New Engine

["Gus Schlachter" <gus@xxxx>]

A year and a half ago, I caught a one-way flight to Houston and was picked
up in the Delorean that was to be mine. I drove it the 180 miles home to
Austin, helpless to raise the windows, watching the speedo bounce between 50
and 80, struggling with the slipping clutch and worn brakes, changing a
flat, and then having the brake master cylinder start to bypass at the end
of my trip.

Yesterday, I took the same flight but was picked up this time by Stephen
Wynne to go over to DMC and get my car. What a difference a year and half
can make.

After the original purchase I had to flatbed the car back to Houston (geez!)
to get the mechanicals worked on. Stephen got it back into shape and for a
year it was my daily driver. I was impressed by the quality of work
performed and jumped at the chance to have the same people put a new,
enhanced-output engine put into my high-miles car. (I literally jumped...I
was first on the list!) And when my dripping water pump because my spewing
water pump, Stephen offered me the prototype engine, which is in my car
right now.

And I could not be happier. It's hard to explain the difference it makes,
but I am in awe of the torque-curve. It's nearly flat. Unbelievably so.
I've never experienced a car that jumps off the line and then has perfectly
smooth acceleration right up to redline. I think this makes the power
increase deceiving. Turbos can add lots of kick and really throw your head
back but usually in a very narrow RPM range. The same can be said of other
engine mods that sacrifice balance for a bigger peak HP rating. But not
here. This is an absolute joy to drive.

I'm still not a hot-rodder, though. Modern Porches and Corvettes will
destroy me. That's not really what I'm after anyway. I'm faster off the
line, I have smooth acceleration all through the range, and can "hit the
hole" in traffic even when it 5th gear on the highway. It's far more
drivable than it ever was.

Of course, that's not all that was done to it. Before, I had a classic
piece of history and was just glad it started every time. The performance
was poor and the handling scared me. Now, I've traded my off-brand dry-rot
tires for AVS Intermediates. I got the lowering springs, which dramatically
improved my "road-to-hood" viewing ratio in addition to improving the
handling. (I gotta tell ya that after seeing it lowered, the stock
Deloreans look comically high, like they're on their tiptoes.) To go with
it were new, custom-made shocks all around. And don't forget the performace
brake-pads to help bring this monster to a halt. And now, this antique
collectors item that I have now actually rides like a sports car. It can
corner and brake with the best of them, and I'm seriously considering a try
at autocross. I really wish I had given out test drives in Cleveland. Drop
me a line if any of you are ever in Austin, seriously.

I've only been driving it for one day now, so I'm still getting used to the
new feel. But so far, I'm in love.


Gus Schlachter
Austin, TX
VIN# 4695