[DML] Re: My Second Try at a Delorean

[Mike Substelny <msubstel@xxxx>]

Michael Sanchez recently looked at a very early DeLorean:

> the guy claimed he had it appraised at 26,000 (which in fact, he
really did . . .
[SNIP]
> The vin number on the car was 250.... that's rite, it was
> one of the first 500 promo cars made. I remember a while
> back reading about how the doors on the first 500 or so
> never fit quite right because they were produced in
> America and not in the factory in Ireland...

Pardon me? Who said they were "promo" cars? Who said the doors were
made in America?

The purpose for the cars before VIN 500 was to get the machinery,
fixtures, and workers "dialed in" for building the cars. This is common
practice among manufacturers. It would not make sense to do it in
another country. While the doors did have their own assembly line, I am
pretty sure it was in the factory . . . in Ireland.

> it seems as though this was 100% correct!!!! the doors were a PAIN
> to close and were VERY visibly off line!!!

This may have little to do with the workmanship of the car. Chances are
that such an early DeLorean does not have door guides, so the doors line
up differently every time they close. If this is the problem, it can be
corrected for about $50 and 15 minutes of work.

> The first things i did on the car was check the frame, the hoses,
> the oil screen, and dashboard.... ALL these things were bad on
> this car, and after checking prices on these parts at the DML
> site, it looks as though i would have had to invest another 6-8
> thousand dollars in parts before this thing would have been a good
> daily driver!!

Free advice: so you want to find a DeLorean that you can use as a daily
driver without investing in rehab work? Your best bet is to only look
at cars currently being used as daily drivers. Stop looking at
low-mileage DeLoreans that have been stored. Note that among car
collectors, daily drivers are usually considered MUCH LESS VALUABLE than
stored cars.

If this really is a pre-VIN 500 DeLorean, then it is pretty rare. It is
probably more valuable as a piece of history than as a daily driver.
While I agree that it is not the car for you, this DeLorean might still
be worth $26,000 to a collector.

- Mike Substelny
VIN 1280, 7 years