[DML] Corey and your '81 DeLo in KY, PLUS newbie needs tips from other DML'ers!

["composerphacia" <ComposerZelgadis@xxxxxxx>]

Corey,

It's William F. from SW Florida, my e-mail address is ComposerZelgadis
(AT)aol(DOT)com.  I've been trying to get in touch with you for the 
past week, and I've heard nothing from you.  Thus, I am forced to 
conclude that you are not receiving my e-mails, either because of 
spam filters, AOL's not-so-reliable e-mail servers, simple 
overlooking of e-mails (admit it, we've all done it at some 
point :D), or a combination of all three.  I suppose it's also 
possible you've simply been busy living the dream, and haven't had 
the chance to check your e-mail.  ;)

Just in case you haven't received my past e-mails, I'll re-say pretty 
much everything I had said before.

When I asked for pictures of ''every last square inch'' of your 
DeLorean's frame, this was not meant *literally.*  You could call it 
a personality flaw on my part, but ''every last square inch'' is a 
phrase I use rather commonly, and is not always meant in the literal 
sense.  What I was *really* after, is just an idea of how your frame 
looks and its general condition.  You mentioned that Steve Wynne 
examined your frame, and said it was pretty good.  If Wynne said it, 
then it's good enough for me.

Also, you had asked why I wanted pictures of the oil filler cap's 
screen and the fusebox.  These were pretty much low-priority items.  
DML, do correct me if I'm wrong, but I was told that if the engine 
has ever overheated badly, that the screen would show signs of it, 
specifically in the form of warping, burnt marks, etc.  I was also 
told to look out for melted terminals and whatnot in the fusebox.  
Because I cannot inspect the car first-hand, I would like to get 
pictures of all those little things that I would normally just 
casually inspect for myself.

Now, here's some questions aimed specifically at the DML and its 
members:

As I mentioned earlier, I'm pretty much a DeLorean newbie.  I've read 
lots of technical documents, do's and don'ts lists, seen plenty of 
diagrams, heard stories told from first-hand experience, read plenty 
of history on the car, etc etc.  Still, though... I do not feel 
confident in my knowledge.  I've also been hearing some horror 
stories of cars that were wrecked over seemingly simple things 
(trailing arm bolts, anyone?).  I never would've thought in a million 
years to check those bolts.  One of my main concerns are, what other 
known issues are out there that can be catastrophic to the car?  And 
how do we know there aren't more to be discovered?  Granted, a 23 
year old car probably shouldn't have *too* many surprises, but you 
never know... DeLoreans are DeLoreans.  ;)

Plus, there's the countless documented experiences of these cars 
leaving local mechanic shops in worse condition than how they drove 
in!  To quote Owning an Orphan, ''...as an owner, the DeLorean is 
totally dependant on you.''  Then there's also a quote from another 
owner on the DML ''...you have to really, really love the car because 
it will try as hard as it can to make you hate it.''  In contrast, I 
heard that DeLoreans--when the bugs were worked out--were 
exceptionally reliable cars.  Of course, ''when the bugs are worked 
out'' can encompass a great many things.  And that's pretty much what 
I'd like to discuss with you.

This car will be my primary means of transportation.  The fact that 
it's a two-seater with limited cargo space is no problem.  Two seats 
is all I'll ever need.  And I don't plan to carry heavy or bulky 
cargo with me.  Since this car will be a daily driver, going to and 
from work, some weekend cruising, and wherever else I need to be, I 
need to know exactly what I'm getting myself into.  I have no qualms 
about ''paying my dues'' to the car.  Maintenance--costly maintenance-
-is to be expected.  And while it no doubt varies from car to car, 
just how much maintenance is generally needed on a $15K DeLorean?  
I'm assuming there's a basic pattern here with these cars.

And for the record, I am going to state that I *do* have back-up 
means of transportation.  I live in a fairly quiet town.  I have 
never heard of a car stolen here, or anything of the sort.  Nor have 
I heard many cases of vandalism.  The car will be fully equipped with 
plenty of security (LoJack, passive-alarms, and things like these).  
So security should not be an issue when using this car as a daily 
driver.

Upon delivery of the car, what are the things I should do first 
before considering it a ''reliable, daily driver?''

And more over, I need a DeLorean mechanic in or near Louisville, KY.  
A very experienced and knowledgable owner will do nicely, as well!  
S/he must know the DeLorean, inside and out, and all the critical 
areas to examine.  Needless to say, I'd like them to give it a real 
good test drive.  Check gear-shifting.  Head out on the highway, and 
see how she sounds and handles at highway speeds.  Listen for any odd 
noises you haven't heard before, or anything that should be out of 
the ordinary.  Examine the undercarriage, and the engine bay.  Give 
me a full report on your findings.

If I am to understand Corey Stup's e-mails correctly (and do correct 
me if I'm wrong, Corey!), his car and its original owner had been in 
Houston, and the D was serviced by DMCH while it was there.  The car 
left Houston in (I believe) 12/99.  I'm going to assume it hasn't 
been serviced there since.  Corey seems like a real good guy.  A 
straight-shooter.  Still, though.  My mind would be so much more at 
ease if a good DeLorean mechanic gave it a thorough inspection.  I 
would, of course, gladly compensate for said mechanic's time and 
experience.  Since AOL's mail servers have been pretty quirky as of 
late, your best bet might be replying here instead to contact me(in 
my original post, I had asked for a reply directly to my e-mail... I 
see now that that was not the best choice).

I will state again for the record that I understand full-well that 
the DeLorean will need far more attention, money, TLC, and devotion 
than a Honda, Saturn, Hyundai, or any other ''today'' car.  I have no 
qualms about going the extra philosophical miles to pamper and 
properly maintain this car.  I do, however, have problems diving head-
first into waters without knowing how deep--or how shallow--they 
are!  I need to know exactly what I'm getting myself into here--or at 
least a very good picture--to determine whether or not it's within my 
realm.

*All* advice on *any* aspect of the car--no matter how seemingly 
insignificant--will be of great importance to me.  I thank you all 
for your time and attention.  I know this post was rather lengthy.  I 
look forward to reading the replies, and the knowledge and the 
insight within.

Thank you.

Regards,
William F.




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