RE: DMC Houston HiPo engine

[James Espey <james@xxxx>]

Marc wrote:

> I have never drove or rode in a modified Houston car, so please know
> that while considering my opinions.

Since you aren't familiar with it, it understandable that much of what you
wrote was incorrect. My previous message to Scott and the DML should clear
up a number of your misconceptions, but a few things that you wrote that I
didn't want to attribute to Scott bear answering.

> 1. Modified exhaust with dual CAT converters (Based on what I saw when
> inspecting the first converted car in Cleveland, it looks like the
> old-technology DMC cats were used).

First 'test' car had these catalytic converters on it. While the car has no
problem passing emissions with these installed, a modified catalytic
converter is technically illegal, and certainly not 50-state legal. All the
cars since have been installed with a 50-state legal dual catalytic
converter setup.

> Again, having never been inside a running Houston modified

Please do seek me out in Memphis, I will be happy to let you examine and
drive whatever car that we may bring to the event.

> extra 75% HP from a engine with just the items I list above.

197 vs 130 = about 50%, not 75%.

> I also hear second hand stories that the Houston car was on the track at

Our DeLorean was not at the track for the parade laps on Sunday. The car was
being delivered to Stephen's son, who drove up from Florida to pick it up,
and left later Saturday evening (the day before the track event) to get back
to Florida early. Perhaps the source of your 'second hand' story has it
confused with someone/something else.

Once, when driving our car with John Jordan earlier Saturday at the Rowing
Complex, Rob's green car was behind me and we played a little game of "race
and run" through the curves. For one reason or another, he didn't keep up
with me, and I attributed that more to his respect for the law than any
inability of his car, which I did not get the opportunity to drive (though
Rob did make the offer). Rob *did* drive our car, and the only comment I
seem to remember him making was that he thought it was too loud, similar to
Jim's comment earlier. I used to think it was too loud, too. Now, hearing
them in the shop all the time, I think the stock car sounds "too quiet". I
think that being used to the stock sound for so many years makes any drastic
change seem 'too much'. I think the saying is "to each his own".

James Espey
DeLorean Motor Company
Houston, Texas 

281/568-9573
800/USA-DMC1
http://www.delorean.com