Parts commonly (or uncommonly) missing on our cars

[Jonathan]

I have owned my car for 6 years going on 7 and to this day I still find things that are missing on it. Some have been functional and many have been cosmetic, but a few have also been saftey related. I think it adds up to around $1,300 worth of parts currently. That's not parts that were in poor shape or broken and needed replacing, these are all parts that were flat out missing on my car when I bought it.

I thought I would share the list and others could add to it. Like a resource for new prospective buyers of a DeLorean, either when they are first learning or even someone well versed in DeLorean-speak. Some of these items missing I only realized because of another owner and his car or something that was mentioned or photographed.

- Muffler brackets
- Muffler heatshield
- Rear fascia access hole cover
- Engine oil dipstick tube bolt/fasteners
- Sunshade louvre grills (pair)
- Louvre latch components
- Air filter housing clips (should be 4); as well as the bolts/washer (should be 3 plus the longer 4th in the middle if you choose)
- Engine cover grill retaining strips (kit includes all 19 pieces and bag of clips; if needing more than a couple, get the kit as it is priced well)
- Headlamp gap finisher (LH and RH)
- Steering column bushing
- CO plug (golf tee or chewing gum if you like, or the removable pretty one for $8 )
- SAFETY RECALL: Deice kit (this includes the shield, but also some other fasteners and clips for the throttle cable and spring which are important)
- SAFETY RECALL: Front end recall kit (strengthening brackets, castle nuts and cotter pins for suspension if not already installed based on VIN chronology)
- Wiper nut caps
- Bonnet edging strips; wheel well edging strips
- Labels (misc., the kit for your year can be a good upgrade regardless of whether some are missing or not)
- Seal cap (original purpose is for the seatbelt bolt covers on the outside of the car just below the door sill on each side, 2 total. The same cap fits nicely over the shock tower bolt holes in your trunk under the carpet board)
- Striker pin grommets (4 total)
- Dust cap for angle drive (missing or broken not uncommon it seems)
- Catalytic convertor heatshield (mostly from them disintegrating; not aware of replacements available at the moment)
- Warm air intake/3-way valve assembly's manifold stove (my car was missing the manifold stove, but other components were in place. The duct was just tucked in there, but not attached to anything.)
- Panel, sealing LH and RH (moisture barrier within each door)
- Trip reset shaft (commonly broken as they are to be pushed not twisted)
- ECU bracket fasteners
- Lower engine cover rubber "bumpers"
- Door switch plunger "vacuum cap" tops (as necessary based on door alignment)
- Windshield grating rubber spacers for screws
- Tool kit within jack pouch (or any number of combinations of things that are supposed to be in this pouch that aren't)
- Door pull straps
- Floor mats (not standard with the car, dealer option, but they are somewhat required)
- Slide release bars (these were not reinstalled when a PO redid the leather on the seats. Luckily a parts car came to the rescue as a seat 3-4 clicks too far forward makes for some awkward driving.)
- Cubby hole storage compartment door and lock assembly
- Battery access cover
- Door keys (Yes, no door keys came with the car.)
- Sunvisors
- Glovebox light bulb and holder

I saw a photo of another car with the oil dipstick tube bolted in with the exhaust manifold bolts/studs. In the photo you could see right above where the proper hole is for it right in the block. Mine was just missing the bolt but not connected to the manifold.

There are likely others people find missing like interior pieces or other covers or brackets. Trunk carpets, spare tires, engine bay light switch, bulkhead connections cover, etc. These weren't missing on mine, but I've seen others with photos of these missing.

Feel free to add others that you can think of. Like I said, maybe one extra resource for a new buyer to go over with their potential purchase to understand what they are getting into, or what the first year or two is going to cost them for a complete car.

[DMCMW Dave]

I saw a photo of another car with the oil dipstick tube bolted in with the exhaust manifold bolts/studs. In the photo you could see right above where the proper hole is for it right in the block. Mine was just missing the bolt but not connected to the manifold.

.

That's a factory variance; there are two different mount tab locations on the dipstick tube. No idea what, if any, VIN or engine number correlation, just one of those snowflake things.

[MML]

I was pretty lucky, all I had missing were the striker grommets, reg plate surround and the little square joystick top from the electric mirror controls. I didn't even know the little square thing existed as I'd never seen one before, until I found it rattling around inside the door!

[Bill6298]

I didn't even know the little square thing existed as I'd never seen one before

This is my routine problem: no point of reference. I'm surprised someone hasn't photographed a complete teardown/restoration and created a companion book for the Workshop Manual. You could probably sell it one topic at a time via one of the more copyright friendly formats like Kindle or iBook. I suppose there's not enough demand for it to payoff in a reasonable timeframe.

[vwdmc16]

Plastic covers for the louver strut lower mounts on the quarter panels
Black vinyl on inside of doors to mask exposed stainless when doors shut.
trim strips on sides of shifter plate
screw caps on torsion bar finishing plate at rear of Tpanel
trunk light switch
Engine bay light switch
battery hold down strap (half of it)


These are the parts I can recall missing from my car that werent on your list as well. Still missing the top four. Im sure there are plenty more i cant remember.

[David T]

This is my routine problem: no point of reference. I'm surprised someone hasn't photographed a complete teardown/restoration and created a companion book for the Workshop Manual. You could probably sell it one topic at a time via one of the more copyright friendly formats like Kindle or iBook. I suppose there's not enough demand for it to payoff in a reasonable timeframe.

You certainly are missing a LOT of bits! Not uncommon to buy a used car and have some minor things missing but yours was missing a lot. Probably more to be found yet. To get some idea what a "complete" car looks like print out the Millenium Concours Manual. I could probably point out a lot of other things if I was to see the car in person. Do you have the seals around the pipes by the rear quarter panels inside the windows? Is your air intake all there? I would not count all the broken stuff, every car will have some broken things. Or the recalls. Many owners never did them all. It is a big job to undo all of the abuse, damage, and neglect done by previous owners. How about the valet and owner's manual? The cover for the fuseblock. The rubber caps on the bleeder nipples? The correct tire valve caps. I can go on and on. This is what separates the OK daily drivers from the clean concours level cars. While trying to get your car complete don't forget to do all of the routine maintenance type stuff like fluid and filter changes. Check and see if you have all of the labels. Use the Parts Manual.

[NightFlyer]

Most, if not all of the items being listed were specifically caused by previous owners - not items that were missing from the factory/QAC.

Only things missing on my car upon purchase were:

- Seal caps (original purpose is for the seatbelt bolt covers on the outside of the car just below the door sill on each side, 2 total).

- Windshield embedded radio antenna (the original windshield was damaged at the Troy, MI QAC and replaced with a non-antenna windshield prior to being sent to the dealership for retail sale).

I'm still missing both of these items, although I have no intentions of replacing the windshield that's currently on the car.

[Jonathan]

Thanks for clarifying the dipstick Dave... hehe... I'm sure there's a joke there somewhere :) That same set of photos showed a battery inserted across the opening not into it, if you know what I mean. That would solve my hard to reach cut off switch on the negative terminal although I hadn't thought the compartment was wide enough to fit a standard sized battery across instead of in?

Bill... the no point of reference is a good thing to bring up. I'd love to see exactly what you mentioned as well. We all learn so much from pictures. Getting together with other local owners is perfect... if only we got together more often with less car show and more car tech! At one point the group was trying to put some pictures together of all the electrical grounds on the car and it didn't go very far very quickly (I share some of that blame). We might be waiting quite a while for an entire car pictoral.

Wolff, the strut part you mentioned made me think of another couple... my struts were there, but a few of the clips weren't. You know the little wire, rounded shape you stick in each end of the strut balls to lock them in place? I think a couple of the door clips were missing, but it took me years to realize the bonnet struts have these clips too, just smaller ones. They were missing on my car as well. There are even smaller ones on the ball ends of the throttle linkage (not missing).

Yea, hold down straps aren't exactly all in one piece on many cars. Battery, spare tire and bulkhead connectors cover are the ones that I am thinking of.

David, I might just post a photo or two of the tubes you mentioned behind the glass in the quarter panels. Mine don't look like they make a nice seal and I've wondered if something is missing. My air intake is all there, the housing and filter and what not (I believe). I never did get a manifold stove as I went with the cold air only duct a while back.

I did not get an original manual or valet but I since have bought one. That could go on the list! The fuseblock cover is in a box in the garage, off intentionally, but at least accounted for. Same for the edging strips on the sides of the shifter plate (forgot to reinstall last time console was out). When I rebuilt the front calipers recently only then did I realize I had no bleeder nipple rubber caps. Fronts are on there now, not sure about the rears.

For almost everything I listed that was originally missing, I have all of those items now. Most through the DMC inventory, a few things through parts cars via DMC or other owners and a handful of things via eBay. I most recently realized the headlamp gap finishers were missing as well as the wiper nut cap and door membrane seals. Those will all be on the next order by the Spring time.

I would definitely take you up on your offer to look at my car in person. I'm hoping to get to DCS in Ohio, so if you're there, I'd gladly trade a beverage of your choice for a second set of eyes on 3937 :)

[john 05141]

After 5 years I found out I was missing the rubber bumper under the front facia.
Expensive part, I will make one from foam myself I think.

My sunvisors are missing, but I removed them myself. I'm tall and it gives me a better view without them. They are safely in a box, the day I would sell the car I will re-install them of course.

Jan

[WelmoedJ]

Behind the grille - in the middle - there should to be a 90° angled flat strip to push up the facia.
Was missing in my car.

Fortunately a lot of the thread starter Jonathans list is still available.
Yes, at a price, but if you want to keep your car as complete as possible, that's probably the only way to go.

[Delorean02378]

These are the items I normally see missing in Deloreans.

1. Window Sticker
2. Took Kit
3. Original Keys
4. Original Owners Manual
5. Floor Mats
6. Engine Grill Covers
7. Air Deflector Plates
8. Rear License Plate Bezel
9. Access Cover Ignition Coil (Part#110227)

[Dangermouse]

From mine:

Radio
Spare wheel
Jack
Tool bag cubbie cover
Rear Finisher Piece
Lower steering column cover
Door keys
Floor mats
Owners manual

[Jonathan]

Wow, I didn't realize as many others were missing keys to their cars as well.

Nightflyer is right, most all of this missing stuff is from a few decades of previous owners and hamfisted mechanics. I'd imagine the cars were complete when they left the QAC lots, but after sitting in storage wherever that might have been, parts start to vanish. Maybe using them for another car or maybe taken as souvenirs. Many though likely just people being lazy and forgetting to put them back on (like the various covers or access panels). Or choosing not to reinstall them like the air deflector plates or sunvisors (if you're tall).

I had put this engine cover grills retaining strips cheat sheet together a while back and I'll post it here again. Seems these go missing a lot on the cars.

23516

[TheSmokingMan]

I would add the round black plastic trim around the door vents (seen when door is open)

[Totally 80s]

Don't forget the odometer reset plunger. About 1 in 4 cars I see this thing is broken.

[Mark D]

Don't forget the odometer reset plunger. About 1 in 4 cars I see this thing is broken.

+1

Mine was broken by the PO when he was cleaning the gauge cluster lens. He included a replacement plunger with the sale of the car but 5 years later I have yet to install it.

[JohnZ]

My car came without the glove box catch (part n. 108555), but I'm new to the car so probably many other things are missing there!

[Josh]

Missing from mine:

Coil cover (I have seen this mentioned and it is a big one)
Engine cover vents and retaining strips
Owners Manual
Tool bag
Floor Mats
A chunk of metal integral to the engine block :P

[eagle-co94]

When I got 16336 it was missing the grill emblem and the fuel injection plunger as well as one air deflector.
10077 was missing the door headliners.
1045 was missing the door key...though I got THREE ignition keys. :(

[Jonathan]

...He included a replacement plunger with the sale of the car but 5 years later I have yet to install it.

Haha, you and me both. My little bag of replacement plastic parts for the trip reset shaft are still in the bag. Not long ago though, I tested the mechanism with a screwdriver through the hole in the lense and it wound back to 000 like it should. Now this little matter of my speedo not having worked for more than about 30 seconds in the past year or so means I can probably wait on fixing the reset plunger awhile longer still ;)

[Jacko]

Since I bought my car new I was surprised later to learn there was no
tool bag. Did all the cars come with a tool bag or is that a VIN thing?
I have the Jack and handle just no tool bag.

Edit: I can't resist this ... At the end of this month my whole car has been missing
for a year and a half!

Edit #2: When she comes home a large chunk of my bank account will be missing!

[David T]

Since I bought my car new I was surprised later to learn there was no
tool bag. Did all the cars come with a tool bag or is that a VIN thing?
I have the Jack and handle just no tool bag.

Edit: I can't resist this ... At the end of this month my whole car has been missing
for a year and a half!

Edit #2: When she comes home a large chunk of my bank account will be missing!

They all came with a bag for the jack and the lug wrench. There was also a small tool kit but they never came with the cars. I bought mine at a sale at the warehouse in Ohio one year. It fits into the little loop for the spare tire strap. Early cars had a different jack and ratcheting handle. Very common for the bag to be chewed up by varmits. They seem to like nesting in there. Although there were several pockets in the bag all you got was a jack, a lug wrench, and a handle for the jack.