my first real drive (not without its problems)

[webmaster@xxxx]

This evening was my first opportunity to get the D out and drive it 
around.

Never having driven a DeLorean before this one, I have no frame of 
reference. Still, it's probably not normal for the car to feel like 
it's going to shake apart if you go over 40. My girlfriend compared 
the overall feeling to being in one of those vibrating massage 
chairs, although they can't hold a candle to my DeLorean. The 
vibration was *very* strong (my headlight beams were wiggling like 
crazy), its frequency increased with our speed, and it sounded 
remarkably like a helicopter.

Aside from this, the car made it about 10 miles from home without 
major incident. It was after I turned around and started heading 
back home that the engine decided to die four times:

1) Drove 40MPH for several hundred feet, came to complete stop at 
stop sign, turned left and started to accelerate, car began to 
sputter and buck. Letting up on the accelerator or pressing it 
further didn't seem to have an effect, eventually engine died. Car 
started up again and ran fine.

2) Slowed from 40MPH to 25MPH or so to take a left-hand curve, upon 
leaving curve car did same thing as before (sputter, buck, die). 
Again, started up like normal and ran fine.

3) Slowed from 40MPH while approaching stop sign. By the time the 
car had come to a complete stop, the engine was dead. No sputtering 
this time...just a quick, silent death. Started up again and ran 
fine.

4) Slowed from 25MPH and turned left onto the road I live on. 
Accelerating out of the turn caused the same old sputtering and 
bucking, and the engine died. Had just enough momentum built up to 
coast into my driveway.

Some more info, in case it helps:
* car is an 81, automatic, few (if any) updates, 5K miles
* Never has a problem starting (even after stalling).
* No noticeable emissions from the tailpipes, although it does smell 
strongly of fuel.
* No problems at idle, and "hunts" normally when cold.
* Something's buzzing like a mad hornet (I'm presuming it's the 
frequency valve).
* All gauges work to the best of my knowledge, and none read anything 
unusual at any point tonight.

The last time I felt a car turn into a bucking bronco on me, it was a 
problem with the auto tranny not downshifting properly on 
deceleration. The conditions are different with the D, but the end 
result sure feels the same. I initially though I might have gunk in 
the fuel line and it's starving the engine...but wouldn't that cause 
it to simply stall and die instead of jerking around?

Any help you can give this newbie would be greatly appreciated!

________________
Todd Masinelli
VIN 6681