Depending on actual location:Quote:
Originally Posted by hillbillysims
Near Chattanooga to DMC FL about 725 - 750 miles
Near Chattanooga to DMC MW about 600 - 625 miles
If you tow it yourself on an open trailer, tow it facing forward.
Depending on actual location:Quote:
Originally Posted by hillbillysims
Near Chattanooga to DMC FL about 725 - 750 miles
Near Chattanooga to DMC MW about 600 - 625 miles
If you tow it yourself on an open trailer, tow it facing forward.
Purely anecdotal here (and I do not want to scare you) but when I bought my car the previous owner had parked it for about 20 years. In order to get it running to sell he dropped nearly $18,000 and even then it wasn't running great.
At minimum clutch hydraulics, brake hydraulics, cooling system, and fuel system will need a through restoration especially if nothing was drained from the car.
My advice - you got a free car which you didn't have before so therefore you don't need it running immediately (as much as I know you'll want to drive it). Take your time. Investigate each system. Some maybe easy to re-establish... others may need complete overhaul. What ever you do, do not try to half-ass the repairs. Not fully cleaning the bad gas sludge from the tank could end up destroying the fuel distributor or worse and then things went from sort of bad to terrible.
Be patient... Meet some local owners... Make it a project... It will be worth it!
Cheers
Steve
Wasn't intending on scaring you either. More just a "plan for the worst, but hope for the best" approach. Easier to go in with lower expectations and then see them pleasantly met or exceeded than the other way around.
You might do better than that low estimate. Getting a car roadworthy is usually the initial goal by many and then they get around to doing the cosmetic things later. Your car sounds like it is already cosmetically nice and getting it roadworthy might be towards the end of your list anyway.
In any case, reach out to some local owners, have them come look at your car with you, and/or go meet them and see their car. For 9,000 identical snowflakes, there sure are a lot of things you don't realize on your own car that aren't quite right until you have another car to compare it with.
The car will need a lot of work but what it can cost is directly affected by how much of the work you can do yourself. At a minimum you will have to do the following:
Rebuild brakes
Rebuild clutch hydraulics
Replace all fluids
Replace the tires, wiper blades, battery and struts
Clean and flush the fuel system
That will get the car to move. You may have to do some upgrades like the fuse/relay upgrade and any recalls not done. Just as soon as you can get the Title in your name you should insure it. Be sure to get whatever goes with the car like 2 sets of keys, floor mats, cover, manuals, spare parts, etc. Once you get the car moving you will have to plan on doing the cooling system and the A/C system. Inspect for rodent infestation. The front compartment where the jack is stored and the fuse/relay area seem to be popular targets. $10,000 is doable but you will have to do a lot of the work yourself to do it for $10K. Of course this is assuming the car was working when it was parked and the motor, clutch, and transmission are all basically OK. Avoid the temptation to throw some gas in the tank, a fresh battery and try starting the car. It won't and all you will do is muck up the fuel system even worse. Do not even think of driving the car on the tires. All they are good for now is to roll the car around. Just fill them with air for now. Once you get the car home give it a good wash and inspect the S/S panels and glass for any damage.
Hi there,
Congratulations on aquiring a DeLorean.. What you got is what has been described here as a unicorn... A pristine, low mileage, well stored car...... a very cool and valuable gift from your late grandpa. It's great that you want to recommission it the right way, and enjoy it afterwards. I have the same goals with my car, which was not registered for 12 years but the engine was running well when I got it home (thanks to DMC FL). I opted to do the work myself as I wanted a restoration project.
I offer these opinions:
Assess your desire and ability to do any work yourself, and whether you have the garage space for that.
Typically, parts are roughly 1/3 and labor 2/3 of the cost to have someone else revive the car. That can help you decide whether you want to tinker a bit, or not at all.
Have someone help you assess what it needs and decide whether you want everything refurbished right away, or break it up into phases. (For budgetary and time factors). High priority tasks first ( fuel system, brakes, clutch system,cooling system etc.), medium ( A/C, fuses and Relays, window motors, recalls, etc), low priority ( stereo, LED bulbs, etc). I'm not saying that your car will need all these, but mine did after 12 years of non use to make it reliable.
In addition to assessing quality work and cost, ask whether your chosen shop has the capacity to do the work within your timelines. e.g. I was a DMC FL this summer, and they had cars lined up awaiting restoration work.
Be prepared for surprises.
Take your time if possible.
Ballpark... Yes, it costs into 5 figures to restore it right, especially if you are having someone else do it.
You have something valuable. If you intend to keep it, don't let others persuade you to sell.
Good luck, and have fun! :smile:
Likely... I intend to keep it.. because it was such an iconic purchase for me as a kid when my Papaw bought them. I would sit out in the garage in it, pretending to drive it for hours sometimes. It was always something I hoped to have one day.
I'm fairly mechanically inclined having owned several classic/custom cars, but I had always been under the impression the Delorean was it's own beast.
Are there any books you can buy regarding rebuild/repair/maintenance of these cars?
It will be such a good feeling to eventually have it on the road.
I'll try to get some pics soon
Call DMCH (Texas) and talk to James Espey. He wrote a book about how to buy a Delorean and it will help you learn what to do. He can also help you with your initial order of filters, manuals, struts, and other service parts. OR, you can read all of the posts in this forum, what you are planning to do has been done many times by other owners. Although the Delorean has some unusual features it is still a car and works like other cars. You will require tools, many metric. If you don't have a lift you can do what is necessary with a floor jack and jackstands. The very first system you will tackle is the fuel system. You will rip out all of the parts in the fuel tank and clean it out and replace all of the parts. Requires only a few hand tools, nothing special.Quote:
Originally Posted by hillbillysims
While there isn't a Haynes manual, unfortunately, the next best thing is a set of manuals from DMCH, or ebay.
Items 7-9 here
http://store.delorean.com/c-326-9-4-...s-manuals.aspx
Or just print this forum off and start reading :)
This. All of this.Quote:
Originally Posted by DMC-81
You're very lucky in that the cosmetics of the car aren't in need of much attention. Focus on the mechanical and safety systems first, then worry about LEDs and such. Don't be afraid to ask questions, we're all here to help!
Congrats on getting a great car in great condition.
First thing to think about - Where are you going to store or park it? It's a new member of your family now.
Then, I'd recommend you start reading here, all about the different systems and quirks these cars may have. When considering the costs involved with getting the car road worthy, remember, it is "just" a car. Contain your thoughts and don't think of the DeLorean as "OMG, it's a friggin Time Machine" - and it's in perfect condition, and I want it to be purrrrrfectly perfect! It's "just" a car! It doesn't have hover technology built in. It doesn't run on plutonium. It runs on gasoline, it has an internal combustion chamber engine. Always has, always will... (Well, almost always... Technology does change.)
It's a car - Look at what a stored car will need to run properly. Break it down to systems. Take your time and tackle each system one at a time. Clean out the fuel system to prevent gunk build up from compromising the fuel delivery to the engine. It will probably needs tires. Replace the tires with new anyway, but save your original Goodyear NCTs that are probably still on the car. Plan on flushing all the fluids. Tackle each system, one at a time.
I suggest if the car has sentimental value, and if you plan on keeping it, as it sounds like you are, that you take a longer term approach to getting the car road worthy. Spend a few months, even a year sorting the car out. The car sat for many years as is. Another year isn't going to matter now. Take your time. Since you have some automotive experience already, try tackling each system yourself, one at a time, slowly learning the nature and characteristics of them and the car in general. This will surely enhance your ownership experience. As well as your pride of ownership. You will be putting yourself "into" the car. And saving a very expensive labor rate as well. That savings will allow you to do whatever you want with the car.
Decide how you want to use the car. Will it be a daily driver? A show car? A perfect Con Course car with only original parts? Do you want to change the radio, install LED lights, convert it into a BTTF car? These questions, asked now will give you direction on what, as well as how, you do some of that work on the car. Or, have the work done to the car by someone else. You have something very special to you, gifted to you by your grandfather. Take your time with it. Enjoy it. Help is abundant for you as well, so don't see dollar signs. Think of the car as a new hobby. It will open many doors to new adventures. Savor them, and enjoy the ownership experience.