The Stage-2 DeLorean is the DMC we could have had if John Z. had just a few more years to get things right. Now that we're no longer star struck by stainless gull wings, we see that the DeLorean is Norma Jean, not Marilyn .
I have personally been to car shows and cruise-ins where people run (not walk, RUN) past dozens of muscle cars, European exotics, and custom ricers to crowd around the one Delorean on the lot. Any car that can come from a failed company, be underpowered, have "dated" styling, and STILL draw a crowd is a winner in my book.
Because not everybody has seen Vanishing Point, not everybody's seen Bullitt, Gone in 60 Seconds, Starsky and Hutch, The Cannonball Run, or Two Lane Blacktop.... but everybody... everybody's seen Back to the Future.
nick spring So there's this one guy in my city who owns a DeLorean... And everybody knows him! There's a girl in my class who doesn't even like cars but still goes to Wheels Nationals (A car show for mainly American cars) every summer just to see that DeLorean!
I love how he clicks his heels. I know he's pry shaking the gravel off his shoes, but it fits with this whole Dorthy in Oz "there's no place like home" narrative. Click your heels three times, and you're in the DeLorean.
Speaking as Delorean owner myself I can definitely agree with the comment below. When I bring mine to car shows its absolutely unreal!! I usually have about 10 or so people around the car taking pictures, asking questions and the smiles this car brings to peoples faces amazes me. It’s truly an attention getter! I’ve had Ferrari’s parked next to my Delorean only to see there owners move them due to the attention the Delorean gets. Delorean must have done something right I think!!
Been there. I drive a far more pedestrian Austin Healey Sprite and do take it to many car shows. I live an area where 97% of cars at a show are 50s-80s American iron. Everyone flocks to the Sprite and I can't begin to count how many people have told me that they, their brother, or friend had one.
Been there. I drive a far more pedestrian Austin Healey Sprite and do take it to many car shows. I live an area where 97% of cars at a show are 50s-80s American iron. Everyone flocks to the Sprite and I can't begin to count how many people have told me that they, their brother, or friend had one.
Been there. I drive a far more pedestrian Austin Healey Sprite and do take it to many car shows. I live an area where 97% of cars at a show are 50s-80s American iron. Everyone flocks to the Sprite and I can't begin to count how many people have told me that they, their brother, or friend had one.
Have a DeLorean myself and it's completely true, you're always answering the questions. My favorite story was one day when I just couldn't deal. I was getting gas and went inside to grab a drink. When I came back out a middle-aged guy had pulled up at the adjacent pump in an old pickup. As I walked out to the car he commented "A DeLorean! You don't see one of those everyday!" to which I replied completely without thinking as I grabbed the door-handle to close it "I do." it's the one time I've been a total dick about owning a DMC but the questions come with the territory no doubt. I dailied it for years. It was very practical and reliable (when you're single in college) and turned in ~30 mpg.
Thank you for this review. You really hit on what makes the care so special, yet normal. With regards to people being attracted to it, I own a stage 2 1981. Fantastic car! Humorously, there are people at my university with Ferraris, Masarities, and Teslas, yet the underpowered DMC 12 still won the campus car show. That is the magic there, even when compared to cars worth 500% more, people still feel a connection to the DeLorean. That's what is so special, people feel something about it; no matter who you are, you have a connection with a DeLorean. Sure it may have it's fair share of issues, but it's like a three legged puppy, it may not be "perfect", but you cant help but smile when around it, in a way that you simply don't when around a racing grayhound, or show dog.
Yea, I know this like owner of 94 Lincoln Towncar in Russia: 1) How much fuel it waste? Is it V8? Ooohhh! It must be waste 3mpg!!! 2) How many time from 0 to 100km\h? 3) Is it Cadillac? 4) Do you wait the carparts for four months from overseas? 5) Is this car, like Brezhnev\Gorbachov owned? 6) How do you park it? Every day, in every place, lots of people with same questions. ARRRRGGGGHHHHhhh!!!!!
Here in the US lincoln town cars are used as decorations in trailer park lawns! I’d love to have a Lada to experience what its like to drive your country’s automotive trash here!! All in good fun!
Try to drive a US car in Germany..... "Wieveil schluckt der?" (how much (gas) does it eat?) I am pretty fluent in German, why my reply is "Das gleiche wie ein Mercedes 500, aber da fragt keiner." (The same as a Mercedes 500, but if so (if that was what I was driving) nobody asks." Next question... "Wie viele Leichen im Kofferraum" (How many dead bodies in the trunk?) I think they have watched too many dubbed movies from the 1970's.
I live in the US and try to daily drive a 62 Austin Healey Sprite when the weather is good. Two comments I always get, 1) That's a clown car! 2) I could fit that in the bed of my pickup truck.
California is the perfect place for that sort of DeLorean. The glitz and glam truly are reflective on the vehicular representation of 80's. Nice video and can't wait to see more!
Back in the 90's, my Delorean was my daily driver. I hated the dumb questions. I knew exactly everything about my car, yet some people were hell bent on arguing with me of what was under my hood, or where my gas tank was, or that there was no way it's legal for me to drive with my doors open.
The struts on the doors are affected by temperature. You open them on a hot day, they spring open really fast to the top position. On a cold day, like when you first reviewed the stock DeLorean, they just about get to halfway to 2/3 of the way. Yes. the struts can fail, but this would be the case even with brand new struts.
+Joshua Pfeiffer its reallly not that expensive to buy and own compared to a modern car but you really gotta ask yourself if you want a nice BMW 3 series sitting in your garage or something where 95% of your dollars go to a legend without much substance behind. (and obviously a car with high fuel consumption, 2 seats, less safe than modern cars and less convenience features)
+KingProne Why would someone considering an '80s sports car be tempted away by a boring, over-priced sedan? A better comparison would have been a Lotus Elise or a Scion FR-S.
Being an owner of one of these cars now for going on 11 years, it is a unique treat to go into the comments section and read what people think. You don't buy a DeLorean because "you own it and the rest of the world doesn't" - well, yes you partly do - but you buy one because you love the car. You don't buy it for the "amazing" 130HP (at the crank) at 5500 RPMs or the endless BTTF jokes; you buy it because parts of the 80s should live on, and this is undoubtedly one of the icons of the 80s. As time moves on, less of the 1980s are from just last decade; we are 30 years past it. Expecting people in their teens to be just as excited about this car as those of us in our late 20s and early 30s will lead you to nothing but disappointment. Back to the Future, while it is an indelible part of Americana, is not from the last 5-10 years; it is not as fresh as movies that teens like in this day and age - period. No, it doesn't surprise me that people ages 14-20 couldn't care less about the DeLorean like those of us who were born in the 80s. You have to be realistic about these things. Honestly, I'd be a lil' worried if kids in junior high were dying to own a car from the 80s with double-digit HP at the wheels. Sure, it's great to see younger people take the mantle and run with it, but man, you better know how to turn wrenches on a car with ZERO OBDII sensors and almost all analog gauge tools. I love reading comments here, and I don't take offense to criticism about the car as long as it is done with some respect. The DeLorean is just not everyone's thing. Nothing wrong with that. As for "hydraulic" door locks, I don't know where that one came from. The doors themselves are lifted with torsion bars and assisted with gas struts, but the door locks are a combination of mechanical linkage arms and electrically locked and unlocked through a central door locking system. Matt's DeLorean is so nice because he paid DMC some good money to make it that way. You got the money and the time, and you can do that. Not that it's a bad thing, that's why DMC-CA and other subsidiaries offer that service. Also respectfully, it is NOT 200 HP with a Stage 2 - that's a bit misleading. It's more like 130HP at the wheels, and a Stage 3 supercharger producing 157.5 HP at the wheels.. Don't take my word for it: take the president of DMC's word: tinyurl. com/q74dguz The engine is very dependable, but it is a dog in terms of speed. The DeLorean is a solid grand-touring car for driving through country roads and enjoying the journey so to speak. I do understand the desire for more power with this car, especially with the way it looks - that's why my car has a turbo-charged VR6 engine in it with MS 3.0 EFI. I finally got tired of being in the right lane on the interstate, and believe me, it is fnatastic to have the power the car looks like it had coming from the factory. See my videos for more on that :)... Great review over all. Some people just won't get "it" with the DeLorean, and that's fine. Different strokes for different folks. No matter how you look at it though, it is an 80's icon and right up there with the Ferrari 308, Testarossa, and Lamborghini Countach.
I've had mine for 13 years now, and at shows I am amazed to see people of all ages come up and touch it. They HAVE to touch it. Otherwise it's just a myth, a legend. It never fails to put a smile on faces. I grew up defending this car. No, it's NOT made of aluminum foil. No, it doesn't run on beer and banana peels. Who cares if it's not fast. It FEELS fast because you're sitting like 10 inches off the ground. I enjoy mine every bit as much when it's not running as when I'm driving it. But yes, this car isn't for everyone. A lot of people try to make it what it "should have been" or what they'd like it to be. I keep mine as faithfully stock as can be. I love it just the way it is, was, and will be - warts and all.
I personally feel that the DMC 12 is one of the most beautiful cars that ever came out of the 80's. Even with its lack luster performance and questionable history the DMC was destined to become a classic. Even if the movie did not come out, this car would of been on the radar of any car enthusiast worth his salt. Sure its not fast, but it has the look. Sometimes style can be enough. The car is like a gorgeous girl with a low IQ, sure she is beautiful but she will never satisfy you intellectually. However you can still stare and appreciate.
My idea of the DeLorean was spoiled by so much Back to the Future rewatches as a child while playing with Lego or K'Nex. First, the V8 noise in the movie was dubbed. Second, (which is not super relevant) is the Porsche engine(s) used to motivate the film car(s). (Six cars were used for filming, with I'm sure a combination of engines.)
Your commentaries are always witty and poetic, but this video brought a tear to this "hard case's" eye. To top it all not only did you get to drive a DeLorean. You drove a stage two in this video; which happened to be Matt Farah's DeLorean. LEGENDARY
A necessary acquisition to any esteemed car collection. You guys seem like you're really pursuing your dreams, dealing with cars every single day. I'd kill just to run a car wash one day. Props to ya'll and best of luck.
I was at a car show a couple of years ago and found out a very interesting pub-ammo stat on these. Apparently the door seals are the same/similar as those found on the Vauxhall Vivaro and Renault Traffic vans so it's easy to find replacements.
That's so cool you got this opportunity! I got the chance to see the guy at the Woodward Dream Cruise when he was driving the Camaro "Fire Breather" featured in Bull Run. Just didn't know who he was at the time. Another great video on top of many other greats! Awesome job!
Lol The Roman's songs keep getting better and better. That's cool you figured out some acoustic drums for the intro. Great review as well, Mr. Regular.
Anybody hyped for the new (Stage 3?) DeLoreans to come in the next few years. For anybody that missed it - some company bought all of the old parts that DMC had manufactured for the DeLorean, and a law in the US now allows them to use these parts to build "replica" cars.
I love the Delorean and don't understand why, i don't know much about it. Its about the only car that stops me in my tracks if I see it driving on the roads. Just a special little icon.
Really like your video's, you've done a great job expressing emotion these cars hold... I just really can't help but comment on you holding the clutch in for 5 minutes in that video. You realize this causes premature wear on the throwout bearing? A clutch is meant to be held in for a split second, that is all... I see this a lot in manual cars, owners that only kind of know how to use a clutch. It requires a pretty hefty repair if you wear out the throwout bearing, may as well do the clutch at the same time and face the flywheel too. Not trying to be a h8er, again love the video's, thanks for your time and effort on them!
That is GREAT to see a nice Delorean! I've worked on one and it was really a basket case that the owner wanted to 'fix up'. OK!! Amazed to find that almost every part is available for them! When they went belly up...the subcontractors who had geared up to make 30,000 a year like John Z had promised got stuck with warehouses FULL of parts..which then got locked down while the courts went around and around and finally they're allowed to sell the stuff!!! Brand new engines!! Brand new transmissions!! Amazing! The only things we couldn't find were a couple interior pieces like on the dash and I think that's because EVERY one of them still running needed them and were bought out. But otherwise it's unlike any sportscar I've ever worked on....mostly because it's SO far from actually being one. The stock PRV (Peugeot, Renalt, Volvo) engine is a work of committees that didn't really get along with one another. I had the misfortune to overhaul one in a Volvo station wagon and learned them very well...and saw first hand why Volvo was the only unfortunate manufacturer to actually bring one to the market. Free standing wet liners with 6 different PAPER gaskets around the bottoms so you can set the head gasket compression. ...and if you try to remove a head to do a valve job...you pull up the jug and then the WHOLE ENGINE needs to come apart to fix it! Joy...Joy!! I'll stop there because I could go on for a couple hours regailing you with horror stories about these things. But in the end....when fixed up they're not horrible and I actually LIKE Matts' car! Thanks for the video.:)
And to think my father and I saw one of these at an auction 10 years ago and it went for $200. People were in such awe that it hardly received a bid! We kick ourselves everyday!
Great review! The Marilyn Monroe analogy was very clever. Also not sure if you realized this, but by driving the car alone, you were effectively alone with Marilyn (if you know what I mean).
I think someone should convert one of these to hybird and relaunch it to the market. Then we will get the movie alike version-2015 DMC-12 hybird only without the flying and fusion thingy for dairy usage.
I think I gotta rewatch the movies the car was in ... not really my time as well, I´m an early 90ies kid but I watched them some time ago and know about the car ... still a classic ...
Chapman actually told DMC to run the car with the gearbox at the back and the engine mounted in front, but the PRV engine didn't fit as it was originally designed to have a 2.0l Citroën engine. The PRV was a much bigger 2.8l (well 2.8 and change) engine, built under license by DeLorean, unfortunately it's also one of the lowest power output variations on the PRV, even the Volvo 260 got better power out of it. That said, it does mean that a good rebuild and some parts swapping can take it closer to the 'stage 2' output rather easily.
