[DML] Re: High Milage D

[Mike Substelny <msubstel@xxxx>]

During my research for last year's DeLorean World article about
pre-DeLorean stainless steel cars, I learned a lot about the six 1936
Fords with bodies made of Allegheny Ludlum stainless steel.

Originally made for exhibition only, those six Fords ended up doing a
lot of work! During W.W.II it was impossible to get new cars, besides
that the stainless Fords were already out of style, so Allegheny Ludlum
used them as company cars. They beat the Hell out of those cars,
driving them all over the country on ordinary business. By the time new
cars were available, the stainless Fords were over 10 years old and they
all had 200,000 - 300,000 miles on them. One may have had half a
million miles on it (I will check my notes to confirm this).

As you would expect, the cars needed periodic repairs, such as having
their engines rebuilt or replaced. The ordinary steel parts (such as
floorboards) rusted out and the seats sagged. They went through
uncounted sets of tires. But the stainless bodies soldiered on.

Today those cars are 64 years old, and they still look brand new. You
can see one at the Crawford Museum in June (or any time). When you look
at that car, remember it is not a typical museum car that was preserved
by its owners, lightly driven, and lovingly restored. It is a company
car that was ridden hard and put away wet in desperate service for the
war effort.

Based on this model, I expect to see many super high mileage DeLoreans
pushing the million mile mark during my lifetime.

More about those six Fords (and other stainless cars) is in issue 16.1
of DeLorean World.

- Mike Substelny