Re: [doc] Naughty Auto Transmission!! - Kangaroo Styleeeeee!

[Martin Gutkowski - DMC Ltd <martin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Craig, you can nut some of the bolts on the auto pan if you use longer 
bolts. It's not elegant but it may sort the leak out. However unless 
it's actually obviously not tight, check the bottom of the dipstick tube 
itself. If this has been removed, it can be a pain in the wotsit to 
re-seal. As long as it's driving, this will not leak. It's only when 
left to stand after that the fluid level gradually rises - which is why 
the dipstick is useless to actually measure fluid level when the car's 
switched off.

Auto-to-manual conversion is not a cheap or simple job and involves 
modification of the chassis (only slightly and would not prevent it 
being reverted should you ever want to!) but the main problem is buying 
a gearbox, clutch, clutch hydraulics (master, slave, line), pedal box, 
shift linkage (which includes some parts no longer available from 
Houston) and gearbox mounts (not available from Houston). You have to 
make up an adapter plate for the gearshift to mount where the auto 
shifter was. Putting a price on all this and the labour to swap it all 
out would be painful :-) Several thousand, and that's -not- sourcing the 
gearbox stateside. We have two partial gearboxes on the shelf from which 
a good DeLorean box could be made - our gearbox guy is a bloody genius 
and in Rich's car, it's a total hybrid.

As of today, all the gearshift linkage is installed and working on 
#2727. The reason for the conversion is the rebuild of the engine to a 
2.5 EFI twin turbo. Much of the parts were secondhand parts we had on 
the shelf including most of the expensive items. The gearbox is a proper 
DeLorean one built into a Renault 30 casing with a 25 turbo bellhousing, 
25 turbo flywheel modified to a pattern readable by the custom ECU. The 
block is the original DeLorean engine, and the turbo setup is the Island 
twin turbo the car came with, with different pipework and (will have) 
twin intercoolers. The crankshaft, pistons, heads and cams are all turbo 
ones. It all looks very spangly right now! The engine is capable of over 
a bar of boost and at one bar, horsepower should be around 250.

That line about the autos selling for a premium - no idea where it came 
from but I did disagree with it when involved in the proof-read. I don't 
think they get a premium over here because most people want manuals, 
isn't that right? :-)

Martin

Craig Churchill wrote:

>  And just out of interest...how much is a manual conversion in total...i doubt i would ever do this as i like having the rare auto model (that sells for a premium according to practical classics buyers guide :-----)  but it would be good to know a figure just in case!!!
>   
>





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