[DML] Re: D that has been sitting for years...

["Dave Swingle" <swingle@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I'm on the process of a similar restoration project (last driven 
1985, last run 1992, 15K miles etc) the main difference being that 
they did NOT drain the systems. I plan to do some more complete 
documentation on this project later (at this point it keeps me pretty 
busy) but I'll bet you run into a lot of the same issues.

Since your guy drained the tank that may be OK (did he drain it DRY 
or just with a hose?), but unless he actually blew the lines and fuel 
system dry, you are still likely to have a frozen fuel pump, 
distributor and injectors. A good quick check is to unhook a fuel 
line in the engine compartment. If you smell paint thinner rather 
than gasoline, that's the smell of gas gone Very Bad. 

On this car, I've replaced the entire fuel system including the gas
tank, only  thing salvaged is 3 injectors. It sounds like you will
avoid many of the hydraulic issues I had (everything - brakes,
clutch etc) but some of it will be there. I also had the throwout
bearing frozen to the transmission.

It was pretty wierd getting into this car and having all 3 pedals be 
stuck. The car was stored indoors since 1984, but it was obviously 
not in a completly dry environment. 

The other thing to ask is about the cooling system. If he only drained
it by disconnecting the radiator, this left the engine block and most
of the lines half-full of coolant. This is almost worse than empty as
the coolant gets corrosive in air.

The only thing that made this project even feasible is that the owner 
bought a complete second car that had been rolled in a serious 
accident. The donor car was "fresh" i.e. everything mechanical on it 
was in good shape and running not very long ago, but all the 
stainless was bent,the fiberglass tub was un-salvegeable (broken in 
many places), and the frame was broken and twisted.  We're still
probably spending close to $2000 in parts over and above the parts 
car. Don't ask about the labor (me) yet.......

Dave S


--- In dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Garrett Rudkin" <agentprelude@xxxx> 
wrote:
>  It is an '82 with exactly 15,447 miles on it, an 
> automatic with gray interior.  I have seen the car and it is in 
very 
> good shape inside and out.  He has owned the car since 1985 and has 
> all documents on the car, and plenty of issues of Delorean World in 
> the car too.  It has sat in his heated garage at his business 
> (airplane parts machinist) with his other exotic/rare cars, '94 
> Viper, '87 Porsche 944, '32 and '34 Fords, etc.  He has not driven 
> the car in over 10 years.  
>----> 
> He says before putting it in storage for the last time, he drained 
> all fluids, including gasoline and removed the battery.  We are 
going 
> to get together this weekend to replace the battery and replace all 
> fluids to see if we can get it running.  The elderly gentleman was 
> confident that we would get it started and wouldn't have any 
> suprises.  Some things that will need to be replaced off the bat is 
> the headliner and door struts.  
> 
> Has anyone had any experiences like mine of buying a car that has 
> been sitting this long?  What can I expect to replace off the bat 
to 





To address comments privately to the moderating team, please address:
moderators@xxxxxxxxxxx

For more info on the list, tech articles, cars for sale see www.dmcnews.com

To search the archives or view files, log in at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dmcnews 
Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
     http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dmcnews/

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
     dmcnews-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
     http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/