Finally getting back to work

Wow, it is amazing how fast life flies by before you even realize it.  I have been focusing on school so much that I haven't really touched my DeLorean since I installed the side stripe...what, almost exactly two years ago?  Sadly, my poor D had developed a number of problems in protest of my neglect.  

The Colorado sun, being as absolutely brutal as it is, caused the new binnacle that I installed when I redid my interior to crack horribly, as well as the passenger knee pad.  :'(  

The clutch system had been leaking for a while, but it finally went out completely.  If I remember correctly, the previous owner had replaced most of the system right before I bought it, including new stainless lines and master cylinder, but didn't get around to replacing the slave cylinder.  He included the new one with the car, so I will have to figure out exactly how to replace that and get it done once and for all.  

I also never finished installing all of the interior trim pieces after rushing to get to the parade five years ago, so I will get that all finished up as well.  (I actually had to stop and think if that was really FIVE YEARS AGO!  Like I said, time flies!)  

Also, I think I mentioned before that the passenger side door is sticking.  I figured that it needed the lock and latch procedure done again, so I pulled the door panels off to mess with the alignment of the rods.  I noticed that the rods seemed to be adjusted like they should be, but the door was still sticking really badly.  After some investigation, I figured out what the problem is.  The door release cable that attaches to the outside door handle sticks every time the handle is pulled, which causes the latch to not fully reset and the locks to jam.  I don't know if there is any way to grease that cable to make it start working again, or if I will just have to buy a new one.  They are only $20, so I may just end up buying a new one. 

A couple of months ago I tried to start 6080 for the first time in two years.  I syphoned all of the old gas out, put a few gallons of new gas in, and installed a brand new battery.  Very excited to hear it run again, I turned the key and it turned over without any issues!  Unfortunately, while I was cranking it I started to hear liquid running out onto the driveway.  I immediately stopped cranking it and jumped out to see what the problem was.  I could smell it before I could see it: gas.  The main fuel line coming off the fuel pump had split and it was spraying gasoline everywhere.  Sigh.  So I ordered some new fuel line and have it sitting in a box ready to be installed.  I was going to try to install it today, but the moment I got out to the car it started raining, and it hasn't really stopped since, so that will have to wait until tomorrow.

So yeah, work is beginning again on my DeLorean, albeit very slowly.  Being a student and not having much money right now, things are going to be progressing at a painfully slow pace, but it IS going to happen.  I'm not going to let 6080 succumb to the ravages of time and Colorado weather!  

What is my motivation to get working again?  Well, I just found out that a local 80's themed pizza place is holding a DeLorean/BTTF car show next month!  They are inviting all of the local owners to come and show their cars and enjoy free pizza!  I really want to go and show 6080 again, and I also really, REALLY want to start driving it again as my daily driver, so I am using that show date as my official goal for being daily driver ready again!  It will be a very difficult challenge given my current lack of funds, but I am going to do what I can to make it happen!

I think it's time for a new to-do list!  Here are my current projects, roughly in order of most important to least important.

To-Do:

Clutch slave cylinder replacement

Fuel line replacement

Replace ball joints

Passenger door cable repair/replacement

Fix or replace passenger side front tire (keeps going flat)

Emissions test/license

Replace weather stripping

Replace air conditioner system

Install remaining interior panels

Replace window switches

Paint wheels

And anything else I'm forgetting or that may come up as I go along.  Really, only about half of that list is required to start driving it again, and I already have quite a few of the parts I need, so I don't think it's completely out of the question to get it daily drivable in the next month.  I guess we'll see how far I get!  Should be fun!

~Lyndsey