Pilot 20 breaks cover

[Dangermouse]

After many years of restoration by Chris N at PJ Grady UK, Pilot 20 / D20 is now owned by Chris Parnham (one of the authors of "DeLorean: Celebrating The Impossible (http://www.amazon.com/DeLorean-Celebrating-Impossible-Christopher-Parnham/dp/0992859409)") and he just displayed it at the NEC Classic car show in England.

Hope he doesn't mind me sharing a few photos for those interested

More info on the car is here:

http://www.pjgrady.co.uk/#!pilot-20/c1ugq

http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=37949&d=1447423457

http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=37943&d=1447423244

http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=37946&d=1447423393

[88KPH]

It's real nice isn't it.
Kind of made my mind up to look into different alloys.

[louielouie2000]

Thanks so much for sharing these, Dermot. I've really enjoyed seeing the information on PJ Grady UK's website the past year or two regarding all of the special DeLoreans they've documented. It seems the British owners really are in a league of their own when it comes to the restoration of historic DeLoreans. Fascinating stuff!

[Mark D]

Beautiful restoration...kudos to all those involved in bringing this car back. It's really interesting to see all the subtle differences in the preproduction parts vs. what ultimately made it to mass production.

I'm curious about the wheels in particular...I know that a few different 4 spoke prototype wheels have been found but I wasn't aware that a full set of four existed. Are the wheels fitted to the car original prototype wheels or were replicas made?

[Jonathan]

Wow, that's nice! Great job!

... on the UK site link, there is a photo of the Pilot 20 car shown while painted black. It has the more normal window design in the doors from what I can see. Did those get changed out to toll booth windows and then back again at some point?

[NJP548]

So they were testing the integrated door strap before production even started? I thought the whole idea of a door pull strap came about after realizing shorter people couldn't pull the doors down. Then an integrated pull strap was designed later.

Thanks.

-Nick Pitello

[88KPH]

I'm curious about the wheels in particular...I know that a few different 4 spoke prototype wheels have been found but I wasn't aware that a full set of four existed. Are the wheels fitted to the car original prototype wheels or were replicas made?

Chris, the new owner, has had the wheels recast. I understand he only collected the rears in the last week or so.

[Patrick C]

Wow, that's nice! Great job!

... on the UK site link, there is a photo of the Pilot 20 car shown while painted black. It has the more normal window design in the doors from what I can see. Did those get changed out to toll booth windows and then back again at some point?

The pilot doors were scrapped long ago and production doors were fitted. The sliding window design was later added to the production doors on this car.

EDIT: Here it is when I sat behind the wheel at JZD's wake

[DMCVegas]

Does this car have that rear valance that hides the muffler and lower crankcase?

[DMC5180]

Does this car have that rear valance that hides the muffler and lower crankcase?

Is there an actual historical photo of that rear valance on an early car or was it just something the graphic designers drew up for the 3 view illustrated drawing in brochures?

[Patrick C]

Is there an actual historical photo of that rear valance on an early car or was it just something the graphic designers drew up for the 3 view illustrated drawing in brochures?

Yes, there is a photo of it on a pilot car. It was not on pilot 20 when I saw it though.

[JRNY13]

Is there a reason why the DMC grill emblem wasn't added to the pilot cars?

[Patrick C]

Is there a reason why the DMC grill emblem wasn't added to the pilot cars?

Barrie Wills can answer, but I don't believe they had been produced yet. VIN 500 lacked the badge as well.

[Rich_NYS]

Looks nice!

[JRNY13]

Barrie Wills can answer, but I don't believe they had been produced yet. VIN 500 lacked the badge as well.

It drastically alters the appearance.

[DMC5180]

Yes, there is a photo of it on a pilot car. It was not on pilot 20 when I saw it though.

In the brochure illustration (rear view) the appearance is shown that the lower valance was integral to the rear facia ( hard tooled). This would lead me to believe the facia had to be re-tooled for what we ended up with.


Dennis

[chris williams]

Chris, the new owner, has had the wheels recast. I understand he only collected the rears in the last week or so.
WOW, nice to see pictures of our stand on the forum. Chris very kindly supplied two cars for us this year, Pilot 20 and his RHD along with my own. the wheels are made by a company called revolution in the UK and were a supplier to LOTUS back in the development days so that's how they came to be used on the pilot cars. There are pictures in his book showing the cars with these wheels at LOTUS and on testing.
One my car on the stand;
38037
Chris

[88KPH]

Delorean's seem to be attracting a much better type of person these days, Chris. I'm sure its just a coincidence! Lol.

[Dangermouse]

I see Sweden, I see France.........






sorry, my inner 6 year old got to the keyboard

[chris williams]

Delorean's seem to be attracting a much better type of person these days, Chris. I'm sure its just a coincidence! Lol.
Well that excludes me then!:paranoid: Miss France was lovely!
Chris

[Jonathan]

I see Sweden, I see France.........






sorry, my inner 6 year old got to the keyboard

...don't worry, she's over in the café...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUXjfYFwgZo