The Man Behind the Iconic ‘Back to the Future’ DeLorean
People have called it a Hollywood-esque. They’ve called it made-for-tv. John DeLorean’s life story has so much juicy material that in the past few years, both a film and documentary have attempted to tackle the epic rise and fall of this mysterious engineer. The story certainly has some wild upswings and dramatic plot points. At its core, it is a quintessentially American story about a visionary mind that took risks, made lots of money, knew his craft, and maybe liked to have a little too much fun. The irony is that despite the failures of the DeLorean vehicle in real life, the car captured hearts and imaginations, becoming an icon of time-traveling enthusiasts across generations.
Here at Sergio Lewis, we know that our cars are part of our lives. The DeLorean DMC-12 is part of so many people’s lives, although most of us have never driven one! The body of the vehicle is instantly recognizable by young and old alike.
Where Does the Story of DeLorean Begin?
Before the DeLorean was racing to the future at 88mph, John DeLorean was a maverick engineer rising within the production lines of the nation’s leading car companies. While still a college student, he began working for Chrysler and then American Motor Company. The guy knew his stuff and committed to building and pioneering quality vehicles. Finally, he ended up at General Motors, where he rose through the ranks and became a well-respected young designer.
He was not a traditional big company executive. Featured on the cover of magazines, heralded as a leading thinker and 70s-dreamboat with a beautiful wife and a rebellious streak.
Before the DeLorean, the creative designer John Z. DeLorean received credits for:
- Pontiac GTO
- Firebird
- Chevy Vega
A Pursuit of His Visionary Vehicle
DeLorean quit GM to start his own company. Enter the DeLorean Motor Company (DMC), backed up by DMC Inc capital and funding. DeLorean put together a rockstar team of designers and got to work on the iconic body.
Porsche designer Giorgetto Giugiaro was called to action to help with the car’s shape and final design. The features of this unprecedented design included:
- Gull-wing doors
- Wedge-shaped stainless steel body
- Unpainted body
- Small windows
- Rear-engine design to include a V6 motor
It was original, but as production started, the car was met with a series of unforeseen challenges. Designers had to adjust and readjust, fixing some of the kinks that occurred with the earlier models. The vehicle’s Peugeot-Renault-Volvo 2.85 liter V6 engine offered a less-than-impressive 130 horsepower.
The Golden DeLorean
Somewhere in the midst of starting a new car company and designing its first vehicle, a deal to produce 5 gold-plated DeLoreans came to pass. The credit card company American Express wanted Gold plated cars to promote their Gold credit cars. The DeLorean Motor Company stepped up to the plate. These vehicles still exist. One is in the National Transportation Museum in Reno. Some DeLorean enthusiasts have tried to restore and create their own gold-plated beauties and succeeded in selling them for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The Production of the DMC-12 Runs Into Trouble
The prototype of the new DMC-12 was set at $10,000, but as the varying components came together, the production cost went a little higher than that. As the car rolled off the production line, the final price tag was about $25,000, which is the equivalent of about $58,000 today. This means the DeLorean had a higher price tag than a Tesla does for a modern consumer!
The DeLorean Cocaine Bust
As the DeLorean production suffered, John DeLorean searched for more money to keep it going. And in a strange twist, DeLorean found himself arrested for more than 59 lbs of cocaine.
In desperation to save the failing auto company and in a series of bad mistakes, DeLorean believed a so-called investor that approached him with a business opportunity. It turns out this ‘investor’ was working with the FBI. And while DeLorean got a sense that he was being pulled into something illegal, threats of his daughter being murdered kept him in contact with this suspicious investor.
The allegations were that DeLorean was trying to start a drug trafficking rink in order to save his car company. So in 1982, he was arrested and charged for conspiracy but was acquitted of the drug charges in 1984, as a clear case of entrapment.
After that acquittal, DeLorean faced more legal trouble that quickly brought his car company and reputation down in flames. The trail-blazing engineer went down and retired from cars completely.
The DeLorean as Time Machine in the Iconic Back to the Future Trilogy
So while the legend of John Z. DeLorean ended without much fanfare, this car engineer’s unique vehicle headed for glory. Director Steven Spielberg was set to use a refrigerator instead of a car as Marty McFly’s time machine. Part of Spielberg’s decision to use the vehicle was due to concerns of children getting stuck in refrigerators in an attempt to recreate the movie. Thankfully, he went with the DeLorean, and the rest is history.
Find a Car Shop that Gets It, We Love Cars as Much as You Love Yours
Sergio Lewis body shop loves all cars. We know that people’s cars are part of their lives. It’s why we take every restoration, every paint job, every tire rotation with the utmost care and attention to detail. Whether you’re looking for collision repair or a new paint job, the techs at Sergio Lewis have you covered.
As a trusted auto body shop in El Paso, we’re here for you. Learn more about what we do. Call Sergio Lewis today.
