[DML] Lower Control Arms, "unavailable" parts, etc.

We (DMC) have investigated having new control arms made, and we have the
original drawings for the part. They can be made for far less than $500
each, but the tooling, and minimum quantities required make it an easy five
figure investment. And we'd end up with more of them than we could sell in
another 20 years. What's more, it's an inherently poor design, so we are
investigating other options. For the present, we have yet to see a broken
one that we couldn't repair - EVER! It's easier, faster (than hunting down
a new one) as well as less expensive and safe (all big factors,
particularly when insurance companies are involved - and they are picky
about future safety on a repair job).

As far as your questions about "parting out" a DeLorean, ANY car is worth
more for parts than it is whole (that's whay junkyards, er, automotive
recyclers stay in business - the problem, particularly with a low volume
"niche" car is that the demand is so low. Sure, you might get $10K for the
panels and glass (though a more realistic estimate is $6K) do you want to
wait months, probably years to get that out of it, and in the meantime have
a "half-DeLorean" in your backyard? Bryan Pearce (stainless steel frame guy
and DML'er) has been parting out a car for awhile, he can shed more light
on the realities of doing that.

That said, there are so few parts that there are no more NEW parts
available, I can't think of them. Original window switches come to mind. We
have no more ORIGINAL window switches - though we do have an excellent
replacement that is the same style, shape and design (thogh 3mm narrower) -
it even lights up, so that the arrows can be illuminated (nomore rubbed off
arrows!). Through our efforts at re-sourcing these and other "hard to get"
parts, the DeLorean has better overall immediate parts availability than
Ferrari, Porsche or BMW and we very much doubt that, percentage-wise, that
Ford, GM or DaimlerChrysler do either.

As for the future supply - ask anyone on the list (or elsewhere) who has
been to our parts warehouse in Ohio - 40,000 square feet, floor to ceiling
of DeLorean parts. Darn near everything!

Read the posting I wrote back in October of 1996 (before I was a DMC
employee, and before we bought the parts from KAPAC) for a idea of what I
mean. Bear in mind that all this is STILL left after being the main source
for nearly 20 years.

http://www.dmcnews.com/backissues/dml184.html

Additionally, I was just there on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, and
it still boggles my mind that there is just so much left. I took some new
photos, and I will try to get them posted on the website this weekend. Out
of the 2800 different DeLoreanpart numbers, there are still some 1600-1700
that have NEVER been ordered. Future parts supplies are the least of a
DeLorean owners worries.


James Espey
DeLorean Motor Company
Houston, Texas

281/568-9573
800/USA-DMC1
http://www.usadmc.com


At 3:47 PM -0500 7/22/99, Ann & Ed Thompson wrote:
>Just how many of these expensive, rare, and "no longer available" parts
>are there on the DeLorean. The more I hear and read about this the more
>I'm beginning to think that a "good driver DeLorean", say between $10K
>and $15K, is worth far more being parted out. Body panels, doors, glass,
>and lower control arms alone would probably bring $10K selling them one
>at a time. James, do you have any idea how many parts listed in the
>DeLorean factory parts manual are "no longer available"? Being in the
>DeLorean parts business I thought you might have an estimate. I know
>that for much older and long obsolete antique cars in concours condition
>most parts are nearly non-existent. If needed, replacements parts of all
>kinds have to be made. That's why some of these cars are worth hundreds
>of thousands of dollars and even millions. Do you have any idea what it
>would cost to have a lower control arm made for a DeLorean? $500 might
>pay for a construction drawing. For a one-off I would guess at least
>several thousand dollars.