DeLorean Club (UK) EuroTec Forum • View topic - vin 814 • De Lorean technical help, events and parts

by **DMC1983** » Tue Apr 21, 2020 2:50 pm

Take it to halfords. Theyll swap your lamps for £20. If they say no, get miles to do it.

Seriously though, i know it can be a pain but you shouldnt have to take the fascia off to change the lamps. On mine, i have slight difficulty getting to the side screws, but thanks to some slight eyebrow warping, the top ones are easy.

by **Dan 6511** » Tue Apr 21, 2020 10:35 pm

andyd wrote:Best not to drive it. Ever. POS!

Exactly! Sell it or sorn it I say! :lol:

by **andyd** » Thu Apr 23, 2020 8:46 pm

Dan 6511 wrote:
Exactly! Sell it or sorn it I say!

Oh I am with you there Dan! Hows this for a sequence of events...

Sorting the front fascia, I noticed a weeping silicone rad hose. Bought new T clamps to fit.

Fitted the new clamp, wanted to run it up to temp to make sure no leaks.

This uncovered an issue with the thermostat.

So I removed the ram horns to get at the thermostat.

Checked thermostat in water etc, think I sorted the problem, and went to put ram horns back on.

(Made new gaskets and everything. Very proud of them and their neatness and perfection...)

Last bolt didnt tighten. Stripped in the ally. Fucking typical. Shit car...

Ok, all back off, M7 helicoil fitted in that hole.

Didnt notice that this hole (for the long bolt, centre of the ram horns) has a shoulder before the thread starts. So a larger hole for a couple of mm to help the bolt seat before engaging with the thread.

Assemble ram horns back with perfect home made gaskets. Get to that bolt again. Doesnt feel good.... Unwound it. Definitely didnt feel good.

All back off. Red mist descending.

The helicoil hadnt seated properly, due to the recessed section at the start of the thread. The bolt started winding the insert further in, which is why it felt funny. When I went to remove the bolt, the tang at the start of the insert hadnt bit into the ally. So the insert started to come out, and had fucked itself... And had also stripped the long bolt on removal!!! Red mist fucking everywhere now!

Gently get needle nose pliers and luckily get the insert out.

Buy new bolt from D-Go...

Why why why???!!!

I will reiterate:

Fascia. No stop- do the rad hose. No, stop! Sort the thermostat. No, stop, repair the thread. No, dont even thing about starting again- get a new bolt. :angry-banghead:

Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit sniffing glue...

Am going to bed. Safer. Will maybe get the headlights done before the bolt arrives...

a

by **Spudmurphy** » Thu Apr 23, 2020 9:13 pm

I feel your grief .... lots of backwards steps taken recently .... family issues ... blah blah ... but some small steps forward today. I knew this was gonna be an uphill battle ... but this POS won't beat me with it's shenanigans !!

by **Spudmurphy** » Thu Apr 23, 2020 9:19 pm

.... oh and do as i did - take the paint off the front (and rear) fascia and go au naturel black ... no paint to flake n crack when you flex the bugger to get at the headlight fixings .... not the best of designs, and I thought a Renault Modus was the worst for changing headlight bulbs !! The DeLorean takes the prize!!

by **Dan 6511** » Thu Apr 23, 2020 9:57 pm

Sounds like a standard day in the life of delorean ownership to me, what are you complaining about :lol:

by **andyd** » Sun Apr 26, 2020 10:18 am

Dead right Dan. Thats why I got early this morning to get on with this at the back of the car before getting on with the job in hand on the fascia etc.

Got the long central bolt on the ram horns helicoiled, and shortened the new bolt slightly to suit.

New perfect home made lockdown gaskets discarded as pointless as they are now caked in sbout 4 layers of Yamabond. More wasted life...!

Ram horns on, all 5 bolts tightening down evenly....

Yep, of course thats when ANOTHER thread strips out the ally on final seating.

Its too early to get angry

by **andyd** » Tue May 26, 2020 8:13 am

I got the cooling systems issues sorted with some help from NickT. Leaking hoses on the rad had caused an air lock in the pump.

I'll summarise this and say its fine now, but getting the ally rad to seal on the hoses has been quite problematic. A switch from silicone to rubber, and changing the clamps has helped but not eliminated the issue.

The headlamps are now all H4s, and the buckets and brackets painted. I changed the chewed adjustment screws, and used new stainless screws on the bezels Wiring had been previously remedied. I also fitted the headlamp finishers I bought in.... 2012..!!

I've had the front fascia on and off lots and lots, in an attempt the get a better fit. Not quite their yet, but its not as tight round the headlamp units following a bit of easing with the file.

I filed slots into the fascia to allow access to the retaining and adjusting screws.

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These are not too noticeable when fitted

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The major bit of damage in the top corner is unsightly and is going to need a careful repair.

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I think this has in part been caused by the headlight "stretching" the shrunken fascia. Its been repaired before in the past, and was ok for the last 8 years so cant really complain too much. However, it will need remedy.

With the fascia off, I used some expanding foam filler to patch up the impact absorber. Its not pretty but I'm not going to waste time beautifying something not seen.

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With all the gubbins off, I replaced the rusty self tappers and mild steel washers with captive M5 chimney nuts, stainless dome head allen screws and stainless washers.

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Some of these washers have subsequently been chopped down to help fascia fitting.

I have also been repairing the studs in the chin spoiler

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So over the weekend I fought for a few hours trying to get acceptable gaps between the fascia and front wings. Adjusting panel gaps is almost an exercise in futility on a DeLorean. Overall, its getting better, and the most important thing for me was the fascia fit around the headlights (and mounting / adjusting screw access), but I have been doing a bit of reading on whether I not I can close the gap at the top corners.

I have been grinding and cutting clearance on various bits and pieces, but the fight is not over yet. My God, these cars are frustrating.

Thankfully the back is ok, and is probably about ready for paint. Lets see how all this pans out.

(Then fix the little weep on the rad). Ugh. Am quite sick of it!

Andy

by **andyd** » Tue May 26, 2020 8:41 am

Actually, looking back at old photos, I am definitely going to have to get the fascia sitting better. It wasn't that bad before, so I'll just have to keep trying...

:evil: