|
The De Lorean DMC-12 is a sports car which was manufactured by the De Lorean Motor Company from 1981 through 1983. It is most commonly known as the De Lorean, as it was the only model ever produced by the company. The DMC-12 featured gull-wing doors with a brushed stainless steel body. It was famously featured in the ''Back to the Future'' trilogy. The first prototype appeared in March 1977, and production officially began in 1981 (with the first DMC-12 rolling off the production line on January 21st) at the DMC factory in Dunmurry, Northern Ireland. During its production, several aspects of the car were changed, such as the hood (bonnet) style, wheels and interior. Around 8,583 DMC-12s were made before production fizzled in late 1982, with final production taking place in early 1983. Today, only about six thousand DeLorean Motor Cars are believed to still exist. Despite being produced in Northern Ireland, DMC-12s were primarily intended for the American market. Therefore, all of the production models were left-hand drive (designed to be driven on the right side of the road), limiting its popularity in the United Kingdom, where traffic travels on the left. Only four right-hand drive De Loreans were ever produced, converted by specialized mechanics for use in the UK.
History In October 1976, the first prototype De Lorean DMC-12 was completed by William T. Collins, chief engineer and designer (formerly chief engineer at Pontiac). Originally, the car's rear-mounted power plant was to be a Citroën Wankel rotary engine, but was replaced with a French-designed and produced PRV (Peugeot-Renault-Volvo) fuel injected V-6 because of the poor fuel economy of the rotary engine, an important issue at a time of world-wide fuel shortages. Collins and De Lorean envisioned a chassis produced from a new and untested manufacturing technology known as Elastic Reservoir Moulding (ERM), which would contribute to the light-weight characteristics of the car while presumably lowering its production costs. This new technology, for which De Lorean had purchased patent rights, would eventually be found to be unsuitable for mass production. These and other changes to the original concept led to considerable schedule pressures. The entire car was deemed to require almost complete re-engineering, which was turned over to engineer Colin Chapman, founder and owner of Lotus. Chapman replaced most of the dubious material and manufacturing techniques with those currently being employed by Lotus. The original Giorgetto Giugiaro body design was left mostly intact, as were the distinctive stainless steel outer skin and gull-wing doors. (Giugiaro had also designed the Lotus Esprit.) The DMC-12 would eventually be built in a factory in Dunmurry, Northern Ireland, a neighborhood only a few miles from Belfast City Centre. Construction on the factory began in October 1978, and although production of the DMC-12 was scheduled to start in 1979, engineering issues and budget overruns delayed production until early 1981. By that time, the unemployment rate was high in Northern Ireland and local residents lined up to apply for jobs at the factory. The workforce comprised both Protestants and Catholics who were happy to put religious differences aside and work together as a team. The production personnel were largely inexperienced, but were paid premium wages and supplied with the best equipment available. Most quality issues were solved by 1982 and the cars were available with a five-year, 50,000-mile (80 000 km) warranty program. Although the De Lorean Motor Company went bankrupt in late 1982 following John De Lorean's arrest in October of that year, approximately 100 partially assembled DMC-12s on the production line were completed by Consolidated Industries (now known as Big Lots). A total of about 9,200 DMC-12s were produced between January 1981 and December 1982., no confirmed records of the total production has surfaced, though it's believed that about 9,000 cars were built. Almost a fifth of these were produced in October 1981. Very few cars were produced between February and May 1982, with the last DMC-12 assembled on 24 December 1982, and the final model year was 1983. Construction The DMC-12 features a number of unusual construction details, including gull-wing doors, unpainted stainless-steel body panels, and a rear-mounted engine. Body The body of the DMC-12 was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro and clad entirely in brushed SS304 stainless steel. Except for three cars plated in 24-karat gold, all DMC-12s left the factory uncovered by paint or clearcoat. Painted De Loreans do exist, although these were all painted after the cars were purchased from the factory. Several hundred fiberglass-bodied "black car" DMC-12s were produced to train workers, although these were never marketed. Small scratches in the stainless steel body panels can reportedly be removed with a scouring pad. The stainless steel panels are fixed to a glass-reinforced plastic (GRP, fiberglass) monocoque underbody. The underbody is affixed to a double-Y frame chassis, derived from the Lotus Esprit platform. It must be noted that the unpainted stainless body creates challenges during restoration of the cars. In traditional automotive body repair, the panel is repaired to be as original ("straight") as possible and imperfections are sculpted back to form with body filler like Bondo or lead (body solder). This poses no problem (aside from originality) with most cars, as the filler will be hidden by the car's paint (for example, most new cars have filler hiding the seam where the roof meets the quarter panel). With an unpainted stainless body, the stainless steel must be reworked to exactly the original shape, contour and grain - which is a tremendously difficult job on regular steel (a dented or bent panel is stretched and a shrinking hammer or other techniques must be used to unstretch the metal), let alone stainless. Furthermore, it is exceedingly difficult to paint stainless steel due to adherence issues. De Lorean envisioned that damaged panels would simply be replaced rather than repaired; a prospect which ceased to be practical with the failure of the company. Another novel feature of the DMC-12 is its gull-wing doors. The common problem of supporting the weight of gull-wing doors was solved by other manufacturers with lightweight doors in the Mercedes-Benz 300SL and an air pump in the Bricklin SV-1, although these designs had structural or convenience issues. The DMC-12 features heavy doors supported by cryogenically preset torsion bars and gas-charged struts. These torsion bars were manufactured by Grumman Aerospace to withstand the stresses of supporting the doors. These doors only extend 11 inches (264 mm) outside the line of the car, making opening and closing the doors in crowded parking lots relatively easy. Much like the doors fitted to the Lamborghini Countach, the DMC-12 doors featured small cutout windows, because full-sized windows would not be fully retractable within the short door panels. Engine The DMC-12 is powered by the PRV V6, developed jointly by Peugeot, Renault, and Volvo. The engine is derived from the Volvo B28F, fitted with a Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection system and modified to be mounted in reverse. The PRV is a 90-degree layout, displaces 2.849 L (91 mm bore, 73 mm stroke), and has a compression ratio of 8.8:1. The engine block and heads are cast of light alloy and the engine features single overhead camshafts driving two valves per cylinder. When new, this engine was rated for 97 kW (130 hp) at 5,500 rpm and 208 N·m (153 ft lbf) at 2750 rpm. Fuel efficiency was said to be 12 L/100 km (19 mpg US, 22.8 mpg Imperial) and unofficial tests largely support this figure. Two transmissions were available for the DMC-12: a three-speed automatic and a five-speed manual transmission, both with a final drive ratio of 3.44:1. The manual transmission is a Renault 30 gearbox. Most cars were fitted with manual transmissions. The engine in the DMC-12 is mounted behind the rear axle, much like the VW Beetle and Porsche 911. The transaxle stretches forward between the axles. Suspension The underbody and suspension of the DMC-12 were based largely on the Lotus Esprit, with a four-wheel independent suspension, coil springs, and telescopic shock absorbers. The front suspension used double wishbones, while the rear was a multi-link setup. In its original development stages, the car is said to have handled quite well. Considering that Lotus's reputation was built largely on the handling prowess of the cars the company produced, the DMC-12's smooth ride wasn't a surprise. Unfortunately, changing safety standards in the U.S. required modifications to the suspension system and an increase in the vehicle's factory ride height, both of which had adverse effects on the car's handling capabilities. Steering was rack and pinion, with an overall steering ratio of 14.9:1, giving 2.65 turns lock-to-lock and a 35 ft (10.67 m) turning circle. DMC-12s were originally fitted with cast alloy wheels, measuring 14 in (356 mm) in diameter by 6 in (152 mm) wide on the front and 15 in (381 mm) in diameter by 8 in (203 mm) wide on the rear. These were fitted with Goodyear NCT steel-belted radial tires; because the engine is mounted in the very rear of the vehicle, the DMC-12 has a 35%/65% front/rear weight distribution. The DMC-12 features power-assisted disc brakes on all wheels, with 10 in (254 mm) rotors front and 10.5 in (267 mm) rear. Performance John De Lorean had originally envisioned that the car would produce somewhere around 200 horsepower, but eventually settled on a 170 horsepower output for the engine. However, stringent US emissions regulations required that parts such as catalytic converters be added to the vehicle before it could be sold in that country. Although the new parts qualified the vehicle for sale in the US, they caused serious reductions to power output, to 130 horsepower. The 40-horsepower loss seriously impeded the DMC-12's performance, and when combined with the forced changes to the vehicle's suspension system, the US versions were regarded as disappointing. De Lorean's comparison literature noted that the DMC-12 could achieve 0–60 mph (0–96 km/h) in 8.8 s, which would have been good for the time, but Road & Track magazine clocked the car at 10.5 s. However, it's possible that the factory performance numbers were achieved using a European spec car with the 170 horsepower engine. Pricing New DMC-12s had a suggested retail price of $25,000 ($650 more when equipped with an automatic transmission); this is equivalent to approximately $56,000 in 2005 dollars. There were extensive waiting lists of people willing to pay up to $10,000 above the list price; however, after the collapse of the De Lorean Motor Company, unsold cars could be purchased for under the retail price. The DMC-12 was only available with eight options including automatic transmission ($650); a car cover ($117); floor mats ($84); black textured accent stripes ($87); grey scotch-cal accent stripes ($55); a luggage rack ($269) and a ski-rack adapter. The standard feature list included stainless steel body panels; gull-wing doors with cryogenically-treated torsion bars; leather seats/trim; air conditioning; a high-output stereo system ($450); power windows, locks and mirrors; a steering wheel adjustable for both rake and reach; tinted glass; body side moldings; windshield wipers; and an electric rear window defogger. Prices for DMC-12s vary widely and are dependent upon price and demand. As of early 2006, a Delorean in good to excellent condition can be had for around $17,000 to $20,000. Mint-condition cars can fetch up to $30,000. There are an estimated 6,000 surviving DMC-12s today. A Texas-based company called the DeLorean Motor Company sells refurbished DMC-12s starting at $42,500, priced according to condition. The cars are available with modern amenities, such as performance engine upgrades, two-toned heated/cooled seats, satellite radio options, enhanced Eibach suspension, audio sound system upgrades, and high-intensity discharge (HID) headlights. The DeLorean Motor Company also sells a vast number of parts left over from the factory supply for cars that were never built. The myth that DeLorean parts are impossible to find and are incredibly expensive simply isn't well-founded. Some parts do command steep price tag and those that do are large items such as the fiberglass underbody. Most parts are reasonably priced and readily available. This company has no affiliation with the original DeLorean Motor Company. Production changes Although there were no typical "yearly" updates to the De Lorean, several changes were made to the De Lorean during production. John De Lorean believed that model years were primarily a gimmick used by automobile companies to sell more cars. Instead of making massive changes at the end of the model year, he implemented changes mid-production. This resulted in no clear distinction between the 1981, 1982, and 1983 model years, but with subtle changes taking place almost continuously throughout the life of the De Lorean. The most visible of these changes related to the hood style. Hood styles
Other changes
Special DMC-12s Several special-edition DMC-12 cars have been produced over the years, including several that were used in the films of the ''Back to the Future'' trilogy. Seven DeLoreans were used and modified with props after purchase to make them look like time travel machines throughout the trilogy. At least three DMC-12s were used in pornographic films that parodied the Back to the Future trilogy. One of several De Lorean prototypes is still in existence, and is currently undergoing a complete restoration at De Lorean Motor Company of Florida. Production of the De Lorean started at VIN 500. VINs VIN 500, notable for being the first production De Lorean to roll off the line in 1981, is on display in the Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum in Cleveland, Ohio. Only 23 right-hand drive models were made for use in the United Kingdom, and as of 2002 these are valued at £25,000 each. For Christmas 1981, A De Lorean/American Express promotion planned to sell one hundred 24k gold-plated DMC-12s for $85,000 each to its gold card members, but only two were sold. One of these was purchased by Roger Mize, president of Snyder National Bank in Snyder, Texas. VIN The second gold-plated American Express DMC-12 is located at the William F. Harrah Foundation/National Automobile Museum in Reno, Nevada. This car, VIN A third gold-plated car exists with 636 miles (1,018 km) clocked up; it carries the VIN plate for the last production De Lorean, De Lorean today De Lorean culture lives on through the existing owners and their passion for the car. Children of the 80s are now able to afford the car that captured their imagination in Back To The Future. A surge in De Lorean interest is evidenced by the cars' eBay availability, and pop-culture references abound. Gatherings and communications The De Lorean Owners Association, founded in 1983, is the largest international De Lorean group to date. The Association has yearly gatherings followed by great support of De Lorean members all over the world. The group provides a wealth of information to its membership, support and enjoyment for the marque. Most notably in the United States, owners have gathered bi-annually for the De Lorean Car Show which draws people from all over the world to a different location each time. Back to the Future cast and crew including Bob Gale, James Tolkan, Jeffrey Weissman, and Claudia Wells have made appearances, and even John De Lorean was known to attend before he died. Besides this main event, local clubs hold events throughout the year featuring driving tours, road rally scavenger hunts, tech sessions and more. Online, the De Lorean owner base keeps in contact using a mailing list called the De Lorean Mailing List or the DML. The group is home to thousands of De Lorean owners and enthusiasts across the world and features active conversations all the time. The DML is moderated on a rotating basis. After some members became upset with what was seen as too much moderation by not allowing off-topic posts a separate mailing list was created to be an alternative place for De Lorean fans to speak without moderation. The DMC Forum has less moderation and is generally an outlet for people to speak freely about anything De Lorean or sometimes non-De Lorean related. Both groups are highly active and are part of the Yahoo Groups service. Repair shops Keeping the cars on the road are the specialties of the four remaining De Lorean repair shops: DeLorean Motor Company, PJ Grady DeLorean, DeLorean Motor Center, and DeLorean One. These specialty shops service the De Loreans still on the road. The Delorean Motor Company bought the largest remaining stock of original parts from the Kapac corporation. The new DMC (commonly known as "DeLorean Houston", "Houston" or "DMC Texas") is the only place to find some rare parts, though they also sell through the other full service DeLorean shops. Their resources have also allowed some unavailable parts to be produced again, so that replacements for minor parts (such as switches) can now be had for a reasonable price. Overall, obtaining parts is neither difficult nor expensive. Magazines The premier magazine on the De Lorean automobile is DeLorean World Magazine which is published by the DeLorean Owners Association. This magazine is seen by owners as an essential part of ownership. The quality of the magazine is always high with useful content. The magazine promotes the image and lifestyle of DeLoreans and their owners. Inside you will find technical information, event listings, products, history and exclusive feature stories. Along with the resurging interest in the car, new magazine publications have begun to be produced. The De Lorean Car Show has its own magazine that is currently seen as the main publication in the community. DeLorean Car Show Magazine (known just as DCS) is published quarterly by Ken Koncelik. Along with DCS there is Gullwing Magazine and DeLoreans, which is published by the new DMC in Texas. While these publications at times can be costly to purchase, the content is provided by the owner base, which generates more interest. De Lorean in popular culture
See also Notes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
| |