Crashed

[senatorpack@xxxx]

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.