Get Inside This Awesomely Quirky Delorean DMC-12

"Aaron Vick Starnes" (aaronstarnes) 11/26/2014 at 17:24 • Filed to: Delorean, DMC, Back to the future

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This morning I gained intimate, carnal knowledge of a rare and majestic beast. Its name... DELOREAN. Here's the raw, uncensored up-close documentation of my experience.

About a week ago my boss told me a Delorean was coming to the shop. I was thrilled. Probably a little too excited. The opportunity to spend some quality time crawling all over such a unique specimen got me all excited. This morning we finally started work on it. It seems this low-mileage sweetheart is in for some fresh paint on the bumpers.

I've always liked the shape of these things and the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! of how they became more than just a dream. They're strange little cars with aesthetics that polarize onlookers. Some folks think they're great while others think they're ghastly. I fall into the former category and I just wanted to share some initial impressions of the car within an article that doesn't make reference to time travel movies or cocaine.

The Delorean is Self-Aware

This is a car with an identity, and it knows it. If the gull wings, and the stainless steel body work wasn't enough to let people know this car was something special, there are endless little reminders they're in a Delorean.

On the keys...

Delorean floor mats, radio and shifter

When you leave the door open on a Delorean you don't just get any old dash light. Even the dash light lets you knows it's a Delorean.

The instructions are illustrated in Delorean.

Odd Stuff

The Delorean, like many cars, is a hodge-podge of parts from everywhere. French engine, English light lenses, a German cigarette lighter.

The tail lights have a circuit on the back. This is not unheard of, but it is a little different than most cars. Something I have never seen before is the 1-800 number printed on the circuit board. Unfortunately though, 1-800-DMC-HELP is no longer a working number.

The battery lives in a little box behind the passenger seat. Incidentally this bulkhead appears to be made of plywood.

But you still jump the car from a remote terminal under the hood.

The hood is pretty flimsy. It's covered by the black, louvered body work.

There's a horn on a stick. Why isn't it in the middle of the steering wheel? Because Delorean.

Instead of an engine up front there's a very shallow trunk. Beneath this is the spare and beneath that is the front mounted radiator.

Build Quality

This car is definitely not the worst thing I've ever worked on. Overall I'd say the quality is good for the time. However, in some ways the technology of the times failed the poor DMC-12. The 30-year-old plastics are all warped and distorted. The front bumper cover on this one is inexplicably drawn up over one light, giving this car a sort of quizzical, lifted-eyebrow expression.

Inside the seats are cushy and there are some massive rocker switches on the center console for windows and defrosters. The quality in here, although dated, is rather nice. The console upholstery is finished with tidy french seams. It would have been cheaper to go with a molded plastic unit, but this sort of classes it up.

These cars are not without their faults. They aren't famous for performance from their wheezy Renault V6. I could see owning one of these if the price was right. You can't help but notice them. Whether or not you like the looks is another matter. However, 30 odd years later I think that the design is still stunning.

2 years ago Aaron Vick Starnes quit his well-paying bank job to pursue inevitable poverty as an automotive writer. He has !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! in automotive restoration, and works at a shop restoring and customizing cars. He also is a grad student in journalism. Follow him on Twitter !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! and check out his !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/26/2014 at 17:28

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The thing that first struck me seeing one in person is how low and wide they look compared to the pictures.

Aaron Vick Starnes > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 11/26/2014 at 17:30

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Absolutely, and FLAT!

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/26/2014 at 17:33

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Yeah that too. It's strange how different it looks in person compared to photos. Damn cool looking thing, I'd buy one if I was a wealthy guy.

Rainbow > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/26/2014 at 17:40

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I would never be able to own one of these. I love it as a car, but everyone everywhere would be like "HURR DURR TIME MACHINE!!1!!!11!!1!" and I'd just get sick of it.

Nibbles > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/26/2014 at 17:44

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I think an Alfa V6 planted in the back of this thing would make one hell of an upgrade

CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/26/2014 at 17:45

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This looks really original...now I only can wish Delorean didn't fall through and Legend Industries completed their twin turbo'ed version of the Delorean. That would have been glorious...

Maxxuman > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/26/2014 at 17:46

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Hidden cocaine stash.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Nibbles 11/26/2014 at 17:47

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I think a ford Ecoboost motor would be good........Any of them. Well, save for the 1.5. But actually if you put the 2.3 from the new mustang back there.........that'd be Porsche 930 turbo power back there. It could be a TON of fun.

Kate's Dirty Sister > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/26/2014 at 17:49

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I'll admit, I don't know a lot about that car except that it had stainless steel panels, became a movie star and, for some reasons, ended up with the lousy PRV motor.

Apart from that, did this car had any sport car potential (chassis, suspension, brakes, etc) or was it just some causy boulevard cruiser with an outragous look a la Subaru SVX ?

Aaron Vick Starnes > Rainbow 11/26/2014 at 17:50

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LOL. Well you gotta pay the cost to be the boss I guess.

Aaron Vick Starnes > CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) 11/26/2014 at 17:51

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It's a really solid original condition car. Still has the factory belts on the engine.

My X-type is too a real Jaguar > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/26/2014 at 17:54

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Can you Smell what the Rock is Cooking?

Aaron Vick Starnes > Kate's Dirty Sister 11/26/2014 at 17:55

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I'm no Delorean historian, that rhymes, but they have independent suspension all the way around and disc brakes front and rear. I think the short coming on these cars was the under-powered 6 cylinder. Probably best for hard parking and cruising in the stock configuration.

Aaron Vick Starnes > My X-type is too a real Jaguar 11/26/2014 at 17:56

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I literally deleted "Can you smell what the Delorean is cooking?" from this article.

My X-type is too a real Jaguar > Maxxuman 11/26/2014 at 17:58

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That can hold 7 keys of Columbian Bam Bam

My X-type is too a real Jaguar > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/26/2014 at 17:59

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I would have gone with the easy joke, obviously.

Nibbles > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 11/26/2014 at 18:00

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Wouldn't look as good as that Alfa though

desertdog5051 > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/26/2014 at 18:01

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"Carnal Knowledge" has been replaced. We now say "Dragon" :)

lzaffuto > Kate's Dirty Sister 11/26/2014 at 18:02

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The SVX is a great comparison since both cars wrote checks with their body styling that the stock running gear just couldn't cash. But fortunately they both have huge potential with some modifications.

Mary, Mary, Knotty Pine > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/26/2014 at 18:02

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Nice article. Thanks.

Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/26/2014 at 18:03

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This welder is likely older than you

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Nibbles 11/26/2014 at 18:05

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No, but reliability might actually DECREASE with an alfa engine.

Nibbles > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 11/26/2014 at 18:08

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But so pretty

HHHHHRRRRNNNNNGGGGG.....

Kate's Dirty Sister > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/26/2014 at 18:10

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yeah, I get that, but given the right engine, was it supposed to be some kind of 911 competitor or more like an early, kinda soft, 928 ?

Aaron Vick Starnes > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 11/26/2014 at 18:11

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LOL

Aaron Vick Starnes > Kate's Dirty Sister 11/26/2014 at 18:13

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I don't know. I think it was just a flashy car for the nouveau riche of the 80's. Unlike the 928 it's a rear engine car.

Aaron Vick Starnes > desertdog5051 11/26/2014 at 18:14

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I don't know what that means... but thanks for commenting.

Aaron Vick Starnes > Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius 11/26/2014 at 18:14

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So's the car.

Triborough > Nibbles 11/26/2014 at 18:21

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But you could reliably get it up to 88.

Rob > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/26/2014 at 18:22

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Please see late 80s-early 90s Range Rovers.

One must ask.... WHY???

Kate's Dirty Sister > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/26/2014 at 18:32

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"cocaine snorting nouveaux riches of the 80's) :)

Aaron Vick Starnes > Kate's Dirty Sister 11/26/2014 at 18:34

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Bingo.

cyanmauve > Kate's Dirty Sister 11/26/2014 at 18:36

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Jim Varney's (Ernest P. Worrell) twin turbo Delorean was for sale in Kentucky a few months back for ~$25,000. I called, but alas, the car had been sold.

desertdog5051 > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/26/2014 at 18:40

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"Carnal knowledge is an archaic or legal euphemism for sexual intercourse . [1] The term derives from the Biblical usage of the verb know/knew , as in the King James Bible and other versions, a euphemism for sexual conduct. " And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bore Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. " – Genesis 4:1". So, if you had carnal knowledge of a DeLorean, you Dragoned it

http://jalopnik.com/5977376/

jdrop > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/26/2014 at 18:45

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The Delorean is in a book I have called Worst Cars. It's under the bad design category. I still can't help but love it.

Aaron Vick Starnes > desertdog5051 11/26/2014 at 18:48

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I am admittedly out of the loop on Dragoning, but yea, that's what I was going for with the usage of carnal knowledge. I didn't literally "lay" with it, but I thought it would be a humorous way to say that I got to know it well. I got in this Delorean deep. I became physically acquainted its nether regions. I said it for, you know, yucks.

Sn210 > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/26/2014 at 18:56

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awesome write up. I've only sat in one briefly, because there were a bunch if bees living in it. I'll definitely own one some day

LaCarDude > lzaffuto 11/26/2014 at 18:59

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Interesting comparison... exterior design for both were done by the same person (Giorgetto Giugiaro) . He also did the Lotus Esprit, Detomaso Mangusta, VW Golf/Scirroco Mk 1 and many more...

LaCarDude > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/26/2014 at 19:01

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Horn on the turn signal... Some Fords of the era did the same thing.

Meat > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/26/2014 at 19:04

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Find a dealer near you. http://delorean.com/

There's one not far from my office. I see these on my lunch hour all the time. Best plate I've seen on one, "OUTATIME."

desertdog5051 > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/26/2014 at 19:09

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Gottcha. I kinda figured that was where it was. Great post, BTW

Aaron Vick Starnes > desertdog5051 11/26/2014 at 19:13

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Thanks!

ninjagin > Kate's Dirty Sister 11/26/2014 at 19:19

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Pretty sure the DMC chassis was a lotus design. It was meant to ride a lot lower, too, but the import restrictions had bigger ride height minimums enough to force it to be sprung much taller. Every time I see one, it's sprung at that very tall height. Just for once I'd like to see one that's more low-slung.

RallyWrench > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/26/2014 at 19:20

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I've had one in the shop as well, and feel pretty much exactly the same about it. Nice writeup, thanks.

Sheriff Of American Douchetown > Maxxuman 11/26/2014 at 19:24

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Forget that. Where is the Gray Sports Almanac?

Maxxuman > Sheriff Of American Douchetown 11/26/2014 at 19:30

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He doesn't find it 'til next year.

ninjagin > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/26/2014 at 19:33

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Thanks for posting this. It's one of the cars on my lifetime list - cars that I must own before I die. They're not otherworldly expensive, either. You can tune them up to have a much less anemic powerplant and stiffen them up, too. I have always liked the design and the materials. My only critique is that the gray interior would do far much better in black, and even though I think they offered it in black, I always see the gray.

Saracen > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 11/26/2014 at 19:38

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I agree. I see one every once in a while, and I got to sit in one as a kid. Every time I see one I'm shocked at just how wedge-shaped of a profile it has.

Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/26/2014 at 19:45

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shpeak for yourshelf, there whiper- shnapper

Aaron Vick Starnes > Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius 11/26/2014 at 19:57

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There are a pair in the shop. They get used daily and never miss a beat! Thanks for reading.

Clay_T > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/26/2014 at 20:09

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I remember when the car was being developed.

The weld shop I worked at had a contract to do some modifying to the exhaust.

They'd send in the headers. We'd drill a hole in them and weld in a fitting that we made. iirc, it was an O² sensor size fitting...

Maybe to Californiaize the car, or ???

Don't see them on the road much anymore.

Dukenukemx > Nibbles 11/26/2014 at 20:11

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TwoToneLoser > Triborough 11/26/2014 at 20:20

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I thought the alfa v6 was a fairly stout motor, just the rest of the car was a bit of a bear.

Vin > Nibbles 11/26/2014 at 20:42

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Nah, Renault has just the engine: a nasty little 3.5L V6. You've probably seen heard it in something else:

(The business starts @0:50)

JACU - I've got bonifides. > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/26/2014 at 20:50

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Being a total non-traditionalist, being as old as I am and knowing that after I die I will little care whether a low production car stays original, I would have to have the bumpers reconstructed in carbon fiber, add a lower splitter in front and a subtle spoiler in back, and totally mid engine LS the hell out of it.

majorbloodnok > Nibbles 11/26/2014 at 20:56

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Or, since it was a Lotus designed backbone chassis underneath, any of the turbo 4s or even the V8 from the Esprit

OPPOsaurus WRX > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/26/2014 at 20:58

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8 saw one on the high way the other day. I was amazed at how low it wad. It just doesn't look like it in pictures. Awesome car

TheDon > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/26/2014 at 21:10

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The tail lights are not original. That number was for or is still for Delorean One.(over priced hack but was the only one working on them after the company went under)

I want to guess that this owner is still a Delorean Owners association member (there's like 5 left) , I joined just to get all of the back issues.

TheDon > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/26/2014 at 21:11

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Lotus did the suspension, body panels were bolted to a glass reinforced plastic tub on the epoxy coated steel frame.

TheDon > My X-type is too a real Jaguar 11/26/2014 at 21:12

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heat gun and a 12" long piece of stainless bar.

Old-Busted-Hotness > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/26/2014 at 21:12

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This was a thing in the late 70's-early 80's. The Europeans did it because it saved a nickel per car on wiring, and Ford did it because it was "European." DMC probably did it because they got a bunch of those switches cheap.

PyramidHat > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/26/2014 at 21:26

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I can totally see me breaking the stalk off whilst slamming on the horn in traffic...

PyramidHat > Nibbles 11/26/2014 at 21:28

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Goddammitshit, that's sexy...

JCAlan > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/26/2014 at 21:29

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Actually, it was supposed to be the sports coupe for the every man. The "12" in DMC 12 was for the $12,000 price point. Unfortunately unforeseen costs drove selling price to more than double that, much to the frustration of John Deloean.

TheSmokingTire > Kate's Dirty Sister 11/26/2014 at 21:29

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it shares a chassis and most of its suspension with a Contemporary lotus esprit, so with better Bilstein dampers and euro-spec springs, it handles decently enough for its age, though the brakes kinda suck and you can't get any decent kind of tire to fit the odd sized wheels.

Because of the Y-frame chassis though, adding more than about 250-300 crank HP makes them quite sketchy. So most engine swaps look great in photos and sound like a good idea, but really not so much in most cases.

I have the "stage 2" engine in my car, and at 200-210 hp it will get out of its own way and top out around 135.

Best thing about it is actually the ride quality; you wouldn't believe how smooth it is on a road trip. It holds a decent amount of stuff if you pack the right size bags, making for a fun, reliable grand tourer.

PyramidHat > Kate's Dirty Sister 11/26/2014 at 21:32

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Semi-unrelated: Driving home yesterday, I saw a nicely maintained SVX...hadn't seen one of those in 20-ish years, or so, I think...

Kayone74 > JCAlan 11/26/2014 at 21:34

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Wasn't Delorean dealing w coke partly to raise illicit funds to support his company?

Kayone74 > Nibbles 11/26/2014 at 21:35

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Yeah but the whole problem w the DMC was looks without reliability or performance. Id stick w the ecoboost

PyramidHat > lzaffuto 11/26/2014 at 21:36

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But wasn't the ad copy for the SVX "You can drive it so fast . . . you`ll lose your license"? Or was that just advertising pap? I do remember auto insurance companies getting all in a wad over that....

PyramidHat > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/26/2014 at 21:37

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I think it was just a flashy car for the nouveau riche of the 80's.

Witness: Tony Montana

JCAlan > Kayone74 11/26/2014 at 21:45

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Well...no. He did not deal in coke. He was set up by an informant, coerced into participating through threats to his family, and was willing to give up his whole company just to not be involved in such things. FYI he was acquitted of all charges, because it was the literal definition of entrapment.

But I'm not sure why you're asking me.

Lawyer_Applegate > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/26/2014 at 21:47

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KremerK3 > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/26/2014 at 21:47

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I love these cars, funny thing is though i fell in love with this first.

An uncanny resemblance don't you think? My bet is Mr Delorean had a thing for these too.

Aaron Vick Starnes > Lawyer_Applegate 11/26/2014 at 21:54

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genius

Aaron Vick Starnes > KremerK3 11/26/2014 at 21:55

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Wow nearly identical. What is that?

Kayone74 > JCAlan 11/26/2014 at 22:05

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Wasn't asking you specifically but your post made the perfect launching point to bring up the question

Nauraushaun > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/26/2014 at 22:07

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Do people actually not like the looks of it? It's the epitome of the wedged supercar! It looks fantastic, the proportions are perfect all the way 'round. I think it's just about perfect.

I thought people complained about the weak engine and the cocaine thing, never the looks.

Mikolai > LaCarDude 11/26/2014 at 22:16

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Just out of curiosity...did he also do the BMW M1 of the 1980s? The original concept also had gullwing doors.

Vertec > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/26/2014 at 22:25

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It is a wonderfully quirky car, and even after fourteen years of ownership I still find myself giggling like a child behind the wheel. It is powerful enough for real world driving and the PRV was widely used and quite durable. The combination of no power steering and a manual transmission make for rewarding effort.

Dr. Strangegun > Rob 11/26/2014 at 22:48

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No clockspring in the steering wheel hub.

navyeagleeye86 > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/26/2014 at 23:04

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I couldn't tell if he replied to you or not, so.. It's a Lancia Monte Carlo (Europe) / Scorpion (USA).

Unspiek Baron Bodissey > lzaffuto 11/26/2014 at 23:10

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They were made to look sporty but I don't think they were made to actually race. Drivetrains were puny even by 90s standards and look at the wheels. Just four bolts.

Still, they're awesome. I once saw one up close in a tire store and I was like, having a woody just by touching it.

Aaron Vick Starnes > navyeagleeye86 11/26/2014 at 23:19

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thanks for the info.

TheStigsGermanCousin > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/26/2014 at 23:23

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._.

427zeo6 > KremerK3 11/26/2014 at 23:52

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the Lancia Beta Scorpion is way higher on my list for desirability over a DMC as it has what the DMC is lacking......character!

emjayay > Old-Busted-Hotness 11/26/2014 at 23:57

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At least some if not most French cars of the 60's-70's had the horn like that. But then, they would.

427zeo6 > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/26/2014 at 23:59

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if I was in the market for a rear engined vehicle with a PRV V6 for power......even if it was Johnny Carson's DMC you couldn't give it to me! Now an Alpine A310.......now I'm beginning to be swayed to reach for my wallet. He'll I'm part Irish and wouldn't touch this thing.....rather have an old Pontiac.......some of John finer work.....even Collin Chapman couldn't save this thing!

SPNKiX > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/27/2014 at 00:10

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"...and beneath that is the front mound"

mhm.

Herr Quattro - Has a 4-Motion > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/27/2014 at 00:24

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if I ever write a car related song, it will have "Delorean Historian" in it.

Datsun73 > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/27/2014 at 00:42

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Great write up. I've always loved the DMC-12 but honestly never knew much about them. The "open door" dash light symbol made my day! I love all the stupid little gearhead details these cars have! Thanks for sharing.

marrston > Rainbow 11/27/2014 at 00:53

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My dad owns one and you are pretty spot on.

LaCarDude > Mikolai 11/27/2014 at 01:24

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Yes, as a matter of fact, he did. (Though it may have been started by someone else... I don't recall the whole story.)

NeonBlaqk > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/27/2014 at 02:32

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As a big DeLorean fan, and not because of films or drugs, thank you for this! I got to sit in a time machine-ified one last september and was impressed with it overall, but I didn't get to see anything close up like this. Truly a great and very interesting little vehicle!

Monkey B > Nibbles 11/27/2014 at 02:34

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because boner.....

Monkey B > TheDon 11/27/2014 at 02:36

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aluminum.....but only said like the TG blokes

Monkey B > Old-Busted-Hotness 11/27/2014 at 02:38

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thats why Pinto's blew up....

Monkey B > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/27/2014 at 02:41

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painted one white for a guy......my guess is it's not around anymore.....because poor taste.

stavers > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/27/2014 at 04:33

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For the horn on the end of the switch that was not at all uncommon for cars of this age. The steering wheel was just that - a steering wheel. Only has one use - to change direction. Therefore no airbags or electrical connections running to it so the horn button had to go somewhere that had the connections. So not just "because Delorean" I am afraid...

My 90s Renault Turbo is exactly the same and I think the majority of cars would be. The fun thing on my Renault is that to switch the lights on you turn THE WHOLE STALK, not just a little bit of it or a separate switch :-)

lazydave42 > Old-Busted-Hotness 11/27/2014 at 05:10

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My old Fiesta had a horn like that, and very useful it was too for those occasions where you needed to use it without taking a hand off the wheel. It was also much more controllable - easier to give a quick 'bib' to wake up the driver in front without being offensive...

Mr Joshua > Aaron Vick Starnes 11/27/2014 at 06:19

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Good post but I am curious. Why did the owner not take it back to Delorean to have this work done now that there is a company rebuilding them with all NOS parts.

http://delorean.com/