Coolest auction ever! BTTF "time machine" replica (1 Viewer)

[Tony-B]

GREAT SCOTT!!!!! I need to get that!

 

[Brian Harnish]

Man, oh, man...*drool*. What I wouldn't give to have that replica!

 

[Philip_G]

I thought delorean ran into financial problems and then quality problems followed, maybe I'm thinking of someone else, were they built in ireland by chance?

 

[Rob Lutter]

One of the original cars is sitting in front of Back to the Future - The Ride here in Orlando and has been for many years (along with the time train from BTTF3). The train is getting a bit rusty, but the DeLorean still looks like brand new! A testament to the stainless steel construction of the vehicle.

 

[Tony Whalen]

Wouldn't that be fun! Then you just lean out and yell "GREAT SCOTT!" as you drive away.

 

[Tony Whalen]

Probably true Francois.

I've seen a couple of Knight Rider replicas up close, and I've seen an "original" screen car. The replicas were FAR better looking, and were fully functional for daily driving. The screen-car wasn't. Hell, it actually had to be plugged into a power source to light up the dashboard.

 

[Moe Maishlish]

Oh man, love the car! Gret job on the replica!

Ever since I was a wee lad I wanted one of these cars! My x-girlfriends' uncle had one sitting in his garage that had about 10,000 KM's on it. He hadn't driven it in a LONG time, and was considering selling it the last time I saw him (about 4 years ago). I wonder if he still has it...

The cars themselves were actually very well built, with a stainless steel body that would not rust out. Unfortunately, the frame itself was not made of steel, so it was prone to some rust, especially if you lived in areas with a lot of snow & salted streets!

A lot of people don't know this, but the Delorean name & company were bought out by some people in Texas a few years ago, and they've somewhat ressurected the car from the ashes. Mind you, we're not talking about a big-time operation, but rather a medium sized shop that specializes in restoring, refurbishing, and selling fully functional and geniune Deloreans! The company has a website (http://www.delorean.com duh!) and they still have parts available for necessary repairs.... granted we're talking big-bucks, considering I doubt many shops know the layout of these cars, and you'd most likely need to ship it down there for servicing.

As for the history of the company itself, I remember reading that the widely spread rumor the demise of the company being attributed to a coke-bust was in fact incorrect. In actuality (if I remember correctly), the company simply had financial problems, and folded after only 2 years of operation. Regardless, they produced a hell of an automobile that was then immortalized in the now classic BTTF trilogy, and I can't imagine any other car filling in for it!

I swear, one day I'm going to own one of these puppies!

Moe.

 

[Tony Whalen]

Certainly a cooler option than the refrigerator that the film-makers FIRST thought of using as a time machine. Until they realized that kids across the world would be locking themselves in the icebox.

 

[Tony Whalen]

I'll be darned... just visited the Delorean site that Moe listed. They have several refurbished cars for sale, one of which is BLACK. I didn't think you could paint stainless! Looks nice!

 

[Vince Maskeeper]

Looks like ebay pulled it?

 

[Bill Williams]

Oh man, that's heavy...

 

[Rob_Hook]

First, this is probably the best BTTF reproduction I've seen. I wish I'd noticed it on e-bay.

I'm a former DeLorean owner and have actually talked to John DeLorean on the phone but haven't gotten the chance to meet him in person yet. (I was about to hire someone who claimed to have worked for John DeLorean in the 80s.)

To dispell a few myths:

1. John DeLorean never smuggled drugs in a car. This is a total fabrication but stems from a joke told by Johnny Carson on the Tonight Show. Paraphrased, the joke was: "In other news, John DeLorean has been arrested for conspiracy to smuggle cocaine. For those of you who bought the DeLorean automobile, your rebate is in the trunk." Ironically, Johnny Carson was one of the earliest investors in the DeLorean Motor Company and took delivery of one of the first cars produced. It was up for sale a few years ago and had many odd pre-production features.

2. DeLorean is not in jail, didn't die in jail and, except for a day or two trying to figure out how to get or if he needed bail money, never went to jail.

3. As a matter of fact, he was completely exonerated. This case is a text-book case of government entrapment and was probably the highest-profile entrapment case in history. It turns out there was an FBI informant and former drug dealer/smuggler who just happend to meet John DeLorean (on a tennis court I believe) in New York years before. Years later, this informant had already turned in all his old friends and was facing losing his arrangement with the FBI since he didn't have anyone left to squeal on. He heard that John DeLorean was having money problems (thanks to the British government) and decided he could lure DeLorean into trying to raise money by financing a drug deal. DeLorean was led to believe that what he was financing was another business deal involving importing something else but I've forgotten what the other product was. By the time DeLorean was told that it was a drug deal he was investing in, it was too late. They threatened to send his daughter's head to him in a bag if he backed out. The judge in the case is quoted as saying "If I could throw the FBI personell involved in this in jail, I would." After the case DeLorean's reputation, and his company, were ruined. He's quoted as saying "They've ruined my life. Would you buy a used car from me?"

4. The DeLorean is actually a very good car. They're all 20 years old now so they're not the most reliable in the world but the engine was from Volvo, frame from Lotus, transmission from Renault and some other parts from GM. Many DeLoreans have over 100,000 miles on them (including mine) which is very rare for an exotic car. They're no barn stormers but had respectable acceleration and handling for the time. There are a few twin-turbo DeLoreans that will give Porsches a run for their money, including two or three FACTORY twin-turbo cars.

5. The DeLorean is NOT extremely heavy because of the stainless steel skin. The stainless steel is not a structural part of the body and therefore is very thin and light. The DeLorean weighs about the same as the Corvette from the same era.

6. That's SS304 stainless steel the body is made from, not aluminum, not graphite or anything else. It's the same alloy used to make sinks and refrigerators and will look good virtually forever.

7. SS304 forms a virtually clear oxidation film that protects the metal from further decay. This is why it doesn't "rust". Because of this layer of oxidation, no DeLorean was ever painted by the factory. There are techniques that allow DeLoreans to be painted but the factory never had any equipment to do this. Talks were in the works with 3M to develop a semi-transparent type of coating for the bodies that would allow you to still see the brushed stainless steel underneath but DeLorean went out of business before this materialized. Several cars were, however, gold-plated by the factory for a publicity arrangement with American Express gold cards.

8. The BTTF cars you see at Universal Studios in Orlando and California are not the cars used in the movies. They were made years later for the purpose of being used in the production of the BTTF ride films used in the park's rides. One of the actual cars used in the movies used to be visible in the "back lot" tour at one of the parks. Unfortunately, the car was deteriorating last I heard.

9. The DeLorean that gets destroyed at the end of BTTF 3 wasn't a real DeLorean at all. It was a mock-up made of spare body and interior parts. Notice that you never see any part of the frame in that clip.

10. The DeLorean was made in Dunmurry, Northern Ireland, not France, not Germany, not England, and not Puerto Rico (but they almost were!).

--Rob Hook

 

[Moe Maishlish]

Rob,



Thanks!

So why are you a "former" DeLorean owner? Please don't say you had an accident with it... :frowning:

Moe.

 

[Garrett Lundy]

A place that sells fully restored DeLoreans! for only $35,000



I'm gonna buy me some lotto tickets tonight!



I'll start a collection of uncommon vintage cars. Get me a '77 Harley-Davidson XL1000CR Cafe Racer motorcycle too.

 

[Khoa Tran]

hey Ron-P, there a dealer on Brookhurst and Garden Grove that has two deloreans, you can come down there and have a test drive =)

 

[Rob_Hook]

Nope, no accident. I just decided to upgrade. The DeLoreans are 20 years old and it's hard to drive one every day. I like to enjoy my collector cars. I drive a Viper now.

--Rob

 

[Gui A]

It's back up. eBay pulled it because there were copyright issues with the first two night time pics.

 

[Tony Whalen]

Good info Rob! Thanks!