To address comments privately to the moderating team, please address:
moderator@xxxxxxxxxxx
To search the archives or view files, log in at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dmcnews
------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are 13 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Buying DeLoreans on ebay?
From: hugo mederos <miami5606@xxxxxxxxx>
2. Battery Light always on since alarm removal
From: "Jack Stiefel" <jackstiefel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
3. Re: struts
From: "William F. Lane" <blane@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
4. Re: Rear pivot bolts
From: "Walter Coe" <Whalt@xxxxxxx>
5. Re: Autozone led's
From: dherv10@xxxxxxx
6. Re: Battery Light always on since alarm removal
From: "jtrealtywebspannet" <jtrealty@xxxxxxxxxxx>
7. Re: Buying DeLoreans on ebay?
From: "shainbrannan" <shain@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
8. DeLorean for 17year old
From: Senatorpack@xxxxxx
9. Attn: DMC Joe / Atlanta area people
From: Farrar Hudkins <fhudkins@xxxxxxx>
10. The Resurrection of Vixen Continues...
From: "Stragand, Dave" <dave.stragand@xxxxxxxxxxx>
11. loose vacuum, high idle?
From: "Willie Mack" <wmack@xxxxxx>
12. Update
From: "Paul Salsbury" <paul.salsbury@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
13. Re: Battery Light always on since alarm removal
From: Martin Gutkowski <webmaster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Message: 1
Date: Sun, 5 May 2002 17:08:57 -0700 (PDT)
From: hugo mederos <miami5606@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Buying DeLoreans on ebay?
[Moderator Note: The "Pre-production" thread is closed. However, the topic of this post is more general, so I approved it with a new topic name and slight editing. - Mike Substelny, signing on for the week]
I have seen some of these deloreans before they went
on ebay and found corrosion that was not mentioned.
A while back when I was on the hunt there was a D on
ebay from local seller. I emailed several times to come see
the car but never got back to me.
So be careful there are reasons why they are on ebay,
where the buyer cannot view the car in lots of cases.
I'm sure there are some good ones out there just be
aware, and make sure the seller discloses what you
have asked about the car.
--- d_rex_2002 <rich@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Claude and List,
>
> I totally agree with the buyer beware and
> documentation approach to
> buying a rare Delorean or any car for that matter,
> especially if you
> are paying a premium price or if you are buying it
> as an investment.
>
[Very long quote snipped by moderator]
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Message: 2
Date: Sun, 5 May 2002 22:11:36 -0400
From: "Jack Stiefel" <jackstiefel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Battery Light always on since alarm removal
I had an alarm removed last spring. Since then the battery light has
remained on all the time. The car seems to be charging alright, the
gauges show the system charging. The battery does run dead after a long
time sitting (I do have a cd changer and aftermarket radio that do take
some power), I don't remember if it did it before the removal though.
Does anyone have an idea what happened? I tried to take it back to the
place that removed the alarm, but they had no idea what they might have
done. They said if I find out what happened, they will fix it for me.
Jack & Virginia Stiefel http://www.sacketmansion.com
<http://www.sacketmansion.com/>
1981 DeLorean Vin 3461 August 1981 Build
1988 Jaguar XJ-SC V-12
Live Internet Radio at 104.9 Radio Cape Vincent
http://www.radiocapevincent.com
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Message: 3
Date: Mon, 06 May 2002 00:13:41 -0700
From: "William F. Lane" <blane@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: struts
Your local auto parts will not have the correct struts! Go to your
Friendly DeLorean vendors and get the right part the first time and save
yourself tons of headaches!
Bill Lane
#3635
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Message: 4
Date: Sun, 5 May 2002 23:58:46 -0400
From: "Walter Coe" <Whalt@xxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: Rear pivot bolts
> I was crawling around under my car yesterday and noticed tham my rear
> pivot bolts have a gap betwen where the shock absorber mounts, and
> the nut that holds them in place. Is it okay to just tighten this up?
This might not really be a gap. There is a metal sleeve that can extend
beyond both sides of the rubber bushing which can give the appearance of a
sloppy gap where there isn't one. Don't tighten this nut beyond the torque
specified in the workshop manual.
> Its very dirty there
> also, should I clean it off first? What should I clean it with?
Don't bother cleaning it unless you are obsessive/compulsive. A good amount
of dirt there shows that you actually use the car. If this isn't possible,
then put your car up on a lift and have your kids lob mud globs under it.
;-)
> Also, my overflow bottle sometiimes ejects coolant. And some of it
> got on the frame under the bottle. I wiped it up, but there is likely
> a residue.
It is normal for this to happen if the header bottle is too full. To keep
the occasional few drips under control, some people mount bottles to run the
overflow hose into. Racing catalogues sell a variety of fancy expensive
bottles just for this purpose.
> What is the best way to completely clean this so that the
> frame and frame coating are not damaged by the antifreeze, or the
> cleaning?
The situation where antifreeze damages a surface is when you have regular
leaks that keep an area wet. And this mostly involves aluminum alloy
surfaces or places where the antifreeze collects, dries and forms deposits.
If you are worried about the occasional splatter causing damage, then
install an overflow bottle. The best way to clean it (if you bother at all)
is to rinse with water.
Walt Tampa, FL
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Message: 5
Date: Mon, 6 May 2002 08:23:41 EDT
From: dherv10@xxxxxxx
Subject: Re: Autozone led's
Mike,
You may want to be carefull about converting to led tail lights. I did a test
on Jam Srtraight about 6 months ago. By their own admission, Our lenses were
not set up for that kind of light. There is very little or next to nothing on
back light by the led's package. I offered a suggestion about back reflection
and they complained about the cost to do it. Then you have the cost of the
bulbs themselves. There are regular bulbs that will cost about a dollar, cut
the current in half and still give almost 3/4 of the same out put. Again, Our
tail light were not set up for the led type bulbs. Heading east on a western
setting sun, even the brightes bulb will be nominal for good full brake
lights with our lenses. Look at the link below at the bottom of the page for
the comparison.
John hervey
http://www.specialtauto.com/accessories.shtml
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Message: 6
Date: Mon, 06 May 2002 14:20:18 -0000
From: "jtrealtywebspannet" <jtrealty@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: Battery Light always on since alarm removal
There should have been no direct connections of the alarm into the
charging circuit. The only way to check the alternater is to use an
alternater tester (preferably on a test bench to rule out a wiring
problem in the car). Before going that route first check all of the
connections on the alternater, battery, frame, ground straps etc. Make
sure the belt is not slipping and the battery is good.
As far as the car going dead make sure that the door switches shut
the lights off when the door is closed. If you keep the interior
courtesy lights off all of the time the only lights that go on are the
3 in the doors. Without the interior lights on you don't know if the
lights are really going off when the doors are closed. There are
supposed to be little rubber caps on the ends of the door switches,
when the are worn or missing the switches don't shut the lights off.
You can get by with a short piece of vacuum hose slipped over the end
or just pull the wires off and see what happens. Many owners install a
master switch which wil help.
David Teitelbaum
vin 10757
--- In dmcnews@xxxx, "Jack Stiefel" <jackstiefel@xxxx> wrote:
>
> I had an alarm removed last spring. Since then the battery light
has
> remained on all the time. The car seems to be charging alright, the
> gauges show the system charging. The battery does run dead after a
long
> time sitting (I do have a cd changer and aftermarket radio that do
take
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Message: 7
Date: Mon, 06 May 2002 14:53:37 -0000
From: "shainbrannan" <shain@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: Buying DeLoreans on ebay?
In my quest to buy a DeLorean, i had notcied on that was one ebay.
It did not sell so i emailed the owner privatly. After a week or so
of discussion I went down to see/drive it home. The owner had told
me that it was in great mechanical condition, and the car was nearly
mint. After 8 hours worth of driving i went down to see the car.
When i got there the car was in terrible shape, i couldn't get it
over 10 mph, and had custom made crappy dash board. The orgional
ncts were split wid open, etc. The man who owned it had boughten the
car with 12,000 miles on it, 8 years later it still had the same
mileage. It was a toaly waste of a weekend and 16 hours worth of
driving. But, you'll find you gem somewhere.
- Shain
#10140
--- In dmcnews@xxxx, hugo mederos <miami5606@xxxx> wrote:
> I have seen some of these deloreans before they went
> on ebay and found corrosion that was not mentioned.
> A while back when I was on the hunt there was a D on
> ebay from local seller. I emailed several times to come see
> the car but never got back to me.
>
> So be careful there are reasons why they are on ebay,
> where the buyer cannot view the car in lots of cases.
[long quote snipped by moderator]
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Message: 8
Date: Mon, 6 May 2002 11:03:41 EDT
From: Senatorpack@xxxxxx
Subject: DeLorean for 17year old
Go For it! I hate to say, however the possibility of ownership several
years from now could diminish & limit you several ways...marriage, business
venture, death, divorce, mortgage, etc., etc. Owning a DeLorean can be a lot
of fun.
First ask yourself these two questions...
1) Do I want a flashy, exotic, car so that women swarm & gather around me to
ask me for a ride?
Yes...buy something new & something else.
No...please keep reading.
2) Do you want to restore & work on a very interesting car?
No...buy something new & something else.
Yes...please proceed.
There are several of us that purchased our cars before our twenty-first
birthday, it can be accomplished.
If a DeLorean is what you want, and you have the wherewithal to maintain
the car...purchasing the car is easy...maintaining the DeLorean is expensive
and similar to a high maintenance "significant other."
The car needs a lot of love and attention. When the car is ignored it
starts to act cranky & temperamental...then you need to go shopping & spend
some more money on it to calm everything down...sometimes hundreds often
thousands...just like my ex-girlfriends.
If I can offer one piece of DeLorean advice is to buy a car that you are
comfortable with. It does not matter if the car sat in storage for twenty
years or if the car was completely restored.
You will learn a big lesson in Responsibility in all aspects of your life
owing the DeLorean. However, wanting to own a DeLorean is very, very
different from actually owning a DeLorean. It will really test your
responsibility.
Before you decide to purchase a DeLorean, ask yourself if you want to
really get to know the machine in an in-depth manner...intimately get to know
the car?
To restore the car, work on it, spend lots of money, spend lots of time,
really get to know what you are capable of mechanically, emotionally, and
last but not least financially.
If you buy a machine that has been completely restored from the ground
up...you will work on it, spend lots of money, spend lots of time, really get
to know what you are capable of mechanically, emotionally, and last but not
least financially.
Still interested?
Start buy talking to owners in your area. Look at their cars, look at
cars that are driven everyday or regularly...take pictures & make notes.
Look at show quality DeLoreans...take pictures...lots of pictures of
DeLorean cars. Then look at the cars for sale in your area. Take lots of
pictures...make notes and compare the photographs that you have taken. You
will see a big difference in all three cars...
The pictures and your notes will help you develop a list of what you feel is
necessary to make a DeLorean that you have discovered safe, reliable, and
enjoyable. This will help you develop a budget...unless money isn't an object.
In addition, there are the USA DeLorean specialists. They all offer
DeLorean cars for sale with a Warranty for a mileage and time period. The
cars are beautiful and reliable. If I was planning to purchase a DeLorean for
the first time, knowing what I know now about the cars, I would purchase a
very clean, updated DeLorean from the DeLorean specialist.
Best Wishes,
Michael Pack
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Message: 9
Date: Mon, 06 May 2002 10:20:56 -0500
From: Farrar Hudkins <fhudkins@xxxxxxx>
Subject: Attn: DMC Joe / Atlanta area people
Joe and Atlanta area DML'ers...
I am taking an early flight on Saturday the 25th to Atlanta. Joe, did
you say something about a get-together that Saturday? I already wiped
that e-mail, I think, without printing it. Sorry. Maybe you were just
being sarcastic.
Anybody else in the Atlanta area know about this, give me a buzz, either
on or off the list.
Regards,
Farrar Hudkins
New Orleans, LA
'98 Ranger XLT "Laggy"
--
www.wwno.org
504-280-7000
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Message: 10
Date: Mon, 6 May 2002 12:10:12 -0400
From: "Stragand, Dave" <dave.stragand@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: The Resurrection of Vixen Continues...
Hi All,
I dragged myself out of bed at 1am on Saturday morning and drove the 8 hours out to PJ Grady to get my new passenger door. It looks great, and I thank Rob for his time and energy to come in on a Saturday for me. While I was there, I also picked up some door struts, stainless bumper letters, and outline step-plate inserts. Dan Deutsch even called up to say hi while I was there. My girlfriend loved looking at the 30+ cars Rob had at his shop. Now she finally has an idea of what one's supposed to look like when all put together. =)
After getting a good night's sleep after a 16-hour day of driving, I spent Sunday working on the car again. I backed the car out into my driveway for the first time in a year, and got ready to do some work on the doors. Looking back at the engine revealed 9" flames coming out the grating on the engine cover. OUCH! I had forgotten to tighten one of the fittings on the fuel distributor, and it had sprayed fuel all over the rear of the engine. It had ignited and was now burning up the car. I grabbed a fire extinguisher from the garage (I hope those of you reading this carry an extinguisher in -every- car you have) and put out the fire.
There are three extinguishers in my garage. Two are Halon, and one is powder. You can guess that I accidentally grabbed the powder one, of course... so I spent an hour cleaning the yellowish dust off of the engine. While cleaning, I checked thoroughly for fire damage, but found that the engine cover support slide was the only damage (some melting). I guess I got off REALLY lucky this time.
I did mount my driver's door and new passenger door on the hinges, and did some preliminary lining up. Rob had suggested a course of action for the alignment that I will now outline:
1) Install the rear glass, as it is a structural element and may affect the alignment of the doors (I wonder about this. Is that really the best course of action? I would really prefer to reduce the risk of breakage by not installing it until the doors are aligned and tensioned... Could I just install some wooden shims to hold the window frame in the correct position?)
2) Install the T-panel and align the doors to the T-panel. (Seeing as how I don't have any other body components on the car yet, I can not line them up to anything else -- I'm not even sure if the lock striker pins have been moved.)
3) Tension the torsion bar, and check alignment and motion. If incorrect, release tension on torsion bar, shim, and retension torsion bar.
Comments on / additions to this procedure are of course welcome, and greatly appreciated. Looks like it may be a lot of trial and error...
I also started swapping over some of the components from my old passenger door to the new one. The exterior door handle was easy, as was the lock. The sliding window seems a bit more difficult, but I'll work on that tonight.
While everything is all disassembled, now would be a perfect time to install some remote door actuators. Are 35 lb solenoids enough, or should I go for 50 lbs? Again, any suggestions on remote door opener packages would be appreciated.
-Dave Stragand
VIN #05927
http://www.projectvixen.com
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Message: 11
Date: Mon, 6 May 2002 13:34:35 -0400
From: "Willie Mack" <wmack@xxxxxx>
Subject: loose vacuum, high idle?
Hey guys,
I was wondering if i could get some input before I take my car to a garage.
Last summer I replaced my water pump. After putting everything back
together, it developed a high idle, and i'm talking around 2000 rpm. I'm
wondering if maybe i bumped off a vacuum hose or hit some sensor while
messing with the water pump. Any ideas?
Thanks
Willie
Vin 5043
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/wmack
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Message: 12
Date: Mon, 6 May 2002 19:06:51 +0100
From: "Paul Salsbury" <paul.salsbury@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Update
Just updated my site with a nice photo of Mine, Martin G, Chris H and James
R G's cars this week end and a gathering at my house.
Cheers
Paul
#6463
www.paul.salsbury.btinternet.co.uk
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Message: 13
Date: Mon, 06 May 2002 21:04:06 +0100
From: Martin Gutkowski <webmaster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: Battery Light always on since alarm removal
Hi Jack
I just pulled out my wiring diagram and had a hunt around. Although I don't know for sure
what's going on, I would guess it's got something to do with an immobiliser circuit
having been removed. What I do know for sure is that there's a brown/yellow wire which
goes all the way from the dashboard to the the alternator. Use a continuity tester to
check this wire's good throughout its length. My guess is that it isn't, and someone's
connected it up to a permanent 12v feed.
At the alternator end, the output from this wire should be zero - it's one way to check
that there's nothing wrong with the alternator. The most baffling problems are always
cased by 2 things happenning at once - ie you associate the removal of your alarm with
the problem but it may have nothing to to with it.
Jack Stiefel wrote:
>
> I had an alarm removed last spring. Since then the battery light has
> remained on all the time. The car seems to be charging alright, the
> gauges show the system charging. The battery does run dead after a long
> time sitting (I do have a cd changer and aftermarket radio that do take
> some power), I don't remember if it did it before the removal though.
>
> Does anyone have an idea what happened? I tried to take it back to the
> place that removed the alarm, but they had no idea what they might have
> done. They said if I find out what happened, they will fix it for me.
>
> Jack & Virginia Stiefel
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
Back to the Home of PROJECT VIXEN