Is my idea sacrilegious?

[justanewbie]

The way I see it is that I have two options:

1. If tomorrow, a relatively nice example of a standard engined £15 -£20k vehicle came up, I may consider that and enjoy it as it is - if I felt it needed more power, then do the modifications later. However, how often do they come up (not needing much work) at that price?

2. Get a vehicle which needs work and tidying (but not a complete wreck) and spend £10-15k (total spend around £25k) which would include perhaps a different engine.

In terms of engine and power - I guess I'd want no less than 275 BHP - not looked at PRV upgrades but would consider it, also boxer engines, LS v8s, BMW v8s etc - it's all about cost/benefit/hassle. I don't mind replacing brakes, suspension etc., with the aim that I'd want the car to go as quick as it looks

I cannot justify £30k (unless it's a V8 BTTF replica!) on someone else's project as how they have done things may not be how I would do them myself. I suppose at the moment I am just seeing what's out there and trying to get closer (at least in my mind) to justifying the purchase of the car in general - let's be honest, it's not a rational decision by any means

[Chris Williams]

OK, Beverly Hills Cars have supplied a lot of cars to the UK and are by all accounts very good to deal with and are honest about the cars they sell and are willing to get any pics you require. That said you have had some good advise on engine upgrades (Stargliders thread is well worthwhile reading) As others have mentioned it's not easy (or cheap) to upgrade these cars, but can be done and if your wishing to go down this route then a car like the one you have highlighted is ideal.
But remember to budget in all the other upgrades (brakes especially) they are not cheap to do and would be vital for anything above 200hp. Project cars in the UK are VERY few and far between.
Chris

[Dangermouse]

justanewbie Wrote:The way I see it is that I have two options:

1. If tomorrow, a relatively nice example of a standard engined £15 -£20k vehicle came up, I may consider that and enjoy it as it is - if I felt it needed more power, then do the modifications later. However, how often do they come up (not needing much work) at that price?

2. Get a vehicle which needs work and tidying (but not a complete wreck) and spend £10-15k (total spend around £25k) which would include perhaps a different engine.

In terms of engine and power - I guess I'd want no less than 275 BHP - not looked at PRV upgrades but would consider it, also boxer engines, LS v8s, BMW v8s etc - it's all about cost/benefit/hassle. I don't mind replacing brakes, suspension etc., with the aim that I'd want the car to go as quick as it looks

I cannot justify £30k (unless it's a V8 BTTF replica!) on someone else's project as how they have done things may not be how I would do them myself. I suppose at the moment I am just seeing what's out there and trying to get closer (at least in my mind) to justifying the purchase of the car in general - let's be honest, it's not a rational decision by any means

Do #1 and enjoy the car.

The bold type is why many people shy away from non-PRV cars. They suit the guy who did the conversion, and he knows the ins-and-outs of how it was done and how to get it running, but invariable there is no paper trail, and help is hard to come by when you come on a DeLorean forum and say that the carbs on you Ford 351 just aren't set up right

The other issue is obviously getting a transmission (or adaptor) for your 275+HP engine, to fit in the space available. This is where many dreams vaporize.

again, do #1 and evaluate after a year.

[JamesRGUK]

There seem to be a lot of people who think getting 200bhp out of a DeLorean PRV is easy, I would suggest that for a reliable and most probably more cost effective option you should drop in a modern, better engine to start with.

The PRV is old and the DeLorean is fitted with possibly the worst version, odd fire, early Bosch KJet, old idle speed technology, rubbish exhaust etc...

It's easy to say just add a new SS exhaust, Volvo block but all those costs add up quick and you're still left with an old engine.

If you look at what other people have already done you may find they have adaptor plates and engine mounting solutions which can be reproduced, one offs can be cnc machined if you have accurate cad files from a previous install.

Just IMHO of course.

J

[Starglider]

justanewbie Wrote:In terms of engine and power - I guess I'd want no less than 275 BHP - not looked at PRV upgrades but would consider it,

The stock PRV will make 275 HP with an Island turbo kit (or equivalent custom fabrication), free-flow exhaust and EFI. Low compression forged pistons are recommended but not essential. The stock gearbox is good to 300 HP or so although you should probably upgrade the input coupler. This is something like 3000 to 5000 GBP in parts (depending on whether you get an Island kit or weld up some manifolds yourself) or 8-10000 GBP if you get someone to do the job for you. Of course if you go nuts with intercooling / charge cooling, gearbox upgrades etc it will be more. I know this because I did go nuts and it did cost more.

JamesRGUK Wrote:There seem to be a lot of people who think getting 200bhp out of a DeLorean PRV is easy, I would suggest that for a reliable and most probably more cost effective option you should drop in a modern, better engine to start with.

There is no way that 'dropping in a modern engine' is more cost effective unless you are an experienced machinist who can make your own bellhousing adapter and engine mounts, plus merge the wiring looms, sort out the cooling and exhaust and probably retune once you're done. Eagle Premier PRV plus off-the-shelf EFI system plus new exhaust is a relatively straightforward and original way to get there; but even that's a big project for most amateur mechanics.

[JamesRGUK]

Starglider Wrote:

justanewbie Wrote:In terms of engine and power - I guess I'd want no less than 275 BHP - not looked at PRV upgrades but would consider it,

The stock PRV will make 275 HP with an Island turbo kit (or equivalent custom fabrication), free-flow exhaust and EFI. Low compression forged pistons are recommended but not essential. The stock gearbox is good to 300 HP or so although you should probably upgrade the input coupler. This is something like 3000 to 5000 GBP in parts (depending on whether you get an Island kit or weld up some manifolds yourself) or 8-10000 GBP if you get someone to do the job for you. Of course if you go nuts with intercooling / charge cooling, gearbox upgrades etc it will be more. I know this because I did go nuts and it did cost more.

JamesRGUK Wrote:There seem to be a lot of people who think getting 200bhp out of a DeLorean PRV is easy, I would suggest that for a reliable and most probably more cost effective option you should drop in a modern, better engine to start with.

There is no way that 'dropping in a modern engine' is more cost effective unless you are an experienced machinist who can make your own bellhousing adapter and engine mounts, plus merge the wiring looms, sort out the cooling and exhaust and probably retune once you're done. Eagle Premier PRV plus off-the-shelf EFI system plus new exhaust is a relatively straightforward and original way to get there; but even that's a big project for most amateur mechanics.

To be fair you could argue installing forged pistons etc... Is a bit of a job for the amateur, I just think if you're going to all that effort, effectively rebuilding an engine and changing most of it in the process why not start with something more modern which makes the power without the need for such modernisation.

Maybe I'm a hypocrite as I have a stock dmc engine but then have the free flow exhaust and all the Volvo injection clobber.

I'm not sure how much power the island twin turbo kit added, I've never known anyone to dyno one, but in it's original format it was a bit of a bodge in the way that it regulated fuel flow under boost etc...

I did see a Dutch owned DMC at Eurotec running a boosted PRV a couple of years back which was putting out some pretty impressive figures on the dyno.

Fair play to anyone who mods the PRV, but I do like a good engine swap.

James

[Starglider]

JamesRGUK Wrote:I just think if you're going to all that effort, effectively rebuilding an engine and changing most of it in the process why not start with something more modern which makes the power without the need for such modernisation.

Essentially because there's a big difference between stripping something down and rebuilding it with different off-the-shelf parts... and making something bespoke from scratch. Chris Nicholsson is always going on about this, bespoke fabrication always takes much longer than stock or bolt-on kits where someone else did the R&D.

Quote:I'm not sure how much power the island twin turbo kit added, I've never known anyone to dyno one

The Island and BAE turbo kits are both in the 220-230 HP region. As you say the original was not very well tuned; turbo cams & EFI would be a big improvement.

Quote:Fair play to anyone who mods the PRV, but I do like a good engine swap.

I like a good engine swap as well but the good ones usually take at least a year of effort and run to at least 10,000 GBP. Sadly there are more bad and non-running/unfinished engine swaps than good ones.