[DML] Re: Chevy Engine swap

["ryanpwright" <dmcnews_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

--- In dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Joe OBrien" <joeyoseppijoe@xxxx> wrote:
> 
> The rotary barly sold for just over 16k, it sold to someone who 
> didn't realize all the custom work done to it for 32k, then he/she 
> backed out. The it was on eBay a few more times before hittin the 
> max sum of 16K. That car had only been for sale for the short time 
> of almost 2 years before it sold on eBay for half of what was 
> invested in the car. 

That's surprising. There must have been something wrong with the swap,
then. I know half a dozen people who would have snatched that up in a
heartbeat for $16k, myself included, if it was really as nice as it
appeared to be.

> Mainly that was the point of warning for most, as it will be next to 
> impossible to recoup the investment, and your car will be less than 
> what is was. But to each his own literally. The main point was if 
> you want something to drag race, buy something else.

Wanting gobs of extra power & wanting to drag race are two different
things. I never drag raced my supercharged Fiero in 3 years of
ownership, but it was nice being able to pass someone on the freeway
in the blink of an eye. Passing in the DeLorean can be a scary
proposition... You need a good long stretch of visible road to safely
get around someone.

As for the investment, virtually no cars recoup that. It's doubtful
you could get anywhere near what you've spent on your DeLorean over
the years if you sold it today. I could easily sink forty grand into a
custom DeLorean without even being extravagent. I might get thirty for
it if marketed to the right people. So no, I wouldn't recoup my
investment, but you know what? It'd still sell for an awful lot more
than your stock DeLorean. That's a far cry from being a "destroyed" car.

The BTTF conversions also fetch a significant premium over stock when
they're done well. Are these destroyed? Honestly, to me such a car
would be worthless. I'd never buy it. But I'm not naive enough to
think it's destroyed and has no value. People pay good money for them.

> The only people who would be buying custom Deloreans so altered from 
> their original state for prices like that are people who know 
> nothing about the car, the kind most people dream about selling a 

I guess I know nothing about DeLoreans, then. Funny, since I've got a
multi-page list of work I've personally done to the car, including
some jobs most owners wouldn't attempt themselves (such as last
month's clutch replacement).

Joe, I think we'll have to agree to disagree on this issue. I don't
expect I'll change your mind; my main reason for replying was in hopes
that you'd be able to see my point of view. A lot of generalization
and false information has been thrown about on this issue and I had to
speak up.

My closing thoughts are thus: If you still think a custom DeLorean is
"destroyed", you should go to a car show some day and check out the
custom hot rods. About the only thing stock on these cars is the body.
I saw a '32 Ford 3-Window Coupe with custom leather, LCD displays in
the dash, and a big monster engine, not to mention the countless other
upgrades. One of the most beautiful cars I've ever seen, and there
were a hundred others with equal amounts of custom work. Tell these
guys they've "destroyed" their cars, or for that matter the crowds
drooling over them. You won't get a lot of sympathy.

-Ryan








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