13 Nov 2019, 18:11
For those who don’t know me, I have owned VIN#6126 (Grey-interior, Automatic) since about 2004 when I imported it from the USA (Columbus, Ohio) as a ‘fair to middling’ example.
What’s brought this to a head now, is that the now-stripped chassis was on the DOC stand at the Classic Car Show at the NEC where it attracted some interest, and has since been delivered to be chemically stripped and rust-removed. But that’s sort of giving away the punchline.
One of the above DeLoreans is mine.
My first DeLorean encounter had been a few months previously when I saw Andy Westerman’s car out on the road near where I live (on bonfire night 2003, as it happens), followed by seeing around the Owners’ Club stand at the NEC a few days later. That therefore makes it almost exactly 16 years ago, as I write this… how time flies. This was the first time I had seen Deloreans outside of ‘that film’ and a few months of research and a few failed nocturnal Ebay bids after, 6126 on 28,550 miles from new, was on its way home to me via Portsmouth.
The first few months were spent getting the car road –ready and making the necessary mods with the club’s Technical Advisor Rich Hutchinson who has been a good friend ever since. My wife and I used the car as our wedding car in 2007 and have taken it all over Europe and over to Ireland for two of the last three ‘Eurofest’; gatherings and on other occasions visiting relatives too.
Various repairs were carried out along the way, having removed the gearbox, had the engine out once or twice, and carried out frame repairs in situ around the fuel tank, and around the rear engine cradle. With the advent of family and house move and the passing of time, the list of jobs to do grew longer and the car was taken off the road in 2015, pending the near miraculous alignment of the golden triangle of Opportunity, Fiscal Fluidity and Motivation. A two seater was also not the ideal vehicle of choice in the early years! Other ongoing projects such as a VW camper van and increasingly elderly ‘everyday’ cars meant that I only began to look at the list of jobs in earnest in 2018 as I was realistically spread too thinly.
There than began an increasingly expensive chain of events lasting almost exactly two years.
I followed this simple 19-stage process.
- 1. New rear tyres to replace crazed originals which wouldn’t hold air
- 2. This exposed the rusty rear springs which I thought I would remove to blast and paint
- 3. Damaged the tops of the very rusty original rear shock absorbers – two new ones added to the list
- 4. “That frame needs touching up here and there, now I can see it: I’ll take the splash pans off to look further…”
- 5. Whoops – I’ve made a hole
- 6. Actually no, it’s several holes that run into the bits you can’t access with the body on the frame.
- 7. There’s nothing for it: off she comes.
- 8. I’ll have to replace ‘up and over’ the garage door for a roller shutter door, as there would be no room to open the door with the car lifted up in the air
- 9. Measure up for new door
- 10. Discover garage is lined in finest Asbestos
- 11. Empty garage completely down to the last nail
- 12. Have asbestos removed professionally by a proper outfit with men in colour-coded paper overalls with air-fed masks and a big blue polythene tent. Local council informed. Air quality test required. Hefty disposal charge incurred.
- 13. Recover from expense of (12), above14. Insulate garage, re-board ceiling
- 15. Install more lighting and power sockets. Can never have enough.
- 16. Paint floor in workshop red, paint walls and ceiling white “while you’re at it”.
- 17. Order, take delivery of, and fit Roller Door mentioned in (9) above, thanks again to Rich Hutchinson
- 18. Recover from expense of articles (14-17), inclusive. Recycling old garage door (£15) helps, ever so slightly.
- 19. See (7).
I’ll try to put the story up here in various instalments as and when I get the chance. I’ve taken plenty of photos as I’ve gone along but they’re on a separate memory card so it’ll be a faff to upload them, but I’ll try.
One of the above DeLoreans is mine.
Richard Hanlon
Derbyshire
DOC 393
1981 DMC-12 VIN 06126
Derbyshire
DOC 393
1981 DMC-12 VIN 06126
