Having got all of the parts refurbished, it was time to start re-assembling everything. First I noticed that there was a good deal of crud up in the wheel well and on the frame. Took some hot water with a little Tide detergent and started to wipe everything down. The frame is made of steel and coated in a thick epoxy. For the most part, when maintained it will last many many years. I have seen some DeLorean frames that look worse than swiss cheese and it ultimately makes the car undrivable. When looking to buy a DeLorean, one of the biggest things is to be able to see photos of the frame in detail. There are a couple spots that need a little attention but for the most part I am blessed with a frame that is in pretty good shape!
Before:
After:
Also I got around to replacing the rear flexible brake lines. What a PITA! It took a few different combinations of flare nut wrenches and crows foot wrenches with extension to get these unbolted. The auto transmission makes it really tight to access the inner side of the frame where the hoses attach to solid lines again.
40 year old Delorean brake hoses vs new!
While putting things back together, I also decided to prep and clean up the drive shafts and clean off the two hole lock strips.
I have to say so far I am pretty pleased with how everything is coming out. I am also thankful that the previous owner of this car kept her in great shape and in a good dry climate controlled space. I have read about the nightmares of rusted parts and bolts breaking. So far (knocks on wood) I have not had to tap out any bolts, but ready if we have too! I also wanted to take a second and thank everyone who is following along! There will be so much more to come. Once this suspension work is all done and has been documented, then I want to go back and post pics and talk about some of my past projects! Seriously though, I am fairly new here and the the warm welcome has been great! Thank you for the encouragement to post and tell the story about my car!
Cheers!