Stainless Steel Angel

[jwhouk]

STAINLESS STEEL

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The DeLorean body is made of high quality grade 304 brushed stainless steel, which gives the car its unique appearance.

Damaged panels are easily replaceable by unbolting the panel from the G.R.P. body shell and replacing with a new one. Scratches or superficial damage can be corrected using established stainless steel repair methods.

One of the major features of the DeLorean car is its Gull Wing Doors. These are counter balanced with pre-set torsion bars. The doors are held in the open position by the use of gas struts. The Gull Wing Doors open in less space than conventional doors and gives easier access to the interior of the car.

The drag coefficient of the car is 0.35. Rear louvres were incorporated to improve the overall aerodynamic drag and conserve fuel.

The front and rear fascias are made of premoulded impact absorbing polyurethane. The fascias blend wit the stainless steel panels.

- From the DMC Workshop Manual

[Sgt. Howard]

And at one time, you could get your DeLorian with custom plates done by DeLorian himself

[GlytchMeister]

And at one time, you could get your DeLorian with custom plates done by DeLorian himself

We denizens of Illinois, which is run by the wretched hive of scum and villainy we call the State Government, can get our plates made by former governors.

[DinkyInky]

And at one time, you could get your DeLorian with custom plates done by DeLorian himself

We denizens of Illinois, which is run by the wretched hive of scum and villainy we call the State Government, can get our plates made by former governors.

Ba-dum tiss!

[FreeFlier]

And at one time, you could get your DeLorian with custom plates done by DeLorian himself

We denizens of Illinois, which is run by the wretched hive of scum and villainy we call the State Government, can get our plates made by former governors.

Rrrreally . . . you'll have to tell me how you managed that!

Of course, having a court system that's not in bed with the state government would help considerably . . .

--FreeFlier

[GlytchMeister]

How did we manage that? I dunno, we just kept electing crooks. We've had four governors serve hard time so far.

[jwhouk]

Blagojevich set such a high standard, though...

[GlytchMeister]

Blagojevich set such a high standard, though...

oh, trust me, it can get worse. It can always get worse. I don't know how, but it can.

[jwhouk]

Blagojevich set such a high standard, though...

oh, trust me, it can get worse. It can always get worse. I don't know how, but it can.

I'm all too familiar. Remember, I lived within a few stone throws of the Illinois state line. Sometimes I wonder if your lovely state infected ours with their politics.

ANYWAYS...

[Sgt. Howard]

Blagojevich set such a high standard, though...

There's a difference between high prices and high standards...

[GlytchMeister]

Blagojevich set such a high standard, though...

oh, trust me, it can get worse. It can always get worse. I don't know how, but it can.

I'm all too familiar. Remember, I lived within a few stone throws of the Illinois state line. Sometimes I wonder if your lovely state infected ours with their politics.

ANYWAYS...

Oh, definitely. It's a creeping crud. Kinda like that purple ick that Zerg buildings need.

[Sgt. Howard]

Away from politics for the moment- while the lot of you are fascinated by this DeLorian fetish, I just made a major breakthough regarding my OWN little pet car project- it will definitely be a "Small Farm Drayage Wagon, circa 1901". I have found the wheels! I already have the drivetrain! I have several sources for suspension and will do the body and bed from scratch once I weld together the lower and upper frames (Axels are solid mounted to lower frame along with powerplant and drivetrain- upper frame holds body together- springs occur in the middle). Secondary brakes are being considered as this is a chain final drive and the drive brakes are off the differential... inotherwords, if a chain breaks, the brakes fail. I'm thinking of a design I saw on a Conestoga wagon...
I can register it as an 'off road vehicle' because of the ground clearance it affords- in Okanogan County, that means I can legally drive it wherever the speed limit is 35 mph or less.
Cool, eh?

[DinkyInky]

Blagojevich set such a high standard, though...

There's a difference between high prices and high standards...

Only if they're a hooker.

[Just Old Al]

Away from politics for the moment- while the lot of you are fascinated by this DeLorian fetish, I just made a major breakthough regarding my OWN little pet car project- it will definitely be a "Small Farm Drayage Wagon, circa 1901".
.
.
.
I can register it as an 'off road vehicle' because of the ground clearance it affords- in Okanogan County, that means I can legally drive it wherever the speed limit is 35 mph or less.
Cool, eh?

YEPPIR! That is indeed cool!

Re: Brakes: Were it you I would think about a band brake for a parking/emergency brake off one of the rear hubs. Easy to build, easy to set up, lever operated and dead reliable unless the axle snaps - and it will fall over anyway. Also, not too far out of time for what you have, especially if painted rustically to cover its origins. All you need is a drum attached to the wheel, and the rest of the brake can be mounted to the axle.

[Sgt. Howard]

Blagojevich set such a high standard, though...

There's a difference between high prices and high standards...

Only if they're a hooker.

Chicago politician, vs. prostitute... tough call... oh! A prostitute delivers what is promised and costs less!

[DinkyInky]

There's a difference between high prices and high standards...

Only if they're a hooker.

Chicago politician, vs. prostitute... tough call... oh! A prostitute delivers what is promised and costs less!

Berwyn!

[Dave]

I'm thinking of a design I saw on a Conestoga wagon...

Wood and canvas body, like a Conestoga wagon, too? You could get really authentic and mix up a batch of red-barn-color milk paint!

Be safe, and get an Amish-horse-cart slow-vehicle warning sign for the back if you're going to take it out on the road. You know how people are about sticking to 35 MPH on a road signed for 35 MPH...

This is indeed a very cool project!

[Sgt. Howard]

I'm thinking of a design I saw on a Conestoga wagon...

Wood and canvas body, like a Conestoga wagon, too? You could get really authentic and mix up a batch of red-barn-color milk paint!

Be safe, and get an Amish-horse-cart slow-vehicle warning sign for the back if you're going to take it out on the road. You know how people are about sticking to 35 MPH on a road signed for 35 MPH...

This is indeed a very cool project!

I was referring to the brake- use two big 'Dutch Shoes' on a beam, one in front of each rear wheel- pull the lever and these things are shoved into the surface of the tyre. Relatively fool-proof. And, if I calculated things properly, it WILL do 40mph quite safely (with the top down). Think extended buckboard with a motor and pneumatic tyres and you have it... and sheet metal casing around the seats with diamond tuck ulpholstry (No sprung buggy seat).

[Just Old Al]

AHEM - back to a car designed in the 20th century.....

The tension in the shop could be cut with a knife.

After the weeks of work preparing the chassis, the drivetrain and mating all of the parts, the fitting of the body had been in the back of everyone’s minds. This was when the car would start looking like a car, and not like a pile of parts on the floor.

The chassis had been disconnected from the bench test rig, and the temporary steering rig removed from the rack. The threaded mounting points had been cleaned and prepped for the body bolts, and all of the mounting paraphernalia prepared. Four of the bolt holes had been prepped with thin 10-centimeter rods brought to a blunt point. These would be the guide rods the body would follow to mate to the chassis – and would be unscrewed and replaced with the bolts when the pair were mated.

The brake, clutch and servo vacuum lines were all run, each to its source or target on the chassis, and the ends prepared to plug into the parts needed on the body.

The GRP shell itself had been prepared to a certain extent – the pedal box, hydraulic booster, master and clutch cylinders, steering column and any items hard to reach once mated were taken care of and all the needed holes had had rivnuts inserted and locked in place with epoxy – Al hated rivnuts and trusted them little.

The wiring harness was laid in place, ready for the assemblies. The custom interface to the LS1 from the DeLorean harness had been worked out and wired by Wing under Al’s patient tutelage. The interface and auxiliary circuits for the LS1’s computer had also been worked out, wire by wire, and installed in the harness, to be connected when the computer was in place in the relay rack in the passenger compartment.

Extra sensors for the computer had been incorporated as well, and full schematics for the changes hand-drawn by Al in his impeccable draftsman's style for the DMC-12s service file.

The body had been dollied out into the main bay and lifted on a 4-post hydraulic lift, and the chassis wheeled out and positioned under it. The chassis was then jacked up, and quad-dollies placed under each wheel so that it could roll in any direction.

Things were checked, rechecked and checked again…no problems were found.

“Oh, well – we can’t stall any longer. Tomorrow morning – the body goes on.” Al was tired – trying to keep up in the back shop with the research studies on Lanthian tech and put in time out here had stretched the old man more than he cared to admit. Smokey and John, also splitting time between the DMC-12 and their daily routine, showed the same symptoms – and neither of them was as young as Al was.

“Can we start now?” An equally tired Wing asked. She didn’t want to wait – this was exciting! – and tired didn’t count.

“No. We’re all too tired – and in case you hadn’t noticed, young lady, the rest of us are not quite as young as you are. Leave it – doing critical tasks when tired is a damned good way to destroy things – and people, if it goes badly pear-shaped.”

“But-“

“But NOTHING, young lady. We will wait till tomorrow morning – 0900.”

Ari shut up. She knew that voice – and that was the Sergeant-Major. She had tried to wheedle Al exactly once before when she’d heard that voice – and regretted it. At that time she found out this was not anyone’s kindly grandpa, but a battle-hardened command officer in the British army.

Doing that again was high on her personal list of things to avoid.

That night, Ari went over and over and over the assembly drawings and the manuals. She was aching to see this car together - wings open, lights on – alive.

The bug had well and truly bitten her – and bitten deep. She understood the old men she worked with – perhaps too well. That feeling of creation – of making something real – had come home firmly when the engine run had happened – when the DeLorean spoke for the first time.

She’d never do this for a living – she was realistic that she could do a lot more – but this was a learning time – and a time of magic.

Al sat in the living room before the fire, a cup of tea in his hand, contemplating the flames. He, too was going over the build sequence in his mind, with the mind’s eye that had done such things a hundred times before.

Daisy, occupied with a bit of leatherworking, sat at a nearby table. She knew that silence, and respected it for a bit, then decided he needed to rest.

“What’s on your mind, love?” she asked, knowing well what it was.

“Tomorrow the DMC-12 is going to get its body – then the real fun begins.” He sipped his tea, still running his scenarios. “Don’t tell Buck – I don’t want anyone in the shop but the crew and I.”

“Understood. If something goes wrong – you don’t want spectators getting in the way.”

“Exactly.” With that, and understanding the subtle messages he was starting to get now that they’d been married a while, he got up and went over to join his wife.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Things were as ready as they would ever be. Plumb bobs dropped through the bolt holes aligned perfectly with the pins, and all of the wires and cables were neatly laid out and ready to go in.

“HANDS CLEAR! Watchers back and front, Smokey and Wing – John – you take the far side – I’ve got this one. Call out if you see anything going to bump or that doesn’t look right – we’re not in a hurry to do this.”

“COMING DOWN!”

With a hiss, the lift started to inch down. The observers watched carefully – any interference, any stray component could punch holes in the pristine GRP bodyshell and force some very annoying repairs.

Slowly, with constant checking, the body inched down. The bottom of the rear pontoons reached the top of the engine and passed it.

Further, slowly, the body inched down.

“HOLD!”

Al stopped the lift.” Where’s the problem?”

“Here.” Smokey indicated a clearance between the rocker cover and the bodyshell's pontoon centre seam.

“Hmm.. See your point. That will clear, though, once it’s in position. It might bump slightly, though – let’s slip a sheet of cardboard in there just to keep them separate.”

That in place, the slow downward trip began again.

With a sigh, the lift pads fell away from the body -it was down on the chassis. Peering into the cabin, Al sighted the bolt holes with alignment pins – each exposed the paint indicator on its threads that showed the body was bottomed onto the mount.

Grabbing the roof pillars Al gave it a shake – there was no sliding, no deflection – it sat solidly on its mounting points.

“That’ll do.”

He leaned back away, and looked up into three tense, expectant faces.

“What are you looking at me for? Get it bolted down!”

[Just Old Al]

“HAPPY YULE, KIDDIES! Father Christmas is here with a toy for you!”

With that, Al wheeled an ungainly structure into the work bay, Painted red, it consisted of a wheeled shop cart, to which extensions had been welded. The extensions had a padded cradle on top with adjustable padded tilt – and straps to hold down an item in the cradle.

“Al, what the Hades is that? It’s got to be the ugliest thing in the shop – and that’s going some.”

“Yeah, ‘specially with the Canuck here…” Smokey added as he wandered in from where he was working.

“I HEARD THAT!” echoed down the hall – as usual, the staff were scrapping – which was always music to Al’s ears. He let it go on a minute more, then proceeded

“ENOUGH OUT OF YOU LOT! This is the door cradle. In short, it is a padded holder for the gull wings on this thing, so that you can put them on without three of us holding up the door while one tried to bolt up and tension the hinges and the torsion bar.”

Al pointed to the base. “Note the lead ingots – these are there for balance, so that anything you do with the gull wing won’t upset the cart, so to speak. The extensions are positioned and built to handle a complete, assembled door – so no need to mount the frame, then assemble it with your hands overhead. All the assembly gets done on a nice, padded bench – so no pain or stress.”

“So that’s why you told me to go ahead and assemble the doors – I thought you were nuts – all due respect of course” noting the stony expression Al was glaring at her with. “I was trying to figure out how the Hades we were going to get the doors on fully assembled – but I’m glad you did this. I can’t wait to put the doors on her – and see her with her wings!

“They’re almost ready. I have one assembled other than the door cards, the other is almost done. Another hour or two and they’ll be together. Would someone like to explain to me why these stupid things have TWO latches – one on the front and one on the back?”

“Simple – DeLorean and Lotus didn’t like the thought of a door secured only on two points – one at the top and one at the side. That simply wasn’t as stable as they liked especially with a GRP sub-body.

So, they double-latched it – two safety-type door locks – one on each side and the hinges to the top. In essence, the door when closed becomes an integral part of the body shell – MUCH stronger in impact and less likely to do something stupid in a crash – like open.”

“The only downside was that after a crash – they weren’t likely to open, either. Any distortion of the body shell effectively locked them down. Not such a great design, after all – but better not to be ejected in an accident, I suspect.”

“OK, so what’s the drill?”

Al thought to himself that Wing had certainly been spending too much time with the mechanics – her speech patterns were certainly becoming polluted with Americanisms.

“The drill, as you put it, is simple – you call Rent-A-Redneck – oh, see – they delivered! – and you and your redneck get the doors on the car. If you need further help – call John.”

“Where are you going?”

“To get some work done out back. If you need me, let me know.” With that, Al left – marching, really, head held high, spine straight.

“Something weird just happened there…you got any idea what?”

“Nope – no eye-dear. Let’s git them doors on – oughta be a piece o’cake with this here contraption.”

Even with the cart, the job of fitting the doors was grueling. Once the doors were mounted and the torsion bar tensioned the thrilling job of alignment began. This required the body panels to be hung temporarily in their positions to set the panel gaps.

Open.
Close.
Tweak.
Open.
Close.
Tweak.

With stacks of shims, patience, and wads of clay the panel gaps side to side on each door were set – a shim here, a shim there, add one, remove two…the process was as painstaking as it was fiddly.

Finally, after more time than it should have taken the doors were hung. The latches were aligned, and clicked into place with the merest touch of a hand.

With the panels hung on it as it was, the DeLorean finally looked like the otherworldly machine that it had been designed to be.