To the best of my knowledge the QAC's were very good at insuring that severely damaged cars never made it to the dealers. We also know of no shortage of factory installed door shims. "We're here to help you"; See you in Cleveland! DMC Joe / De Lorean Services / <dmcjoe@xxxx> Web Site: <www.deloreanservices.com> . ----- Original Message ----- From: <senatorpack@xxxx> To: <dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Tuesday, June 06, 2000 10:36 PM Subject: [DML] Crashed > > > Dear DML, > > I need your help. > Please look at your car with the doors closed. Pay particular attention to > the Gap between the door and the front fenders. > > How many of you have a more pronounced gap at the sill area? > > I have been trying to research what ever happened to DeLorean cars that > were damaged while inside the cargo ships en route to the United States. Some > of these DeLoreans had intensive damage. > > I have a contact that worked at the QAC's. He said a number of DeLorean's > suffered from damage. He was responsible for chassis damaged. He simply had > the chassis replaced since there was a continuous supply of chassis. He had > knowledge of destroyed cars and cars that were a total loss. He went on to > say, how the cars were thoroughly inspected, repaired, replaced damaged parts > and rebuilt to be sold. This seems evident especially in the early days. > > However, I have seen photographs of DMC-12's that had severe, extensive > damage in the front areas of the cars. The bonnet area looked beyond repair. > The damaged resulted from chains that secured the cars down, breaking free > and the cars sliding into each other. The VIN numbers in the photographs > indicate that the cars were built in Sept of 1981. I.e. VIN # 3000-3999. > > The purpose of my inquiry is to determine why the Body panels of cars in > this VIN # range are out of alignment. My determination is to conclude that > these cars either; > > 1. Had suffered from lack of door shims at the factory. This would > conclude that the factory was running out of stock, or changed the > specifications for the shims. This resulted in doors completely out of > alignment. ((Look at the area of your car with doors closed. The "Gap" > between the front fenders and the doors)) > > 2. The more probable, cars damaged during shipment, and repaired at the > QAC's. The cars having the stainless steel panels, or VARI sections replaced > at the QAC in Long Beach or New Jersey. Resulting in body panels out of > alignment. However, the really early, and late VINs' seem to have the panels > aligned. > > So did the company have damaged cars repaired/rebuilt to be sold, or did they > have them destroyed since the cars looked totaled? > > Your input is very much appreciated.