Originally intended to document my experience of DeLorean ownership, focus is often radical and strange, boring and obtuse.

Saturday, March 16, 2013

Toronto St. Patrick's Day Parade 2013

Luck o' the Irish... a coolant leak right before the St. Patrick's Day parade!

Tomorrow Toronto will hold their 26th annual St. Patrick's Day parade - and they'll be short one DeLorean. I won't be able to attend thanks to the number 114,000 and, ironically, to the colour green.

In the DeLorean world, surpassing 100,000 miles is uncommon. These are collector cars, and have been since the company went bankrupt. Sometime around 1983 people started squirrelling away their DMC-12s, some thinking it would skyrocket in value, others because parts were sometimes difficult to acquire. Mileage, generally, remained very low as the cars were rarely driven.

My DeLorean has 114,000 miles on the clock, which is relatively high. With that much use, things wear out. The novelty of the car is, for me at least, its achilles heel: My gullwing doors aren't working. The problem lies in the worn-out door latches. In the cold they do not catch and the doors pop back open.

As glorious as it would be, I can't drive down the highway in full gullwing mode, Huey Lewis blasting on the tape deck, my ascot blowing in the wind, giving all a rockin' thumbs up.

The Swingles, at DMC Midwest, will be giving me some worn out latch action in April, and while there, I will ask them about the all-aluminum rad from the DeLorean Motor Company and the Toby Peterson Wings-B-Cool cooling fans.

What does this mean? Short of a snow storm, I will be there again next year to help Toronto celebrate St. Patrick's Day!
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See Toronto St. Patrick's Day Parade 2012

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9 Comments:

Blogger awildermode said...

The combined total of my 2004 Civic (65,000) and DeLorean (32,200), is less mileage than your DeLorean. I just dropped off my car this weeking to DMC-California for some routine maintenance.

New radiator and cooling fans...cool! Do you have Joel Cool from DMC-Midwest?

11:39:00 AM

 
Blogger awildermode said...

Just got an update from Danny at DMC-California. I need new coolant hoses. So, I might have been leaking green, too. Yay! And, the hoses and labour only costs $550. Yay!

12:31:00 PM

 
Blogger Martini said...

Ouch. $550? You bought the leftover gold-plated DeLorean hoses didn't you!

Yeah I've got Joe Cool, but it won't work with my fans. The fuses keep blowing because the fans are drawing too much current. Once I get my new fans, I can use the Joe Cool again.

4:18:00 PM

 
Anonymous Dan said...

I'd say the leaking coolant is probably far more upsetting than your cat having an accident on your tax forms...I'm sorry to hear that you weren't able to drive in the parade this year. Next year, though, I'm sure you'll be back.

10:34:00 PM

 
Blogger awildermode said...

Now that I think about it, I remeber you having a Joe Cool. I found your blog while doing research on Joe Cool. This was about 2-3 weeks before I met you at DCS.

7:36:00 PM

 
Blogger Martini said...

Dan, it's worrisome that's certainly true. Since we've had a few 13 to 15C days recently I've driven it and determined it should hold for my trip.

11:44:00 AM

 
Blogger Martini said...

I just realized something. Once I replace my fans, I won't NEED Joe Cool any more. Hmm.

11:45:00 AM

 
Blogger Unknown said...

Hi Martini. Having a leak in your car may cause a lot of trouble brought about by a faulty radiator. This can prevent you from driving long distances and may lead to your car overheating and breaking down.

Donny Flanders @ Radiator.com/CA/North-Hollywood/96

1:06:00 PM

 
Blogger Martini said...

Donny, I own collector cars. I'm not a moron. But thanks anyway.

12:50:00 PM

 

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