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Thread: VIN 11596 Frame Swap - a rolling frame-off restoration

  1. #321
    DMC Timeless's Avatar
    Join Date:  Nov 2016

    Location:  SW FL

    Posts:    854

    Club(s):   (DCF) (DCO) (DCUK)

    Nice! For those looking for something similar to prop doors open, I use a telescopic light bulb changing pole. Adjustable length and doesn't damage the door panel/carpet. One end on the sill panel area - one on the door panel carpet. Gel remover is a great idea. When I replaced my outer seals I used 3M adhesive remover and plastic razor blades. Worked well and got both sides done and clean in ~45 minutes.
    ~LXA~
    Dunmurry | Stuttgart | Leipzig | Munich | Tochigi | Fremont | Bratislava | Sindelfingen | Kansas City | Oakville | Coventry

  2. #322
    Senior Member 82DMC12's Avatar
    Join Date:  May 2011

    Location:  Olathe, KS

    Posts:    1,822

    My VIN:    11596

    Got a bit more done this weekend. My wife was able to help me unwind the torsion bars using the wooden brace I made. After removing both M8 bolts and the spline plate, with the door just past perpendicular to the roof, there remains about 60 degrees of twist in the bar. I marked the end of the bar and the spline plate with red paint pen so I know exactly how it was when I removed them. I do plan to loosen them at least one, possibly two teeth once I have everything back together because I am relying too much on the gas strut brake to avoid shock to the roof and hinges.

    My driver side bar was slightly mushroomed on the end which made it difficult to get the spline plate off. The best way to fix this is to clean the plate and torsion bar end thoroughly to remove any dirt, then oil both sides with machine oil or cutting oil, and then gently tap it straight through the spline plate, repeatedly, until it slides through smoothly. That's exactly what I did, being very careful not to scratch or ding the bar as it slipped through the vise jaws. I did this by setting the spline plate on the vise, slowly lowered the bar into the plate from above, then once the bar stopped because of the friction / damage to the machining I set the allen socket into the bar head and tapped it through using a rubber mallet. Now I can slide the plate over the splines with just my hands, as it should be.

    I also finished removing the paint from the middle section of the roof box on top and started to remove the paint from the inside section under the torsion bars where the paint has started to peel away.

    I am not going to remove the upper door seals, but they are kind of in the way for painting the sides of the roof box so the current plan is only to repaint the top faces of the roofbox and just scuff and blend it into the sides. New bead of RTV on the edges where it touches the underbody to prevent water from getting underneath. I replaced the M8 nuts that go on the roof studs but don't really have access to the M8 screws going horizontal into the box for the hinges as long as the roof seal is on. I'll just leave them alone. I did replace the M10 bolts that hold the doors to the hinges one at a time with no trouble though. It should look pretty damn good when I'm done and no longer be a worrisome spot on the car.

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    Andy Lien

    VIN 11596 Jan 1982 build - owned since Nov. 2000!
    Total frame-off restoration completed 2021-2023

    Photography and Backpacking is life.

    Was Fargo, ND
    Now Kansas City

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