[DML] my first Delorean; vin11501 (a bit long)

["natesky1980" <ncskalsk@xxxxxxx>]

Hi DMLers,
I thought I would introduce myself (Nate).  I've been lurking in
the 
shadows on this list for a few years.  I've wanted to own a
Delorean 
for quite sometime (my first posts to this list were in `99).  
Now 
as a slightly older, and recently graduated computer engineer I am 
proud as punch to say that I finally am in a place where I can afford 
to own and properly maintain a D.  It took some patience but I 
believe the time spent waiting was worth it.  

I recently purchased vin 11501 (82,5-speed, grey, flat hood) from its 
p.o. in Chicago, IL area.  I had it inspected before I committed 
myself to flying in and giving it a final check before driving it 
5.5hours back to the Rochester, MN area.  The trip was uneventful 
except for reactions of other drivers.  As a general observation, I 
enjoy the smiles, thumbs-up and other gestures however there is a 
class of enthusiast, namely the 16-19year old's that sometimes
have 
the most trouble gracefully acknowledging their interest.  As a 
example from the trip home; the occupants of a autozone-mod'ed
Civic 
were so interested in pointing, staring, shouting at my car, they 
bumped into another car on the multi-lane highway resulting in a 
minor fender bender (nothing against Honda's, 16-19yearolds in 
general of course).  

I paid close to the higher-end of the Delorean spectrum.  The car is 
in very good condition having been stored indoors since 84' and I 
believe driven every summer.  It was stored with some fluids removed 
(i.e. Fuel), and little things like the shift linkage lubricated 
annually, leather conditioner, and the like.  I've driven seven 
Delorean's in the last few months and some of the little things
that 
the p.o. did when storing the car seem to have paid off.  

Perhaps it's my pessimistic side, but I am slightly anxiously
waiting 
for the first major component to fail? given the age of the car,
and 
the mostly original components, (minus the recalls, trailing arm 
bolts, and electrical/fuel updates), just by a Mean Time To Failure 
view, it seems like something should break soon.  

Things I'm working on / questions;

1) I took all the headliner boards out, anyone have a good online 
source of matching headliner material?

2) Fuel pump gets loud after running for long periods. (at first I 
thought it was the fans running!), so perhaps that will be the first 
thing to fail.  I think I'll replace it just because it's
easier to 
fix something failing before its necessary to fix it.

3) Doors only lift about 1/3 of total travel on their own.  Ordered 
new struts (p.o. said a torsion bar adjust will be necessary, but the 
struts look/sound pretty darn old, so I'll try those first).  

4) The steering wheel makes metal-on-metal knocking noises when moved 
by the operator, or by vibrations.  Looking where the column meets 
the pedal box/'firewall' it would seem my bushing is MIA. 
Ordered a 
new one. 

5) Engine surges from 550-ish RPM to 950-ish RPMs, but will settle 
down around 800-900 if I rev it a couple times.  Additionally 
sometimes it acts like the accelerator cable is stuck (isn't of 
course) and `settles down' much higher (around
2000rpm's).  It 
corrects itself after I put some load on the engine (reverse or 
first).  I haven't had a chance to form an opinion on that yet;
if 
someone wants to advice me I would appreciate it.  

My wife asked awhile ago why it was so important that I buy and 
Delorean.  The best answer I could come up with was that just as a 
artist needs a good/inspirational view or subject, a engineer needs 
simaularly 'moving' peice of engineering (even keyboard jockies like 
myself).  For all the DMC-12's compromises, I belive it is a 
inspirational example of good engineering.  Everyone has thier 
reasons, thats mine.

Anyway, this was supposed to be a short post, I apologize for the 
length.  I hope to meet a few of you minnesota-area/midwest owners 
offline over the next spring-car-show schedule and even more of you 
at the 2006 Chicago show.  

-Nate Skalsky

vin 11501







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