Looked at a early vin number car today with gas flip hood. Questions

[66 Vette]

Hello All,

So I looked a early vin number car today. Vin was in the 900's (don't have the photos handy right now) And it had a flip lid for the gas fill. Car was rough on the inside. Everything was cracked and torn up. Typical car that's been in the Kansas sun for years with no cover. Underside looked very clean with no rust and the engine was all there. Front windshield was cracked couple of small dings in the body.

Are the early vin cars any more desirable than later models or is it only a preference thing?

I have some leads on a couple of other cars too I'm going to check out. Decided its getting time to get another project.

Thanks,

Jeff

[Ratrace427]

All the cars are the same. Sure the gas flap and some other little cosmetic things here and there but only a Delorean guy will know the difference. Nobody notices my gun metal wheels. The price of a new windshield is crazy. Think about that.

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[Ratrace427]

Now that I'm thinking about it.opening the bonnet every time I needed gas would get old. If I had to buy one I would like grey interior and gas flap. My black interior gets toasty and the grey just looks better. Same for the early gun metal rims. Late model color looks better

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[66 Vette]

Is a new windshield around $500.00? Plus freight?

[Chris 16409]

Is a new windshield around $500.00? Plus freight?

From DMC-H in Texas

https://store.delorean.com/p-9752-windshield-wo-antenna.aspx (Standard)

https://store.delorean.com/p-10312-windshield-wo-antenna-ir.aspx. (With IR Protection)

https://store.delorean.com/p-9751-windshield-wantenna.aspx (With Embedded Antenna)

[louielouie2000]

If I had to buy one I would like grey interior and gas flap.

That's a pretty rare combination; about 200 cars total. I can't remember the last time I saw one for sale. Does it make those cars command a premium? Not from what I've seen. Condition and service history are where value lies in DeLoreans.

[Ratrace427]

Plus install. That's if you find someone to do it. It will probably be only a slight aggregation. When the installer finds out they are messing with a $500 glass they get weird. Places like safe lite want quick and easy glass. Glass they mark up and install for $200 and have in stock. I tried to have them fix a crack in mine and had to release them of damages. Meh. Use the windshield as leverage to get the car cheap

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[Dangermouse]

Condition and service history are where value lies in DeLoreans.

^^^^This, in spades.

There is a very small group of people interested in the 500 vin cars, and an even smaller group who would buy one and know how to restore it the way it was built.

Beyond that, no, they are all the same at this point in terms of desireability viz-a-viz the actual VIN.

Gas-flap vs flat is a personal choice and there are always owned of one type wanting to swap for the other.

[David T]

^^^^This, in spades.

There is a very small group of people interested in the 500 vin cars, and an even smaller group who would buy one and know how to restore it the way it was built.

Beyond that, no, they are all the same at this point in terms of desireability viz-a-viz the actual VIN.

Gas-flap vs flat is a personal choice and there are always owned of one type wanting to swap for the other.

There are some running production changes that differentiate early from late and there were some recalls and service bulletins that the car may require if they haven't been done. Being an early car doesn't necessarily make the car valuable. Even though a windscreen may be expensive it should not stop you from buying the car if it is factored into the sale price. Interior parts can be expensive and some are difficult to obtain. Dings can be repaired but that can also be expensive. The best advice from an economic standpoint is to always buy the best car you can afford. If you are looking for a project you must estimate how much you will be spending in parts and what the car will be worth when you are done to come up with how much you can offer the seller. Typically a neglected car will need EVERYTHING. The standard rule-of-thumb is $10,000 + $1,000 for every year it sat. Add to that the cost to acquire it. A good runner that needs some cosmetic work is worth $20-$25K

[DMC-81]

Plus install. That's if you find someone to do it. It will probably be only a slight aggregation. When the installer finds out they are messing with a $500 glass they get weird. Places like safe lite want quick and easy glass. Glass they mark up and install for $200 and have in stock. I tried to have them fix a crack in mine and had to release them of damages. Meh. Use the windshield as leverage to get the car cheap

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Agreed. I have found that a national company would rarely agree to do work on the DeLorean. I called Safe Lite to reinstall the rear quarter window and they wouldn't do the job because of liability. I had the same experience with installation of tires, dent repair, and an alignment. You just have to find a quality, independent shop. I had all four services done, and done right. I found that I just had to call around more.

[DMCVegas]

Now that I'm thinking about it.opening the bonnet every time I needed gas would get old. If I had to buy one I would like grey interior and gas flap. My black interior gets toasty and the grey just looks better. Same for the early gun metal rims. Late model color looks better

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Comparatively, I've tried filling cars with gas flaps, and lifting the bonnet has always been easier for me. At least when you're having to deal with those annoying nozzles with the accordion boots on them.

http://www.jmesales.com/CatalogImages/18-6047-Product_Primary_ImagejmeProductImageSize.jpg

With the regular nozzles that don't have the vapor recovery, it's much better. But those accordion boots take up so much space that there isn't much room around the flap opening.

But lifting the bonnet to fill? Not a big deal at all. Just reach down, pull the release, and lift. Plus you can come at the gas tank sideways to prevent fuel from dripping out onto the bonnet or underbody where you can smell it when the fumes get sucked into the plenum.

[David T]

If you have the gas flap you are supposed to have the locking gas cap. That can be a pain to deal with getting the key out and all. Also easy to scratch the hood or drop something on it. It becomes a matter of preference. Not like you are filling the car all the time. For most of us the car isn't a daily driver and it is pretty good on gas.

[81dmc]

Early cars are unique but definitely flawed, and problems are found usually with the doors, hood, or fiberglass body. The doors and hood are easy to "fix," but the the body makes perfection a long, unpaved road. However, even with all those flaws, early vins are certainly a bit more special. At least for those like me...

Just my $.02

[bytes311]

My D has the gas-flap. When I went to fill 'er up for the first time, I wasn't aware of that sharp razor-bladed bottom piece. My index finger grazed it while removing the cap. I have a scar to remind me to stay the hell away from it. I also put a rubber seal over the blade to be safe.

[Andrew]

^^^^This, in spades.

There is a very small group of people interested in the 500 vin cars, and an even smaller group who would buy one and know how to restore it the way it was built.

Beyond that, no, they are all the same at this point in terms of desireability viz-a-viz the actual VIN.

Gas-flap vs flat is a personal choice and there are always owned of one type wanting to swap for the other.

From the vin list on the Texas Owners Registry website, the first grey interior car was vin 1081. It looks like approximately 257 grey interior cars were built with the gas flap hood. However, as the above referenced post indicates, there are owners who are willing to swap hoods based upon personal preference. I can attest to the fact that vin 5052 is now a grey interior car with a gas flap hood resulting from a pre-arranged hood swap with a fellow owner who preferred a grooved hood. Due to travel and logistics the swap took place at 3AM in a Speedway gas station parking lot :-).

[Jonathan]

Like Louie said, it will generally come back to current condition more than anything to determine value.

Think of these 3 main areas to differentiate the cars:

1.) Original (unique) features
2.) Original (unique) flaws
3.) Recent and current maintenance

Early cars had some features different from later cars. Things like the gas flap hoods, antenna location, style of door pull straps, stereo type/console clocks, etc. You can see a longer list of these if you search for a thread on the chronology of the cars. Most of these were more cosmetic than functional and many were changed because of production costs or some other oversight.

Early cars also had some flaws that later cars did not. Doors and panels as mentioned that didn't always fit well together, alternators that failed, water leaks into the cabin. Also the areas covered in the safety recalls (front suspension, throttle spool, inertia switch). Later cars would have had the recalls done by the factory or service centres, but early cars may have slipped through the cracks as it would have been up to the owners/dealers to ensure they were done. Most any of these "flaws" could be resolved later, by us, by putting in a better suited alternator and sealing places in the fiberglass known to leak water, or getting the recall parts and doing those yourself. Door and panel alignment is a little trickier to do yourself though.

The recent and current maintenance is important because not only are you looking at a car to see if it was well stored and cared for, but we all need to be looking at areas on the car that need attention simply because of things that don't last 35 years. Obviously you would like to find a car that is driven regularly, fluids are all in nice shape and so too are the hoses and belts. But at 35 years of age, most cars will by now have needed a replacement fuel accumulator, steering column bushing, plastic coolant reservoir bottle swapped out to something metallic, fuses/relays replaced, a rebuild on the shift computer governor on the automatic transmission and some other odds and ends.

There are also a few things on the car that could have needed to be done more than once. Brakes for example. At 35 years of age, it becomes more important that work was done recently in places like this than was simply done. If cars were worked on years ago and then sat, some of these areas where work was completed will have to be done over again.

[66 Vette]

Thanks all for your input. Much appreciated.

[Johnny-T]

Now that I'm thinking about it.opening the bonnet every time I needed gas would get old.

I used to feel the same way but I always end up opening the entire bonnet anyways. It makes it easier to maneuver the gas nozzle and opens up more room to see what I'm doing. At this point my gas flap is simply a hood decoration and conversation piece. Even tho I don't use it, I still love the look.

[sdg3205]

I used to feel the same way but I always end up opening the entire bonnet anyways. It makes it easier to maneuver the gas nozzle and opens up more room to see what I'm doing. At this point my gas flap is simply a hood decoration and conversation piece. Even tho I don't use it, I still love the look.

Same. I only put about 5 - 8 tanks of gas in every year. I seem to get by... somehow. #firstworldproblems

[powerline84]

This thread caught my eye cause i am interested in the same thing. So I never was able to sell my truck (70 chevy), but my wife and I both got promoted and she agreed that I can keep the classic truck and get a Delorean. Right now I am in Alabama for work and will be back in upstate NY next summer. My plan is to go to DMC Midwest and check out there inventory. I myself really like the early cars because I like the dark grey rims and some of the interior quirks. I want to get an origional dealer equipped wide striped car, black interior car, 5 speed, gas flap hood. I hope to find a car that is a 1 owner if that is even possible anymore or at least one that is unmolested and has a good story(I want a car that is as true to being bought at dealer as possible ...minus safety and reliability fixes). I am gonna give that list of requests to DMC Midwest and hope they can find one for me. I have read in a few delorean books about poor build qaulity but the way I see it as old as all the cars are they all will have some issues. It depends on who you talk to....some stay say away from early builds...other say not a big deal. I feel like if you can do your own work then it doesn't matter.

[David T]

The more requirements you add to your decision the harder it becomes to find what you want. Side stripes can be applied. A hood can be changed. 5-speeds are more common than autos especially among the early cars. Grey is not as common but findable. Why care about the # of previous owners as long as the car is presently in good shape.

[powerline84]

Good points

[louielouie2000]

At the same time, why buy a car that isn't what you want? DeLoreans are constantly popping up for sale, and if you are patient and vigilant, one that closely meets your requirements will emerge. It's not like you are under a time constraint; this is a toy- which is an unnecessary and emotional purchase. So hold out and get the one you really want. It's not like gas flap hoods and original stripe kits are a dime a dozen, either. Everyone wants those items, and there is a finite, shrinking supply of them. Don't settle; buy the car you want. Trust me, you'll regret it if you don't. I also have always wanted an early car, but settled on what was available in my price range at the times I bought them. I never stopped kicking myself!

[powerline84]

At the same time, why buy a car that isn't what you want? DeLoreans are constantly popping up for sale, and if you are patient and vigilant, one that closely meets your requirements will emerge. It's not like you are under a time constraint; this is a toy- which is an unnecessary and emotional purchase. So hold out and get the one you really want. It's not like gas flap hoods and original stripe kits are a dime a dozen, either. Everyone wants those items, and there is a finite, shrinking supply of them. Don't settle; buy the car you want. Trust me, you'll regret it if you don't. I also have always wanted an early car, but settled on what was available in my price range at the times I bought them. I never stopped kicking myself!

I am with you brother. I think they will be able to find the car I want. I am willing to put a deposit and wait.

[powerline84]

Totally didn't intend on jacking this thread my bad....just wanted to say I talked to Mike at DMC midwest today and he shares in the love for the early builds. He is officially looking for my car. Just wanted to throw a positive review out there , they are phenominal...Mike talked on the phone with me for over an hour. Very excited to take this first step towards purchase and I look forward to working with Mike and family at DMC Midwest....phenomenal customer service thusfar.

Jimmy