The DeLorean clock, a modern update

The first DeLoreans, up until about VIN#s 6000, came standard with a center dash panel mounted digital clock. For some reason (cost savings?) the clock was eliminated and all DeLoreans produced afterwards came with a modified center panel that did not include a cut out for the clock. Unless your DeLorean had a later, or after market radio which had a digital display, your car would not have a digital clock display.

My DeLorean being a relatively lower VIN series production car, came with a clock, but it had stopped working for many years back. The previous owner had tried to repair it, but the clock was pretty well out of commission. There are may DeLoreans with orignal clocks that either do not function,  or are malfuctioning; apperently the years have taken its toll on this component. Since I have had the car I have been looking for a clock solution, and after many dead ends, I believe that I have found a suitable compromise: a modern, functional, retro and near OEM good looking console digital clock.

Our current clocks:
Our current clocks seemed to have been sourced from an 80's existing application, the clocks on the Lotus Esprits. The two pictures below are of the housing, and opened up you will see the main circuit board/display. The clock's DeLorean harness connector is shown in the left picture in the upper left (a four wire, white cylindrical connector).




If you're interested in looking for the just as out of production and rare original Lotus version, (and lucky enough to find it), it will work with a small modification. The Lotus clock is a near exact duplicate part, except the end connector is different. For your reference, the Lotus Part # is: A089M6034F.

Repair/Replacement options that I tried were:
* Reanimating the current dead clock – no good, possibly delaminated circuit board traces or bad components.
* Utilize an older Ford Thunderbird digital clock – no good, extra wires were tied into the corresponding OEM stereo.
* Found another older digital clock, simple to wire, but it would not fit in the envelope of the current clock.
* Searched the internet for any remaining old Lotus Esprit clocks (same clock).
* If you could find one on eBay, they would typically sell in the $200 range, and that was a still 25 year old clock.

Then I got a tip from a DMCTalk posting, about digital meters by a company named Dakota Digital, digging around their website they had a “custom” option.

An alternative: A new digital clock.
A few conversations with them, some special instructions, the results came in the mail.

After installing it I have to say that I am 99.99% pleased. The clock is bright, readily visible, looks nearly original, and is really, very useful when driving - especially if your current radio does not have a clock display.




The Good and The Bad.
As stated earlier this is a compromise solution, and perhaps not for all. So allow me to discuss the pros and cons that I can see.

Cons:
* Since Dakota Digital uses their proprietary existing clock design/circuit board (in picture below) in replacement of the original clock, this requires modifications to the center dash panel.


The panel removes easy enough (tip: write down the wire colors for the three wires of the rheostat - or take a picture), especially with a manual transmission shifter. The original mounting studs on the panel are replaced with larger brazed studs, and a dark bezel is glued on to the dash (details seen below).


* Dakota Digital’s existing clock design has the time adjustment buttons on the left side, as opposed to the bottom on the original clock. For this clock you then have two options, you can have them put the set buttons on the bezel on the left of the clock, or you can have the buttons mounted remotely (see picture below) – I chose this options and ran them for access, under the dummy switch. For you concours guys, this may be a significant difference.  




Tip: See those red/black buttons, they are small plastic caps that are lightly press fit, on top of the spring loaded trigger buttons that set the time. I suggest that you remove them (just pull up on them), before you route them through the console, since they can come off quite easily especially when you "fish" the wires up though the console hole, as shown. Once you have the triggers where you need them, you can then easily pop back in the red/black caps.

* In order to hook into the existing clock connector, you either have to cut the harness connector and splice the new clock into it, or alternatively, you can cut the existing connector of the original clock, and splice it into the new clock and then just connect the harness to the clock connector. (Wiring notes further below.)
* The fit of the center console, is a little snug - just make sure you tuck all wires away from under the clock when re-installing the center panel. Unless you know where to look, you would never notice. 
* This clock will add a small (2mA) load to your car when it is off (to preserve clock time) - normally not a big deal, but it will add an additional drain and these cars have been known to, if grounds aren't clean, loose a battery's effective charge in 1-2 weeks w/o use.

Pros:
* You now have a modern, working digital clock – and it is useful.
* The display dims with headlights on, like the original.
* Relatively easy to install.
* ALL Vins can utilize this. The Vins that originally had clocks in them (roughly up to the 6000s), can directly plug the new clocks in using the connector options above. I am sure that the higher Vins that never came with clocks, still have the clock connector; these came with the center dash consoles that did not have the cutout for the clocks, so it would need a new plate – but guess what? DMCH has these in stock, so you could easily purchase a new plate, move the rheostat and assotiated bracket from your existing to your new plate, and then send it in to have the clock built in. If they did finally remove the clock connectors in the later VINs, the hook up of these new clocks is pretty straight forward (battery power, ignition power, ground, and optional light dimming).  
* Attention DMC: With this solution, you can sell your new DeLoreans, with clocks.

OK, you are sold, what’s the next step?
Dakota Digital has now made two of these clocks for me, what I have done is to send them my center dash (I had a spare) as pictured above, with my original clock mounted on it for volume references.   
UPDATE (03/31/08): 
Just confirmed with them, you only need to send the panel, they do not need the original clocks as they now have the volume requirements defined. Just to be safe, make sure the original moutning studs are on the back of the panel so they can reference locations.
If you have any doubts/questions on your panel, call them up to discuss it.

My main contacts there have been Scott (Sales) and Justin (Custom Shop), both have been cordial, responsive, and overall very pleasent to deal with. Their contact information is here I suggest you call and speak with either of them (tell them Ozzie says "Hi" - btw: just in case anyone is wondering, I have no ties nor profit/gain from recommending them), for any specific Dakota Digital information and to coordinate your retrofit. By this point they are familiar with the DeLorean clocks so it is just a matter of sending above and following further instructions below.

Once they receive your panel, they typically call you back with three questions:
1) Color preference of display (Teal is best match to original),
2) Location of time set buttons (so far I have chosen remote), and
3) Credit card for payment of $135 plus S/H, to your address.

They seem to able to turn these around within two weeks. I did ask about a group buy, but they said since this is custom work, they are all still being made on a one by one basis.

INSTALLATION 

Removing existing center panel (two types):
The center panel used on both applications of shifters (5 Speed or Auto) is the same, their removal however is slightly different.
On a 5 Speed: Unscrew the shifter ball. Remove the two screws at the bottom of the panel.  Rotate panel up and back from the rear, lifting up, while simultaenously moving the shifter boot above the shifter.
On an automatic: I haven't done this, but there is a good walkthrough here at DMCTalk.com

Wiring
Per notes above you will have to decide to splice into your existing clock connector, or directly into your harness wiring.

You will find this connector either just under the front of the center panel, or if not visible, it is most likely pushed in under the A/C panel.  If the connector is not visible when you remove the center panel, the worst case is that you may have to remove the center console (relatively easy job), in order to have better access at it.



Interestingly enough, I have been getting feedback that even the latest VIN#s, still have the clock connector even though the clock option was eliminated. This is significant because this means that ANY DeLorean can have this clock mod, as long as you have a center panel with the appropriate hole for the clock (tip: in stock currently at DMC, Part #108240). If you are going to swap your existing non-clock panel for this panel, you will need to move the rheostat, rheostat bracket, and the side trims.

The splicing configuration is as follows:

DeLorean Harness:   1) Black  2) Purple(x2),  3) Green/White, 4) Red/Orange 
DeLorean Clock Connector:  1) Black, 2)  Red, 3) Green, 4) Blue
Dakota Clock:  1) Black, 2) Orange, 3) Red, 4) Blue

Just match the numbers above, depending on your wiring preference.

Example 1: If you are hooking up the Dakota Digital Clock to the original clock's connector, the new clock's Orange wire, would be spliced into the connector's Red wire.

The picture below is an example of this wiring:

(The blue and red sleeves above are heat shrink tubes, on a soldered splice. Tip: don't splice so close to the connector as above.)

Example 2: If you are not going to be using the harness nor the original clock's connector, then I suggest you use shielded spade/lugs, and mate per numbers; for example, the Dakota Red wire, to the harness' Green/White wire.  Doing so will allow you to remove the center panel if you should ever need so in the future, without having to cut the wires.

For reference, these are the DeLorean's harness clock wires, and their function: 

Green/White: 12V, with ignition on.
Purple (2x): 12V, constant (for clock memory) 
Black: Ground
Red/Orange: Dimmer

Disclaimer: The above wiring configuration worked for my VIN# harness, wire colors, for my application. Please use this as a guideline only and make sure you verify your own wiring first. If you car wires melt while you do this, I will feel bad for you, but you were warned - seriously, worse that can happen is you'll blow Fuse #11, or maybe damage the clock, but just be cautious messing with the electrical system if you are not sure. If you are not comfortable there, then get a fellow D owner's assistance/expertise to assist.


Summary:
I believe this is a good solution to dead/malfunctioning DeLorean clocks. DMC had stated that they would not be remaking clocks, so unless you have seen another solution this may be the only one out there. Let me know what you think.


***** NOTE (03/25/08) ******
I am writing this posting from The Traders Hotel, in Changzhou, China at the end of a long business trip day. When I get back to the states I will upload the pictures above. Oh, and get this, guess what room number I am staying in? I am in room number: 2109. What are the odds of that?

***** NOTE (03/30/08) ******
It is SOOOO nice to be back home. Since I've got a 12 hour jet lag, I have just updated some text above and have uploaded the majority of the pictures. Feel free to email me if you have any additional questions.


UPDATE (June, 2008): See a picture gallery of other owners who have put this clock mod, into their own DeLoreans. Click Here.


>>> If you have a few minutes, be sure to check out the "Best of" postings. Thanks.<<<

DeLoreans sold on eBay

2009 Q3 Update (09/30/09)

Below is an update to reflect a 35 month period, of DeLorean DMC-12s sold on eBay:

Summary:

It was a slow quarter for ebay sales of DeLoreans, as only 11 auctions completed with sales. The 2009 Q1-Q3 trend compared to all of last year shows an average selling price 15% lower, although the lowest priced cars were similar in comparison of the two periods. At the high end, the highest selling DeLoreans are selling at 25% lower than last years maximum selling price.

Looking for the silver lining, we can see from the graph that the decline in selling price trend (2007 Q4 through 2008 Q1), seems to have found its bottom and has somewhat leveled off.

Last year in Q4 there were 16 cars sold, if that number is matched this Q4, that will only be 2/3 of the cars sold in 2008. Based on the current economic climate and consumer spending trends in the US, 2009 may be the year of the least DeLorean sold on eBay in the last 3 years.

If you have a DeLorean for goodness sakes drive it, enjoy it, and maintain it. If you are considering selling it, delay it if you can, to maximize its earning potential. If you are a buyer, there are some great deals on eBay --but just be aware that they will require additional expenditures to keep them running reliably.

Disclaimer: eBay sales do not define the DeLorean market, but it sure is an interesting indicator of trends.

>>> If you have a few minutes, be sure to check out the "Best of" postings. Thanks.<<<

2009 Q2 Update (06/30/09)

Below is an update to reflect a 32 month period, of DeLorean DMC-12s sold on eBay:

Summary:

Is there a glimmer of a recovery here? My 2nd order polynomial trend line was starting to lose refinement with the data, so I upped its resolution with this update. The graph above represents the revised trend line (no change to data other than added all of Q2'09).

Looking at the data with this more refined trend line, it now seems to show a wee little positive shift in trends of ebay sales. The shift up is driven by the dots above the trend line, and with one specific outlier discussed below. It is interesting to note that in Q1, there were some nice DMC-12s that moved through ebay, at bargain basement prices. In Q2 though, nearly 25% of the cars sold were $20K or over cars. Contrast that with 2008 Q4, were the percentage was 13%. Now, we did also see one outlier of a sale, a DeLorean sold for $39K, one that amazingly was a 205 mile odometer car. So the combination of both those sales, put a slight positive trend to DeLorean sales on eBay. It would be great to see this trend continue - keep stopping by to check out how it goes.

Disclaimer: eBay sales do not define the DeLorean market, but it sure is an interesting indicator of trends.

2009 Q1 Update (03/31/09)

Below is an update to reflect a 29 month period, of DeLorean DMC-12s sold on eBay:





Note: Starting with this update, I have entered the total number of cars sold per year, per update.

Summary:

Reflecting our global recession, where so many either do not have the funds, or are holding back expenditures for these type of buys, the 2009 Q1 sales activity on eBay of DeLoreans, followed similar trends.

The average selling price was 13% below 2008, and this was attributed to most of the activity being at the lower end of the selling prices. This point is really highlighted where you can see that the maximum amount for a DMC-12 sold in Q1 2009, was almost half of the previous year’s.

Don’t be misled by the amounts though, as this does not indicate that only “project” cars were selling. On the contrary, some of the cars sold in the high teens appeared to be in very good condition, inside and out. Granted you never really know what you get on a long distance sale, especially if you don’t see/drive the car first, but I do evaluate each sale for the condition of the vehicle, and I can see that cars selling between 17K-20k USD were easily 20K-26K USD cars a year ago. ...and a few of those were leaving the country due to a weak(er) dollar.

If there was a glimmer of hope in the selling value of these cars, it is in data not summarized here that occurred in Q1, in that some spectacular DeLoreans (condition, options) were offered, and bidding on them went into the high 20’s, but they did not meet the sellers’ reserves. So I suppose that this means a) for the right car the money is out there, and that b) certain sellers will not give away these type of cars, even in a bad economy.

Let's hope for a turnaround in 2009, and not just a turnaround in car values.


Disclaimer: eBay sales do not define the DeLorean market, but it sure is an interesting indicator of trends.




2008 Q4 Update (12/31/08)
Below is an update to reflect a 26 month period, of DeLoreans sold on eBay:







Summary:

Whereas we saw a generous double digit increase in average selling prices in 2007 from 2006 (+13%), 2008 to 2007 showed a very slight decrease (-2%). Considering the type of year 2008 was with respect to the economy (US and global), compared to stock portfolios and 401Ks performances in this same year, it really wasn't too bad of a drop. You will note above that the low end of cars sold, was also down (-7%) from the previous year, unlike a large rise (+23%) in 2007 compared to 2006.

This year was a buyers market for many item and not excluding DeLoreans, there were some beautiful looking cars that sold in the $17K-$20K range. However, whereas I have only tracked closed bids, it was very encouraging to see that at the end of 2008, there was some active bidding on 1981, 500 mile beauty (#3446) that went up as high as $28,889 - but did not meet the reserve price; as well as a $39,999 closed sale of a similar condition 1983 (#16558). That may be an indicator that top notch cars (low miles, concours type) are still holding a good value.

Let's hope for a turnaround in 2009, and not just a turnaround in car values.


Disclaimer: eBay sales do not define the DeLorean market, but it sure is an interesting indicator of trends.

Edit 01/01/09:

I've had a few people ask, so here are some quick Q/As on this data:
1) The 26 months of data consists of a total of 197 closed eBay transactions (which is an average of 7.5 cars a month - although the 2008 rate was 6.5 cars a month.)
2) Yes, all cars in the database are running cars, I exclude from this data any car listed as "non running" or "project cars".

Previous posting, and explanation of the table and graph is below:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2008 Q3 Update (09/30/08)
Below is an update to reflect a 23 month period, of DeLoreans sold on eBay:

Summary:

eBay sales do not define the DeLorean market, but it sure is an interesting indicator of trends, especially as it parallels US consumer spending.

The graph shows a slowdown to Q1 and Q2 gains from 2007, where the average selling price now in 2008 is essentially as it was in 2007. It's a buyers market, and there were some very nice looking cars, relatively low miles, sold in the $17K-$20K range.

Previous posting, and explanation of the table and graph is below:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2008, Q2 Update (06/30/08)

Below is an update to reflect a 20 month period, of DeLoreans sold on eBay:

Previous posting, and explanation of the table and graph is below:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

…is a curious thing. See the chart (click on it for a larger view) below? I have been tracking every DeLorean sold on eBay for almost a year and a half. (Yeah, I’m funny that way.) Anyway, the graph does show interesting trends for these cars with respect to how they sell on eBay.

First some caveats about the data:

• The data/graph points are only for closed sales.
  
• The line represents a best fit, to the grouping of individual data points (sales).
  
• Data/Graph is only for operational vehicles, listing which stated “project” or “non-working” cars are not tabulated. So, all these points are of drivable cars.
  
• Other than above, I did remove a $39K sale of a low 500 Vin car, because it was re-listed, and never closed on eBay.
  
• The 2006 data starts on 10/15/06 (i.e., not a full year of data)
  

The percentage is the change from the previous year. For example, the average selling price in 2008 is 4% above 2007, and in 2007, was 13% above 2006.

Miles (odometer reading) data shown, is for all data collected (2006-2008).

"SD" = standard deviation, basically an indication of how spread out all the data is (smaller the number, the closer all the sold values are to each other)


Looking at this data you can draw your own conclusions, interpretations, and observations. Here are a few that I have come up with.

• The slump since Sept 07 could be one of two things 1) it really follows our national economy which is currently heading for, or in, a recession. In fact the largest gap for a DeLorean sale has taken place between February and March of this year (on any week there are typically at least 3 cars for sale, often more.), or 2) is it a seasonal thing? More data will help to clarify.
• Average sale prices (solid line on graph) seems low, but that may be due the unknowns associated with purchasing on eBay – I am sure there were some bargains here, as well as some less than advertised condition vehicles.
• The high sale data points, above $25K, were exceptionally good looking and well detailed listings of the condition, especially the maintenance history, of the car being sold.
• While all these represented (advertised) drivable cars, the under $15K cars all needed some amount of either cosmetic or mechanical work.
• 
  

I have more details on the cars sold, contact me if you’d like to see some additional information (vin#, overall condition, mileage) for any particular point.

DeLorean Vendors/Resources

As a DeLorean owner, the replacement parts situation for these quarter century old cars, is actually surprisingly good. Below I will cover the vendor resources, and specifically the ones that I have had positive dealings with. (Links to the vendors are on the subtitles.)

DeLorean Motor Company (DMC)
DeLorean reference literature states that the when the factory was started, they built up a sizable inventory of parts, and that by the time the factory unexpectedly closed, the inventory (incomplete cars and parts) was eventually bought out. As a result of this purchase the remaining parts were moved from Ireland to a warehouse in Ohio, where it sat for many years, and was a pre-Internet source for parts.

A second entrepreneur, who also bought the rights to the DeLorean name, eventually bought the whole lot (parts only by this time) from the Ohio location, and as a result today we have the DeLorean Motor Company (DMC, based in Houston, Texas). DMCH gas grown and expanded and today has full parts, service, and DeLorean sales centers in 5 states, and another in Europe. They have expanded by starting regional offices, as well as incorporating previously independent DeLorean specific shops/businesses/vendors. The cars that they sell are either on consignment, refurbished, or remanufactured (car is stripped and built as if new).

In late 2007, they announced that they would start building “new” DeLoreans (based on existing unused parts). Prices start in the high $50K, and can go up to the $70K range depending on options such as updated/upgraded amenities including but not limited to a higher performance modified original engines. As an owner, their website in incredibly useful, in that nearly all the parts for these cars on pictured, and shown in diagram in context to where they are utilized.

DMC Florida
Here in Florida we have one of those regional centers: DMC Florida, in Naples. I’ve taken my car there for a few things that I was incapable of doing myself, and found a professional, friendly, and capable staff there. My car has always left better than when I drove it in. You can call them for a quote on labor rates, and I think (unless things have changed) their rates are not that far off from a new car dealer’s service center, but you should weigh that against the fact that you are going to a place that knows your car inside and out better than any local mechanic.

DeLorean Parts Northwest (aka DMC Northwest)
As DMC Northwest, they have expanded into sales and service. The operations is run by a husband and wife team. Even though they are now part of the larger DMC franchise, DPNW retains their original website (link above) which features some unique, custom engineered solutions for our cars. They are most well known for a door launcher kit, which opens the gull wing doors remotely. I’ve seen clips of this, and a local owner has them, and it is very, very cool. (Your doors need to freely swing up by themselves, to have this work correctly.)

DMC Europe
The DMC affiliation in Europe is in The Netherlands. They are the DMC answer for Europe’s ever growing DeLorean owners (the current weak dollars, has cause lots of US DeLorean to be purchased for overseas). What is neat about this site is that they have some unique products not found here in the states (e.g., polyurethane bushing, shocks, springs, lug nuts), that are currently cost prohibitive to purchase here (weak dollar), especially when you add overseas shipping costs.

DMC Others
I am sure the other DMC affiliations/locations (Illinois, California, New York) have their own fans and expertise; it is not reflection that they are not covered here,  it is just that I have little to add since I have not dealt much with them.

Henninger & Associates
They offer a mix of (limited) existing and some unique parts.

Pearce Design Components
Unique stainless parts, including the Permaframe, a completely stainless steel frame replacement. Reminder to self: play the lotto.

Special T Auto
And last but certainly not least on this list, is one of the last independent wide part selection DeLorean vendors, Special T Auto, based out of Texas. This surpsingly is a one person operation, and he specializes in lower cost, often newer cross referenced parts, and unique/improved parts. What makes him also unique and an asset to the DeLorean community is his availability; he nearly always responds to a direct phone call to support his sales, including post sales/tech related questions. I also think his website is very good, with many reference pictures, and well categorized – I have learned a lot on his site and still do when I go to unexplored pages.

Caveat
My only caveat, with the whole parts and vendors situation is frankly silly, but real. I am not the only one who has ever felt this, but owners are sometimes placed in the middle of a “Why didn’t you buy the parts from me?” scenario between the vendors. Let’s not be naïve, the question being asked is understood from a business point of view, but the vendors should expect neither blind allegiance nor similarly should the owners expect repercussions because of options available.

Summary
Although there are a few parts that are not available as new old stock anymore (but available as used, or through part-ed out cars), the vast majority still are available as NOS, or are available as a cross reference, from the vendors above. This really makes D ownership much less stressful, practical, and even economical.

Support these vendors, and you are supporting the future of these cars.

>>> If you have a few minutes, be sure to check out the "Best of" postings. Thanks.<<<

Maintenance: Lubricating the speedometer cable

Here's a quick, inexpensive, and easy maintenance I did this last weekend, it took all of one hour to complete from start to finish, which, is a good bang for the buck investment of time.

As mentioned on an earlier post, the speedometer of our DeLoreans are fed by the rotation of the front left wheel. That rotation is transferred through the angle drive, through a lower speedometer cable, through a "Lambda counter", through the upper cable which plugs straight into the speedometer. The cables both consist of an outer protective sheath, to an internal rotating wound wire. What this maintenance consists of is to ensure that the internal cable rotates smoothly through lubrication. If left un-lubricated, the internal cables have been know to unwind, as well as affect the speedometer reading by causing a needle bounce at low speeds.

This maintenance was on the lower cable.

The materials used were:
Brake cleaner
Cable lubricant
Lint free towel.

Procedure:
Easiest to lift the car up at the front (follow correct safety protocols).
Turn wheels towards right.


Undo the knurled end that plugs into the angle drive - pull straight out.


Following the cable, pull out the rubber grommet on the body.


Now going inside, just above the clutch pedal you will see the other end of the cable that plugs into the Lambda counter (basically a 30K counter). Unscrew that end and pull out, being careful not to bend the internal cable.

Push the cable out through the grommet hole and take the cable to a workspace to begin the lubrication.

(Note the cable shown has a stainless steel outer sheath, this is an aftermarket cable, not the OEM cable.)

Lay the cable as flat as possible on a table, and pull out the internal cable, note it only comes out one end, the end that went on the Lamda counter.
Clean internal cable by wiping it down to remove any gunk or residue.


Put a plastic sandwich bag at one end of the cable, and holding the cable vertical spray some brake fluid inside.

Now slide the internal cable in and out to work the brake fluid out, and into the bag. Repeat another time, wiping down the internal cable.

Next repeat the process, but this time with the cable lubricant, after the last time the internal cable is cleaned, leave the cable inside and you are done.

Reverse the disassembly process and you now have a well maintained spedo cable.

Notes:
I generally grease the angle drive after an oil change. Note that I changed the standard grease fitting (seen on 2nd picture above, a 90 degree 7mm fitting available at PepBoys) in order to facilitate this process, when done I turn the fitting in towards the wheel.

Lubricating the upper cable is a little more involved, in that it requires the removal of the binnacle, not that difficult to do, and when you do so it is a good opportunity for an LED upgrade when you do this.

This was a simple procedure, which helps to maintain the integrity of the speedometer system. Hope this was/will be helpful to you.

UPDATE 04/16/08
I got feedback from the DMC guys to be careful with lubricating the upper cable.

Apparently they've seen some cars with gummed up speedometers, from lubricated upper cables.  
Don't know if it was the lubricant used, but the lubricant that I have used above, is very, very viscous/slippery, and if you are patient enough to allow it to drain through the cable, should not cause such a build up of gunk.

Still good advice to heed.


BTW:  I had trouble finding cable lubricant locally, so I wound up ordering it from a vendor on eBay, who goes by the name of: "keyco Hardware Direct" This link should work: Click Here

>>> If you have a few minutes, be sure to check out the "Best of" postings. Thanks.<<<

DeLorean Rentals: City of Coral Springs, FL

The shots on the earlier posting of a filming around 2109, were for a small production for the City of Coral Springs, FL. Their Marketing department very cleverly themed famous movies around their city’s major initiatives, and produced corresponding movie trailers.

Our DeLorean was featured in the “Back to the Family” trailer. They completed filming and static pictures within an hour. The resulting poster that they made, is below.

Click on picture to view a larger size.

>>> If you have a few minutes, be sure to check out the "Best of" postings. Thanks.<<<

“Where’s the Flux Capacitor?”

So many people ask this. From what I’ve read and hear this irks a few owners, especially the hard core. I typically laugh it off, and for about a year now, I just say: “Right back there.” (The reactions to that are pretty funny.)

There are at least two vendors that sell these, and they can get expensive, like over $500. I took another route. I found the unit you see pictured for about $125 on eBay, for the case and front panel only. The back of the front panel had an attempt at, or possibly at one time, working lights but it came with a rat’s nest of wires, many disconnected. With a soldering iron, a few trips to Radio Shack, and a chaser circuit found online, I was able to get the lights to work just like the prop from the movies (blinking sequentially, towards the center). Because of the low current draw it can run for quite a while on a 9V battery. It looks pretty neat at evening car shows, and draws its share of attention.

I started out putting it on for local car shows only (made it quick to remove/install), but I find myself driving with it on weekends as I forget, or don’t make the effort to, remove it.

Incidently, this is about as far as I'd go with my car, as far as bolting on any additional BTTF props, especially to the outside. I like my car very much as a Delorean, and enjoy it as such, in its current condition. Full BTTF conversions are a labor of love and/or a 5 figure investment for a well done one. There are some gorgeous ones out there, none that I aware of in Florida.

DeLorean Rentals and the BTTF effect

Crew filming actor in 2109. I'll post the results of this, later.

Living in a year round fair weather climate, we get the opportunity to drive these cars year round, additionally, in S. Florida there is a car show every weekend. The reaction to cars shows are typically variations of:
“Wow. I’ve never seen one” or, enormously incorrect facts recited on the car and/or John DeLorean, or various BTTF references. “Where’s the flux capacitor?” No doubt, the car has a large following and high recognition factor, but what is surprising is the huge spread of ages of that awareness. Enthusiasts from late 30s and up know the car for its history, and in general remember the publicity and excitement when the car came out. Those in their 30’s and less, have the BTTF recognition factor. Ever since the DeLorean rolled off of Doc Brown’s van and from the three extremely popular BTTF movies, it gave the car a second life and whole different generation of interest.

Mostly through the DeLorean Club of Florida, we have been getting a lot of requests for D rentals lately. The origin of the requests varies from city events, to corporate events, and from individuals (for birthdays). All of them have to do with either a BTTF related event, or driven by a BTTF interest. I believe that this is being drive by the second generation of DeLorean fans, the BTTF fans, that are now in influential positions (marketing, management, sales, etc., or can afford to splurge on DeLorean for an individual event).

If you are in Florida and you are looking for a DeLorean (BTTF them or not), please contact the DCF, note that they have a "Rentals & Appearances" menu. They can direct your regional interest to the nearby owners – Florida has many owners scattered throughout the state.

If you are interested in renting my car specifically, I am in the Broward area and could go up and down about two counties for a rental.  You can contact me at the email address on the "About Me" section on the upper left. (Thanks, in advance.)


>>> If you have a few minutes, be sure to check out the "Best of" postings. Thanks.<<<

Radio Upgrades.

So far this blog has been focused on questions prospective D buyers may have, I hope that the information has been useful. I am certainly NOT the authority on all things DeLorean, am only sharing what I’ve been through and what I’ve learned. There is certainly more that can be added, and with time I will add more, but let’s take a break with those type of postings. Let's fast foward with this post, to a recent upgrade.
 
The DeLorean’s factory speakers are pretty bad, and the factory radio, well, it’s a radio from 1985. I was fortunate that this was one of the many upgrades my previous owner did on 2109, and it performed pretty decently. My D came with a Blaupunkt head unit, along with replaced front speakers and rear wall board mounted 5 ¼” Kenwoods. Still, having done a few radio installs in my day, I wondered if I could take this system a little further. In a DeLorean w/ the engine running behind you, the sound environment isn’t exactly a sound chamber conducive to clear sounds – so, I was looking less for performance/power and specs, and more for features/conveniences. I thought the replaced speakers were more than adequate, so the target goal was to replace the head unit. I found that thanks to a very well done Blaupunkt installation, all the cables were clearly labeled, so this was a relatively quick and easy job.

Radio, as delivered.

First stop, was an Enon 686. It had some really neat features beyond AM/FM/CD, it had DVD, and touch screen LCD screen, Bluetooth phone access, and automatic rear view camera input. Those last two features were my favorite, you’d throw the car in reverse, and the rear camera (a separate, easy install) would display on the screen. Sounds silly, but I got pretty use to it. The Bluetooth feature was interesting, you could place and receive cell calls through a microphone from the radio, and you could hear the conversation through the speakers – great when you are driving stick. Ultimately though it got old having to synch my phone every time I got in, because I don’t leave the Bluetooth feature of my phone on all the time. I found and purchased the radio from Hong Kong, with a full 3 month warranty (yes, this was an sign). And it was all fine until my alternator went, which caused wide power fluctuations, which the radio could not handle and just stopped working, just 5 months after purchase. So much for that; fun while it lasted.

The short lived Enon install.

After having that radio it really made me appreciate what I used, did not use, and what I could use in terms of features. So the radio I am running today is the Roadmaster VRVD640G or VR3 for short. Beyond the standard features if has a slightly larger touch screen LCD screen, DVD, and get this: full GPS capability. GPS is one of those things that you can live without, until you start using it and see how useful it can be. Additionally, probably because of the GPS, the screen’s resolution is much higher and the user interface is very modern (was ugly, low res, and unintuitive on the Enon). Additionally even though the rated power is about the same, this unit cranks out tunes with much more power – and I have 1 year warranty. I did lose the Bluetooth, but I don’t miss it at all, what I do miss, which would make this unit perfect, is the automatic reverse screen, using the previous installation it can display the reverse camera video, but it is not automatic, you have to press a few buttons. Also, I believe that style-wise, the symmetry of the Enon unit matched the style of the center instruments better. I do however like how only the center section drops down between the A/C knobs.  The installation was completed on 02/16/08, and here’s hoping this unit lasts longer than the warranty.

The VR3 showing the GPS and radio touch screens.

*** Update: 03/07/2008: I forgot to mention an interesting feature of this radio. Since it is a full GPS navigation system, it also displays a GPS driven digital speedometer. The numeric display is small (blank in picture below, car not moving), but it is there in case you want to calibrate against your existing speedometer. Similarly if your angle drive and/or speedometer is broken, this display would give you a speedometer function until repairs are made. ...oh and it also shows the time, also while in GPS mode, in case your car doesn't have a clock (later model DeLoreans), or your clock isn’t working.


GPS Display in perspective mode, also has conventional map mode.


>>> If you have a few minutes, be sure to check out the "Best of" postings. Thanks.<<<

Low mileage or high mileage DeLorean?

So assuming you’ve decided to buy from a present owner or (non DMC) dealer, you will undoubtedly encounter this questions, and the answer may not be as straight forward as you think.

The first thing that you should know, is that one of the highest failure rate parts on a DeLorean is called the angle drive, whose function is to feed the speedometer and the odometer. Broken angle drive = miles not recorded on the odometer. So therefore you should always ask if the vehicle you are looking at has ever had, and/or if it currently has, a broken angle drive, and if so, then ask what the estimated true mileage on the car is.

With that out of the way, then you can dig into the decision of low versus high miles. It can be a complicated topic because either could be better than the other. For example, here are some positives and negatives of each.

Low Miles, Pro: Value of car may be more today, and in the future.
Low Miles, Pro: Exterior/Interior condition may be in very good shape.
Low Miles, Con: May have sat for many years, neglected. Many of the weaker engineered/unreliable parts still need to be replaced.
Low Miles, Con: Depreciation due to usage is higher than a high mile car.

High Miles, Pro: Least reliable parts, original flaws, may have been worked out.
High Miles, Pro: Might possibly cost less, than a low mile car – a perception thing.
High Miles, Con: May show its age in the interior and exterior.
High Miles, Con: Affects the perceived value. Depending on maintenance history may require repairs.

So as you can see, it is really not a cut and dry topic, and it also depends on how you plan to use the car. If you are looking for hop in, turn the key, and go, the best maintained (and documented) car may be the best bet and in many cases that may be the high mileage car. If on the other hand you are looking for a low mile beauty, be prepared to fix or spend, especially if it hasn’t had the proper maintenance. Beware of a low mile car, that’s been in storage – that may, at the very least, require a complete fuel system maintenance before you even think of turning the key.

Incidently, the odometer picture above was a DeLorean show car, mint, concours condition, with only 587 miles on it!

>>> If you have a few minutes, be sure to check out the "Best of" postings. Thanks.<<<

Should I purchase a DeLorean as a daily driver?

Do you want a DeLorean for use as daily driver, or a weekend cruiser?

If you're going to consider a DeLorean as a daily driver, consider that you will be running a 26 year old car. The Second law of Thermodynamics crudely stated says: "Everything gets older with time".  And in the automotive world, older and more reliable are not often used together. The point being is that you should be ready to expect the unexpected if you plan to use a DeLorean as a daily driver.

It's not to say these cars aren't hardy, when taken care of. In fact there is a local owner down here in Florida who his only car is a DeLorean for the past 17 years, and the car has over 200,000 miles.  He may be the exception, but it does demonstrate the capability and potential robustness of these cars.  

The other potential pitfall with purchasing a DeLorean for a daily driver, is that unless you have a very good (good as in documented and performed correctly) maintenance history that came with the car, chances are very high that you will need to do some reliability upgrades and possible system maintenance.

My purchase was intended for weekend use and very little to no use during the week.  Honestly though, even if I had the most reliable DeLorean ever made, I would still be apprehensive (not to mention over protective) about driving it daily in S. Florida traffic.

>>> If you have a few minutes, be sure to check out the "Best of" postings. Thanks.<<<

Tips on purchasing your DeLorean

If you've decided or are leaning towards purchasing a DeLorean, here are some quick tips.

Finances:
As of this writing, some general selling prices are:
$10K or less: Generally a project car, probably not running, needs a lot of time and work.
$10K-$15K: Runs, may need some upgrade or maintenance to fuel/ac/cooling/brake/electrical  systems as well as body/interior work.
$15K-$20K: This will get you a running car, in decent condition but will need some work to get it in good looking condition and/or reliable.
$20K-$25K: A good looking car, well maintained, with a decent interior, probably just needs periodic maintenance.
$25K and over: Now your looking at some very well kept cars, possibly low miles and good interiors. At this range you may find some DMCH refurbished cars, with upgraded engine tweaks.

There is a general saying in the DeLorean community that $25K is what you'll need to spend to get a good looking reliable car. That's $25K as in the purchase price, or as in a $20K car, with $5K worth of work; or a $15K car with $10K worth of of work; and so on.

When you set up your budget, remember to consider additional costs to your purchase, such as:
License/Title/Tax
Transportation costs
Tools
Upgrade/Fix up costs.


Upcoming related posts:
"New" or used.
Low or High miles
Daily driver or weekend cruiser
Ebay and other places to look
Resources & vendors

...sheesh, and I still haven't even gotten to the pictures of fix ups. :)

>>> If you have a few minutes, be sure to check out the "Best of" postings. Thanks.<<<

And before I proceed further...

There was one only condition that I set, when I began my search for a weekend car, and it was imposed again, prior to purchasing our DeLorean. I asked my son Brian (a Senior in high school at the time), if he would help me to maintain it. I thought it would be fun to work with him on the car, while at the same time he could learn about basic car maintenance.

Of course he said yes and we proceeded to spend weekends either driving or working on the car. He did learn a lot and it was great father and son time we had together, until he left for college. When he comes down on breaks we always take the car out; one time I even drove the DeLorean to his college and we had a great time up there, catching up, and driving. Picture above is of Brian in the D, at his college.

>>> If you have a few minutes, be sure to check out the "Best of" postings. Thanks.<<<

It's about time...

It's about time that I document this.

My DeLorean story started in 2006, as I secured funding and began looking for fun weekend car which I would be able to maintain, as much as possible to my skills. I narrowed it down to three cars, and ultimately the DeLorean DMC-12 became the final candidate primarily for two reasons:

1. Parts availability was surprisingly high for such an "exotic" and "orphaned" car.
   
2. There was a local club, the DeLorean Club of Florida (www.deloreanclubfl.com) who seemed like a friendly group, with periodically planned "Tech Sessions" with owners and enthusiasts, to assist in the upkeep of their cars.
   

Once I decided on the DeLorean I shifted into heavy research mode, reading as much as I could about the car. Then when opportunities presented themselves, I was able to ask some relevant questions about the cars, which assisted in my purchase decisions. One opportunity led to a car in Maryland, which had been restored and well maintained by a resourceful high school teacher, along with some generous assistance from fellow owners from a similar club as above.

That car (#2109) arrived to our driveway in Florida, in early December 2006. The experiences that we have had with this car have been positive beyond what we could even have imagined.

I would like to use this blog to document those experiences, as well as to show the work that we have done, or have had done, on this car. I hope that this information is both interesting and useful to current and future owners.

>>> If you have a few minutes, be sure to check out the "Best of" postings. Thanks.<<<