VIN 4566 Restoration

[Dan Willis]

I've used, and use, Meguiars leather feed, but I'm always interested to know what people use. Keeping it nice is one thing - bringing it back is another. I think mine are toast, but I might milk them until necessary

[Rich Hanlon]

(15 Apr 2021, 12:49)Rissy Wrote: I've been using leather reviver I bought from Aldi.  Seems pretty good stuff.  I also bought their Stainless Steel revivor too.  Seems pretty good stuff.  My car's been Aldi'd inside and out.

This week's middle aisle special - DeLorean spares, chainsaws, and bright orange wetsuits in a range of European sizes 

[Rissy]

(15 Apr 2021, 13:36)Rich Hanlon Wrote:

(15 Apr 2021, 12:49)Rissy Wrote: I've been using leather reviver I bought from Aldi.  Seems pretty good stuff.  I also bought their Stainless Steel revivor too.  Seems pretty good stuff.  My car's been Aldi'd inside and out.

This week's middle aisle special - DeLorean spares, chainsaws, and bright orange wetsuits in a range of European sizes 

Absolutely!

[Dan Willis]

Long story, but:


Delorean HOME! by Dan Willis, on Flickr

She's mechanically done, cosmetically done and MOT'd. I believe I have a long wait for a number plate once I have every form complete, and ready to courier, but come the Spring, I'll have a driveable car.

I need to explain the journey, but it'll have to wait until I have a bit more time

[Rissy]

Woo-hoo! Well done!

[Chris P]

Looks a lovely job Dan...well done..again!

[Chris Williams]

Well done!

[Dan Willis]

I'll do my best to fill in the huge gap between the mechanically sound car and the now cosmetically complete car in the following post.

She returned home in April (or thereabouts) of last year (2021) and I begun with, initially, insuring her against the chassis number "off road". Prior to this she was literally a pile of parts and now, despite looking - well, like the below, she was running and worth something.

After that I made sure she was mobile via the trollies as the engine wasn't (and isn't) run in and I cannot legally do that yet (and back then, the winscreen was smashed and there were no lights or rear end!).


I then began to work out, at least on paper, what I'd be spending and what really needed doing. The list obviously changed but it kinda looked like:

Stainless repair and regrain
Replace or fix and repaint fascias
New windscreen and surround (both smashed)
Replace side trim where it was missing or hanging off
Replace side light(s) due to damage
Replace one rear light as it was white instead of orange
Look at exhaust blow
Full interior retrim - seats, center console, dash and pads, binacle, wheel
New or fixed stereo
Carpets
Electrics

I reached out to PJ Grady and Chris, alongside some local specialists in case I couldn't get a slot and decided that I'd need help. Despite my ability to buy things, fitting them - for example, the windscreen or seat covers - would be beyond me without significant local resource. I also needed the stainless steel looking at, and Chris was my only "go to" in that regard.

As a potentially interesting side note, well over 20 years ago Chris did some significant work on my first DeLorean and the timelapse he showed me back then was something to behold. Needless to say, if it's stainless and DeLorean, it's Chris IMO.

I had previously asked Chris for help and his calendar was obviously full, so the oily bits went to Martin, as I'd convinced myself the engine was toast, and to his eye it was not. I'd err'd on maybe going the v8 route since the car was mechanically knackered anyway and secured sources for the engine/gearbox and even fitting and fettling if need be. However, with recent changes in MOT/tax standards and realising my car was a little more complete that initially thought, I decided to go back to original. That coupled with a somewhat vague diagnosis of chronic back pain and a (now nearly 4 year old) daughter to consume my free time meant a - dare I say it - trouble free classic car was more attractive.

So, I waited for Chris to become free in the meantime and tried saving some pennies after the expense of the mechanical restoration.

Fast forward to October-time and Chris could fit me in. Off she went, part-car, part-box of parts.

Shortly after the car arrived Chris got to work in detailing what I'd need to get her road-worthy. That wasn't an endless list of things "to do"; that will always be the case with these cars, but to a useable, MOT-standard.
I won't share the list and prices here; things change, costs change and labour rates (alongside a simple task being far more complicated elsewhere) change for every car, and believe me, I've seen a few of these things differ from car to car!

I gave Chris a fairly open "do what you must" edict and then the updates started arriving....

Firstly, Chris stripped the interior out and dealt with the stainless whilst parts were ordered. Note: all pictures are on Flickr

Interior parts went from this:
Cosmetic restoration by Dan Willis, on Flickr
To this:
Cosmetic restoration by Dan Willis, on Flickr

And stainless went from this:
Cosmetic restoration by Dan Willis, on Flickr
to this:
Cosmetic restoration by Dan Willis, on Flickr


The windscreen surround was saved:
Cosmetic restoration by Dan Willis, on Flickr


Cosmetic restoration by Dan Willis, on Flickr

I pretty much thought that was toast, so I'm pleasantly surprised!

And Chris even managed to sort the exhaust tips out (I bought some; he did the rest):
Cosmetic restoration by Dan Willis, on Flickr
Various new images by Dan Willis, on Flickr
Not too shabby

In addition, the front springs were swapped as the car rode very high (the springs were unused but a few years old and didn't seem to be either US or Euro height, so it was easier whilst in bits to swap them out). The stereo worked but had no display so I sourced a Blaupunkt unit that was in keeping with the design and age of the car, but with modern convenience, and new speakers and so on were installed as they were mostly non-working or torn. Unfortuntely fitting that highlighted some issues with the electrics, so a new fuse box was installed. A job Chris did not enjoy...
The carpets were saved, as were the fascias and some mechanical issues were minor (the clutch and gearbox didn't seem very happy for a while, and a split pipe (perhaps due to the cold) was a pain, but quickly found and fixed.

Lastly, she was MOT'd without issue.

Delorean HOME! by Dan Willis, on Flickr

And now she's home.

The list of continued work will be things like:

Replacing some trim (door sill)
Door light issues (they don't work and one is missing entirely)
LED rear lights (they are original and bit flaky, but work)
Re-trim the steering wheel (minor but worth doing whilst I wait on registration)
Try to sort out an angle drive (I'm on number 3 and the car hasn't moved yet)
Fix the BRAKE light on the dashboard as it's on alllllll the time.

And some minor cosmetic bits as I get time.

I have catalogued the work, costs and parts over time. It's not, um, cheap, but that was never the aim!

Any questions, ask away. It's been a ride.

[Rissy]

Looks awesome! Very nice to be getting what looks like a proper car back in the garage eh. Patience valued I'm sure. It'll feel amazing when you get back behind the wheel knowing you've got a well gone over car underneath you.

[Matt Clark]

Chris is a wizard, isn't he. Ridiculous. Glad to see yours coming along (is it another BHCC one?)

[Dan Willis]

(20 Jan 2022, 11:14)Matt Clark Wrote: Chris is a wizard, isn't he. Ridiculous. Glad to see yours coming along (is it another BHCC one?)

I think it's probably one of the first BHCC ones rather than "another" I've had it nearly 8 years!

But Chris is on another level, yes. Simply amazing work.

---

(19 Jan 2022, 13:00)Rissy Wrote: Looks awesome!  Very nice to be getting what looks like a proper car back in the garage eh.  Patience valued I'm sure.  It'll feel amazing when you get back behind the wheel knowing you've got a well gone over car underneath you.

Thanks. If it doesn't work then, well, there's nothing more I can do

[theningiachicken]

wow, looks stunning Dan especially the crazy transformation of the dash, how did you get your windscreen sorted without a reg? as it seems impossible for me to get anyone to come and even look at 5222's windscreen as i don't have a reg plate plus i tried contacting uroglass to no avail

[Dan Willis]

(20 Jan 2022, 16:08)theningiachicken Wrote: wow, looks stunning Dan especially the crazy transformation of the dash, how did you get your windscreen sorted without a reg? as it seems impossible for me to get anyone to come and even look at 5222's windscreen as i don't have a reg plate plus i tried contacting uroglass to no avail

PJ Grady! Mine was smashed as was the trim (as you can see), so the lot needed doing. It was on my wishlist and Chris sourced one (it can take some time, and they have doubled in cost recently... but you know, Classics etc). I'd reach out and see if he can help (he's SUPER busy so bear with him).

[Matt Clark]

Dave H I think may also have a lead on screens, I've asked him to look into one for me.

[theningiachicken]

(20 Jan 2022, 16:21)Dan Willis Wrote:

(20 Jan 2022, 16:08)theningiachicken Wrote: wow, looks stunning Dan especially the crazy transformation of the dash, how did you get your windscreen sorted without a reg? as it seems impossible for me to get anyone to come and even look at 5222's windscreen as i don't have a reg plate plus i tried contacting uroglass to no avail

PJ Grady! Mine was smashed as was the trim (as you can see), so the lot needed doing. It was on my wishlist and Chris sourced one (it can take some time, and they have doubled in cost recently... but you know, Classics etc). I'd reach out and see if he can help (he's SUPER busy so bear with him).

I may have to try, I've got to sort out my slot for having my stainless sorted so might as well ask about that too. I have one final option to try before then to sort my windscreen out

(20 Jan 2022, 16:42)Matt Clark Wrote: Dave H I think may also have a lead on screens, I've asked him to look into one for me.

when i last spoke to Dave H he said he knew someone who had some with the Ariel built in but he wasn't too sure