 AM

I haven't tried it yet, but I believe drone mobile iphone control from compustar will work on wings aloft since it is a compustar 6300. I don't know if it can control the extra aux channels that the doors use though.

http://www.compustar.com/drone/index.phpFascinating, they show a Samsung Galaxy using that app, which is the kind of phone I have. Hmm, maybe it's doable as-is then? Not sure...

Not just the physical door itself - but the rods inside the door need to be perfectly adjusted as well, otherwise pulling the handle with your own strength will work but an actuator pulling on the rods will struggle.Hence the intentional quotes :)

Ultimately I'd run into two problems trying to custom-build a new system: 1) signal distance, and 2) availability. By that I mean cellular signal would be best, but isn't available without registering another line (which I'm not adding to my phone bill just for this). WiFi might work, but generally speaking I don't know if the protocol would be quick enough nor support this kind of transaction without some serious tweaking of everything really, not to mention signal strength would be an issue. Bluetooth will work (and I have functioning examples of this), but the signal distance is limited, i.e. if the receiver is inside the car, I'm not sure if I can do it from inside the second story of my office building where I work. Otherwise I'd rig up my own system and be done with it.

EDIT: Also just to keep everyone posted, no further responses from either party as of yet, but it's before business hours even on the East Coast, so that is to be expected. Will send Misty an email if I don't hear back from Toby within a few days, not sure if he's out of the office or something.

DMCVegas

09-11-2014, 02:50 PM

What you're looking for is a Door Popper Kit. Originally they were meant for cars with shaved door handles with no other way to get in. You'd have a button hidden somewhere below behind the rocker panel you'd push, and then the doors would open. I have this kit by VPA installed, though they also make a kit with kicker solenoids (which are meant to push your doors out) but it's not necessary with a properly adjusted door with good struts.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/via-80158-35/overview/

It works great when it's wired correctly. Mine never did because of some yokel that used to work at DeLorean Motor Center that installed it wrong and screwed things up (like putting my clearance lights on a delay, then making my dome lights flash and having the the delay capacitor feed voltage backwards into the unit causing it to malfunction). But, I digress since there are lots of other cars out west that have this kit and it works just fine for those owners.

There are a few things to consider however with this, or any other kit like it because of the DMC-12's gullwing doors. Wings-A-Loft uses both existing wiring as well as actuators. The VPA kit requires you to use solenoids. This presents three problems:

You have to run two new, thicker gauge wires for each of the solenoids. This requires you to route the wires along side the existing harness: Up the B-Pillar inside, under the headliner and through the roof, under the T-Panel, and then through the conduit into the doors, and down the backside of the door. This is a whole lot more work than just plugging into existing wiring.
You will need to measure and drill everything to mount the new solenoids.
Solenoids are heavy mofos! Actuators are light and will not impeed door function. But the weight of the solenoids will cause the doors to sag. The balance of the doors is going to be WAY OFF. So if you install solenoids instead of actuators, guess what? You need to send your car in for a 1-2 click Torsion Bar Adjustment.

Moreso than any A/C work or even the Valley Of Death™, Torsion Bar Adjustment isn't just something that's not for the faint of heart; It absolutely something I would NEVER recommend to anyone as something they can do themselves without first being trained in how to do it. So you're gonna have to go to a club meet or a Service Center to get the work completed so your doors can function again.

If you're cool with this kind of work, you've got plenty of alternatives out there available to you.

http://www.summitracing.com/search/part-type/shaved-door-handle-kits

If you don't want solenoids, just don't bother installing them. Use some actuators instead from another vehicle, and it should be just fine for you. Though there are at least two kits that come with the actuators instead:

http://www.summitracing.com/search?SortBy=BestKeywordMatch&SortOrder=Ascending&keyword=shaved%20door%20handle%20actuator

Shep

09-11-2014, 05:48 PM

Thanks for the tips! Yes, that's the kind of kit I had in mind, although this part:

Moreso than any A/C work or even the Valley Of Death™, Torsion Bar Adjustment isn't just something that's not for the faint of heart; It absolutely something I would NEVER recommend to anyone as something they can do themselves without first being trained in how to do it.Makes me think twice about that. I thought it was a simple turn the nut etc. but daaaaaaammmmnn, not touching that one with a 10-foot pole now. I mean, I know what can happen if it's overtightened and snaps, but if it takes that kind of training... I'll pass on that one. Hopefully the DMCNW actuators don't put too much weight on the door.

Did hear back from Viper again. They are an interesting bunch. Here's how the conversation went so far:

Them:
Hi,

Thanks for your interest, give us a call and we can discuss options, pricing, etc.

- Josh

Me: [Verbatim quote here]
At this point I'm just browsing around, but phone is not a good method of contact for me. Any chance we can do this via email?

Thanks,
Shep

Them: [Verbatim quote here]
Hi John,

Yes, we can communicate thru e-mail.

Thanks John,
Josh

...? Wha... What just happened?! My name's not John, and I thought you were trying to sell me a product. :confused0:

So I wrote back with this bit:

Me: [Verbatim quote here]
Josh,

Okay, so... options, price, etc.?

Thanks,
Shep (not John)

I swear, you can't make this stuff up :hihi2: So he responds back with a short "I'll forward this to so-and-so in Sales". I'm just sitting there thinking to myself "isn't that what you should've done in the FIRST place?!" lol, bureaucracy at work, I tell ya.

SS Spoiler

09-11-2014, 07:27 PM

Shep

09-11-2014, 07:45 PM

Vegas mentions how heavy the solenoids are in the door. This makes me think they should be mounted in the body so it pushes the door up when activated. I may be way off base on how they work, but this seems to make sense. Sometimes street rodders put a heavy valve spring to
"pop" the door.I'm curious as to your thinking; where would they be mounted if not on the door? The body as far as I know doesn't have any places big enough to hold a solenoid, unless I'm mistaken? :hmm:

Nicholas R

09-11-2014, 07:49 PM

The door release mechanism is inside the door. To open the door, you have to actuate the release mechanism, therefore the solenoids/actuators must be in the door. The only thing on the car body is the striker rods. You're not going to open the door using them.

DMCMW Dave

09-11-2014, 07:50 PM

Shep

09-11-2014, 08:01 PM

There need to be actuators inside the door to pull the latch. "Poppers" are spring loaded plungers to assist pushing the door open once the latch is released. These can help on doors with less than perfect opening action. These are often used by the hot-rod crowd when removing outside door handles completely aka "shaving" the door. Not done on DeLoreans for obvious reasons.Which part isn't done, the shaving the door or adding poppers? Mine actually seems like it might need poppers (stock setup), but no way would I shave the door. When I pull the handle up without applying force to open the door, it kinda sits there until the strut gets to the right angle to push it open (about 3-4" on the bottom edge). Not sure what kind of issue that would be though, if it even is one at all.

One of the nice things about the motorized actuators in the common (Toby) kit is that they don't weigh very much. If you want to take some weight out of the doors, it's not a bad idea to replace the OEM lock/unlock solenoids with similar motor actuators. This can also take significant weight from the door.I was actually curious about this once DMCVegas mentioned extra weight due to the solenoids. So they actually weigh less then the stock setup. Interesting. Good to know! :)

Nicholas R

09-11-2014, 08:20 PM

Which part isn't done, the shaving the door or adding poppers? Mine actually seems like it might need poppers (stock setup), but no way would I shave the door. When I pull the handle up without applying force to open the door, it kinda sits there until the strut gets to the right angle to push it open (about 3-4" on the bottom edge). Not sure what kind of issue that would be though, if it even is one at all.

You either need your doors better aligned, different (not necessarily stronger) door struts, or a torsion bar adjustment.

DMCMW Dave

09-11-2014, 08:34 PM

"Shaving the doors" refers to removing the outside door handles and welding/filling the holes, then using electric remote actuators. Not so easy on a stainless door!

I think we've installed the spring poppers on maybe two cars. If the doors work well you don't need them.

http://www.ballsrodandkustom.com/index.php?l=product_list&c=8

These guys sell the actuators too if you want to roll your own. No experience with these. These do not appear to be the ones that Toby uses, and I know he tried a bunch to get ones that are strong and reliable. Another benefit of getting an engineered kit.

Shep

09-11-2014, 08:40 PM

You either need your doors better aligned, different (not necessarily stronger) door struts, or a torsion bar adjustment.In that case it's probably the struts. They don't open all the way either come to think of it, and if I manually push the door further, it'll open more and stay there. The range of travel is fine, it just seems like the opening power isn't. Good to know though, thanks :)

"Shaving the doors" refers to removing the outside door handles and welding/filling the holes, then using electric remote actuators. Not so easy on a stainless door!Very true, not to mention there's really no need on a DeLorean since they're not unsightly or anything. It'd be different if it weren't part of the trim.

Still nothing from Toby by the way. I'll try emailing Misty if I don't hear back from him tomorrow, hopefully she can answer my question.

Dangermouse

09-11-2014, 10:08 PM

In that case it's probably the struts. They don't open all the way either come to think of it, and if I manually push the door further, it'll open more and stay there. .

That's pretty much normal, but it of course depends on how far that last manual assist is. You don't want it going too far and "bouncing" off the roof. 4-6 inches is what I have to push up vertically.

Shep

09-12-2014, 05:09 AM

That's pretty much normal, but it of course depends on how far that last manual assist is. You don't want it going too far and "bouncing" off the roof. 4-6 inches is what I have to push up vertically.Depends on the day, really, but sometimes it's nothing, other times it's 6 inches. Hmm, do the DMC NW actuators actually "push" the door open when they unlatch at all? If so, maybe I'm headed in the wrong direction with my line of thinking -- it could already be fine as long as it's given a little "push"; it just seems like the weatherstripping or something is holding it back if you simply unlatch it. That's more or less what I'm getting at. It'll open a bit, but to open fully, it needs just a little bit of force in an outward direction, then it's fine.

Tomcio

09-12-2014, 07:07 AM

I'm not an expert when it comes to installing door poppers but I've slowly become an expert on door struts and torsion bars and their correlation. I have spoken to Rob Grady about door poppers and their dependence on tb and struts. Here's what I can tell you about it.
The door, when aligned correctly usually catches on the inner door seals when opening. If you feel any resistance during the first few inches of movement it's the seal. That has to be fixed so the seal doesn't rub on the door. It needs to compress when the door is closed but it cannot rub on it.
For proper operation of the door poppers you need to adjust the torsion bar up by (usually) 2 notches. This is what gives the door the initial lift. To prevent the door from bouncing heavily at the top the struts should be a little weaker than normal. Used, old struts work great in this situation. I spoke to Rob about producing new door struts witch are weaker just for using with door poppers.
When the door is closed the gas strut is not providing any lift to the door - NONE. So, when you release the latches it's the torsion bar that pushes the door up. Once the door is opened about two - three inches (measured at the bottom) the gas strut starts to provide lift and at some point actually takes over providing more force than the tb. Both the tb and the strut are part of the same system but to simplify things you can say that if you need more lift at the bottom you need to adjust the torsion bar. More lift at the top means that the strut is too weak.
I thought about installing door poppers on my car but when I learned about the required tb adjustment I decided to stay away from it. My driver's side torsion bar just exploded recently when I was across my shop. I didn't touch it, didn't adjust it. It was just sitting there (doors closed) and suddenly exploded which sounded like a shot gun going off. So, I do not want to put any more load on those bars that is absolutely required... if I get a new bar that is. For now I'm still looking for one as they are NLA.
Think about all that before you decide that you want those door poppers on your car.... is it worth the fun? Not for me.

Lightning

09-12-2014, 10:51 AM

Thanks for the tips! Yes, that's the kind of kit I had in mind, although this part:

Makes me think twice about that. I thought it was a simple turn the nut etc. but daaaaaaammmmnn, not touching that one with a 10-foot pole now. I mean, I know what can happen if it's overtightened and snaps, but if it takes that kind of training... I'll pass on that one. Hopefully the DMCNW actuators don't put too much weight on the door.

Adjusting the torsion bars is actually very simple, but I highly recommend a two person job. One person to put a proper allen wrench on it + exstension of some form (3 or 4 foot pipe seems to work well) and hold the torsion bar, another to undo the bolts and slide the plate off the torsion bar prior to the bar being moved. All of this is done with the door open of course. Don't use a socket wrench as it may not hold the pressure of the torsion bar. The other fun part is the person holding the torsion bar's pressure and slightly adjusting as the two bolts are removed, it is very easy to keep applying pressure to the bolts resulting in stripping the bolts themselves as they come out so then you have to re-thread and put in new bolts.

DMCMW Dave

09-12-2014, 10:55 AM

Adjusting the torsion bars is actually very simple, but I highly recommend a two person job. One person to put a proper allen wrench on it + exstension of some form (3 or 4 foot pipe seems to work well) and hold the torsion bar, another to undo the bolts and slide the plate off the torsion bar prior to the bar being moved. All of this is done with the door open of course. Don't use a socket wrench as it may not hold the pressure of the torsion bar. The other fun part is the person holding the torsion bar's pressure and slightly adjusting as the two bolts are removed, it is very easy to keep applying pressure to the bolts resulting in stripping the bolts themselves as they come out so then you have to re-thread and put in new bolts.

The other very common problem adjusting doors is using the wrong size allen bit, or not getting it all the way into the torsion bar. This causes the head of the bar to stretch and lock into the splined clamp. Then you can't get the clamp off!

DavidProehl

09-12-2014, 10:58 AM

My driver's side torsion bar just exploded recently when I was across my shop. I didn't touch it, didn't adjust it. It was just sitting there (doors closed) and suddenly exploded which sounded like a shot gun going off. So, I do not want to put any more load on those bars that is absolutely required... if I get a new bar that is. For now I'm still looking for one as they are NLA.
Think about all that before you decide that you want those door poppers on your car.... is it worth the fun? Not for me.

I also had a torsion bar blow on me. $700 later I found a used one and lost any desire to crank the replacement down enough to pop my door. Both my doors had been over adjusted by a PO, in fact I had to have Dave S adjust my passenger door because the splines had become so mushroomed they wouldn't release. He said he had to pull the bar out while under tension and then rubber hammer it out and grind down the splines. Be careful with over adjusting!

DMCVegas

09-12-2014, 11:09 AM

Depends on the day, really, but sometimes it's nothing, other times it's 6 inches. Hmm, do the DMC NW actuators actually "push" the door open when they unlatch at all? If so, maybe I'm headed in the wrong direction with my line of thinking -- it could already be fine as long as it's given a little "push"; it just seems like the weatherstripping or something is holding it back if you simply unlatch it. That's more or less what I'm getting at. It'll open a bit, but to open fully, it needs just a little bit of force in an outward direction, then it's fine.

They do not, no. Kicker solenoids will push the doors out, but the Gullwing design of the DeLorean's doors really do not require it per se. Don's advice was to click the torsion bars 1 notch extra to avoid the use of kickers.

The thing about door launchers though is that you absolutely MUST keep your linkage in proper working order. With early VINs where doors don't fit proper because of the previous assembly line process, where they also did not yet have the supplemental assembly line to properly install and adjust the internal door linkage rods, this can be a problem that needs to be sorted out first. But overall here is my advice and checklist of sorts when it comes to sorting out a door. ESPECIALLY if you plan on using door launchers.

Ensure proper door alignment. Use a grease marker on the door seals if need be, but make sure you have a solid alignment.
Install door guides if not already present.
Clean your latches and lubricate them. This is controversial, I know, since people and service centers advise against it. But I've done it with no problem at all. Use a good Silicone Spray lubricant. White Lithium Grease works well too, but spray WLG can dry out and cake in dusty climates to become more problematic. So keep this in mind as a last resort of sorts.
Know the difference between door latch linkage, and door lock linkage.
Remove as much pretension from your doorhandle cables as possible. You don't want to preload the cables, but you also don't want slack.
Grease up your bellcrank.

So, why all this advice? Plain and simple. If your bell crank doesn't fully reseat itself back to its rest position when you let go, it will in turn pretension the latch rods. When this happens, the mechanisms inside of you door latches get tensioned up too causing binding, and do not allow for fluid, sliding movement of the internal parts. So the latches don't rotate open and closed as easily as they should, and the locks absolutely don't easily lock and unlock like they should either. This gets compounded if one latch pops open while the other doesn't This causes to door to twist, fully binds up the other latch, and the door gets stuck closed. When that happens of course, you just PUSH DOWN on your inner door release while pushing down on the door at the same time and THEN you press the button or turn the key to unlock your door. But most folks don't know this, let alone why this works.

DeLoreans are very vulnerable to preloading their door handle cables if you've ever replaced your outer door handles. It works, you're happy, so you don't bother checking the tension. Moreso if you just completed the job and are tired of fighting your door that keeps bobbing up, and slices your hands in the process. But after that your doors are harder to open & close and even lock/unlock, and most owners just figure this is normal. Especially if they've already bought a car where the handles have been replaced and they never knew what the doors felt like before.

If you have any of these problems, a door launcher kit is not going to work as properly as it could, if at all. If even if you don't install one of these kits, you'll be blown away by how much better your doors work if you dive into them and right some wrongs. I can close mine with a single finger.

The doors only need an inch or two before the torsion bar takes over and raises the door up. Then the struts take back over, and carry the door the rest of the way before holding it, but they can help kick it out a bit.

With doors that are in good, proper working order, kicker solenoids are not necessary. You may wait an extra 1-2 seconds for the door to open a bit faster, yeah. Or you can remove the door lock solenoids and install some light actuators to get the same effect of torquing up your torsion bars a bit. It just depends upon what you want and what work you're willing to put in.

Bitsyncmaster

09-12-2014, 11:25 AM

The other very common problem adjusting doors is using the wrong size allen bit, or not getting it all the way into the torsion bar. This causes the head of the bar to stretch and lock into the splined clamp. Then you can't get the clamp off!

I think that is very common and even with the correct size allen bit. I did get a few bits and found 1 or 2 thousands size difference.

SS Spoiler

09-12-2014, 02:23 PM

To make things move easier, remove the rods going to the front locks. The door locks fine with just the back lock.

DMCVegas

09-12-2014, 03:12 PM

To make things move easier, remove the rods going to the front locks. The door locks fine with just the back lock.

I can tell you right now: If you're having to disconnect locking rods in order to make things work easier inside of your doors, you've got problems that you need to address first. Specificly, your Bellcrank is jacked up and not going back into place.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1AFsFU6ORrY/UetcEcZRVJI/AAAAAAAAG_I/taH8jEDBCaI/s1600/IMG_5859.JPG

You've got to lubricate the Bellcrank itself, the connecting points, and you need to shoot grease up the cable sheath so that the cable itself doesn't bind onto anything. Then pull the inner door handle up and then let go to ensure that it goes all the way back down with ease.

Next you need to adjust that cable so that there is only a slight amount of tension on the Bellcrank. The Bellcrank should always be in charge of the cable when the external door handle is not in use. The Bellcrank should be able to pull the cable back and return to it's rest position with no resistance.

The EXACT symptom that you will get with a bound/malfunctioning Bellcrank is that you will be able to lock/unlock the rear lock, but not the front. Again, this is because it is binding the Front Latch's internal mechanisms, resulting in a jamb when the lock can't move out of the way for the latch to rotate down to let go of the striker pin. This is not good! You need the doors to be able to lock their respective fore and aft latches independently. When the door is closed and the locks engage, this is a safety measure to tell you that your striker pins are fully engaged by the latches and the doors are locked into place to protect you in an accident. If your front latch doesn't lock, you know to open and re-close your door to secure it.

If you can't test the lock, then you never know if you're secure and safe. What happens if you get into an accident and instead of the door grabbing on and protecting you by letting the other car or object scrape down the side, it opens up in the front by bending and allows intrusion into the passenger compartment as your whole door is peeled back and you get maimed?

Don't defeat safety equipment in order to avoid troubleshooting. All you're doing is substituting one problem for another.

Shep

09-13-2014, 01:16 PM

Wow, this thread has turned into a general-purpose Door Popper troubleshooting thread :yesss: Me likey!

Don't have the time to quote every point since my last post, so I'll cover a few points very briefly:

- I'll let a professional adjust the torsion bars for me once the actuators are installed, and also get the doors to legitimately open up under their own power. Seems like that would kill two birds with one stone; get it functional, with the bonus of having someone to go back to if it doesn't work right down the road (and have them know exactly what they did to approach it in the first place). I'm just not experienced enough nor strong enough to work with the doors.

- The "one lock" only idea has me cautious for an entirely different reason: I honestly don't like the thought of a thief being able to pick the back lock and gaining access to the interior, particularly since this is what I'm trying to prevent with the Anti-Theft system. With two locks, they need to be able to pick them both at once, and the doors need to be in good working order anyways for it to work. Mine needs a tune-up, so as per my last "professional installation" point, I'll just have it all done in one go. (and for what it's worth, it's the back lock that's misaligned on my driver's door to begin with, so removing the front one would mean no locking at all).

- Still haven't heard back from DMC NW, and Viper seems to have lost interest in installing a system in a DeLorean or something, so I don't have any "officials" weighing in on the subject yet. I've sent an email to Misty and another to Toby letting them know I'm still interested in this, and will be sending another to Viper shortly. We'll see how it all works out.

Nicholas R

09-13-2014, 02:43 PM

- Still haven't heard back from DMC NW, and Viper seems to have lost interest in installing a system in a DeLorean or something, so I don't have any "officials" weighing in on the subject yet. I've sent an email to Misty and another to Toby letting them know I'm still interested in this, and will be sending another to Viper shortly. We'll see how it all works out.

Have you considered just calling them? I've never had them or really any of the DMC locations not answer if calling during business hours. Heck, a lot of them even answer outside of business hours, though it shouldn't be expected.

Plus, if you're trying to get really specific info for a custom job, one that is going to leave you with a lot of questions, it's going to be a lot easier to hash it out over the phone than via email.

Shep

09-13-2014, 03:34 PM

Have you considered just calling them? I've never had them or really any of the DMC locations not answer if calling during business hours. Heck, a lot of them even answer outside of business hours, though it shouldn't be expected.

Plus, if you're trying to get really specific info for a custom job, one that is going to leave you with a lot of questions, it's going to be a lot easier to hash it out over the phone than via email.Worst-case scenario I'll give them a call if they don't respond by mid-next week and see if I can get a hold of them that way. I emailed the "parts" email originally, which worked in the past, but may have been disabled since then (lord only knows how many email changes we've had at my own work place since I last emailed them). One way or another, I'll get a hold of them, but it may just be a matter of them trying to get a suitable answer for me instead of just responding with "I don't know, let me check" right away, so I'm not going to rush it. It's definitely not something that's been asked before as far as I'm aware, so it would probably be new territory.

For what it's worth, I basically asked if they have smartphone control of Wings-A-Loft available. For now, that's the question I'm going with, since I don't want to bombard them with a load of questions right off the bat. If they have smartphone control available, I'll ask what it does and does not do, and we'll go from there. I may be able to get everything I want out of the app itself the more I think about it.

refugeefromcalif

09-13-2014, 05:03 PM

For what it's worth, I basically asked if they have smartphone control of Wings-A-Loft available. For now, that's the question I'm going with, since I don't want to bombard them with a load of questions right off the bat. If they have smartphone control available, I'll ask what it does and does not do, and we'll go from there. I may be able to get everything I want out of the app itself the more I think about it.

I always hear, There's an App for that!
So I have to ask, "Why is a Smartphone App more important to open the door(s) on your DeLorean instead of a regular, (key fob), remote?" :headscratch: You still have to use a Key to start it...
I'm also Old School, I prefer Calling about information vs. sending emails untill needed.

George

DMCMW Dave

09-13-2014, 05:11 PM

I always hear, There's an App for that!
So I have to ask, "Why is a Smartphone App more important to open the door(s) on your DeLorean instead of a regular, (key fob), remote?" :headscratch: You still have to use a Key to start it...
I'm also Old School, I prefer Calling about information vs. sending emails untill needed.

George

You can probably have remote start on the smartphone too, or convert to pushbutton start as long as you get rid of the steering column lock.

Tomcio

09-13-2014, 05:14 PM

So I have to ask, "Why is a Smartphone App more important to open the door(s) on your DeLorean instead of a regular, (key fob), remote?" :headscratch:

George,
Smartphones are so much better at... well... everything. Using a remote is so twentieth century! Besides, smartphones are really better at EVERYTHING! And they are the best at killing your battery. So, why bother with a remote where a battery might last six years when you can use a smartphone that is dead in just six ours. Ahh, think about all the fun trying to disable your screaming siren.... don't worry, 10 minutes charging in my car and I'll be able to boot my phone up and deactivate this stupid alarm ;)

Sorry, I just couldn't help it. I love smartphones but unless the battery can last a week I consider them dumbphones. Oh, btw, my Nexus 4 decided to kill my battery even faster and now it will literally last six hours! Please don't let this turn into a smartphone thread. I have a bad power control chip.

;)

Shep

09-13-2014, 05:32 PM

Tom, as much as I normally agree with you, here's why I'm actually not this time: (no hard feelings though! :) )

So I have to ask, "Why is a Smartphone App more important to open the door(s) on your DeLorean instead of a regular, (key fob), remote?" :headscratch: You still have to use a Key to start it...Key + smartphone = less baggage in the pockets than key + keyfob + smartphone. Why have an extra remote that serves the one function when my smartphone can do that and make calls too? I already carry my smartphone on me everywhere I go (and being in the IT industry, it's basically part of the job), and ditto for my keys when I drive, but my goal here is to be able to add the functionality without all the extra weight in my pockets. Hopefully that makes sense.

(And for the record, I always keep my phone charged via chargers at work, so dead batteries aren't even part of the equation -- good old fashioned keys still work fine in the event of a dead battery!)

EDIT: Also, I'm not looking for remote start. As loud as Egull is, there's no way the neighbors (at here nor at work) would be even remotely pleased with it running for any length of time longer than it takes to pull out, so I still use the key to start it. :)

Shep

09-13-2014, 06:18 PM

Heard back from Misty today -- Toby's been swamped with work and hasn't had a chance to answer yet, plus they had personal issues last weekend, but she did mention it might be possible with a paying subscription. I clarified my intent since she asked, and also asked one follow-up question (whether it requires a monthly charge or if it's a one-time fee), so we'll see how that goes. While there may be a built-in way to do it, it doesn't seem like anyone's asked before. I'll have to ask Viper the same question -- if it's a monthly charge or a one-time fee. Will keep everyone posted.

DMCVegas

09-13-2014, 06:26 PM

The thing about smart phones that integrate remote start & locking and unlocking like OnStar & Tesla is that each car has it's on cellular connection and phone number through a wireless provider. That's how you can connect remotely to the vehicle without being in close proximity. So if you want an alarm system that offers a similar set of features, you've not only got to find an aftermarket device, but you need to be prepared to pay a subscription fee too to maintain those features.

Shep

09-13-2014, 06:49 PM

Tomcio

09-13-2014, 07:12 PM

Tom, as much as I normally agree with you, here's why I'm actually not this time: (no hard feelings though! :) )

Don't worry, everyone's entitled to an opinion. I'm just really frustrated by my phone going crazy fast through my battery which made me realize just how much I depended on it and how unreliable they might be. Because of this I'm rethinking the whole "smartphone for everything deal". BTW, I'm using my smartphone to activate/deactivate my video alarm at my DeLorean restoration shop. It's kind of hard now that my Nexus is dead.
You might be able to unlock your car with a key if your phone dies or crashes but you'll have to think about a way to disable the alarm manually.
Oh, one more thing. If you drop your alarm remote you'll have to bend over and pick it up. In many cases when you drop your smartphone it's not even worth bending over ;)

Good luck with your project. It's a cool one for sure!

Tillsy

09-13-2014, 08:59 PM

I've found something that sort of suits your needs.

It does have GSM BUT from what I can see it is ONLY for the tracking of the car (or if it does other things is redundant to other means) - primary control via smartphone is through Bluetooth. It has a trunk release which, if you don't want to use, the output could be repurposed for the door poppers. Or perhaps the remote start output could be used, or perhaps it has other outputs?

Being short range bluetooth it also has the ability to automatically lock/unlock the car as you walk away/to it.

This exactly system obviously won't necessary be the actual one for you, but just proves what you want is absolutely possible...

http://bluewiremotorsport.com/products/gps-gsm-smartphone-car-alarm-engine-start-system

DMCVegas

09-13-2014, 09:39 PM

There is one more thing about the VPA kit that I should add. I would honestly would really recommend the Wings-A-Loft system instead. I don't hold VPA responsible for the buggered installation. But back in 2000 I tried sorting things out myself and couldn't ever get a response from them on acquiring a schematic and instruction sheet for the system. They look like they're just a small company that repackages standard parts together and creates these kits. http://www.auto-accessories.com When I tried contacting them, I never received any reply back from e-mail or the voice messages that I left.

It doesn't look as though after 14 years that much has changed with them at all. Even though these kits have been for sale for quite some time, I still can't find schematics for them, let alone a set of replacement remotes that are long gone. What I'll probably just do is dismantle the system and order the Wings-A-Loft kit to be installed. At least with that one I know that there are others out there, including DPNW that can still provide all of the support that I need. With any aftermarket accessory that needs work later on, this is always helpful.

Now when I had my kit installed, the Wings-A-Loft stuff hadn't even hit the market yet. But if I had a bone-stock car, this is precisely what I would do:

1. Sort out your doors and get their linkages and locks cleaned and lubricated.
2. Install a Wings-A-Loft kit.
3. Install the DPNW's Door Lock Actuator Kit.

The reason I'd opt for the 3rd one is because once you swap out the Lock Solenoids with actuators, even with the added weight of the Door Launcher actuators, your doors will still be off-balance, but it a positive way with a slight amount of over-torque on the torsion bars to kick out the doors more. With that you wouldn't even need to worry about the Kicker Solenoids being needed to push the doors out.

With another aftermarket system, I can't attest to what weights would be on the solenoids. Swapping out the Lock Solenoids with Actuators would be a great idea, but you still may need a Torsion Bar Adjustment.

Tillsy

09-13-2014, 09:58 PM

When I replaced my solenoids with actuators I was gobsmacked at the weight difference - the actuators are significantly lighter.

However, the opposite was true with my new window motors - the replacements were significantly heavier.

By doing both at the same time I found no adjustment was necessary - the weight changes cancelled one another out.

DMCVegas

09-13-2014, 10:02 PM

I've found something that sort of suits your needs.

http://bluewiremotorsport.com/products/gps-gsm-smartphone-car-alarm-engine-start-system

I seriously should stop walking away and finishing replies later. It's throwing everything out of sync...

It looks like it's labeled as a brand known as SPY, and only appears to be available in non-US countries. I'm also trying to figure out just how in the world it's supposed to connect to a network to report back it's GPS to a phone. Is it cellular?

http://www.diytrade.com/china/pd/11828410/2013Hot_selling_smartphone_car_alarm.html

The interesting parts about this though are that aside from being only about $125 wholesale from China with a markup to over €399, a quick search came up with tons and tons of schematics for the unit. So it looks like it has some decent aftermarket support, which is a good selling point.

Viper appears to have a similar service offering, though I'm not to keen on it. It's not the subscription price, so much as the fact that my car can apparently update my Facebook status as to where I'm parked. Because nothing is better for car security than to tell the world where your exotic car will be left alone and unattended for an extended period of time.

Shep

09-14-2014, 07:18 AM

I'VE GOT IT! :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin:

I've totally, totally, GOT IT! Custom one-off circuitry can accomplish this easily! It'll utilize the beauty of a system known as Android NFC (Near-Field Communications). Using a custom 3D-printed case for my phone, I can rig up a circuit that works as the go-between, reading the NFC signal to decipher what the intent is, and if it's applicable, sending a signal via RF, exactly as the keyfob does! :yesss:

Just a breakdown of how it'll work:
1) NFC signal stays on steady enough to "wake up" the receiver
2) Once receiver wakes up, on-board cell battery starts powering the circuit
3) Phone sends specialized signal indicating what the intent is to the circuitry
4) Circuitry deciphers and transmits signal
5) Any further two-way RF action is done and powered by the cell battery
6) Once done, circuitry disconnects cell battery and ceases to draw power from it

Now I've just gotta figure out the particulars, but holy shenanigans I'm SO glad I had this revelation last night!!! And the best part? The only programming necessary by the Wings-A-Loft setup is for an additional keyfob. Man alive, why didn't I think of this sooner??? :biggrin:

Nicholas R

09-14-2014, 02:24 PM

How much bigger is this going to make your phone? Will it work with all the phones you own for the life of your car?

Shep

09-14-2014, 03:24 PM

How much bigger is this going to make your phone? Will it work with all the phones you own for the life of your car?Considering I'm planning on getting a Galaxy S4, not very. The electronics will hopefully last as long as the Wings-A-Loft lasts, but the case they're in will vary every two years as I get a new phone. Worst case scenario a phone I get doesn't have NFC and I use a new protocol to communicate with it. Either way, I'm an Android guy through-and-through, and have already made about 10 apps for it, so that's the least of my concerns. The biggest concern is hooking up to the NFC somehow.

Exolis

09-15-2014, 01:03 PM

So it seems the general thought is a Smartphone (Open source for the most part, along with recently hacked iCloud) is more secured then Smart Keys? Sure there's an article about a poorly documented case of someone able to open one, but if it was so simple to do it should make one wonder why the millions of vehicles with Smart keys are more commonly stolen.

Technology is phone and all, but be careful what you are doing first. I'm sure plenty of people thought iCloud was safe for them to back up their files until recent since Apple is known for their high security measures.

As for the other methods of RF, be it BT, WiFi or GSM the nature of it will all work the same as a smart key. The module in the car will have to constantly pull for a signal, so whatever module is pulling, it's going to be on all the time. I don't know specifically for BT, WiFi, and GSM, but suppliers who make Smart key modules already have it down and designed to work well in vehicles and only pull about 2-3 mA when the vehicle is asleep.

Anyways, good luck to you on the project.

Shep

09-15-2014, 01:53 PM

So it seems the general thought is a Smartphone (Open source for the most part, along with recently hacked iCloud) is more secured then Smart Keys?:confused0:

I hate to burst your bubble, but in addition to comparing apples to oranges here, I'm making my own circuitry for this. The smartphone sends the signal to said circuitry via NFC (which is extremely secure as the range is only an inch or two at most -- good luck "hacking" it from two feet away even), which in turn then does the transmitting. Smartphone security is irrelevant, and I'm not sure what brought that up.

if it was so simple to do itNow you're creating arguments no one had in the first place -- whoever said this was "simple"? DMC NW told me the install time for a Deluxe was 12 hours by a trained professional, and that's for a system that's already been developed etc. I never said "easy" was even part of the equation.

Technology is phone and all, but be careful what you are doing first. I'm sure plenty of people thought iCloud was safe for them to back up their files until recent since Apple is known for their high security measures.More creating arguments no one had that are quite frankly irrelevant. (Also, underlined part desperately needs numerous citations, this isn't an inherent truth like you're trying to portray it as).

As for the other methods of RF, be it BT, WiFi or GSM the nature of it will all work the same as a smart key. The module in the car will have to constantly pull for a signal, so whatever module is pulling, it's going to be on all the time.This is not accurate nor true. Do you know how Smartkey works? Generally speaking, it only checks for a signal upon a physical event. Case in point: when you touch the driver's door handle, it triggers a check for a nearby smart key and reads the value from it. That's how RFID works, which is essentially what this is. I don't know how or why you're linking RF into this, but they're completely different protocols.

I'm just going to ask an honest question here: are you purposely trying to start something, or is your post intended to actually help? Right now it seems like the former rather than the latter...

Exolis

09-15-2014, 03:50 PM

:confused0:

I hate to burst your bubble, but in addition to comparing apples to oranges here, I'm making my own circuitry for this. The smartphone sends the signal to said circuitry via NFC (which is extremely secure as the range is only an inch or two at most -- good luck "hacking" it from two feet away even), which in turn then does the transmitting. Smartphone security is irrelevant, and I'm not sure what brought that up.

Now you're creating arguments no one had in the first place -- whoever said this was "simple"? DMC NW told me the install time for a Deluxe was 12 hours by a trained professional, and that's for a system that's already been developed etc. I never said "easy" was even part of the equation.

More creating arguments no one had that are quite frankly irrelevant. (Also, underlined part desperately needs numerous citations, this isn't an inherent truth like you're trying to portray it as).

This is not accurate nor true. Do you know how Smartkey works? Generally speaking, it only checks for a signal upon a physical event. Case in point: when you touch the driver's door handle, it triggers a check for a nearby smart key and reads the value from it. That's how RFID works, which is essentially what this is. I don't know how or why you're linking RF into this, but they're completely different protocols.

I'm just going to ask an honest question here: are you purposely trying to start something, or is your post intended to actually help? Right now it seems like the former rather than the latter...

Sorry. No, not trying to start anything. Simply trying to help from the perspective of an Elec Eng that works at an Automotive OEM, on Body Electronics.

I don't quiet follow your process of your circuirty.

The simple part was in reference to the hacking article that you referenced earlier. The way the article is written, they made it out that it is simple to hack.

Why yes, I do know quiet a bit about Smart Keys, I work with the experts on it and know a fair bit about the systems myself. A very small portion of my job is to make sure what is drawing current and how much when the vehicle is asleep. It's a bit more complex then a Badge ID. In short, the vehicle needs to know if the key is in the vehicle or not, so it constantly pulls data (it's only small spikes of current). You might think it's a dumb idea, but has a lot of good reasons for it and probably couldn't work without it. If you have capacitive touch handle yes, but doors also has a button so same function, and yes it does check at that point which then wakes the vehicle up.

As for the Apple comment, there is quite a bit of difference between Android and Apple. iirc, to get an App on Apple's app store, it has to be checked and approved by them, along with having other security measures. Android on the other hand is more open source, so if the user is not careful, they can end up downloading something bad.

Anyways, sorry to bother.

Shep

09-15-2014, 04:09 PM

Either way, we're getting off track here (and your "Apple vs. Android" points could be a 100-page thread in and of itself, which I'm opting to avoid instead of start), so let me post the latest in the email chains I've received:

- Viper claims to have a cheaper alternative that utilizes bluetooth and is limited to 30-100 feet, i.e. class 2 standard. Here's the problem: all it does is Anti-Theft, no accessory stuff or nothing. As stated previously, I can (and have) built bluetooth relay devices using class 2 adapters, so this is pointless to me. Worse yet, it's 100 feet from my car to my building. I need more range, which they cannot provide. So that's out entirely. Not to mention the dealer I spoke to hasn't a clue how to run a business, but that's beside the point.

- DMC NW made it clear that they do not want to hassling CompuStar with regards to reverse-engineering their hardware. Although I find this unprompted, it was NOT uncalled for since they do have to cover their legal bases. I charted a wee bit too far into dangerous territory in their opinion, so they opted to go the "disclaimer: don't involve us" route, which is fine. In my response, I wrote back in my own words (i.e. not theirs) that "I'm looking for a middle-ground that currently doesn't exist", so I inquired about just getting the actuators and nothing more. Rigging it up will be my fun little side project. :)

- Got a PM from another owner that said DMC CA used to do this about a decade and a half ago, door poppers and all. I do not know any details of the exact specifications, but I will say that it comes from the "pre-smartphone" era, so that'll get me about as far as the Wings-A-Loft route. Either way, those looking for an alternative might want to get in touch with Danny from DMC CA since he was involved with it at the time. Not a clue if they would even consider poking around for another run or not considering DMC NW is a sister branch that has engineered basically the same thing, so don't hold me to my word on that one ;)

So this will definitely be a custom one-off system. Anyone else that wants to do something similar can shoot me a PM or an email if they want details to my install, but that being said, I'm not giving a full-fledged tutorial on how to rip off Wings-A-Loft.

DMCVegas

09-15-2014, 04:30 PM

- Got a PM from another owner that said DMC CA used to do this about a decade and a half ago, door poppers and all.

That's the same time as my system was installed by DMC GG (DMC CA is the modern Houston affiliate/shop, DMC GG was the precursor of DeLorean Motor Center of Garden Grove that was started by the two Dons and evolved into what is now knows as DMC CA, but is firmly of the Don Steger era when called as such). I've seen the cars with the door kickers (poppers, launchers, or whatever you choose to call them) that Don installed. I don't know if Don started installing the secondary solenoids again, but when I asked him he said that he stopped installing them since they were not needed. He just would click the torsion bar one-extra notch. So the VPA system that I described to you in my car and sent the link on is the exact same system that the other owner is referencing.

wrkey

09-15-2014, 05:12 PM

So.. if you use a smart phone to drive the system... perhaps you can also load it with the Google Maps and the Fluc Capacitor apps and then mount the phone where it is visiable by the drive.

Thus you get the popper, security (calls you when a break in occurs), a GPS and the time travel capability!!!!!!

Oh.. and perhaps it could make the 'pppssshhhhhhh' noise when the door opens too!!!!

:biggrin: Just a few suggestions!

Shep

09-15-2014, 05:27 PM

That's the same time as my system was installed by DMC GG (DMC CA is the modern Houston affiliate/shop, DMC GG was the precursor of DeLorean Motor Center of Garden Grove that was started by the two Dons and evolved into what is now knows as DMC CA, but is firmly of the Don Steger era when called as such). I've seen the cars with the door kickers (poppers, launchers, or whatever you choose to call them) that Don installed. I don't know if Don started installing the secondary solenoids again, but when I asked him he said that he stopped installing them since they were not needed. He just would click the torsion bar one-extra notch. So the VPA system that I described to you in my car and sent the link on is the exact same system that the other owner is referencing.Thanks for the info! Much appreciated :thumbup:

So.. if you use a smart phone to drive the system... perhaps you can also load it with the Google Maps and the Fluc Capacitor apps and then mount the phone where it is visiable by the drive.

Thus you get the popper, security (calls you when a break in occurs), a GPS and the time travel capability!!!!!!

Oh.. and perhaps it could make the 'pppssshhhhhhh' noise when the door opens too!!!!

:biggrin: Just a few suggestions!:hihi2:

Shep

09-16-2014, 05:49 AM

Just wanted to post this bit:

I was emailing Misty back and forth on this one, and all I have to say is that her commitment to the trade is marvelous. I was literally up at 2 AM this morning (my cat got sick, and just did again...), and while I was up, she sends me an email with part numbers and everything. I quickly looked at their site, asked one additional question expecting to wait until the morning, and she responded right back! Good lord, I know it's 11 PM her time, but I actually had to tell her to get some rest for her to not respond, seriously. :)

She reminds me of DPI Josh with regards to responding to inquiries whenever -- do either of them ever get any sleep??? Good night of living, I've never gotten an email from someone in the US at 2 in the morning for something that she herself said was not an immediate attention issue (which I totally agree with). Major, major props to Misty, talk about customer service!!! :thumbup:

Anyways, as per her recommendation, I ordered the door latch actuators, the trunk actuator, and the door lock actuator. The rest I'll figure out how to wire up and will keep everyone posted. Hasn't shipped yet (their delivery courier doesn't have the same customer-attentive schedule that she does evidently ;) ), but will soon.

DMCVegas

09-16-2014, 08:32 AM

Good luck with the install, and I hope your cat feels better.

Shep

09-16-2014, 09:09 AM

Good luck with the install, and I hope your cat feels better.Thanks (x2!) :thumbup:

Just ordered me a new phone, so it should arrive tomorrow and I can go from there. About time I got an upgrade! :) Looking into RF solutions now, hopefully I can source a circuit that flips different transistors based on what the RFID signal is, and I can replace the physical buttons with the transistors. Cell battery would remain intact to be used by the RF transmitter, but would require no other dependencies.

And a side note: I might be able to increase range via the fender antenna, since I no longer have a radio and it goes unused. I'll look into that option to see what I can pull off.

DMCVegas

09-16-2014, 09:25 AM

Thanks (x2!) :thumbup:

Just ordered me a new phone, so it should arrive tomorrow and I can go from there. About time I got an upgrade! :) Looking into RF solutions now, hopefully I can source a circuit that flips different transistors based on what the RFID signal is, and I can replace the physical buttons with the transistors. Cell battery would remain intact to be used by the RF transmitter, but would require no other dependencies.

And a side note: I might be able to increase range via the fender antenna, since I no longer have a radio and it goes unused. I'll look into that option to see what I can pull off.

Not a problem.

The nice thing about the DeLorean with it comes to RF is it's design that doesn't attenuate the signal as much. Back when gasoline was much, MUCH cheaper, I used to take mine out Wardriving. Using just a G4 MacBook Pro at the time and no external antennas, I would consistently get more hits and stronger signals on known APs in the DeLorean every single time. I don't know if it's the properties of the stainless, lack of a Faraday Cage thanks to the fiberglass underbody, or the lack of paint which may have added additional insulation/attenuation if my car had it, but the RF reception was always better inside of my DeLorean than any other car.