Frame Numbers and DPC (was: 2 Questions)

[James Espey <james@xxxx>]

As I've mentioned before, this 'card file' is simply the warranty cards that
were returned by the dealers when a car was sold to the first retail
customer. After the original DeLorean Motor Company filed for bankruptcy,
the warranty was taken over by a third party, and the dealers had other
paperwork to return to a different entity. Many of the cards were probably
lost as well when the original DeLorean Motor Company closed and the data
entry staff was laid off.

There is no frame number on these cards, the only identifying numbers are
the VIN and engine number. The other data is interior color, transmission
type, original dealer, selling dealer (if different), buyers name, salesman
name. 

The cards that we have are less than 50% complete, with none of 1982 or 1983
VIN's accounted for. Additionally, there are no 6XXX or 7XXX VINs on the
1981's and very few of the 4,XXX and 5,XXX VIN's.

More than a year ago, I had someone enter all the VIN's, interior colors and
transmission types into a database which was then forwarded to Knut for
inclusion into the "DeLorean Production Chronology" (DPC). These are
identified by the words "Warranty Card" in the "Notes" column on this
listing:

http://dmcnews.com/faq/img/news/n_vinlst.pdf

After the DeLorean Motor Company (Texas) open house last fall, I loaned to
Knut a hard copy printout of one of the last lists of registered owners
produced by the Data Processing department of the original DeLorean Motor
Company. IIRC, this list was dated late October of 1982. This list was
sorted by the registered owners ZIP code, which made searching for
particular VIN's very tedious. It only lists VIN's, and personal contact
information about the original owner, no other data about the car itself. It
listed some cars in the 1982 VIN range, which made it interesting to me from
the VIN chronology point of view. As time permits, I am sure that Knut will
include that data as well in the DeLorean Production Chronology.

Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.

James Espey
NOTE OUR NEW ADDRESS/PHONE NUMBERS
DeLorean Motor Company
15023 Eddie Drive
Humble, Texas 77396

281/441-2537 Voice
281/441-2813 Fax
800/USA-DMC1
http://www.delorean.com

> At the warehouse in Ohio I saw a card file that Leif Montin (former
> parts manager for DMC and at that time employed by DMC Houston) said
> was the index of vin #'s to frame #'s. At some time in the future
> Steve Wynn said they might go through it and create a reference for
> frame #'s to vin #'s. He also mentioned that he thought it was
> incomplete, probably meaning it wasn't kept up throughout the entire
> production run or just doesn't include the 83's. If you really are
> interested in following up on this contact James Espey of DMC Houston.
> There is no other relationship between the vin # and the frame #. The
> frame # was probably created for inventory and tracking purposes
> origionaly by the frame manufacturer.
> David Teitelbaum
> vin 10757
> 
> 
> --- In dmcnews@xxxx, "Chris Parnham" <cp@xxxx> wrote:
>> The Frames were made by GKN in the English Midlands, we have not
>> been able to sort out any useful info regarding the numbers on
>> them.
>> 
>> Chris P DOC UK