From: v071pzp4@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu (Craig L. Cole)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: DeLorean Motor Cars
Keywords: DeLorean classic investment
Date: 13 Sep 92 14:46:00 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: University at Buffalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <1992Sep13.130201.4010@Veritas.COM>, smorgan@Veritas.COM (Steve Morgan) writes...
>I've recently become interested in purchasing a DeLorean, partly for fun and
>partly as a potential investment. I don't know whether this is the appropriate
>news group for a discussion of this nature. If it isn't, would someone please
>point me in the right direction?

I too hope to purchase a DeLorean someday, but itt'll be a few years before
I'll have the money... (groan). Until then, I've had to settle for studying
the car, so that I'll be a little bit smarter buying one.

>What are the pitfalls of owning a DeLorean? Why are they relatively inexpen-
>sive compared to other classic cars? (I think I can get a very nice one for
>$13-15K.) What can anyone tell me about their repair record? How hard is it
>to get parts, repair manuals, parts manuals, owner's manuals, etc.?

I don't really know what pitfalls exist since I don't actually own one, but
I've heard because of the stainless steel clad fiberglass bodies, and
epoxy-coated steel frame, they resist corrosion quite well. (Mr. J. DeLorean
wanted it to have an operational life of 25 years, believe it or not...) 
However, repairing dents in these cars is darn near impossible to have
repaired, because the bodies aren't painted. Any dented parts have to be
replaced. The engine is made by Renault, so parts should be pretty easy.
$13-$15 thousand might be a tad low. In Hemming's Motor News,
I usually see them listed for between $15-$20 thousand.

>How many DeLoreans were manufactured? Were there substantially different models?
>Someone mentioned a GT model. Someone else told me that not all DeLoreans have
>stainless steel bodies (i.e., some are painted). And still someone else made a
>remark that would suggest that some DeLoreans do not have gull-wing doors.
>Obviously, I don't have any idea whether any of the above are true, nor even
>how I might find out the answers to these questions, nor which questions that
>I haven't even thought of but that I should find out the answers to.

Approximately 7,000 were produced between 1981 and 1983. Abou 5,000 made it
to the United States (they were manufactured in Ireland). There were a
few different models, but I don't know if one was referred to as a GT
model. Maybe they were the 1983 models, when a turbo charger was added.
Only a handful of 1983 models were constructed before they closed their
doors. I heard that painted DeLoreans exist: a last desperate attempt
by DMC to sell their car. I've never heard of a "non-gull wing" DeLorean;
the gull-wing doors were one of the cars trade-marks.

>Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks,

I hope this has been of some help. To eveyone else reading: corrections
or additions are welcome.

Oh almost forgot -- in Classic Auto Restorer magazine this month, they
have a listing of national auto clubs. The DeLorean Owners Club was listed.
I'm planning on dropping them a line to find out if they have a newsletter
or something.

>- Steve Morgan -

Craig Cole
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