[DML] Re: Driving DMC on salted roads --- Plasti Dip

["cbl302@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <cbl302@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

It's when they are as one unit(bolted together) that you may have a problem..
Heck I used to pull off the Delorean black Bodies without cracking the windshield.. at four points around the roof area..
Not saying that you will crack the windshield every time....but you risk cracking the windshield..
Since the frame is mild steel and DOES flex when jacking it up..and that flex gets transferred to the black body..
For example..say you are jacking up the drivers front, with a floor jack on one corner(with the doors open)..that flex energy gets transferred through the black body..and with the doors open..the transfer CANNOT go through the now open doors.. since they are no longer part of the flex energy absorbance..but that flex must travel through other means..like the windshield pillars..(where you risk cracking the windshield)and through the metal roof box and also the lower H.D.Foam filled frame rails..instead of through the doors acting as a rigid member in conjection with all of the above...to absorb that flex..where it then sends it to the roll cage.

If you notice when a Delorean is in almost ANY accident..there will always be black body damage or frame damage or a combination of both and in the majority of the time the windshield will also be cracked...BUT the majority of the time the doors will open up just fine..because of the stated above.

Claude
1024
Bric  

--- In dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Tom" <dmctom@...> wrote:
>
> Claude,
> 
> I believe you over estimate the flexibility of the body and the importance 
> of the door to provide overall stiffness.
> After hearing all those stories about cracking a windshield when lifting a 
> car with the door open I was always very careful when jacking the car up. I 
> always made sure the door was closed and that I didn't leave anything inside 
> the car so I didn't have to open the door with the car up in the air. 
> Recently though, I have proved this not to be true. It's more of an urban 
> legend.
> My car is currently sitting with it's frame removed. To make things even 
> worst the rear window glass is missing after my workshop accident. I've 
> heard stories that the rear window is also a structural piece and needs to 
> be in place for safe door operation. I tried keeping the doors closed for 
> when I was in the process of frame removal afraid the windshield might 
> crack. As it turns out the frame has NO effect at all. I did some tests and 
> with the frame removed I've lifter the body on one corner to see if that 
> will affect the operation of the door. There was absolutely no change.
> I can safely open and close the doors with the car supported on just two 
> corners. There is no change in geometry of the body. If there was the door 
> would bind and would be difficult to open/close. Since I didn't notice ANY 
> change I can safely say that the operation of the door does not have any 
> effect on forces present on the windshield.
> I will do some more testing as I have two cars with cracked windshields. I 
> will try to lift the car and twist the body with the doors open to see of 
> there is any effect at all. But, I am not afraid of cracking my windshield 
> anymore. I work on my frameless car with the doors up without any fear.
> 
> YMMV, of course...
> 
> 
> Greetings from Poland!
> Tom Niemczewski
> Vin 6149 plus 2418, 3633, 5030, 16473, 17086
> Google earth: 52°25'17.66"N, 21° 1'58.40"E
> www.deloreana.com
> 
> -----Original Message----- 
> From: cbl302@...
> Sent: Sunday, January 12, 2014 4:41 AM
> To: dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [DML] Re: Driving DMC on salted roads --- Plasti Dip
> 
> With the majority of Delorean frames in uncertain states of rust..is it 
> really worth risking a cracked windshield..with the door(s) open  and 
> jacking up with a homeowner floor jack on ONE corner of the car..you are 
> most definitely stressing out the structure of the Delorean..and anything 
> can happen.
> 
> claude
> 1024
> bric
> 
> --- In dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, <jamettee@> wrote:
> >
> > Claude,
> >  While the doors are definitely a structural part of the car, you can most 
> > definitely lift the car off the ground with the doors open. I've done it a 
> > number of times on my 2-post lift & I have also seen pictures of the DMC 
> > shops with cars on lifts with doors open. I don't make it a habit on my 
> > car & only do it when I still need access to the interior, but it can 
> > definitely be done.
> >
> >
> >  I've also jacked a car up at 1 point with a jack to change a wheel. 
> > Granted the doors were closed when I did this, I don't believe it would be 
> > much different with the doors open. There may have been a few instances of 
> > cracked glass, but I believe it is a myth that's greatly been exaggerated 
> > in the DMC community.
> >
> >
> >  Justin Mettee
> >  VIN 02075
> >
> >
> > ---In dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, <cbl302@> wrote:
> >
> >  Wayne.. most of the flex has to do with the frame flexing/twisting.. if 
> > you jack up a delorean with the door(s)open...as some owners had found out 
> > the hard way..when they found that their windshields cracked when they 
> > jacked up their deloreans with the doors open..even cases where the rear 
> > window cracked/broke..the doors act as a rigid part of the built in safety 
> > cage and integral part of making the delorean frame and black body into a 
> > rigid structure. NEVER jack up a delorean with the doors open..not even 
> > with one of the doors open.
> >
> >  Also that is one of the reasons why Lotus had to use toll booth 
> > windows..if you had/have a one piece window that could open..you would 
> > lose some of the integrity that was engineered into the doors..since the 
> > majority of the weight of the delorean door is on the lower half, below 
> > the window...no matter how the delorean door was structurally engineered 
> > the vertical side pillars on the doors,especially where they bend towards 
> > the roof will ALWAYS be the weak points...and they truly did a lot of 
> > engineering to overcome that problem..but still...they will bend in the 
> > right situation.
> >
> >  Claude
> >  1024
> >  Bric
> >
> 
> 
> 
> 
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