My Stewardship of 10439

[dodint]

If this thread is in the wrong place or inappropriate feel free to shift it elsewhere. I'm not sure if it's going to be a travelogue for the trip home or some place that I might use to jot notes through the ownership that are not appropriate for subject specific threads.

I've purchased 10439 sight unseen and intend to fly down to Atlanta, GA and drive it back to Pittsburgh, PA over New Years weekend. The car actually already has a thread here on DMCTalk (http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?8930-Purchased-10439-and-transported-from-Wilmington-NC-to-Bethpage-NY) which was a great help to me. I hope that this new thread will be a resource to whomever has 10439 after my time with it is done.

I've been actively reading about DMCs since I was fourteen years old, or since 1998 or so. I've toured DMCMW and spoke to Mike about my buying decision, and attended DCS 2016 to get to talk to owners (some I know are here, hi Lenny, Josh!) and vendors and to do my last bit of research. I had planned to buy in spring of 2018 but I came across the 'perfect' car and felt it was time to end the search and get it home.

I originally wanted to spend between $30-35k for a really nice runner that did not have any immediate needs. I ended up going up to $39k to get a car that already had the Stage II upgrade since that's something I knew I wanted to do in the future anyway. I got the interior color, transmission, and engine upgrade package I wanted in a car with decently low mileage. I am very excited. The only thing I conceeded on was the hood, I really dislike the hood with the logo tacked on. Would love to get a grooved hood one day but it's unlikely.

Once I get the car and receipts home I will enumerate this list fully, but for now this is what I know about the car:

'82 Gray 5-speed, 21,040 miles

Interior:
*New Seat Covers
*New Carpet
Bluetooth Stereo Receiver

Mechanicals:
*Stage II Motor/Exhaust
*New Fuel Pump and Accumulator
*Rebuilt Fuel Distributor
*New Brake Calipers w/Rotors
*New SS Brake Lines
*New Clutch, SS Clutch Line, and Slave Cylinder
*SS Coolant Bottle
*New Radiator
Lowering Springs/Shocks
*Relay Update Kit
*140 Amp Alternator
*LED Door Lights
*All Grounds Checked/Cleaned
*New Shift Bushings
*Wheels, Powdercoated
Fascias Painted and Mounted w/New Studs

* denotes performed by DMCMW November 2012 ~3,000 miles ago.

Sale included 2 keys, Car Cover, DeLorean World back issues, Tech Manual, receipts.

I already have the tech manuals (and have read them, even the K-Jet manual) but a hard copy will be a nice addition.

The car is about an hour northeast of Atlanta. I have an Uncle that lives near Knoxville, TN and is a big car guy. My wife and I will drive from Georgia to Tennessee and spend the night at my uncle's on Saturday, then drive the remaining distance on Sunday. My uncle lives on one side of The Tail of the Dragon so if the car feels good under me I intend to take 129 to get there which is a fantastic way to start ownership. That's about four hours on Saturday for the initial shakedown and then eight hours to get back to our house. Then it goes in the garage until the last of the snow is gone for winter.

About me: I'm a cyber security specialist for the federal government who attends law school part time. I was a Marine but wised up and escaped. ;)

Other vehicles: R56 MINI Cooper, E63 BMW 650i, BMW R1200CLC.

I'll take some pictures at Cheoah Dam if the light is good. I plan to take some essential tools with me but I'll probably end up just letting my AAA Premier card do the heavy lifting if something happens that I can't sort quickly.

For now I've attached some older pics from the other thread and eBay auction just to allow for an idea of what I've bought into.

549335493454935549365493754938

[DMC-81]

Very nice car. Congratulations!!

[Michael]

Excellent looking example. Personally I love the flat hoods with the badge(always have).

[David T]

Right now they are predicting a snow storm for this Saturday for the Northeast. Not too specific as to timing or amounts yet but they are already saying it will be a significant storm. I am not sure how it will affect PA but if it travels up the coast it may affect you. Keep your plans flexible and you may have to adjust your trip and/or schedule. Not a good idea to drive the Delorean in snow, especially if you are not familiar with it. A better plan would be to trailer it if at all possible. In any case make sure you have the car covered with adequate insurance. Planing on using a trailer and doing it that way in advance is a much better (and cheaper) plan that driving and getting stuck out on the highway. You can wait hours for the tow and the cost will be a LOT more.

[dodint]

I have been watching that system. It's projecting to miss the cooridor I'm traveling, that danger doesn't seem like it will be realized in my case. At worse I would reasses on Sunday morning and leave it at my Uncles and rent a car one way back to Pittsburgh, or just stay another day as I am off Monday. Or I can go back down and get it later if need be. My Sunday travel would be mostly I-79. Saturday from Atlanta to Knoxville looks unremarkable, 40s and sunny.

I really don't see that as being an issue though. The concern now is that the high for Sunday is 16F. I have read next to nothing about operating a DMC in below freezing weather. I know about the throttle recall but that's about it.

[DaraSue]

Congratulations on your purchase! Road tripping in a DeLorean is always an unforgettable experience (and if you're lucky, in a good way, LOL). They do good work at Midwest so I'm sure your car will be solid as long as it's been taken proper care of since then. Being in Pittsburgh you're pretty close to DPI out in Akron, too. I've never had major work done there but Josh helped me out with a flaky starter on my last road trip (and probably kept me from getting stranded in Nebraska).

I didn't see the throttle shield in the engine bay pics in the other thread. If you don't have the recall done, I'd try to avoid snow or freezing rain. I've gotten caught out in the snow in mine before and the car didn't perform that badly but it's every other idiot on the road that you'd have to worry about. I talked to Dave at MW about cold weather operation and he said it should be OK with the 20W50 oil even at cold temps but to let it warm up a bit before driving if it's below freezing.

Good luck, please keep us updated on your trip!

[Michael]

Congratulations on your purchase! Road tripping in a DeLorean is always an unforgettable experience (and if you're lucky, in a good way, LOL)!

I second this. When I bought mine, I flew down to FL and drove it almost 1,000 miles home. It was at the end of February and I got very lucky with sunny days and warm temps all the way home.

I would however suggest you document your trip via YouTube or Facebook and link to it here. I documented my journey in detail with pics and in an instant it was all deleted when dmctalk.com went bye bye over some kind of family squabble.

[dodint]

I thought about bringing the GoPro I use for track days but don't think I want to burden myself with fussing with all of that the very first moments of ownership. There will be time for that later.

The route we're beginning or trip on is pretty great though and I plan to get some pics. Sunday is all business interstate for 8 hours so I'm really going to try and enjoy Saturday.

The fly-to-pick-up road trip was always part of the vision, I just assumed I'd have to go to CA to get it. Now I don't even have to use PTO from work. ;)

[David T]

Make sure all of your paperwork is in order. For extreme cold weather take all of the usual precautions like checking your anti-freeze, washer fluid, wiper blades. Tire pressures are VERY important. If the tires are old they don't grip well. Till you can trust the fuel gauge keep the tank full and watch the trip odometer. Figure conservatively 250 miles on a full tank till you know your MPG. Don't push the car hard till you are comfortable with it. For the beginning of the trip stop often and check the fluid levels and tire pressures till you know everything will be OK. Wouldn't hurt to check the lug nuts too. Bring along a battery pack if you have one just in case of a battery failure. A can of Fix-A-Flat or a small compressor is a good idea along with a tire gauge, flashlight, and flares. If you can, prepare a list of owners along the way who could help if necessary.

[dodint]

Excellent, a lot of that has been planned for. The lug nuts is a good tip, what size socket do I need? I will toss one in my bag with a breaker bar or torque wrench.

[DaraSue]

Excellent, a lot of that has been planned for. The lug nuts is a good tip, what size socket do I need? I will toss one in my bag with a breaker bar or torque wrench.

It's a 19mm.

Also to go along with what David said, if you didn't know, you can sign up for the DeLorean Owner's Directory and print out a list for the states you'll be going through. http://www.citizenkidd.com/dmc/pages/dod.asp

[dodint]

Thanks, the car is already in the DOD so there is a bit of a hiccup with getting registered. I sent an e-mail so maybe I can get it cleared up quickly.

It's funny, as for not trusting the fuel gauge, that's exactly the same thing that I do when I tour my motorcycle on long distances and what I planned to do with the DeLorean. Luckily my first leg is only 199 miles so I should be able to fill it up where I bought it and get to my first stop without much danger in that regard. Amusingly the DMC doesn't get much more range from a tank of fuel than my R1200CLC which can eek out over 200mi from 4.1g of fuel.

[Citizen]

Also to go along with what David said, if you didn't know, you can sign up for the DeLorean Owner's Directory and print out a list for the states you'll be going through. http://www.citizenkidd.com/dmc/pages/dod.asp

Sue, thanks for the reference (hope it's ok to call you that). For ease of remembering, the correct URL to use is www.DeLoreanOwnersDirectory.net (http://www.DeLoreanOwnersDirectory.net).


Thanks, the car is already in the DOD so there is a bit of a hiccup with getting registered. I sent an e-mail so maybe I can get it cleared up quickly. [snip]

dodint, I received your email and so I've deleted the old DOD entry. You can now simply add your new info using the link above. When done, you'll be able to download the DOD and your location information will automatically update the Registry (http://www.citizenkidd.com/dmc/pages/vin.asp).

And as always, you (and everyone else) can find your VIN Here (http://www.citizenkidd.com/dmc/pages/vinview_find.asp).

Best of luck on your trip. What a great adventure! Congratulations and welcome!

Thomas

...

[dodint]

Got your email, exceptional response time there. Thanks!

[David T]

I gave you very conservative #'s. Potentially you can get as much as 28 MPG. With 12.5 gallons that will get you up to 350 miles per tank. Using 250 miles as a range gives you a lot of reserve. If you can keep your speed at or below 60 MPH your mileage will be maximized. I hope your heat works good! When you fill up reset your trip odometer and cross-check it against your fuel gauge as you travel. You can also check your odometer and speedometer against the mileage post markers along the highway for accuracy. At 60 MPH you should cross a measured mile in exactly 60 seconds. The longer the measured course the more accuracy. For example if you measured 10 miles you should do it in 600 seconds (10 minutes). Take some music along, the radio in the car is not good at picking up weak signals between cities. You should have a lug wrench in the tool kit along with the jack. It should be in the front compartment in the trunk. Figure the spare tire is flat so if you get a chance you should fill it up with air.

[dodint]

Thanks, good stuff.

When I get a new car I generally check the indicated speed against a GPS app I have. It's called GPS Test, a free app that interprets GPS signal in useful ways.

I read a thread on fuel mileage a few days ago that seemed to indicate 250mi was a good time to start looking for a fuel stop, so it sounds like you are in agreement there.

Car has an aftermarket stereo with Bluetooth, and I am always loaded with podcasts. And my wife is coming with which always (usually) makes for a much better time. She's a car nut too and fully supports this realized dream of mine.

Good call on the spare, was going to check pressures when filling up but would have overlooked the spare.

[DaraSue]

Sue, thanks for the reference (hope it's ok to call you that).
...

LOL, it's actually just Dara. The "Sue" part is an old nom de blog inspired by the Mary Sues of Star Trek fanfiction infamy.




Good call on the spare, was going to check pressures when filling up but would have overlooked the spare.

If that's the original spare, you might not want to trust it anyway. When I got mine inspected prior to my first trip, that was one of the notes (in those exact words: DO NOT TRUST). I got mine replaced at MW but maybe a normal tire shop could do it.

[dodint]

If a tire goes down and then the spare is bad AAA will bail me out, that's what I pay the subscription for. I could do any number of things up front to try and prevent everything but I have to draw the line somewhere and just hope for the best. I am bringing my North Face arctic gear just in case the absolute worst happens once I get farther north and I'm stranded roadside with no heat, high of 13F on Sunday and all.

And now that I have said that I should probably at least stop and get a can of fix a flat. ;)

I have a decent bag of tools and other resources I'm checking on my flight, might grab an alternator belt tomorrow just because I will probably need it someday anyway.

[nullset]

FYI, if you do have to use the spare, and the one you're replacing is one of the rears, it won't fit in the tire well in the trunk.....so you're better off calling AAA anyway, unless you want to throw it in the cabin. I don't recommend leaving it on the side of the road :)

[David T]

FYI, if you do have to use the spare, and the one you're replacing is one of the rears, it won't fit in the tire well in the trunk.....so you're better off calling AAA anyway, unless you want to throw it in the cabin. I don't recommend leaving it on the side of the road :)

I keep a plastic bag and a bungee cord so I can put the flat on the engine cover and bungee the louvre over it. Never had to do it but a plastic bag and bungee cord don't take up much space. Turn the spare tire upside down and put stuff inside. I also keep a can of fix-a-flat in there.

[Citizen]

I keep a plastic bag and a bungee cord so I can put the flat on the engine cover and bungee the louvre over it. Never had to do it but a plastic bag and bungee cord don't take up much space. Turn the spare tire upside down and put stuff inside. I also keep a can of fix-a-flat in there.

+1 on having a can of fix-a-flat, and turning the spare upside down to store it and more stuff.

For carrying the rear tire after a flat, I knew about on top of the engine cover, but I hadn't thought of using a plastic bag and bungee cords. But it sounds like a good idea that I'm gonna adopt.

T.

[dodint]

The car is great and is as advertised, no regrets with the purchase.

Does have some quirks that need to be sorted, but nothing major. It made it from Atlanta to Knoxville just fine, including a trip on The Tail of the Dragon in the dark. Fun stuff.

Very happy with the purchase.

Might try to post a few snapshots in a minute, have to switch devices.

[David T]

The car is great and is as advertised, no regrets with the purchase.

Does have some quirks that need to be sorted, but nothing major. It made it from Atlanta to Knoxville just fine, including a trip on The Tail of the Dragon in the dark. Fun stuff.

Very happy with the purchase.

Might try to post a few snapshots in a minute, have to switch devices.

Create a list of the "squawks" and actually write them down. You can then sort them into order of priority and if necessary order parts. In your first order you should get an oil filter, blending pads, and any bulbs like the ones in the hazard or headlight switches. Good to hear you made it without a major problem or running into any weather. Now you can have fun all winter cleaning the car up.

[dodint]

I still have to drive from Knoxville to Pittsburgh tomorrow. ;)

Off the top of my head:

170mph speedo just lethargically lags between 30-50mph when my GPS has me moving between 60 and 80. I don't like that speedo anyway, and the car came with the stock 85mph, so I hope putting the original back in will kill two birds with one stone.
Temp gauge never seems to wander too far from that unmaked notch near "150" or whatever. This is either really awesome or really bad, I'm guessing.
Car pulls to the right at all times, a complaint that two owners ago mentioned in 2012. Not great.
Car has vibration felt in the steering wheel. Best guess is a bad bushing up front. Tires are new Falkens that are properly inflated. I am guessing they are not OEM size though since it's a name brand and all the tread matches. I say that because I thought maybe it was wonky tires but they look great, need to check build date.
Dome light inoperable.
Headlight button functional but worn, cosmetically displeasing.
Driver door needs assistance to open fully, can almost get there but needs a slight nudge. Will probably replace the gas struts as a pair.
BTTF sticker and DOA stickers need to go.
Air Conditioning makes a weird cyclic whine every 8 seconds or so in some modes. Silence for 6 seconds then a 2 second whine, repeats until I turn it to another mode. Blows cold.
Shifter could be tighter, wish it were "notchier."
Power for the aftermarket stereo runs too close to some wiring somewhere so when I accelerate I get feedback whine. Liveable but annoying that it wasn't installed correctly.

Brakes are from the 80s, steering too.

Heater works great.
Headlights are fantastic.

PO gave me a case of oil filters, they're black. Probably came from DMCMW but not sure.

This is not a direct request for solutions, just making a list while it's fresh in my mind. Always happy to hear thoughts, too.

[Michael]

Take lots of pictures, you will want to look back many years from now.

PS, I am not more than a few miles off I-81N exit 57 (Kingsport/Johnson City Exit) so if you have any issues around that part of the trip I will PM you my phnoe number just in case.

[DaraSue]

Glad your trip is free of massive hassles so far!

Re : the temp gauge, since it had a Stage II conversion done relatively recently, they probably had the engine far enough apart to make sure there wasn't a lot of crud and sediment gumming up the works. Mine hovers right around that numberless white line, too (I had an overhaul done last winter at CA). The only time mine creeps up is if I'm idling or going slow for a long time. Keep an eye on it just in case, but it's probably all good.

[David T]

The "pulling to the right" is probably the most serious problem and an alignment should fix that. All of the other things can be fixed "in due course". Could also be a sticking caliper on the right side (or a bad brake hose).

[dodint]

Home safe, no major glitches. Very tired, will post some pics and stuff tomorrow. Thanks everyone.

54968

[DaraSue]

Woohoo! Congrats on your first successful road trip! Sounds like you got a pretty good one. :)

[Michael]

Congrats! You may sleep now and when you wake up you will think it was all a dream (for about 1 second), then you realize your dream came true...


And you will truly be "living the dream".

[opethmike]

Be sure to give the car a hug once a week. They like that, and will behave nicely. That Michael guy is ruggedly handsome. DeLoreans are fun. Mine goes vroom vroom vroom, but most go vroom.

Also, snow happens because somewhere a sasquatch has not been properly using his dandruff shampoo.

[JETS 81 DMC]

Home safe, no major glitches. Very tired, will post some pics and stuff tomorrow. Thanks everyone.

54968

And you have a picture to put on your 2018 Christmas cards.
Congratulations. :sleeping:
:cheers:

[Jonathan]

I still have to drive from Knoxville to Pittsburgh tomorrow. ;)

Off the top of my head:

170mph speedo just lethargically lags between 30-50mph when my GPS has me moving between 60 and 80. I don't like that speedo anyway, and the car came with the stock 85mph, so I hope putting the original back in will kill two birds with one stone.
Temp gauge never seems to wander too far from that unmaked notch near "150" or whatever. This is either really awesome or really bad, I'm guessing.
Car pulls to the right at all times, a complaint that two owners ago mentioned in 2012. Not great.
Car has vibration felt in the steering wheel. Best guess is a bad bushing up front. Tires are new Falkens that are properly inflated. I am guessing they are not OEM size though since it's a name brand and all the tread matches. I say that because I thought maybe it was wonky tires but they look great, need to check build date.
Dome light inoperable.
Headlight button functional but worn, cosmetically displeasing.
Driver door needs assistance to open fully, can almost get there but needs a slight nudge. Will probably replace the gas struts as a pair.
BTTF sticker and DOA stickers need to go.
Air Conditioning makes a weird cyclic whine every 8 seconds or so in some modes. Silence for 6 seconds then a 2 second whine, repeats until I turn it to another mode. Blows cold.
Shifter could be tighter, wish it were "notchier."
Power for the aftermarket stereo runs too close to some wiring somewhere so when I accelerate I get feedback whine. Liveable but annoying that it wasn't installed correctly.

Brakes are from the 80s, steering too.

Heater works great.
Headlights are fantastic.

PO gave me a case of oil filters, they're black. Probably came from DMCMW but not sure.

This is not a direct request for solutions, just making a list while it's fresh in my mind. Always happy to hear thoughts, too.


Home safe, no major glitches. Very tired, will post some pics and stuff tomorrow. Thanks everyone.

54968

Love that picture! That's great! Congrats on getting your car and home safely with it.

A couple thoughts on your list of quirks:

- the A/C cycling is normal. More or less. Not very normal for a new car, but typical for the DeLorean. The cycling on and off is when the compressor is needed or it isn't depending on the pressure of the refrigerant, how hard the system needs to work (aka how cold outside it is), what setting you have the A/C on, etc., etc. If it is coming on and blowing cold when asked to, you're ahead of the game vs many cars. You can check it more thoroughly later which can include confirming how much refrigerant is in the system and whether it needs more.

- braking system from the 80s is fine if still of the 80s design, but shouldn't still be using all the same original components your specific car came with from the 80s. Meaning, you'll want to take each wheel off, inspect rotors, calipers and pads, the brake fluid reservoir and condition and level of fluid, condition of flexible lines at each wheel, etc. It may not need an entire overhaul if done somewhat recently, but changing out the fluid and the seals (and maybe the pistons) inside the calipers along with the pads is a good idea. Parking brake components should be inspected as well.

- With the engine temperature sitting in one spot, it could be something significant or it could be nothing. Some of the gauges are better for relative references than an absolute value (meaning, where does the needle usually sit on your car and compare that to future times you drive it. When it does something other than what it always does, then you might have a problem). I would run some tests while in favorable conditions (i.e. your garage or driveway) and confirm the cooling fans come on when they should and cool the car down when it is just sitting there idling. Those are easy tests and we can walk you through them.

- Steering vibration can indeed be a bad steering column bushing. Can also be other things like tires being out of round or not balanced (i.e. the wheel weights came off). You can take all four to a tire shop for rebalancing and it'll be less than $50 for the whole set. You can check your braking system while the wheels are off too.

- Give your door struts a chance to work in warmer temperatures if you like. They are (ambient) temperature sensitive and don't work very well when it is really cold outside. I think the sweet spot (for just about all aspects on the car for that matter) is around 70 deg F. They are going to have a tendency to droop in the winter. That being said, they may just be weak and need replacing. Door struts seem to be a wear and tear item and last around 3 years or so for some owners.

Congrats again and Happy New Year.

[dodint]

I wrote this for a more general audience but I'll put it here for now. I'll come back later this week and respond to your individual comments and suggestions but I wanted to share my initial impressions and travel story:

We flew down to Atlanta on Saturday morning and rented a car (Chrysler 300) to make the one hour drive up to Monroe, GA to pick up the car. Everything checked out so we gave them the certified check and got on our way; he is using the funds from the DMC sale to build a Cobra replica. The plane was really late taking off in Pittsburgh as it had about 4" of fresh snow on it from sitting overnight and took over an hour to deice. It really put a crunch on us as I wanted to be to my uncles before sunset, but that didn't happen.

http://nathangess.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/dmcpurchase01.jpg

Took off right into the Georgia hills after doing some basic checks on systems, tire pressure, etc. It would be a 4hr (199mi) trip through the Appalachian hills.

http://nathangess.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/dmcpurchase02.jpg

http://nathangess.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/dmcpurchase09.jpg

Scraped the 'Flux' sticker, the NY inspection sticker, and the DeLorean Owners Association stickers off when I got home.

The condition of the mechanicals of the car is quite good. It started every time whether it was 20F at 8am or after a quick fuel fill up. It started strong every time, never hesitated.
I only poured gas into the cargo area once when I turned my back while filling. :rolleyes: No big deal, it's just full of papers and clothes, right?

http://nathangess.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/dmcpurchase03.jpg

A few hours into the hills, about 30 minutes before getting to the Tail of the Dragon, we stopped at a Huddle House because the roadside stand that we planned to stop at was closed for the season. Never been to a Huddle House, it's basically a Denny's that could fit in a gas station (and some do).

http://nathangess.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/dmcpurchase05.jpg

For those that may not know the Tail of the Dragon, this is it:

http://www.nicoclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Dragon_map-1.gif

By the time we got there it was dark. I've driven it a few times in an E46 BMW during the day but nothing like this. The DMC has no power steering, ABS, and is RR configuration. I think it actually handled very well. The steering makes it feel MUCH heavier than the car actually is, but at speed that kind of melts away. The car did feel different than anything else I've driven, you can of place the car where you need it to be at apex and then lay into the throttle, but not sooner. The grip was there immediately if you did this but the threat of understeer really keeps you from mashing the throttle too soon, at least for me.
It was a bit of a workout, I didn't push it too much and it was scary when trucks were coming the other direction as you'd lose your night vision and the next turn is only a few meters away. The only real scare we had was when I dropped the rear passenger wheel partially off the crumbling roadway. It was adjacent to a jutting rock wall and we sincerely thought that I had torn a hole in the rear quarter stainless panel. We stopped at the end and there was no visual damage, we think that when I put the wheel off it kicked debris up into the fiberglass pontoon and made an awful impacting *thunk* but left no visual evidence of an impact.
Part of me wishes I had recorded the run; the rest of me is happy to have the memory to myself as I perceived it in time.

My uncle lives about 10 miles from the Tennessee side of the Dragon, and we stayed there for the night. Here it is parked next to his SCCA prepped Saturn, though he hasn't touched it in 8 years:

http://nathangess.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/dmcpurchase06.jpg

He actually offered me the Saturn for free and all of the custom parts he had fabricated for it but I'm really working towards the SE46 project and I feel like I'd end up neglecting it as much as he has if I accepted. I'll keep it in the back of my mind for now.

We took off around 9am for the 8 hour (520mi) drive. It was chilly but dry in TN and VA, but by the time we got to WV and PA it was about 15F at mid day and the roads were a mixture of slush, salt, and ice. Car handled fine on the interstate at what I assume was 80mp or so. There is a vibration up front from either the steering column bushing or perhaps a control arm bushing, but it didn't kill the ride. We stopped in Morgantown for dinner:

http://nathangess.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/dmcpurchase07.jpg

And we got home, in the dark again, about two hours later.

http://nathangess.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/dmcpurchase08.jpg

http://nathangess.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/dmcpurchase10.jpg

Last night I hosed it down as best I could, being sure to get as much into the suspension, brakes, frame, and other attachments as I could. Engine bay is pretty easy to clean for obvious reasons. This morning when I woke up I drove it down to the car wash about a half a mile away and had the car cleaned that way which includes and underbody spray and protectant. Then I put it in the garage and hosed it down one more time. I'm not too concerned with salt but wanted to take whatever preventative measure I could. Now the garage has the DMC and the MINI it it, with the 650 in the driveway. Bad timing as it's not forecasted to get about 20F for the foreseeable future. Oh well, the price you pay. I'm either going to take it to my MILs and put it in her spare garage bay, or keep it here and just endure the cold with my daily driver. There are some small projects I can work on until spring comes.

Driving the car is really interesting. I will say that the driving position and pulling the door down right before setting off gives you that fun Le Mans LMP feeling even if the car doesn't have the guts to back it up. It's surprisingly comfortable over 8 hours, my wife said she was comfortable the whole time and I was fine. Once you get on the interstate and drop it into 5th you can just lean back and relax.

Sort of.

One of the things that I anticipated but didn't fully grasp was just how much attention this car gets on the road. I assumed the gas station comments would come, and they did, and that's fine. But the dumb shit people do on the highway is astounding. Lots of people would speed up to catch up to me and then either pace next to me or speed up to get by and then slow down again to get a look. Ash said people were taking pics and shooting video. I drive assertively and defensively but I have a hard time doing so in this car because everyone around me is so unpredictable. I'll just have to drive more cautiously but it's not always in my hands. We were on I-79 and we could see for miles in both directions, a jacked up F150 pulled alongside and literally drove off of the road while gawking at the car. Just, amazing.

Anyway, I've been studying these cars for 21 years and it still hasn't sunk in that I have one downstairs. It probably won't until something expensive breaks. ;)

[Michael]

Stunning looking car man, I don't know why but I really like that first pic in the garage. I guess I just never see one dirty and it still looks so good!!

[Dangermouse]

Congrats.

Out of curiosity (and education) how did you get a PA plate without a title?

[mrpeterman]

Congrats.

Out of curiosity (and education) how did you get a PA plate without a title?

It may be the same as Maine, where 1994 and below a title is not required to register the car, only the bill of sale.

[dodint]

It's from the Mustang SVT Cobra I sold a few months ago. The choice was either drive with a GA plate that wasn't mine, drive with no plate which always raises suspicion, or drive with the plate that (could) eventually be on the car once I get the title. With the Bill of Sale and insurance documents in the glove box I went with the path of least resistance. I could legally drive it without the plate just fine with the Bill of Sale but this was just the easiest way to keep the lowest profile.

That said, I'm titling it as an Antique vehicle so it won't actually wear that plate. The antique vehicle statute in PA is really lienant:


No person may operate a vehicle with antique or classic registration plates for commercial purposes or for general daily transportation. Permitted use is limited to participation in club activities, exhibits, tours, parades and similar uses, and for occasional transportation. Occasional transportation means no more than 1 day a week.

By the way I'm reading that I can drive to work on Wednesday AND go to Cars and Coffee on Saturday without being in violation of the statute. The 'occasional transportation' clause can also be loosely interpreted as '52 days per year of occasional transport' which is an argument I wouldn't hesitate to bring in front of a judge if it made it that far.

In PA, an antique vehicle is lifetime registration for $75 that does not require emissions or safety inspections. $100 more if you want a personalized plate (4 characters).

[DaraSue]

Personally I interpret the "club activities" bit to mean if I stop at Costco at some point during the day, it's all good. Since it doesn't actually specify "car clubs". :wink:

Anyway, glad you, the car and the missus made it home in one piece and unfrozen! You might want to keep it in your own garage just so you can go sit in it whenever you want, haha...

[dodint]

Was parsing through the binder of receipts the car came with. Found a bunch of scans of old titles going back to 1992, and also this picture:

http://nathangess.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/10439_Owner1.jpg

The snapshot was captioned "#1 Owner Bob Cleary" and has a southeast Ohio are code. I googled the number and found a couple of ads for an airplane and hot air balloons, seems like the guy has had an interesting life.

If figure this shot is either from the 1992 sale to the second owner (at about 11,000 miles) or when he first got it in 1982. Not sure.

[Michael]

Was parsing through the binder of receipts the car came with. Found a bunch of scans of old titles going back to 1992, and also this picture:

http://nathangess.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/10439_Owner1.jpg

The snapshot was captioned "#1 Owner Bob Cleary" and has a southeast Ohio are code. I googled the number and found a couple of ads for an airplane and hot air balloons, seems like the guy has had an interesting life.

If figure this shot is either from the 1992 sale to the second owner (at about 11,000 miles) or when he first got it in 1982. Not sure.

Quite possibly one of the more interesting "historical" D pics I have seen yet. It seems to tell a story which very few vintage DeLorean photos do.

[Domi]

I think this picture came also in an old DW magazine.

[Michael]

It belongs on a Jones Soda bottle for sure.

[Jonathan]

Quite possibly one of the more interesting "historical" D pics I have seen yet. It seems to tell a story which very few vintage DeLorean photos do.

Wow, great photograph is right! That is fantastic.

Reminds me a little of the chicken painting (http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?3177-DeLorean-Artwork-Anyone-ever-seen-this-print-or-know-some-history) or some kind of similar inspiration.

The black and white really helps imply there's a story to be told here. Almost like that one of the steel workers up on the beam having their lunch while building a skyscraper in New York city decades ago. Cool.

[opethmike]

Stunning looking car man, I don't know why but I really like that first pic in the garage. I guess I just never see one dirty and it still looks so good!!

You've love mine then; haven't washed it in probably two years.

[Michael]

You've love mine then; haven't washed it in probably two years.

Nah. The line between "use" and "neglect" is easy to draw.:jk:

[Rich_NYS]

Was parsing through the binder of receipts the car came with. Found a bunch of scans of old titles going back to 1992, and also this picture:

http://nathangess.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/10439_Owner1.jpg

The snapshot was captioned "#1 Owner Bob Cleary" and has a southeast Ohio are code. I googled the number and found a couple of ads for an airplane and hot air balloons, seems like the guy has had an interesting life.

If figure this shot is either from the 1992 sale to the second owner (at about 11,000 miles) or when he first got it in 1982. Not sure.

It looks to me like Bob is holding a map, asking the older dude for directions.

[opethmike]

Nah. The line between "use" and "neglect" is easy to draw.:jk:

I dusted off the dash last week.

[dodint]

I'm not terribly worried about this, but I figured I'd run it by the forum as I'm curious more about *why* it happened rather than what I need to do about it. We got 3-6" of snow today and the car is safely tucked in the garage. It's not like I'm going to drive it any time soon. It's not even titled and registered yet.

Went to the garage to get the snowblower this morning and found this:

55079

55080

55081

Looks like a small but significant quantity of coolant. It's clear but really slick/greasy to the touch and if it were water it would've evaporated by now.

Looking through the receipts I can't find many coolant hoses that were upgraded or replaced so I wouldn't be surprised if it's just an old tube or clamp somewhere.

The variable that concerns me is that I haven't driven the car (or turned over the motor) since January 1st. The only thing even closely related to coolant that I did was while I was in the cabin working on a dome light problem (front dome light doesn't operate automatically with door open, rear does and then delays-off).
I noticed that after driving it last I left the climate control in the Heater setting. I went ahead and spun the dial all the way around to 'exercise' it and left it in the Off setting. The next day I come out to the garage to find a coolant puddle.

Any idea where the first place to look is? Not sure if I should be looking at hose fittings or an AC/Heater component. My guess is the leak could've originated anywhere and pooled there because that was the lowest point the coolant could get to before falling off.

I'll probably end up buying one of those silicone hose kits and swapping out all the hoses in the system this spring as a general precaution, I'm just worried there is a heater valve or something that is also broke.

I just bought all the parts for a speedometer project I'm doing next so I doubt I'll tackle this coolant issue immediately unless the puddle gets worse.

[David T]

Jack the car up (I noticed you have jackstands) and look for any spots that are damp, wet, or stained. You can try tightening up the hose clamps but the best way to fix leaks is to take the joints apart, clean then up, and replace the hoses and clamps especially if everything is old/original. Temperature changes can make the joints leak.

[dodint]

The garage is heated, it's been at a more or less steady temp for 12 days.

I am going to get it up and inspect and probably replace all the hoses for sure either way. Just wondering if there is anything else I should do while I'm in there. The fact the coolant took 12 days to leak is just really curious to me. I need to do some reading and see what opens and closes with the spin of the climate control dial.

[opethmike]

Old as heck hoses and clamps can behave in strange ways in the cold. You're on the right path; replace all of the hoses and clamps. There are a few hoses underneath the intake manifold that you should change as well.

[dodint]

No where else really to put this but I find it quite annoying that DeloreanGo in the UK can ship me two pounds of parts with free shipping, and DMC charges $15 to ship a few ounces of speedo parts. $55 in parts becomes a $71 invoice.

Anyway, with that order I'll have assembled everything I need to do my [first] angle drive replacement, lambda delete, and swap back to the stock speedo. I'll shoot a video for it since the ones that are out there are pretty crudely done and camera technology has improved a bit in the last few years.
While I'm in there I'm going to replace the gauge cluster lights with LEDs, already have those LEDs in my parts pile.

Everything seems pretty straightforward with these small projects. The only thing I'm not sure of and won't be able to see until I pull it is how to get the odometer mileage display from the speedo that is coming out of the car back into the stock speedo. I'm hoping it looks obvious when I have them side by side.

Do any of the vendors buy 170mph speedos as cores? Or am I better off selling it outright? It works, I just don't like the scale.

[David T]

Make sure you test all of the bulbs before reassembling the binnacle. The odometer has a tiny clip that holds it in, you pull the clip out and the odometer will slide out. How much do you want for the 170 speedo? I could be interested.

[dodint]

Thanks for the tip!

I have no idea what to charge. Not looking to make a profit, if I can keep the part in the community where it's being used for something rather than on a top shelf in the garage I'll be happy. Let me get everything swapped and back in and then I'll let you know. I'll be looking to help knock down the cost of a complete silicon cooling hose kit as that's my project after this one.

I'm spending this weekend in a salvage yard trying to find a 3.46 differential to replace the 2.93 differential in my BMW so it won't be immediately.

[Jonathan]

Just a reminder that the battery warning light needs to remain a regular bulb as the charging system won't work if you put an LED in that spot. Assume you already know this, but it's important and a pain in the rump if you have to go back in there just to swap out one bulb.

Consider yourself fortunate that DMCH's prices are at least in the same currency for you. The exchange rate and shipping/customs fees are murder on overall cost. Everything on the parts page is x2 by the time you pay for everything to get it to your front door.

[dodint]

Yeah, I didn't buy a bulb for the brake light.

Leaning on Ozzie's website at http://delorean2109.blogspot.com/2011/07/going-100-leds-on-your-car-is-good-idea.html and recommendations I ended up at SuperBrightLeds.com but most of the part numbers have changed. I ordered:

5 194-NW5: Natural White $3.49
1 194-B4-90: Blue Wide $2.59
1 194-A4-90: Amber Wide $1.59
3 194-G4-90: Green Wide $2.59
5 194-R4-90: Red Wide $1.59
1 E10-WHP: E10 Edison Base Bulb $9.95

The last one is for the glovebox. Natural White was a personal choice, I preferred that neutral white light over the blue(ish) light or the softer yellow(ish) light.

[dodint]

I'm about to install LED lighted window switches and a Mattaligner. Earlier I was poking around looking for a ready-made ashtray replacement as I can't think of anything more useless in this car than the sliding ash tray, and I came across Mark Hershey's blog and this picture:

https://markhershey.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/marks-camera-feb-2010-017.jpg?w=497&h=280

I'd like to do the same, and move my window switches to the outboard locations. Is there enough slack wiring there to just move them over or do I have to splice in a small extension?

Is anyone selling an ashtray drop-in, similar to the Porsche club one that is no longer available? I would be happy to put my garage door opener in the stock ashtray but the metal enclosure blocks the signal. :(

[dodint]

For some reason I have an issue where when heat gets into the 5-speed transmission after about 30 minutes of driving Reverse and First get really hard to shift into. I thought it might be the plastic clutch line but I went and checked and it already has been upgraded to the SS braided hose. I'm going to change the transmission fluid to Red Line 75W90NS tonight and see if that helps. There was clutchwork done in 2015, parts list in the picture below.

http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=56262&d=1525456270

I'd be surprised if it was a legit clutch issue. I drove it a good bit and had no problem at all, but the last two or three times I've driven it this has happened. The only variable is the ambient temperature is much higher now.

I also bought a QuickJack lift system and it's being delivered today. This will probably be the first use for it, excited to try it out.

[dn010]

FWIW it has always been difficult for me to shift into first gear in my car until I reach a certain speed, which is very slow and almost to a stop - at this low speed I feel I still have to put some force into the shift lever for it to go into first. When shifting into reverse, I need to shift into first prior to shifting into reverse otherwise it will grind if I go straight into reverse. 16 years it has been this way, new clutches, hydraulics, fluids, bushing kit etc has not changed this. Anxious to know how Redline works for you, I have not tried anything other than usual gear oil.

[dodint]

I'll keep you updated.

The day I bought this car I drove it from Atlanta to Knoxville (January 1st), through the Tail of the Dragon in NC/TN. Didn't have a problem at all. Nor any time I drove it after that including the trip to Pittsburgh.

Then on my way home from the Ready Player One opening weekend it started to get really tight getting into first at red lights. And now each time I've taken it out since then after about 30 minutes of driving it gets really hard to get into low gears and reverse. I guess I'm most concerned because it's an emerging problem, and I'm worried about damaging the linkages by forcing it into gear.

[dodint]

Boooo!

56271

Another project added to the list.

[David T]

First of all check the oil level in the gearbox. If it is very low and/or you don't know what kind of oil is in there or when it was last changed, drain it all out and refill with fresh. Next, flush and bleed the clutch system with brake fluid. Inspect the trans mounts for cracks, especially the left one. Finally, check for worn rubber bushings in the shift linkage and replace and adjust it. If you still have trouble shifting you may need a clutch. While the output seals can leak and make a big mess, that isn't the problem unless they have been leaking for a long time and you are low on gear oil.

[dodint]

I couldn't really see how low the oil was, my fingers couldn't really get in there to tell. Drained the old stuff out and filled it with the Red Line 75W90NS I mentioned earlier. Finished up around 10PM and won't be able to drive it till Tuesday.

Drove it for about 20 minutes before doing the transmission and engine oil changes, to get the fluids running a bit. Took notice of two two behaviors; the only forward gear that is difficult to get into is First which takes firm steady pressure, and Reverse grinds regardless of how slow or fast I apply the gear selector. All other gears shift fine. First shifts fine while the car is warming up and becomes increasingly difficult as time goes on.

One other odd tidbit. I shut the car off with the gear selector in First and the clutch pressed in, it could not be pulled out with reasonable force. I let the clutch out and then put it back in immediately, and the gear selector came out of First with practically no effort. I have no idea if that means anything.

Thanks for the suggestions, David. It's final exams week so I probably can't get underneath it again until next week. I am going to order the seal and o rings and when I swap it out I will check the other items, thanks.

[dodint]

The Quickjack worked out well, by the way. I ordered the 12VDC model so it goes up nice and fast. I'm a big guy and, when on the creeper, there is about 6 inches between my chest and the lowest part of the frame. Very nice.

http://nathangess.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/dmcqj.jpg

[dn010]

Try shifting into first before reverse and you shouldn't get a grind.

Thanks for the info, good to know that what I'm dealing with is not normal - I will have to dig into my transmission and fix some things I guess, I am getting tired of driving around like this. I guess it is time to create a thread of my own.

That quickjack looks awesome! Perhaps my next investment.

[dodint]

I'll give it a shot, thanks. Once it warms up I pretty much ignore First entirely.

[dodint]

This transmission/clutch is all over the place. Yesterday it was slipping; accelerate past 3k in any gear and the motor would spin up without applying more power to the wheels. I'm throwing in the towel and taking it up to DPI and having them work it; I'm not wasting my whole summer diagnosing the car and throwing money at it when I can just take it to a professional.

I did have to drive it to work today and I had no problem getting into any gears for the first time in a long time, but it's all traffic congestion so I never got over 40mph if that.

Once the parts come in for the projects I planned to do and will now just have Josh do, I'll take it up there. It's only about 100 miles up to DPI, I'll just have AAA tow it.

[dodint]

Josh and Delorean Industries was great, really happy to have him and his shop within 100 miles of the house. Just got the car back on Friday.

Josh replaced the clutch, PO used a cheap aftermarket disc that wore badly after only three years. Also replaced a leaking slave cylinder that was hindering clutch disengagement. While there I had him upgrade my leaking axle o-rings and upgrade to his chrome hardened flanges at the same time. I had already purchased shifter linkage parts to do a refresh and they put them on while he was in there. The clutch now has a distinct clutch bite point and no more sloppy gear selector.

I wanted him to charge the AC as well, turns out it wasn't holding a charge because many of the components were bad including a evaporator core assembly with disintegrated ports. PO had tried to modify the box in the past and certain portions of it were held together with bailing wire. Replaced the evaporator core, lines, compressor, pulley/belt, orifice tube, accumulator, lower pressure switch, etc. This effectively switched me over to R134a at the same time so I don't have to fuss with R12 anymore. The car blows ice cold now and the AC system is nice and quiet (was rattling prior to the upgrade), very happy with it.

The next day I took it to a local tint shop that I've used in the past. Put 35% ceramic tint on all the windows except the rear center window which got 70% tint (I didn't want to look through two layers of heavy tint to see out of the quarter panel windows). The ceramic tint is very effective at blocking heat from direct sun, it cost about $100 to $150 more than standard tint but it's worth it to me. Also added a 5" matte black window banner to the windshield, mostly to hide the headliner, sun visor, and mirror. Really a clean look as the matte black is very close to the color of the trim.

5660256603

Last night I couldn't sleep so I installed the DMC LED window switches, PJG Mattaligner, and swapped the window switch and dummy switch locations as I always thought the stock position of the three active switches in the middle had a 'bunched' feeling, really happy to have the the window switches in the outboard location now. I didn't realize the LEDs would be on all the time, figured they would just be on when the dash lights were on. Not a big deal as they're not in my immediate view while driving, just an observation.

Finally, on Friday my local tire shop refused to swap my spare tire because 'they make them disposable, go back to the manufacturer and buy a new one.' His shop was slammed and I was in a hurry to get up to Ohio to get the car, so I didn't bother to stick around and explain to him why he's incorrect. I just ordered a T125/70D-15 KUMHO Spare Tire for $68 shipped from TireRack and will visit them again later this week to explain it better.

Now I just need to get my 85mph speedo back in and dump the broken 170mph speedo; then I'll be ready for my trip to Kentucky on Father's Day weekend.

I drove the car in very heavy rain the other day and it lost drive; something new to diagnose and play with in the future, but for now I'm focused on getting the final touches done before that trip to KY.

[DMC-81]

Congrats! Also, the tint looks awesome! :thumbup:

[HollywoodF1]

Just in case you have ideas of hitting the track... don't forget that those Cooper Cobras are rated to 118 mph.

[dodint]

I'm running Falkens so I don't think that's a limiting factor. The true issue more than anything else is the really soft brakes, not sure what my plan is in that regard. It's not necessarily a design defect, it was just never meant for track use.

The other issue is that I'm 6'4" and can't fit in the car with my helmet on. I *might* fit if I remove the kneepad and slouch, but then we start to have to consider safety concerns.

[dodint]

Anyone know a Delorean friendly mechanic within 200 miles of Beaufort, NC? Going to try some stuff on my own but need a backup plan. I have a fantastic German car mechanic in New Bern but I am not sure that's going to be super helpful right now.

Any good recomendations appreciated.

[Farrar]

I know a pretty good "shade-tree mechanic" in Laurinburg...

[David T]

Durham NC. Sheriff Bob 919-477-7516. He also has a lot of used parts.

[dodint]

Both of my mechanics here at the coast said no. Called Bob but no answer. Will give him a call back in the afternoon.

The car acts up for the first time ever while I am hundreds of miles away from my tools, parts, and Josh. Go figure.

[Delorean Industries]

Get ahold of me when you have a chance. I can most likely walk you through it and or remote diag the concerns.

[dodint]

An update, the car is back to running great.

Josh, it is the same issue I had that day I left your shop. (Not something you were working on, completely unrelated issue). Some connection in the engine bay gets wet with rain and kills the car. Last time it stopped the car on the interstate. This time it was a no start after sitting outside over night.

I opened the engine cover and let the noontime sun hit it for an hour and it fired right up.

Will have to chase it down when I get home. Crossing fingers for the rest of vacation.

[dodint]

I still haven't actually chased down that issue, but the symptom has changed somewhat (or I am just observing it under a different condition).

I drove about 30 miles to a friends house for a lunch. While we were dining it began to rain. Went outside and the car started. Once I got moving down the road it had very low power under 3,000rpm. As soon as the revs would hit 3k it would spin up with full power. Drove it all the way home that way. About two weeks later I fire it up in the garage on a sunny day and it has no problem.

So:
In a heavy downpour on the interstate the car shut down. Was towed about 10 miles and when I got there, and out of the rain, it fired up and I drove it home.
When sitting wet after a downpour it wouldn't start until I opened the engine bay and let the sun dry it out. (Incident referenced above, in NC).
When it's humid the car starts and stalls a few times, then seems to run okay after a while once the normal idle-hunting settles down.
Drove it home after it sat in a summer rain storm and had very little power under 3k rpm. (Incident mentioned earlier in this post)

These issues all seem connected to me in that something is off at low idle when the atmospherics are wet/humid. It drives great otherwise.

Was thinking it was electrical but now I'm not so sure. The only thing I've done so far is visually check for vacuum leaks after the last incident; I had a BMW that did something similar when I forgot to connect a vacuum line.

I don't know that I'll get it fixed before I put it away for winter but I thought I'd throw the symptoms out there if anyone has an 'ah ha!' moment while reading it over.

[opethmike]

Have you checked the inside of the distributor cap for condensation?

[dodint]

No, haven't opened anything. It's frustrating issue to diagnose because it only happens under certain conditions. That's probably something I can do pretty easily with no downside though.

I don't want to get into the process of buying a part, waiting for rain, swapping it out, doesn't work, another new part, more rain, etc.

The car was made into a Stage 2 at DMCMW in 2012 so it's possible some wear components that were changed at the time are starting to age out. Particularly given I drive my car.

[dn010]

What coil are you running?

[opethmike]

Have you checked in the spark plug wells for water intrusion?

[DMCMW Dave]

Have you checked the inside of the distributor cap for condensation?

It's likely either cap or wires. Maybe even just a loose wire at the cap. You don't need to wait for rain. You probably have a perfectly sufficient garden hose handy.

[Ron]

:hihi2:

[dodint]

This car is for sale: http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?17954-82-DMC-12-Stage-II-5-speed-gray-45k

[dodint]

Sold the car. I'll buy another in a few years, but I'm more into sports car racing right now than I am having a collector car. We're building a 5 car garage/shop at our country house as part of an expansion/renovation and when that is complete I'll start hunting for another Delorean. 10439 was too nice, I was always scared to wrench on it because everything just worked and I didn't want to jeopardize that. I think next time I'm going to buy a ~$25k car that requires modest restoration and put in the sweat equity myself. Preferably after I get my current two race car projects done. ;)

Decided to deliver the car to the new owner in Chicago, about 450 miles away. Drove it the first 320 miles with no problem. As I was pulling out of a rest area on the Indiana toll road I sheared the pivot bolt in the shift linkage. Super easy fix, but I didn't have a pivot bolt spare in the car and the scissor jack that I never looked at during my ownership was broken. Ended up burning my annual AAA 200 mile tow to get it the last 130 miles to the buyers house where we swapped a bolt in real quick to at least get the car moving under its own power.

Thank you again Josh at Delorean Industries for walking the new buyer through the process of what we needed to do to get that done. Very much appreciated. :cheers: