By Bill Thorpe
DeLorean car clubs across the country host a tech day every spring so their members can break their cherished sports cars out of hibernation. Parts have been procured during the winter, and members unite so they can make their rides roadworthy for the upcoming car show season.
Club members are unique because they have long needed to depend upon other clubs to keep their cars in good running condition. With the explosion of the Internet, these clubs are known for sharing parts and information as to where to find hard-to-get items.
A large cottage industry has evolved with most reproduction parts coming from Humble, Texas. The folks there have purchased the rights and entire inventory from the original factory in Ireland. They provide service and parts to the 9,500 known DeLorean owners worldwide. The group has also moved the hobby forward with the development of new parts.
The Texas group, which maintains six franchised service centers across America, recently unveiled an all-electric DeLorean and has been producing about 20 cars per year since 2012 with the extensive inventory of parts at its warehouse. The asking price is $54,000, which includes all the bells and whistles of a modern car.
Indiana’s club, which calls Lebanon home, has maintained 14 to 16 cars over the past three years. The group’s gala in 2013 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway attracted 51 DeLoreans from across the country. The big event last summer was the DeLorean Car Show & Convention in Dayton, Ohio. Hollywood cast members and former producers were present for the weekend and gave insider commentary concerning the filming of the “Back to the Future” trilogy at a sold-out banquet. The national show, first held in 1996, is staged in a different city every two years. Typically, more than 300 DeLoreans are featured.
Kolin Brown, president of the Indiana chapter, and past president Jason Sharkey shared some of the club’s upcoming events with me. The Brown County Spring Blossom Parade, Car Show & Festival is Saturday, and a joint road trip with the Delorean Club of Ohio to the Gilmore Auto Museum in Michigan is July 31. In August there is the Carmel Artmobilia Car Show, which showcases period cars and rare vehicles. The season winds down with the Back to the Fifties Car Show in Lebanon on Sept. 19.
DeLoreans will be cruising everywhere throughout the summer; maybe you’ll get a glimpse of one of these legendary time machines. If so, be sure to wave a big hello!
Until next time, happy cruising.
DeLorean car clubs across the country host a tech day every spring so their members can break their cherished sports cars out of hibernation. Parts have been procured during the winter, and members unite so they can make their rides roadworthy for the upcoming car show season.
Club members are unique because they have long needed to depend upon other clubs to keep their cars in good running condition. With the explosion of the Internet, these clubs are known for sharing parts and information as to where to find hard-to-get items.
A large cottage industry has evolved with most reproduction parts coming from Humble, Texas. The folks there have purchased the rights and entire inventory from the original factory in Ireland. They provide service and parts to the 9,500 known DeLorean owners worldwide. The group has also moved the hobby forward with the development of new parts.
The Texas group, which maintains six franchised service centers across America, recently unveiled an all-electric DeLorean and has been producing about 20 cars per year since 2012 with the extensive inventory of parts at its warehouse. The asking price is $54,000, which includes all the bells and whistles of a modern car.
Indiana’s club, which calls Lebanon home, has maintained 14 to 16 cars over the past three years. The group’s gala in 2013 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway attracted 51 DeLoreans from across the country. The big event last summer was the DeLorean Car Show & Convention in Dayton, Ohio. Hollywood cast members and former producers were present for the weekend and gave insider commentary concerning the filming of the “Back to the Future” trilogy at a sold-out banquet. The national show, first held in 1996, is staged in a different city every two years. Typically, more than 300 DeLoreans are featured.
Kolin Brown, president of the Indiana chapter, and past president Jason Sharkey shared some of the club’s upcoming events with me. The Brown County Spring Blossom Parade, Car Show & Festival is Saturday, and a joint road trip with the Delorean Club of Ohio to the Gilmore Auto Museum in Michigan is July 31. In August there is the Carmel Artmobilia Car Show, which showcases period cars and rare vehicles. The season winds down with the Back to the Fifties Car Show in Lebanon on Sept. 19.
DeLoreans will be cruising everywhere throughout the summer; maybe you’ll get a glimpse of one of these legendary time machines. If so, be sure to wave a big hello!
Until next time, happy cruising.
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