Thoughts on various PRV "swaps"?

[kl31]

I'm curious on opinions people have on the various PRV engine "swaps" that are available. So far I'm aware of 3.0 Eagle Premier swap, DPI Spec 2 engine, and the DMC Stage 1-3. Not really engine swaps but just the various upgrades that can be done to the PRV. Is the DPI Spec 2 worth it when compared to the Stage 3 given the huge price gap?

Still holding my breath for Doc Brown to do a mid engine layout conversion with a wankel, but i'll probably die of asphyxiation before that ever happens

[Nicholas R]

Still holding my breath for Doc Brown to do a mid engine layout conversion with a wankel, but i'll probably die of asphyxiation before that ever happens

Someone did a rotary engine DeLorean years ago. http://www.eliseusa.com/rotary.htm

[mr_maxime]

Someone did a rotary engine DeLorean years ago. http://www.eliseusa.com/rotary.htm

Wish that was my black delorean. Any other info on how this car was built?

[opethmike]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again - if you want a fast car, a DeLorean isn't right for you. There are things that can be done to make them fast, but they are all VERY expensive and very time consuming.

Put heads, cams, exhaust, and EFI on. Now you'll keep up with Accords and mini-vans.

When I want to go fast, I drive a Lotus.

[mr_maxime]

Put heads, cams, exhaust, and EFI on. Now you'll keep up with Accords and mini-vans.


My accord can't keep up with my Delorean lol.

[OverlandMan]

When I want to go fast, I drive a Lotus. Yup or a Ferrari

[Alan]

Everyone should do what they want. Nicholas R is a great example with an amazing car. That said, I'm looking for a fun car to drive and driving a DeLorean is ALWAYS a good time.

[DMCVegas]

Everyone should do what they want. Nicholas R is a great example with an amazing car. That said, I'm looking for a fun car to drive and driving a DeLorean is ALWAYS a good time.

Bingo!

For years I was always in the same "If you want to drive fast, the DeLorean isn't for you. Move on and buy something else" crowd. Until one day I saw a GTO/Hodeln go by. I test drove one years ago, and really liked it. So I started wondering to myself about what it would cost to buy a GTO. Initial price, insurance, etc. And then it just dawned on me that for the same price as buying another car, I could just do an engine swap and have the final car I truly want.

Don't get me wrong, I love the DMC-12, and fully accept it for what it is. Even better is that with the PRV's low torque, I've always had a much easier time with it in the mountainous areas around Vegas than I have other cars. But I've got a huge dilemma here: I have different needs and wants from my vehicles, but I also don't want to have an entire fleet of vehicles that drain me financially from storage, insurance, and upkeep.

So what do I do? I'll just purpose-build everything that I can't get turnkey. It's no different from building/customizing a work truck to perform a specific type of function. After all, swapping an engine is a whole lot easier than trying to reproduce the looks and ergonomics of the DeLorean with another vehicle. It's not that I'm bored with the DeLorean, nor is the proverbial "honeymoon over", and now I'm not happy with it. I love the car to death. If given the choice, it would absolutely be the one vehicle I would drive for the rest of my life, I love the thing so much. But I just happen to want more out of if. That isn't saying anything negative about the car at all. I'm happy with the PRV, but I'd be a whole lot more content with a different drivetrain tucked away. Which as someone who has a hobby to repurpose and recycle things rather than just discard them (which buying another car absolutely would be to me; discarding my DeLorean), this also fits in perfectly with my wants and happiness as well.

[Rich_NYS]

I don't expect more from the car than is intended. I bought my first DeLorean because it's an awesome/fun car and I haven't yet been disappointed. If my intent was to go fast, I'd buy a high-performance car with a monster-load of power. One of the owners here has a DeLorean and a few Corvettes. One of those Corvettes has a ridiculous amount of HP (1200?) I'm sure he views his cars as each suiting their own purpose.

On a related note, I have a B27 engine on hand "just in case."

[mr_maxime]

The way I see it, if you're going to build a fast car, why not do it with some style?

As long as cars have been around people have been wanting to put bigger engines in them and make them faster. I dont see why people would tell others not to do it simply because this is a delorean. Granted, I am guilty of doing the same thing with a coworker about his '72 Thunderbird. I told him to cut some metal off of it first lol.

[DMC-81]

Everyone should do what they want. Nicholas R is a great example with an amazing car. That said, I'm looking for a fun car to drive and driving a DeLorean is ALWAYS a good time.

+2 To each his own, be it a concours car or a fire breathing swap. They're all cool to me. :thumbup:

[kl31]

while i appreciate the response, they kinda miss the point of the original post. im not expecting a "fast" delorean, but rather a delorean that fulfills the vision of John DeLorean himself. I'm quite certain that a 130bhp car was not what DeLorean envisioned for his car, hence the legend industries twin turbo. I was just wondering what reasons exist for going with a Stage 3 engine over a DPI Spec 2, or vice versa. It doesn't necessarily have to be for the purpose of going super fast. If you had the money for a DPI spec 2, would you pay 28k for a twin turbo delorean with EFI and tuneups? or would you go for a Stage 3 for half the price? Or do a custom Eagle 3.0 swap, and install upgrades yourself? It's not a "should I do an engine swap" thread, but rather "I want to swap a better PRV, which one should I go with?"

I think we would all agree that the DeLorean is one of the greatest cars ever. Why not have an engine to match?

[DMCVegas]

Who in the world is to say what the ideal DMC-12 engine *should be* in accordance with whatever JZD himself would have wanted? I mean, the first prototype mule used a Ford Cologne V6, Proto 1 uses a 2.2L Citroen, JZD originally wanted to go rotary, and finally the '81-'83 production DMC-12 used the 2.8L PRV.

The proposed 1984 model was allegedly slated to have had the same engine as the base model with the Legend Twin Turbo as the option, but then a revised set of wheels, louvers, spoiler, and overhead console.

The Firestar 500 was supposed to have a bigger mystery engine, and his last car that was in conjunction with De Lorean Time was supposed to have a V12....

The truth is that unless you are going for Concourse competition, there is no right or wrong engine, and especially nothing at all that we can ever attribute to "fulfilling" John's dream in order to make a perfect DeLorean in accordance with his vision, whatever that might be.

Now if you simply want a comparison between different flavors of PRVs, as well as a comparison between what is offered by DMCH and DPI, that's a different, and very valid discussion. But the truth here is that JZD's vision doesn't matter. It's your car, and what it takes to make YOU happy with it is all that matters.

[mr_maxime]

I dont think the stage 3 is actually available. I can only say that I've driven a stage 2 and it sounds and feels better than my stock engine. You could also just turbo it. I think thats what Soundkillr did. I didnt drive his so I cant review it lol.