The Greatest Customer's Car has been DEFACED!!!!

[Dave1982]

Literally! Part of the face has been ripped off the car!

Oh man.....I am very unhappy, and the Greatest Customer is going apeshit.....

Someone in the Boston area decided they'd like to have part of a DeLorean as a trophy, and ripped off the front grille with the DMC logo on it.

People suck. It takes a real asshole to do something like this. The car looks very sad now, and without the grille, the headlight wiring is exposed (the upper grille is mostly decorative; the actual air induction grille for the radiator is under the bumper.)

Hopefully his insurance will cover it, but if not, then it'll be $370 for a new grille, and $50 for a new DMC emblem.

[SG15Z]

Oh man that really sucks. Man people suck....

[Food Lady]

Reading that makes me angry.

[Dave1982]

This is hardly the worst case of DeLoreans being damaged or otherwise vandalized by assholes.

A few years ago, someone parked theirs with the passenger window partially rolled down, and someone passing by took a leak into the open window.

And before that, one guy had his parked somewhere, and two punks almost totalled it in an attempt to steal it. They tried forcing the doors open but succeeded only in breaking off the door handles. Then, rather than just smashing a window, they crowbarred both doors open, ripping the striker pins right out of the fiberglass underbody in the process. After destroying the steering column and wiring in a failed attempt to hotwire it, they then slashed up the seats and filled it up with trash and other crap. Took thousands of dollars to repair all the damage.

Still, doesn't make this theft any less infuriating.

[mandaliz8704]

Oh, thats some bullshit. I hope the insurance covers it.

[protege]

Pardon my French, but that's fucked up. As a classic car owner, I couldn't help but get pissed off while reading that. Why would anyone think they have the right to damage someone else's property, especially when said property contains parts that may or may not be easily found or replaced. If someone did something like that to my MG, it would take some serious will power, not to go after them with a bat

[draggar]

That's horribe and I agree - it wasa complete asshole who did that.

[Bramble]

As my dad said when we found some scrape damage to my car from people sliding their shit along the side "People are assholes! If they can't have anything that looks nice then they make sure everyone else can't either!"

[Dave1982]

I've been in touch with the various DeLorean groups about this, just in case whoever stole it decides to try and sell it (running the New England club helps when it comes to clout).

Apparently it IS possible for the grille to fall off, but only if it was previously removed and then reinstalled wrong, or if the retaining clips were damaged in the process. But that is very VERY rare. Plus, I checked the retaining clips and they did not appear to be damaged. And then there's the fact that it would be mighty hard to not notice such a large piece of trim flying off the car like that. The car is so low to the ground that if it fell off and then you drive over it it would all but certainly bounce up and hit the undercarraige, noisily. And he didn't notice anything like that.

So I still think some asshole stole it.

[Dave1982]

A little bit of good news.....I just received an offer from someone who has an extra grille lying around from an old project car, and he's asking for $60 shipped. It doesn't have the emblem in it, and at that price it's probably not in the best of shape, but it can always be cleaned up and repainted. At the very least, it's a step in the right direction.

[Tanasi]

What's good about DeLorean's is that every part is available. These is a warehouse in Ireland that has thousands upon thousands of parts. Heck you can still buy brand new never been driven DeLoreans.
Last year I restored one for my wife and she named it Doc.
Currently my youngest son and I are restoring and modifiing a 79 Jeep Wagoneer for him to drive when he earns his license next year. We're gonna put real wood vineer on the sides. He's already named it Porter.

[Evil Queen]

I was going to say we should take up a donation to see if we could help get some help for The Greatest Customer but you seem to have it under control. You're a great guy Dave!

[Dave1982]

What's good about DeLorean's is that every part is available. These is a warehouse in Ireland that has thousands upon thousands of parts. Heck you can still buy brand new never been driven DeLoreans.
Last year I restored one for my wife and she named it Doc.
Currently my youngest son and I are restoring and modifiing a 79 Jeep Wagoneer for him to drive when he earns his license next year. We're gonna put real wood vineer on the sides. He's already named it Porter.

Actually, not all parts are available. There are some that have gone out of stock. And the warehouse is in Texas.

[Dave1982]

I was going to say we should take up a donation to see if we could help get some help for The Greatest Customer but you seem to have it under control. You're a great guy Dave!

I am aren't I? I am certainly not without my flaws, but I am nothing if not generous and willing to help people.

[Evil Queen]

Um, dave, I think you meant to quote Tanasi in that first quotation set, not me.

...twice.

Well, the SO is going back to Houston over Christmas. I wonder if I can talk him into stopping by the Delorian place to check out prices?