We decided that “we have to go back” for our second blog and conduct a write-up on a cult classic, which Steve brought to our latest Sunday meet! The DeLorean DMC-12 is a car that is seriously misunderstood and is often thought of as a failure in the motor world, but it was a car that was ahead of its time.
THE DESIGN
The DMC-12 was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, one of the most famous car designers in the world. It has a sleek, futuristic design that still looks modern today. The body is made of stainless steel, which is both lightweight and corrosion resistant. The car was powered by a 2.85-liter V6 engine that produced 130 horsepower. This was not a lot of power for a sports car, but the DMC-12 was not designed to be a speed demon. It was designed to be a stylish and luxurious car that was also affordable.
One of the most notable features of the DMC-12 was its gull-wing doors. These doors were a major engineering challenge, but they added to the car's futuristic look. The car was unfortunately not without its flaws. The build quality was not great, and the car was prone to electrical problems. However, the DMC-12 also had a lot of things going for it, through its futuristic and stylish design, yet it was relatively affordable.
STEVE’S DELOREAN
Steve’s DeLorean was built at the Dunmurry Factory in Belfast in 1981 and was then exported to the United States. He purchased the car from Beverly Hills Car Club in LA in 2020; and apart from photos, videos and phone conservations was unseen. After waiting two months for the car being shipped over to the UK he would only then know if he had made the right decision in his purchase, thankfully, he did! Unfortunately, due to the untimely event of COVID the car took a while to get onto the road because of garages being shut and delays in parts and registrations. The car later passed its MOT, on the second time round and Steve was able to show off his new pride and joy. As with any 40-year-old classic car though, they have had their fair share of disagreements and Steve’s other half has lost count of the times he’s said, “that’s it, I’m selling it!” But here they are still together and attending our meet!
Some of the distinct features on Steve’s car is that there is an extra T on the VIN plate, which he has put down to someone rushing to get off to the pub after work, and the interior of the door skins has a key code number along with a variety of signatures and ‘cave-art’. The car is signed by Metal Mickey who has gained a name for himself, now fitting windscreens in Ireland, he was shocked to learn about his celebrity status amongst the DeLorean community.
MOVIE HISTORY
The DMC-12's biggest claim to fame came in 1985, when it was featured in the movie Back to the Future. The DMC-12 was transformed into a time machine by Dr. Emmett Brown using a flux capacitor, and it became one of the most iconic cars in movie history. Combined with its movie fame and futuristic design the car became one of the most sought-after collector’s items with many still to this day trying to get their hands on one. If you get a chance to drive one of these amazing cars, just make sure you don’t get to 88 miles per hour!
TO CONCLUDE
The car was only produced for a short period of time, which only adds to the collection aspects of the car. There were only approximately 9,000 units produced from 1981 to 1982 after which DMC filed for bankruptcy, but with an estimated 6,500 still on the road... or in the sky, thats some good going! It has since become a cult classic and is a car that is loved by many, even with its flaws.
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