Farrar's car blog

[sdg3205]

This post just made me think of an idea for an entirely new forum section: Available parts from other cars that will fit a delorean! It would be nice to have a thread where you could easily check available alternatives like this one that many people just aren't aware of.

the old DMCTalk had that. It was an "emergency crossover list." Did you ever check that out? It's great for a number alternatives - non emergency stuff was included.

[stevedmc]

True but most of the information was part numbers. Part numbers can sometimes be usesless when walking into Autozone if they don't sell the same brands as other stores. It is much easier to walk into Autozone and say I need an alternator for a 91 Saturn SL1 or I need an oil pressure sender for a 70 Corvette (I think that is the right year).

[Farrar]

I couldn't help but laugh when I looked at the title in my browser (FireFox) -- it says "General Farrar's Car Blog." Maybe I'll make a nametag for DCS that says "General Farrar."

Farrar

[stevedmc]

I couldn't help but laugh when I looked at the title in my browser (FireFox) -- it says "General Farrar's Car Blog." Maybe I'll make a nametag for DCS that says "General Farrar."

Farrar

I used to think you were a General until I met you a while back and realized you were a music man.

[Farrar]

I forgot that I had already bought a spare alternator from AutoZone a while back -- crossed over from a Volvo of appropriate vintage. Looks from the ears that I'll need spacers for that one, too. It's 95 amps, but with LEDs everywhere, low-pressure fuel pump, stock headlights, no ridiculously powerful stereo system, and no engine electronics, it should be more than enough to drive everything in my car.

I'll take a picture of the Volvo alternator for reference if anyone is interested.

Farrar

[Farrar]

I guess no one's interested in the alternator, so I'll skip to my next idea.

I installed my footwell lights prior to installing Dave M's new interior light delay module, which dims the dome and parcel shelf lights a few seconds after the door's closed. Now, I think it looks silly having the footwell lights turn off as soon as the door's closed while the rest of the interior lights dim. So I've decided to re-wire the footwell lights to be coincident with the dome and parcel shelf lights, and have the entire interior of the car dim together.

Question: can the dome light wiring be found behind the driver's side A-pillar, or should I look somewhere else to splice in?

Farrar

[Bitsyncmaster]

Question: can the dome light wiring be found behind the driver's side A-pillar, or should I look somewhere else to splice in?

Farrar

Your looking for a purple/white wire from the front dome light. I think the light diodes are in the drivers side foot well. The wire you want has two purple/white wires going to a diode and one purple/white on the other side of that diode. You want to splice into the double wire side. That splice would go to your - LEDs and use the purple wire for your + LEDs. The purple wire should be available on your glove box light.

[Farrar]

Thanks, Dave!

[Farrar]

OK, gang. I'm moving later this month and already in the process of sorting and packing, so obviously nothing will be done to the car (apart from drive it to the new place) until I get settled. When that's accomplished, I plan to buy a MAPP gas kit and attack the evaporator.

I have also been making some sketches of a new armrest. I'm simply tired of the stock switches -- as someone mentioned in an internal DMC memo years ago, they're prone to breaking and sticking. Also, to me they feel overlarge.

Now, at this point I have all of the materials required to make a custom console, but I'm not sure I want to go that far. However, when I take the console off for the Nth time to remove the heater box, I might just go ahead and re-do the entire console and armrest to my liking.

FYI, that green foam they sell at Hancock Fabrics (and presumably other hobby stores) for things like ottomans and seat cushions is perfect for an armrest. It cuts easily but is not too soft, and will spring back to form quite nicely.

Anyone got any pics of their custom consoles they'd like to send me? I'm still in the planning phase.

Thanks,
Farrar

[dmc6960]

I still have that sketch of what I plan to do to mine. Only problem is I haven't done it yet. It does require cutting the fiberglass support from the center console unfortunately, so its more than just building a new armrest. FYI the "narrow" switches I'll be using still look stock, arn't obnoxiously large, are better built (than original, I'm suspecting same internals as DMC's new window switches), and are backlit (including the defrost switch). I'll see if I can find the file...