"Are you telling me that you built a...TIME MACHINE!.....out of a DeLorean?!" "The way I see it, if you're going to build a time machine into a car, why not do it with some STYLE!"
Nah it's just a really shitty wannabe sports car that got famous only because of even shittier movie. Just look at it... It has a build quality of a Yugo and it's about as fast too. 130hp? Really?
I maybe repeating some of the other comments on this video (which isn't necessarily a bad thing) but as a now 5 year DeLorean owner I can honestly say this is one of the most spot-on and detailed deep-dives into the car and how it feels driving I have come across... well done!
The factory was just a mile or two from where I lived. N. Ireland was going through very dark times then and this brought much needed work to the community. The workers were very proud of it and it was a devastating blow when it closed. I visited the factory site last year which is now occupied by several other companies. There is also a test track which I believe they open to enthusiasts a few times a year.
I was able to get to the track (Montupet own that part of the Dunmurry site now) with the owner's club a few years ago. They have to clear it with a JCB every few years. The banking is a lot steeper when you're inside the car!
I was in Belfast earlier in the year and among other visits had a tour of the engineering faculty at QUB. Spotted a DeLorean behind a workshop and it turns out the students have done an EV conversion on it. I can imagine that suiting the car as well as being harmonious with the film stuff.
Love these things. I live in Wicklow Ireland and about 7 years ago my Mum came in and said a DeLorean had passed her while out walking. I was convinced she was wrong so imagine my surprise when I went by my neighbours b&b and there it was sitting outside. A lovely couple from overseas somewhere (perhaps Holland 🤔) where touring Ireland in it. They showed me and my Da all over it. And honestly it was just as cool in reality. Love them 😀
@@geoffreypiltz271I fitted an Alfa Romeo boxer from a 33 tourer to mine, 1.7l 8v with twin 40mm Weber IDFs. It had 118bhp stock I recall but on the original gearbox in my T2 with gearing for a 1600 aircooled engine, the Alfa would push it along at 80-90 all day if you were brave enough. Sounded fab too.
It's amazing how these cars still look so modern despite their age, and it's good to see that this example seems to be in regular use given the dents and other evidence of wear and tear.
Wow that one is in very rough shape, but kudos to the owner for working on getting it sorted out. People love the DeLorean because it is visually beautiful, instills a sense of wonder, potential, excitement, and tickles the imagination and heart all at the same time. It represents a hopeful and exciting future with a dose of reality that not everything is perfect....but it will be beautiful.
A quite similar car and story to the Bricklin, built here in Canada. The man it was named after and the idea of bringing a boost to an area of poor economy all told a similar tale. Hagarty did an interesting article comparing the two back in 2018. Worth a read. 👍🏻
Remember the Bricklin car very well still have the article I cut from a magazine at the time announcing the car and it's creator,sad it didn't work out Auckland New Zealand 2023
Vice Grip Garage featured a Bricklin rescue which was fascinating, particularly as it needed some effort to get it running. I remember seeing the parallels with DeLorean at the time.
You can still build an entire car from available off the shelf parts, especially in America. So if you had the money and wanted a mint one you could just buy it like a kit.
Indeed. I still have an old magazine from the early 80s with a classified ad from a company that was selling a kit of parts bought from the liquidator to build a supposedly complete car.
@@adrianrowden8266 most of the external stainless panelling is available apart from - I think - the right front wing. They were the first panels to go out of stock in the early days as the ones most dented by drivers unused to the low driving position and consequent difficulty placing the car when parking. Body repair shops in the 80s didn’t have the expertise to beat out and refinish the original panels so they got routinely replaced. Not sure if DMC (Houston) have any of the GRP bodytubs that everything is bolted to.
I can only imagine the glee that you felt knowing that you were going to experience the Delorean. Certainly an unusual machine, I personally believe it to be a stunning car in appearance. Thank you so sincerely for bringing one to your channel, reviewing it in your own inimitable style and giving us the viewers yet another great presentation. Kudos mate 👍🥳
I have to wonder if it hadn't appeared in Back to the Future, where it would have ended up in history. Today, movie appearance apart, I think the design is pretty much spot on, and condition so HubNut, a work in progress, loved and used, just like ourselves, and appreciated...
Yes, changed its image forever - people would have made so much for out of a fridge - the original idea for a prop until someone said children playing with fridges was already dangerous.
No, it could have been one of those slightly obscure supercars that you vaguely remember from seeing in a book that you read as a teenager but it would otherwise have been forgotten. I just made the comment, 'the Firebird played a big part in the sucsess of a film, it's a film that is the only reason we remember the DeLorean'.
@GoldenCroc not going to lie I do prefer the Bricklin only because I hate the Douvrin V6. It not a bad motor the PRV just I don't like its charecter and design. The Bricklin had initially an AMC 360 Javelin motor then changed to the Ford Windsor V8.
In the late 90’s, as a 16 year old lad, I witnessed around 20 of these pass by me at the Port of Tyne. I was a baggage handler at the time, helping out on the car booths. Must have been an owners club travelling to a show. At that point id only ever seen one on the famous film, certainly never in the steel. Great memories.
they were a very common sight around the streets of Coventry in the early eighties. DeLorean had a purchasing office in Christchurch House in the city centre and they also had premises on the binley industrial estate on willenhall lane. l was riding past the unit in binley on my pushbike and there was four brand new deLoreans parked up outside and l stopped to peer through the fence my first ever sighting of a DeLorean in the wild
Also from Coventry. in the 1990's One used to live on Brandon Road in a small courtyard opposite Kits & Bits model shop. Always exciting walking past to see if it was there.
At at recent Cars & Coffee here in Texas a DeLorean outfitted with ALL the “Back to the Future” props and features (i.e. a full-on movie replica) showed up. It was the hit of the massive car show (1000+ cars) and there was a constant crowd around it.
Great road test of an iconic classic! Prior to the movies, I recall when these first came out; a year later there were already several parked in the back lot of a Ford dealer I used to drive by regularly; a few were painted (red). The back end reminds me somewhat of a 3rd gen "F-body" GM (Camaro, Firebird), and it's amazing that such a low-slung, sporty machine has better outward visibility than many contemporary vehicles.
What an interesting car, they will always be typecast as the star of the back to the future move . It’s interesting to find that there is a quite usable car underneath that radical exterior. As always great review Mr Hubnut❤.
I drove passed one of these the other day near Craven Arms in Shropshire. The only other times I'd seen one was at a car show in St Asaph, Wales and one in America about 12 years ago
The 2.8 PRV in my late father's Peugeot 505 V6 was fuel injected and had 170 BHP. It had 285k km on it when it was scrapped and still ran as a clock. His was a rare 5 speed manual and surprised a few BMW's
My uncle was one of the first customers to take delivery in the metro Detroit area. I was a teenager when he bought it, I recall all of the press attention prior to the car arriving in the States. One instance I remember was when John Delorean and his wife appeared on the “Mike Douglas Show”, a syndicated afternoon talk show here in the U.S. I vividly recall Delorean showing art work of future versions of the car, a sedan and I think an estate wagon as well. My uncle’s Delorean finally arrived. My folks and I went over to get a first look. I remember thinking how small it appeared, and then when he told me about the tire situation, I thought that was pretty stupid. If you had a flat in the rear tire, you had to have it towed because the spare was for the front tires only. A rear spare wouldn’t fit in the front compartment. I got to go for a few rides in it before my aunt and uncle had it shipped to their 2nd home in Florida. I never saw it again.
I had one back in 2004 and used it daily for 8 months , loved it and it never missed a beat ! Wish I’d kept it though , uk prices were good back then , not so much now !!
I've seen one on the motorway few months ago here in Slovakia, out of all places. I couldn't believe my eyes. It was on Dutch plates if I remember correctly.
Nice one Ian! I must admit I didn't expect to see a member of DMC on the channel but this one fits very well with some no extra cost foibles. A shame the flux capacitor is missing but so is the 2.1GW of energy needed to power it. There is a lot more room behind the seats than I expected. It's nice to hear that spares and service is still supported with so many surviving. At a guess I'd thing that there are more DeLorean survivors than many other cars from the 1980's or even the 90's. Many thanks for sharing even though I'm green with envy that you had the chance to drive one.
@@knightad33 Many thanks for the correction and the Easter egg for the time matching the energy. I missed that one. If I recall correctly the mall was called 'Twin Pines' at the beginning but after one of the pines got knocked down during the movie when they returned to 'today (1980's) it was called 'Lone Pine'. Cheers.
Had a regular customer with one and learned a lot about them , spent some time driving His here and there over those years , I quite liked it myself , it was in a constant state of improvement between maintenance he looked after it and was a good example , I used to find it hard at first acquaintance to tell where the edges where from the drivers seat when manoeuvring in very tight spaces indoors like putting on a four poster lift so got folk to guide me in .
Years-back when i was a BT engineer in Wallington,there was a bloke that lived off of Woodcote Green and i don't know if he fixed or collected De Loreans but at one point had 5 in his front garden
A touch of the Lotus Esprit from behind, I love it and always have. Being as I am aged 57, I VIVIDLY remember the controversy scandal and bankruptcy back in 1982. It looked very cool back in 1982 and what's really sad is there's a great car in there somewhere, who knows with a little good fortune (and less politics) DMC might just have made it!
I saw a convoy on the A11 nr Thetford a few yrs back, it looks like they meet at least 3 times a yr in Norfolk (Kings Lynn), more if the decide to go to Lotus!
The car itself obviously reminds me of the movie but the badge always reminds me of the band. Wonder if a non-starting DeLorean ever had the bands name shouted at it..? Fuel filler under the bonnet reminds me of my first car - Hillman Imp - also rear engine and lift up rear window. 👍🏻
14:20 "Today's modern SUVs are mildly terrifying." Proceeds to drive past a Fiat 500 which is 3 feet taller than the Delorean. 😂 All cars have grown, which does make driving a low slung sportscar of any kind a little intimidating.
I have a 05 plate gen 7 honda civic type r which is hilariousily low in comparison to my partner's Renault Ankara (suv coupe) 😂 at thought. Basically a Mondeo on stilts
Before the Delorean another car built in Canada also bares so much similarities to this car. The car is the Bricklin SV-1 which if you look at a picture of a Delorean and the Bricklin the design idea's aren't far away from each other. Both have gullwing doors, both have the same shape body design. The Bricklin pre dates the Delorean as it was built from 1974 to 1975 and its engine offering was a big V8. I believe the Haynes Motor Museum has one but I have seen another one in the flesh in Florida in a garages yard waiting for restoration.
Besides the obvious novelty of the infamy of the backstory and the singular stainless body, the Giugiaro Effect is fully in play here. I have a Suzuki SC100 Whizzkid, which his original Ital Design for them inspired. Like the Delorean, it's wedgey and inorganic in shape, but so very efficient, and the view out is spectacular. There was a factory-restored one making the rounds of review channels several years ago, but I'd love to see Hubnut drive a patinated example owned by an average bloke. I'll bet they, too, are welcome at Lotus events!
I'm loving this. I'm going to watch this at least once all the way through, and let the ads run (unless they're horrid). It's so cool that it has a HubNut sticker on it!
They are still amazing looking and I love them. Agree about the badging and logo too, looks great. Oddly Dacia of all companies seem to be have semi-copied it lately!
Perfect interior size for MJF though lol as he is only like 5ft 4 inches they actually had him playing a girl in BTTF2 i never knew until years later as he passed very well lol
#8:33 Now I'm really confused is this a left hand drive version or is it an Irish Right "The Hand Brake is here to my Right", it's definitely on the left when I watch it. 😊
@HubNut I remember working in Liverpool University back in the Late 80s installation Telephone systems and in one of the Lab's was Plastic parts with DMC Logos on them left gathering dust. I believe the University helped with formulating and testing the plastics. Very sad that DMC went bust because the whole UK was suffering mass unemployment, which wasn't helped by the Thatcher government closing the Mines, Car producers and selling everything off that was making profits at the time like British Telecom. Bloody Government's have a lot to answer for in destroying our Car and Aircraft industries.
It really is a beautiful car. Setting up a factory in a place with no work, no history of car manufacturing ( Dunmurry ) was, as I recall, rather like the story of Rootes at Linwood ( Hillman Imp ), Triumph st Speke ,..etc. And Colin Chapman of Lotus deeply involved in the dirty money murk. Yep, a recipe for success, not. Still a beautiful car though. Thank you for posting this video.
Northern Ireland does have a great history of light and heavy engineering eg. Shorts, H&W etc so putting it in Northern Ireland was not as crazy as it sounds today.
I heard that you've got to be careful of not going over speed humps too fast and bending the pressed-steel front A-arms, and that someone was making stronger replacements for them for a while.
Still turns heads after 40 years. Great vid again - you’ll have to do a lotus elite - I’d like to see how that compares, as they are still really affordable. No t many vids on these being driven - how does it handle - is it a bit of a barge or is it pretty modern feeling? Lovely to have a look around one - thanks
I have a feeling I may have been one of the people giving you some attention when on the M4, have seen that car (or maybe there are two!) a few times now and I'm pretty sure I saw you out in it that day when doing my regular Bristol-Swansea run! Always thought the DMC12 just never got a chance to be fully developed, only ever really getting to Mk1 status. Can you imagine a well-built one with a proper amount of power or even a V8? I know people have modified a few over the years so be interesting to see where the project could have ended up.
As thumbnails go, that had my typically unenthusiastic forefinger instantly tapping on it. Top stuff. I think possibly the first car TH-camr I made a habit of watching… the old boy’s still got it hasn’t he. 😉
I lived in Dunmurry for around 20 years, my mate was on door production line at the factory responsible for making, fitting and also snagging doors. He and his colleagues on the line signed the inside of the doors they made. Workers were all 100% comitted to both communities working together to play their part in making the factory a success, sadly other factors outside their control were about to bring it all down.😢
100 % right Buddy. Couldn't agree more. Delorean wasn't given a chance to get on its feet. The Factory is still there and went on to be Montupet and then Bombardier, am I right. The Delorean was an amazing car compared to the under engineered scrap that Chevrolet was churning out in the USA that drove John Zachary to give people something that they could be proud of.
Love it and would love one. The assets were mainly bought by a US based Liverpudlian and the main warehouse/restoration facility is a few miles from the office I work in (in Houston, Texas). They have a new car coming out too, which will be built in San Antonio (quite a bit of vehicle manufacture there despite being more famous for Ozzy peeing on the Alamo). Everything about the story is fascinating and there are some parallels to the (equally fascinating) Africar story too. Maybe it is only me that makes those connections... Great video, thanks Ian and Carly.
The V6 2.8l PRV engine was also in the Volvo 260 and 760. I had to change the cams in my 260 (chewed up because the previous owner hadn't changed the oil) and found that the cams were identical, for the Renault and Volvo. Except that they changed the locating lugs for the cam spocket, so you couldn't actually interchange them. It amused me in the 'back to the future II', in the wild west, when Doc tried to run it on alcohol, blew it up and the fuel injection spider ended up on the floor. (a very recognisable engine)
I have the same 2.8 PRV engine in a 1983 Peugeot 604 Gti (155HP DIN) runs fine with 5 speed box very close to an old BMW 525i, an Alfa Busso 3.0 V6 from Alfa 75 America would wake up the De Lorean as hell! (Well the PRV can also be tuned to over 200HP with Alpine kit) also the Maserati Merak 3,0SS V6 engine would work fine or an Maserati Bora 4,7 V8.
I think it's the same engine that was in Volvo 760 GLE (B28) Pug 604, (ZNJK) and whatever Renault called it in the 25 Baccara. A quite fragile engine but quite reliable if maintained. It's odd firing too.
Great video of an iconic car :) BTW we were in that very same carpark earlier today when seeing Oppenheimer in the Odeon. A very good movie but I would have much preferred seeing this car parked next to me :)
Had a 69 Charger as always wanted one, hated it. I suspect the same would happen if I got a DMC , but it doesn't stop me wanting one. Sometimes you have to scratch an itch.
That must've been devastating. I was at a a classic car show last weekend and spent a while drooling over a late 60s Charger. I can't imagine how disappointed I would be if I hated driving one. To paraphrase James May on an old Top Gear, it's best not to meet your heroes.
If only high quality stainless steel was economically viable enough for Citroen to use it for body panels and structural framework instead of just for bumpers and trim on the DS and SM (and GS, CX, etc.), then many of them wouldn't've rusted away into oblivion (although scrappage schemes won't save any car no matter how good or bad their condition). I know it's not the nicest of metals to work with because of how hard it is, but it would've offered near to perfect corrosion resistance (depending on the grade and quality of the alloy used that is).
That’s an interesting road test, I have seen a few of them here in Australia over the years, the first one in a Melbourne car yard in the 1980’s and it was right hand drive, there is one that must be around where I live that comes out on the weekends sometimes but irrespective of its lowly power output I have always liked them and wouldn’t mind one parked in my garage, 👍
The British government at the time should have insisted on using the Rover V8 as part of the package of investments into The DeLorean plant Northern Ireland.
The original design used a Wankel engine. Other engines considered before he got stuck with the PRV. That was likely due to it being USA emissions approved. The DeLorean Wiki is a good read.
Ford apparently built a couple of stainless one-offs over the years, and some cars have had stainless panels, but the DeLorean is the only production car to be entirely clad with the stuff. I wonder why...
Still waiting for the tesla cybertrucks to hit the market. The delorean was fiberglass body i've heard so might disintegrate over time, like some tractor cabs i've seen.
The company that bought Delorean got all the NOS parts too. A few years ago you could still buy a new Delorean made out of NOS, I'm not sure if you still can.
Good video about a fascinating car. The Smart Roadster borrowed a lot from the hind quarters. I think that it had tremendous promise and potential for development, with a more powerful engine. But it's a godpoint you make about the relaxed torque and easy cruising.
The DeLorean has aged really well. It's even more attractive of a design these days because it manages to be both 80s and futuristic at the same time.
The DeLorean has aged really well because the body is stainless steel (hence why you can't paint them)
Looks and performs better than a stupid pathetic Tesla 💯💯💯🆒️
This car oozes cyberpunk vibes. I’ve always loved it!
Nope, pimped esprit...
@@hotrodpawns People do paint them. Stainless was chosen for rust resistance, but it also removes the need to purchase costly paints.
After sitting in a DMC my younger brother believed for several years that the car was limited to 85mph to avoid unwanted time travel. Bless.
Blame it on your brother?
@@stick9648 😂
just go down in a hill until 85mph then drop Neutral lol
@@korfak😂😂
lol and still laughing! Did that one also run on plutonium?
"They're still fascinating, aren't they". Best HubNut opening words I've ever heard. All true, these things are still so iconic.
"Are you telling me that you built a...TIME MACHINE!.....out of a DeLorean?!"
"The way I see it, if you're going to build a time machine into a car, why not do it with some STYLE!"
Nah it's just a really shitty wannabe sports car that got famous only because of even shittier movie. Just look at it... It has a build quality of a Yugo and it's about as fast too. 130hp? Really?
@@knkjkjn. You must be fun at parties.
@@knkjkjn it looks better than your volvo
The most HubNut of sportscars. Still looks amazing 40 years on
As does HubNut
Took the words right out of my mouth
@@3wheeler1000 (praise indeed for Hubnut! I'm sure he will be pleased!)
As a DeLorean owner it's a welcome change seeing a DeLorean review that is fair. Well done Ian!
I maybe repeating some of the other comments on this video (which isn't necessarily a bad thing) but as a now 5 year DeLorean owner I can honestly say this is one of the most spot-on and detailed deep-dives into the car and how it feels driving I have come across... well done!
Thank you. Appreciate that.
The factory was just a mile or two from where I lived. N. Ireland was going through very dark times then and this brought much needed work to the community. The workers were very proud of it and it was a devastating blow when it closed. I visited the factory site last year which is now occupied by several other companies. There is also a test track which I believe they open to enthusiasts a few times a year.
I was able to get to the track (Montupet own that part of the Dunmurry site now) with the owner's club a few years ago. They have to clear it with a JCB every few years. The banking is a lot steeper when you're inside the car!
Yeah from NI too and yes should have a small museum there that would definitely drive tourism up
I lived not far from the factory as well. I would pass it when going to college and now and again after I left
I drove the Test Track in 2019, they usually open it for Eurofest but I did it for a charity day.
I was in Belfast earlier in the year and among other visits had a tour of the engineering faculty at QUB. Spotted a DeLorean behind a workshop and it turns out the students have done an EV conversion on it. I can imagine that suiting the car as well as being harmonious with the film stuff.
Love these things. I live in Wicklow Ireland and about 7 years ago my Mum came in and said a DeLorean had passed her while out walking. I was convinced she was wrong so imagine my surprise when I went by my neighbours b&b and there it was sitting outside. A lovely couple from overseas somewhere (perhaps Holland 🤔) where touring Ireland in it. They showed me and my Da all over it. And honestly it was just as cool in reality. Love them 😀
The fact that a T2 VW bus kept up with Marty for a while, tells you something about its performance. :D
I see it is a VW though I recall a Toyota.
Only cos mcfly was saving a gear to see if those bastards could do 90
As a 750cc motorcycle rider I once cased a VW T2 for 5 miles before I was able to overtake. You can fit a Porsche engine to one!
@@geoffreypiltz271I fitted an Alfa Romeo boxer from a 33 tourer to mine, 1.7l 8v with twin 40mm Weber IDFs. It had 118bhp stock I recall but on the original gearbox in my T2 with gearing for a 1600 aircooled engine, the Alfa would push it along at 80-90 all day if you were brave enough.
Sounded fab too.
It will leave a karmann ghia for dust though😂!
DeLorean 1 VW 0
It's amazing how these cars still look so modern despite their age, and it's good to see that this example seems to be in regular use given the dents and other evidence of wear and tear.
'Are you telling me you made a time machine, out of a DeLorean' !! Possibly one of the best lines in cinema history
The disgust on Martys face is hilarious at that line.
Thank God they didn't use the fridge idea
Wow that one is in very rough shape, but kudos to the owner for working on getting it sorted out.
People love the DeLorean because it is visually beautiful, instills a sense of wonder, potential, excitement, and tickles the imagination and heart all at the same time. It represents a hopeful and exciting future with a dose of reality that not everything is perfect....but it will be beautiful.
A quite similar car and story to the Bricklin, built here in Canada. The man it was named after and the idea of bringing a boost to an area of poor economy all told a similar tale. Hagarty did an interesting article comparing the two back in 2018. Worth a read. 👍🏻
And scammers continue to this day. See Lordstown etc
Remember the Bricklin car very well still have the article I cut from a magazine at the time announcing the car and it's creator,sad it didn't work out Auckland New Zealand 2023
Vice Grip Garage featured a Bricklin rescue which was fascinating, particularly as it needed some effort to get it running.
I remember seeing the parallels with DeLorean at the time.
@@jncg2311 I’ll have to look that one up.
Without a doubt, the best Review of the famous De Lorean I have ever seen. Well done.
Always puts me in mind of my old Lancia Montecarlo to look at (without the gull wing doors). Would be interesting if you could check one out.
Yes I thought that too. The Monte Carlo is another stunning looking car.
You can still build an entire car from available off the shelf parts, especially in America. So if you had the money and wanted a mint one you could just buy it like a kit.
All true. I'm am planning a Velorex 16-350 clone build using that very technique.
Indeed. I still have an old magazine from the early 80s with a classified ad from a company that was selling a kit of parts bought from the liquidator to build a supposedly complete car.
Can you get body shell as well?
@@adrianrowden8266 most of the external stainless panelling is available apart from - I think - the right front wing. They were the first panels to go out of stock in the early days as the ones most dented by drivers unused to the low driving position and consequent difficulty placing the car when parking. Body repair shops in the 80s didn’t have the expertise to beat out and refinish the original panels so they got routinely replaced. Not sure if DMC (Houston) have any of the GRP bodytubs that everything is bolted to.
@@adrianrowden8266 I suspect that big warehouse in America probably has a few laying around.
"Is that... is that a DELOREAN?! Where did he get his hands on one?" - My wife 😂
Still looks 'futuristic' even now.....Loved the looks back then and still do today....Thanks for that Ian! 👍👍
"DeLorean didn't always get on with the authorities" That's one polite way of putting it
Unless they were also partaking in his love of Columbian marching powder
That comment likely referred to the "authorities " being his bosses at stodgy GM, but yeah
I can only imagine the glee that you felt knowing that you were going to experience the Delorean. Certainly an unusual machine, I personally believe it to be a stunning car in appearance. Thank you so sincerely for bringing one to your channel, reviewing it in your own inimitable style and giving us the viewers yet another great presentation.
Kudos mate 👍🥳
The story of the car is more interesting than the final product I think. Great review as always 👍
I have to wonder if it hadn't appeared in Back to the Future, where it would have ended up in history. Today, movie appearance apart, I think the design is pretty much spot on, and condition so HubNut, a work in progress, loved and used, just like ourselves, and appreciated...
Yes, changed its image forever - people would have made so much for out of a fridge - the original idea for a prop until someone said children playing with fridges was already dangerous.
I think the Bricklin SV1 is a good example of what could happen. Very niche following.
No, it could have been one of those slightly obscure supercars that you vaguely remember from seeing in a book that you read as a teenager but it would otherwise have been forgotten. I just made the comment, 'the Firebird played a big part in the sucsess of a film, it's a film that is the only reason we remember the DeLorean'.
@@edgarbeat2851 Was about to say exactly the same.
@GoldenCroc not going to lie I do prefer the Bricklin only because I hate the Douvrin V6. It not a bad motor the PRV just I don't like its charecter and design. The Bricklin had initially an AMC 360 Javelin motor then changed to the Ford Windsor V8.
In the late 90’s, as a 16 year old lad, I witnessed around 20 of these pass by me at the Port of Tyne. I was a baggage handler at the time, helping out on the car booths. Must have been an owners club travelling to a show. At that point id only ever seen one on the famous film, certainly never in the steel. Great memories.
they were a very common sight around the streets of Coventry in the early eighties. DeLorean had a purchasing office in Christchurch House in the city centre and they also had premises on the binley industrial estate on willenhall lane. l was riding past the unit in binley on my pushbike and there was four brand new deLoreans parked up outside and l stopped to peer through the fence my first ever sighting of a DeLorean in the wild
I was born and brought up in Coventry - my grandparents lived in Binley Avenue. Small world.
Interesting fact to find out. I was Brought up in Coventry too, not far away in Wyken!
@@I-T-S-M-E l used to live in Wyken Croft in 1962. but l left coventry for pastures new many moons ago
@@Mach_One_Photos seems like there is a trio of Hubnutters from Coventry!!
Also from Coventry. in the 1990's One used to live on Brandon Road in a small courtyard opposite Kits & Bits model shop. Always exciting walking past to see if it was there.
At at recent Cars & Coffee here in Texas a DeLorean outfitted with ALL the “Back to the Future” props and features (i.e. a full-on movie replica) showed up. It was the hit of the massive car show (1000+ cars) and there was a constant crowd around it.
Now thats a school run I would like to do. Great watch, thank you Hubnut. It is a terrific looking car and such a amazing history. 👏
I was astounded to add my like when there were already 88 likes on this video, Ian! It felt like I was going to time-travel!
Great road test of an iconic classic! Prior to the movies, I recall when these first came out; a year later there were already several parked in the back lot of a Ford dealer I used to drive by regularly; a few were painted (red). The back end reminds me somewhat of a 3rd gen "F-body" GM (Camaro, Firebird), and it's amazing that such a low-slung, sporty machine has better outward visibility than many contemporary vehicles.
I never expected that.
What an interesting car, they will always be typecast as the star of the back to the future move .
It’s interesting to find that there is a quite usable car underneath that radical exterior.
As always great review Mr Hubnut❤.
Especially with a trailer in tow.
My dream car. It is one of my life's ambitions to own one. Delighted to see you got to review one, and liked it!
What a well loved, work in progress example. Great the owner isn’t so precious about it and just enjoys :)
Finally a great down to earth review of a Delorean, you have a new subscriber!
I drove passed one of these the other day near Craven Arms in Shropshire. The only other times I'd seen one was at a car show in St Asaph, Wales and one in America about 12 years ago
The 2.8 PRV in my late father's Peugeot 505 V6 was fuel injected and had 170 BHP. It had 285k km on it when it was scrapped and still ran as a clock. His was a rare 5 speed manual and surprised a few BMW's
The best realistic & informative review of the De Lorean! Still a unique marvel of a machine! Thank you Hubnut! 👍🏽
My uncle was one of the first customers to take delivery in the metro Detroit area. I was a teenager when he bought it, I recall all of the press attention prior to the car arriving in the States. One instance I remember was when John Delorean and his wife appeared on the “Mike Douglas Show”, a syndicated afternoon talk show here in the U.S. I vividly recall Delorean showing art work of future versions of the car, a sedan and I think an estate wagon as well.
My uncle’s Delorean finally arrived. My folks and I went over to get a first look. I remember thinking how small it appeared, and then when he told me about the tire situation, I thought that was pretty stupid. If you had a flat in the rear tire, you had to have it towed because the spare was for the front tires only. A rear spare wouldn’t fit in the front compartment. I got to go for a few rides in it before my aunt and uncle had it shipped to their 2nd home in Florida. I never saw it again.
The 8.5 sec 0-60 mph time comes from the factory test cars, they weren’t fitted with a catalytic converter, that’s why they also had 170 hp.
I had one back in 2004 and used it daily for 8 months , loved it and it never missed a beat ! Wish I’d kept it though , uk prices were good back then , not so much now !!
That is a blast from the future!
...or the past, 1885 / 1955 to be precise...!
I've seen one on the motorway few months ago here in Slovakia, out of all places. I couldn't believe my eyes. It was on Dutch plates if I remember correctly.
Nice one Ian! I must admit I didn't expect to see a member of DMC on the channel but this one fits very well with some no extra cost foibles. A shame the flux capacitor is missing but so is the 2.1GW of energy needed to power it. There is a lot more room behind the seats than I expected. It's nice to hear that spares and service is still supported with so many surviving. At a guess I'd thing that there are more DeLorean survivors than many other cars from the 1980's or even the 90's. Many thanks for sharing even though I'm green with envy that you had the chance to drive one.
It's actually 1.21GW. That's why, when Doc first shows Marty the car, he sends it one minute into the future, which is 1.21 am.
@@knightad33 Many thanks for the correction and the Easter egg for the time matching the energy. I missed that one. If I recall correctly the mall was called 'Twin Pines' at the beginning but after one of the pines got knocked down during the movie when they returned to 'today (1980's) it was called 'Lone Pine'. Cheers.
Had a regular customer with one and learned a lot about them , spent some time driving His here and there over those years , I quite liked it myself , it was in a constant state of improvement between maintenance he looked after it and was a good example , I used to find it hard at first acquaintance to tell where the edges where from the drivers seat when manoeuvring in very tight spaces indoors like putting on a four poster lift so got folk to guide me in .
Years-back when i was a BT engineer in Wallington,there was a bloke that lived off of Woodcote Green and i don't know if he fixed or collected De Loreans but at one point had 5 in his front garden
There is/ was a guy in Heanor who has/ had 2 of them parked side by side on the drive .
A touch of the Lotus Esprit from behind, I love it and always have. Being as I am aged 57, I VIVIDLY remember the controversy scandal and bankruptcy back in 1982. It looked very cool back in 1982 and what's really sad is there's a great car in there somewhere, who knows with a little good fortune (and less politics) DMC might just have made it!
They are becoming a really common sight on the A10 in West Norfolk, so much so it's not uncommon to see 10 or more in a convoy at certain times.
They are always welcome and often seen at Lotus events so no surprise
I saw a convoy on the A11 nr Thetford a few yrs back, it looks like they meet at least 3 times a yr in Norfolk (Kings Lynn), more if the decide to go to Lotus!
They often stop in Old Hunstanton overnight. It’s a rather amazing sight.
Heading towards a time travellers convention perhaps
The car itself obviously reminds me of the movie but the badge always reminds me of the band. Wonder if a non-starting DeLorean ever had the bands name shouted at it..?
Fuel filler under the bonnet reminds me of my first car - Hillman Imp - also rear engine and lift up rear window. 👍🏻
14:20 "Today's modern SUVs are mildly terrifying." Proceeds to drive past a Fiat 500 which is 3 feet taller than the Delorean. 😂 All cars have grown, which does make driving a low slung sportscar of any kind a little intimidating.
I have a 05 plate gen 7 honda civic type r which is hilariousily low in comparison to my partner's Renault Ankara (suv coupe) 😂 at thought. Basically a Mondeo on stilts
@@spenthom1863 Renault Arkana you mean.
He also drove past an SUV to his left abd loads went by him going the other way too.
@@sharonec5419 yes lol
The reason why any uk forum on kei cars is
"Plz sell kei car here"
I love the look, I would love to own one even knowing all the faults. I’d also like a 1960’s Mustang
Before the Delorean another car built in Canada also bares so much similarities to this car. The car is the Bricklin SV-1 which if you look at a picture of a Delorean and the Bricklin the design idea's aren't far away from each other. Both have gullwing doors, both have the same shape body design. The Bricklin pre dates the Delorean as it was built from 1974 to 1975 and its engine offering was a big V8. I believe the Haynes Motor Museum has one but I have seen another one in the flesh in Florida in a garages yard waiting for restoration.
This channel is absolutely superb. Makes me relax like an episode of Detectorists. Do keep them coming.
Thank you!
Thanks for sharing Ian, really enjoyed it 😊👍
Great video! Maybe you’ll demonstrate the Flux Capacitor in another video. Ha! Thanks for sharing
Besides the obvious novelty of the infamy of the backstory and the singular stainless body, the Giugiaro Effect is fully in play here. I have a Suzuki SC100 Whizzkid, which his original Ital Design for them inspired. Like the Delorean, it's wedgey and inorganic in shape, but so very efficient, and the view out is spectacular. There was a factory-restored one making the rounds of review channels several years ago, but I'd love to see Hubnut drive a patinated example owned by an average bloke. I'll bet they, too, are welcome at Lotus events!
Great review, always fascinated when I see one .
As you say, it’s always going to attract attention!
👍
Fantastic! Plus, to clean it all you need is some distilled water, Vinegar and a rag!!! The joys of stainless steel!!
The downside being that fingerprints tend to linger...
Is it dishwasher safe? 😅
I'm loving this. I'm going to watch this at least once all the way through, and let the ads run (unless they're horrid).
It's so cool that it has a HubNut sticker on it!
TH-cam is free because of the adverts!🎉
They are still amazing looking and I love them. Agree about the badging and logo too, looks great. Oddly Dacia of all companies seem to be have semi-copied it lately!
The interior looks really ahead.
The outside has too many straight edges, but the stainless panels explain that.
Loving the 70's Halfords fluffy seat cover to go over your vinyl ( scorching in the summer freezing in the winter ) bum placement area
Perfect interior size for MJF though lol as he is only like 5ft 4 inches they actually had him playing a girl in BTTF2 i never knew until years later as he passed very well lol
#8:33 Now I'm really confused is this a left hand drive version or is it an Irish Right "The Hand Brake is here to my Right", it's definitely on the left when I watch it. 😊
Oops...
@HubNut I remember working in Liverpool University back in the Late 80s installation Telephone systems and in one of the Lab's was Plastic parts with DMC Logos on them left gathering dust.
I believe the University helped with formulating and testing the plastics.
Very sad that DMC went bust because the whole UK was suffering mass unemployment, which wasn't helped by the Thatcher government closing the Mines, Car producers and selling everything off that was making profits at the time like British Telecom.
Bloody Government's have a lot to answer for in destroying our Car and Aircraft industries.
It really is a beautiful car. Setting up a factory in a place with no work, no history of car manufacturing ( Dunmurry ) was, as I recall, rather like the story of Rootes at Linwood ( Hillman Imp ), Triumph st Speke ,..etc. And Colin Chapman of Lotus deeply involved in the dirty money murk. Yep, a recipe for success, not. Still a beautiful car though.
Thank you for posting this video.
Northern Ireland does have a great history of light and heavy engineering eg. Shorts, H&W etc so putting it in Northern Ireland was not as crazy as it sounds today.
@@extramild1
Indeed, the Titanic and the De Lorean, great successes😮
Fantastic. Just fantastic. Best unbiased look around one of these I've seen. Problem is I want one even more now..... 😅
I heard that you've got to be careful of not going over speed humps too fast and bending the pressed-steel front A-arms, and that someone was making stronger replacements for them for a while.
Thank you thank you thank you I always wanted a review of a de lorean thanks for the video much appreciated greetings from Scotland 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧
Still turns heads after 40 years. Great vid again - you’ll have to do a lotus elite - I’d like to see how that compares, as they are still really affordable. No t many vids on these being driven - how does it handle - is it a bit of a barge or is it pretty modern feeling? Lovely to have a look around one - thanks
Excellent video and thank you for the quick delivery of my keyring and stickers!
I have a feeling I may have been one of the people giving you some attention when on the M4, have seen that car (or maybe there are two!) a few times now and I'm pretty sure I saw you out in it that day when doing my regular Bristol-Swansea run!
Always thought the DMC12 just never got a chance to be fully developed, only ever really getting to Mk1 status. Can you imagine a well-built one with a proper amount of power or even a V8? I know people have modified a few over the years so be interesting to see where the project could have ended up.
I've seen a V8 one in Sydney.
As thumbnails go, that had my typically unenthusiastic forefinger instantly tapping on it. Top stuff. I think possibly the first car TH-camr I made a habit of watching… the old boy’s still got it hasn’t he. 😉
What’s the magic speed, was it 88mph? Whatever it was, I hope you did it!
Well done my friend. Well deserved success. All the best for the future 30k!
I lived in Dunmurry for around 20 years, my mate was on door production line at the factory responsible for making, fitting and also snagging doors.
He and his colleagues on the line signed the inside of the doors they made.
Workers were all 100% comitted to both communities working together to play their part in making the factory a success, sadly other factors outside their control were about to bring it all down.😢
100 % right Buddy. Couldn't agree more. Delorean wasn't given a chance to get on its feet. The Factory is still there and went on to be Montupet and then Bombardier, am I right.
The Delorean was an amazing car compared to the under engineered scrap that Chevrolet was churning out in the USA that drove John Zachary to give people something that they could be proud of.
I wonder if the Cybertruck will be looked back on in a similar way to the DeLorean in another 40 years
The new Dacia logo is very reminiscent of the DeLorean logo
I've just said the same😂
Love it and would love one. The assets were mainly bought by a US based Liverpudlian and the main warehouse/restoration facility is a few miles from the office I work in (in Houston, Texas). They have a new car coming out too, which will be built in San Antonio (quite a bit of vehicle manufacture there despite being more famous for Ozzy peeing on the Alamo). Everything about the story is fascinating and there are some parallels to the (equally fascinating) Africar story too. Maybe it is only me that makes those connections... Great video, thanks Ian and Carly.
Beautiful car, such a shame it failed. Imagine what could have been achieved, especially if those engines had been tuned.
Thanks for making this video. It's great to see an overlook of the car.
The irony of a DeLorean crashing into a white lining lorry.
I see what you did there.........
The V6 2.8l PRV engine was also in the Volvo 260 and 760. I had to change the cams in my 260 (chewed up because the previous owner hadn't changed the oil) and found that the cams were identical, for the Renault and Volvo. Except that they changed the locating lugs for the cam spocket, so you couldn't actually interchange them. It amused me in the 'back to the future II', in the wild west, when Doc tried to run it on alcohol, blew it up and the fuel injection spider ended up on the floor. (a very recognisable engine)
I have the same 2.8 PRV engine in a 1983 Peugeot 604 Gti (155HP DIN) runs fine with 5 speed box very close to an old BMW 525i, an Alfa Busso 3.0 V6 from Alfa 75 America would wake up the De Lorean as hell! (Well the PRV can also be tuned to over 200HP with Alpine kit) also the Maserati Merak 3,0SS V6 engine would work fine or an Maserati Bora 4,7 V8.
I think it's the same engine that was in Volvo 760 GLE (B28) Pug 604, (ZNJK) and whatever Renault called it in the 25 Baccara. A quite fragile engine but quite reliable if maintained. It's odd firing too.
Yeah 👍 2.5 litre V6 I think 🤔
The engine called " V6 PRV " . PRV stands for the initials of Peugeot/Renault and Volvo.
@@The-Rectifier What Renault should have done is put their 1.5 turbo F1 engine in the Delorean lol 😄 600bhp should get it to 88mph fast
It was in many french cars, 604, 605, R30, R25 (turbo and non NA), alpine a310, alpine V6, espace...
It was in my carburetted R30 and I loved that engine.
Great video of an iconic car :) BTW we were in that very same carpark earlier today when seeing Oppenheimer in the Odeon. A very good movie but I would have much preferred seeing this car parked next to me :)
Had a 69 Charger as always wanted one, hated it. I suspect the same would happen if I got a DMC , but it doesn't stop me wanting one. Sometimes you have to scratch an itch.
That must've been devastating. I was at a a classic car show last weekend and spent a while drooling over a late 60s Charger. I can't imagine how disappointed I would be if I hated driving one. To paraphrase James May on an old Top Gear, it's best not to meet your heroes.
If only high quality stainless steel was economically viable enough for Citroen to use it for body panels and structural framework instead of just for bumpers and trim on the DS and SM (and GS, CX, etc.), then many of them wouldn't've rusted away into oblivion (although scrappage schemes won't save any car no matter how good or bad their condition). I know it's not the nicest of metals to work with because of how hard it is, but it would've offered near to perfect corrosion resistance (depending on the grade and quality of the alloy used that is).
You know that the Lotus chassis the DeLorean is built on is not stainless.
That’s an interesting road test, I have seen a few of them here in Australia over the years, the first one in a Melbourne car yard in the 1980’s and it was right hand drive, there is one that must be around where I live that comes out on the weekends sometimes but irrespective of its lowly power output I have always liked them and wouldn’t mind one parked in my garage, 👍
The British government at the time should have insisted on using the Rover V8 as part of the package of investments into The DeLorean plant Northern Ireland.
Now there's an idea...
@HubNut
A missed opportunity indeed would have been good for Austin/Rover, too.
The original design used a Wankel engine. Other engines considered before he got stuck with the PRV. That was likely due to it being USA emissions approved. The DeLorean Wiki is a good read.
The only car I have ever owned that gets universal love and attention wherever it goes. Nothing attracts a crowd like a DeLorean in a car park.
Absaloutly brilliant video Ian miss hubnut ❤👍 absaloutly love it the style and not just because Marty macfly drove it what a beautiful car brilliant
Probably the most epic hubnut sports car in automotive history....
"when this baby hits 88mph, you're going to see some serious ...."
Funniest thing was the 85mpj Speedo lol 🤣 US Gov actually thought that would stop 🛑 people speeding in the 80s it didn't work lol 🤣
Where we’re going we don’t need roads
These look awesome when painted.
😂. There's a thought 👍, but even raw they look great.
It should be illegal to own one without a Flux-Capacitor fitted. ;-))
Or a Mr. Fusion reactor
Wow! Did not expect that as the next test car!
Those seat covers where known as. Huggy Bear seat covers really good quality too. I had a set of them in brown lovely and comfy
Very unique car, were there any other mass produced stainless cars I wonder. Great vid 👍
Ford apparently built a couple of stainless one-offs over the years, and some cars have had stainless panels, but the DeLorean is the only production car to be entirely clad with the stuff. I wonder why...
Still waiting for the tesla cybertrucks to hit the market. The delorean was fiberglass body i've heard so might disintegrate over time, like some tractor cabs i've seen.
That Scottish accent is so cool my friend. I could listen to you talk about vegetable gardening for hours
I’d LOVE one of these, (but it would have to be a manual.)
Thanks for the test drive, enjoyed that. 👍
The company that bought Delorean got all the NOS parts too. A few years ago you could still buy a new Delorean made out of NOS, I'm not sure if you still can.
There’s a place in Huntington Beach, California, that works on the DeLorean. I’ve seen between 15 and 20 of them at a time being worked on.
Did not know about the recess in the headlining . I still have a soft spot for a DeLorean . Thank you Mr and Miss Hibnut.
Cool review, thanks for sharing!
Good video about a fascinating car. The Smart Roadster borrowed a lot from the hind quarters. I think that it had tremendous promise and potential for development, with a more powerful engine. But it's a godpoint you make about the relaxed torque and easy cruising.