[DML] Started my frame-off restoration!

[dmcjohn@xxxxxxxxxxx]

Hi lads,

Well, I've started my frame-off restoration of my DeLorean!

After 3 years and 15,000 miles of very happy motoring, I've turned my
car into a pile of parts in my Dads garage...

My brother Maurice and I started working on it Thursday morning, and
had the rolling frame out of the car that afternoon, after getting
delayed with lots of rusty seized bolts, and a fairly rusted and
seized steering shaft. Also, it was pretty time consuming raising the
GRP body up with concrete blocks, but we were very happy to have the
frame separated that day.

Then on Friday morning, we started to strip the frame down, and got
everything of the frame except for the suspension, which we completed
on Saturday morning. We then powerwashed the frame, and inspected it
for rust damage, which thankfully is not bad overall. 90% of the
frame is in like new condition, but there is a bad area under the
front crossmember which will need to be cut out and replaced, some
minor surface rust in the fuel tank area (drivers side), and some
more rust on the lower side of where the front frame extension meets
the front crossmember, which will also need some new metal welded in.

Other problems we found during the stripdown include a bad passenger
side lower ball joint, a bushing missing on the gear linkage, the
drivers side rear hub was loose (glad I found that one out!), and a
few other things.

One of the most surprising parts of the teardown was to find of the
12 bolts securing the body to the frame, only 2 were actually
tight!!! The 2 bolts that go thru the saftey belt thingy were very
tight, but the rest were barely hand tight. These bolts could be
tightened in 5 minutes, so I'd definitely recommend everyone has a
look at theirs also, it would probably get rid of any creaking noises
you get when driving. I feel silly for not having checked mine before
now!

So, at the moment, I have a thing that looks like a DeLorean hovering
a foot off the ground at the back of the house, and the garage is
full of parts like the engine/transmission, fuel tank, suspension,
etc, and of course the frame. My Dad is not too impressed with what
I've done to his garage!

My Dad is not a car guy, and he thinks I've lost my mind doing this
to a car that appeared to be in perfect condition from the outside!
He came outside at one point when we were stripping the frame down,
shook his head and told us that in the 60 years he's been around,
this is the craziest thing he has ever seen anyone do!

Back when I was about 7 or 8, my Dad came home one day to find I had
taken the TV and radio completely apart and arranged the pieces all
over the living room floor, (never did get it back together, they are
still in the attic in pieces), so he is a bit concerned now that his
garage is going to look like a junk yard permanently!

Anyway, the next step will be to get the welding done, then get the
frame acid dipped and sandblasted, hot-dipped galvanised, and
powdercoated. I'm not going to get the original matte gray color on
the frame, I'm going to powdercoat it a very bright metallic Silver,
to give it more of a Stainless Steel look. I'll powdercoat the
suspension arms the stock black color...

Then, I'll go shopping - the list will include Toby's polyurethane
bushings kit and strengthened brackets for the front sway bar, new
upper and lower ball joints from DMCH, the front end recall kit,
stainless steel braided brake hoses, and anything else that I find
needs to be done.

I took about 150 pictures so far, and will upload them to the website
in the coming few days, and will let you all know.

Any suggestions/comments/questions welcome!

Also, any advice on how I'll ever get this damn thing back
together?!!!

Thanks,
John Dore, Ireland.
Vin 3810
http://www.delorean.ie








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