Comments: 1-15, 16-20
I bought the car right from a seventy five percent stage of restoration state, so it had many problems.
Knowing this I put so much aside for:
New fuel system, new cooling system,
tune-up, complete service, new power antenna.
It still needs a new dash and seat covers, a missing trim post on the door, torsion bar adjustment, new cassette player. But if you look at the big picture, how many cars can come out of being stored from 1985-2000 with a fuel tank of gas, oil, and still be able to be brought back, without any spot or sign of rust in the northern states.
I love the De Lorean! if I wasn't afraid of being in an accident or driving it in salted ground it would be my primary car. The car doesn't recive its well over due credit. I never had a problem, in the two years I have owned it in getting a signal part or having it serviced. Only one place messed the car up, but it since has been fixed and driven since March of 2003 without one major problem. great care has gone into my car.
The other side is.
The De Lorean seems to be released a little to early. Its almost a concept car, not finished yet. Many people remark on the low speed, or low performance on the De Lorean car. But they forget to notice that the
De Lorean was built under very different circumstances. The company only built the cars from 1981-1982, and other company's have been in the business much longer.
I never had one remark of the car without it being a good one. I hear people talk about it when I'm out eating, and they bring up the myths and smart remarks about time travel, or the misunderstood cocaine trial. But when they speak to me and have a decent conversation of cars their attitudes change, once they understand the facts not the myths.
The car is made of stainless steel is it not?
Why baby it in the snow?
No, the De Lorean only has stainless steel skin panels for the outside. The body is made of fiberglass, and the frame is just plain steel, covered in a protective coat. But after 20+ years the coat can crack and allow rust to form, destroying the frame like in any car.
Darryl.
Actually the Delorean Motor Company produced the DMC-12 from 1981 to 1983. About the protective covering on the chassis. The chassis was dipped in a thick coat of a plastic based solution. Unfortunately, the coating was too thick and it cracked allowing water to eat the chassis away without you knowing it. Darryl had the information correct, I am simply clarifying a bit. Thnx.
Darryl again. What I meant about the 1981-1982 was that is when they went into receivcership. There are cars with 1983 VIN plates.
DeLorean... Its hardly a Delorean, didn't Lotus have to come on board to stop the thing handling like a space hopper with no ears!?
Saying that, its American I suppose so it doesn't need to handle well or be quick.. just look good.
Now, after having read the review on the DMC-12, I think I know why the performance was not quite as it should be. When this car was released, 1981 to 1983, there were such a thing as the C.A.F.E. regulations which enforced better MPG figures and subsequently hampered many sport's car's performance! A typical example is the Trans Am, which in the sixties produced around 300hp, and in 1982, produced only 145hp in stock V8 form. However, none of this stopped the film makers from using this great car for the Back to the Future films ;) LOL.
DeLorean, American?
And here's me thinking they were made in Ireland, by an Irishman (John Delorean)
They are Northern Irish - I worked for them.
Yeah I wanted to write 1983 and not 1982.
I never said the car was American, John Z. was American, and the car really is from all over depending on how you look at it. The body is Italian, the transmission and engine are both French, it was built in Ireland. I know there is more, but there are many De Lorean sites you can go to to get all the information. Recently due to a bad mechainc my transmission failed. So I'm taking out the automatic and putting in the 5-speed. Lots and lots of work, but the 5-speed set up is overall more reliable and and I prefer the 5-speed. Yeah I'm hacking the car, but in the end it will work. I'll have photos of my work and the pre and post photos on DMC news once the auto is gutted.
It will be under file 5898. Again once it starts this November.
The engine was not French, it was Sweedish made by Volvo.
The engine is a PRV6, its Peugeot, Renault and Volvo.
Well in all respect to the where the car is from, its really an American. The parent company was in NY, the Irish built the car, Britain financed a good portion of the funds. The engine is a mix, but the tranny and engine is considered French, not only a Volvo. Ital designed the car, and Lotus did most of the concept and mule cars.
Since I have put the 5-speed into the car and dropped the auto, its and amazing difference in performance. Its really like night and day. We still have a few pesky bugs, my speedometer went out again so I have been counting my miles.
I'm currently rounding up information on John Delorean (as most of you know - the creator of not only Delorian, but a nice majority of GM & Chevy's success). It's quite interesting about these cars. And even more so interesting about John Delorean himself. I found this article to be useful for all Delorean fans: http://www.bmezine.com/news/pubring/20050610.html.
Apparently, after making a HUGE success out of GM & Chevy. John decided to quit working with the large american car manufacturers. And start his own company - DMC. With a grant from the Irish (and a factory in Ireland) DMC made a car that was all about "safety", not so much sport. The large american company's didn't seem to like this much. (as this was the man that made them succesful) And apparently found interesting ways to put DMC down. All DMC tooling was thrown into the ocean by General Motors.
So, to make a long story short. Parts for a Delorean are very hard to come by. Thanks to GM, and good old fashioned american corporate greed.
From what I understand, original parts are readily available, as they were produced in abundance. Servicing these cars is supposedly easily accomplished as well.
Test drove a DMC-12 for the first time last week. While it doesn't hold a candle to a 2005 sports car, I suppose its performance is more than acceptable for a car of its era. Two notes: The clutch seemed hard to engage, and the brakes seemed rather weak – possibly poorly designed, or perhaps due to a lack of proper care over the years.
The exterior of the car is stainless steel guys. get your facts right... i have a delorean and the exterior is not fivberglass or plstic...