[DMCForum] Re: My Rear Tire Fits in the Bonnet!

["content22207" <brobertson@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Oh yes, there's beaucoups of unused space around the factory casting.

The question is: why didn't DMC use it? I'm convinced it's leftover 
engineering from an earlier design that had 14" tires the whole way 
round, perhaps during the mid-engine phase. 14" wheels fit the 
production well just fine. If we had 14" tires in the rear, there 
wouldn't be any problem. I'm guessing that in the rush to 
production, someone simply forgot to enlarge the spare tire well to 
accomodate the finalized 15" rears.

Jim Prentice gave a fascinating presentation at Pigeon Forge about 
all the things that still weren't engineered even as the first 
underbodies were coming through the wall: pedal cluster, steering 
wheel, and the entire interior behind the seats among them. In such 
a chaotic environment my spare tire well theory makes perfect sense.

Whipper snappers today forget that in the 1970's (when our DeLoreans 
were designed), 14" was the standard tire size for small to mid size 
automobiles (what does your Pacer run, eh?). 13" was the compact 
size and 15" was full size. Only 8 lug pickups ran 16" (or 16.5", 
which was still rattling around).

BTW: What the hell is a bonnet? I've seen women wearing them at 
Easter. I know what a hood is, but wouldn't be caught dead myself in 
a bonnet.

Bill Robertson
#5939

>--- In DMCForum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Bob Brandys <BobB@...> wrote:
>
> Bill,
> 
> You may remember that DMC Houston has an prototype future D at 
Pigeon 
> Forge.   They still have that car and one of the questions was 
whether 
> the rear tire could fit in the bonnet.
> 
> Well, it does after you significantly alter the 1/8" fiberglass 
tub to 
> almost triple the storage space.
> 
> I am making a custom tub right now out of 1/8" fiberglass sheeting 
and 
> aluminum angles corners.   It looks great and there room for the 
spare, 
> tires, groceries, golf bag, jack, and lots more!!!  A real 
improvement.
> 
> Bob
>




 
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