The Iconic DeLorean Is Resurrected In Texas
Howdy folks and greetings from the Great Plains of North Texas!
I was reading an article about a Texas company that is ready to start selling the famous DeLorean cars and thought it was so interesting that I wanted to share the story.
The story is great because it's about a regular working guy, a mechanic, who started his own repair shop and ended up being the owner of DeLorean!
In case you aren't familiar with the car, here's what the stainless steel beauties look like:
The car was made in 1981 and made famous when the Hollywood movie Back To The Future came out in 1985. Remember that one starring Micheal J. Fox?
They made four of those movies at last count, maybe more. lol. But anyway it made the DeLorean more famous as the movie franchise grew.
Ok, so now you know how it became a cultural pop icon. There were actually very few of them sold. Only about 9,000 cars worldwide.
They were manufactured in a factory in Belfast, Ireland. In fact I think sir @blanchy has one in his garage. It's how he gets to so many places so fast and no one knows how! The guy is everywhere. lol.
They were only in production for one year and then the company's founder, John DeLorean, ran into legal problems and had to declare bankruptcy. So you had all these movies being made at a time when millions of these cars could have been sold but instead no one could find one. (except @blanchy)
A DeLorean specialist in the making
Back in the 70's there was a young mechanic in Liverpool, England by the name of Stephen Wynne. He started working on cars that had the same engines that the DeLoreans would later have.
He moved to the United States in 1980 and when the DeLoreans came out he started working on them in his shop because no one else knew about the engines.
Well, he became a specialist in repair and restoration of the DeLorean and built a successful business doing that. He also ordered parts all the time from the supplier in Belfast who still had a warehouse full.
A huge gamble
Finally in the 90's he decided to purchase the entire defunct DeLorean brand and all the parts. They had everything. Engines, the gull-wing doors, everything. Enough to make 30,000 brand new cars! This was a bold move on his part and many people thought he was crazy.
Here's the visionary owner Stephen Wynne:
He set his business up in a combination repair shop and warehouse in Humble, Texas which is a suburb of Houston. It took 85 semi trailer loads to bring all the parts to his shop. And also a few years to set up the legal stuff but he's now ready to start producing the new cars with his 100 employees.
The car will be made with all original parts except the electrical system will have modern wiring which is more reliable. The engines are not compliant for today's strict pollution controls but in 2015 Congress passed a law that gives classic car and small volume replica car makers permission to do so without modern regulations.
Here's brand new DeLoreans lined up in the parking lot in the Humble facility:
I know that sounds bad but they only plan to make 100 cars per year so that's not going to affect anything. They sold for $26,000 back in 1981 and now the price will be over $100,000. So far they haven't officially started selling them but they were supposed to start in January of this year.
When they announced the availability of these cars they immediately had a waiting list of 5,000 people! I think I'll get me on that list. I always wanted a stainless steel car, how about you guys? Is it worth a hundred grand?
Thanks for reading folks, God bless you all!
-jonboy
texas
the gentleman redneck
PS- ya know....you might just be a redneck if:
You can eat a whole bag of black licorice and your teeth don't look
any different!
It's a dilemma. Cost and weight vs. durability and strength. I think I come down on the pro-stainless end of things, though.
$100k isn't excessive for what's essentially a bespoke, handmade car built on a highly functional and desirable engineered platform, and made of stainless. Honestly a bargain, considering inflation since the 80s.
Howdy sir valued-customer! That's a very good point. Who knows how much it would cost today to build a stainless steel car. It will be interesting to watch. Thank you sir.
This car is a truly iconic machine. Great story.
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Howdy there anaerwu! Thank you so much and the hero of the story is a Brit!
I hope he succeeds wildly too!
That is very interesting. I wonder how many of the 5000 people on the waiting list know the car cost $100,000. Personally I think there is value here but $100,000 is too much imo. I suspect the price will drastically decline.
On the plus side if you own an original one of these from 1981 then its value might of just went up.
Howdy there rentmoney! oh yeah that's too much money and it will have to come down in price I would think. Although I heard that Hollywood is making another movie this year featuring it and two documentaries are coming out about the company and car so that may help the car sales alot!
A new Back To The Future movie or something new ?
Thanks for the info.
Howdy again rentmoney! oh I made a mistake about the movie, the car was featured in Ready Player One which came out last year but I didn't see it. But there are supposed to be a couple of documentaries coming out about the car and company. But people are crazy so maybe the car just being hard to find and in limited numbers and with the iconic image will be enough for them to get those kinds of prices!
Think how much Steem that would buy!
I love such stories! They are like lights in our life... Thank you! Cars on the last pic look so cool that ... no, I haven't enough money but what a pity! ))
Howdy zirochka! yes I thought this was very inspirational for this man to be able to go from humble beginnings to owning his own business and now to owning a major car brand! Thank you so much for the kind words!
Howdy Janton! So how do you get from admiring Amish one day and cars that polluting the hell out of the Earth another, lol. In my opinion, they should made them electric. If somebody is willing to pay so much money than why not to make them ECO friendly. Honestly I hate shit like this!!! Pardon my expression, but things like this really make me upset. No offence to you, I still like you, but I have to be honest!
Howdy Miss Lena! well the effect of a few cars will be zero so that's nothing but I understand that you don't like the principle of it.
so to answer your question, I like a wide variety of topics and this guy's story is very inspirational.
They did want to turn it into an electric car but with all the major car makers doing that they knew they wouldn't be able to compete. But don't worry, pretty soon most cars will be electric and not too long after that ALL cars will be electric and there will be zero pollution from cars.
I am glad you understand my point, the principle. Most of all I hate vanity especially if it has a negative impact whether it is in a small form or large. In my opinion, this guy is wasting his talent for a wrong purpose.
I understand you like writing about different topics, however, you must admit you have contradict yourself there. Not for writing about it, but for your opinion about it. Nevertheless, no hard feelings, I am just expressing my opinion and yes, lets hope, the electric cars will replace the regular cars soon.
Howdy Miss Lena! no I don't admit that I've condradicted myself because I don't think I have. I stil stand for the same thing as I always have. But I love your passion for your causes and we need more people like you in the world to make it a better place!
Okay Janton, lets agree to disagree, lol. And thank you for seeing me in such a light, although it is not my cause; It is our cause. We are in this together 😊
Well said, it truly is OUR cause, the worlds..and isn't there huge strides in improvement being made every year in many areas like air pollution? The oceans are an alarming mess though but at least people are working on that.
Very small improvements and that is what worries me! Nevertheless, I know I am not able to do major change myself, but at least I know that after I die, I go with clear conscious. And God knows too that I am doing my best I can. Everything else is in his/hers hands.
yes Ma'am that is the best attitude and philosophy to have. I think more and more people are realizing the problems we've created for the earth and I think we will see great improvements.
Hi Cowboy. Black Licorice Yum!
I’ll have a couple of those cars...Does he take cheques? 😂
haha! howdy redheadpei! Hey if you can write that kind of check I'm sure he'll take it! lol. You can be pretty sure no one in your neck of the woods will have a car like yours.
Hi janton, some people have the vision, drive and intuition with business decisions that pay off. Good on Stephen Wynne. I am not sure if I like the style, looks hard to get in and out with a dress and heels, lol.
haha! howdy angiemitchell! yes it would not be very practical for alot of us that's for sure. Did you guys see those silly Back To The Future movies?
I am thinking a Stainless Steel Kenworth W900....?
Would be a nice replacement for the truck I owned that a Drunk Driver took from us.
We miss this Truck Every day. We had it nearly 10 yrs.
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wow! What a beauty! what's the story behind that loss? Hey where are you krazzytrukker and what is your situation tonight?
It is a Secret...... lol
I am about an hour west up i26 from Charleston SC. Near where i95 & i26 cross paths.
Chapter xx The big wreck, coming soon...... "The Big Wreck"..... no that is not gonna be the chapter title. But the Big one was on Aug 28th, 2016 around 3 pm on a sunday afternoon. Not the time of day you would expect to be "taken out" by a drunk.
I made it nearly 25 yrs, well over 2 million miles, it was life changing, a very hard collision, life changing, the sound and impact forever burned into my memory. Poor Jessi, it was "Little Ones" first month out in the Truck. She was just a kitten. So glad the kits did not get hurt.
It will all be in the on going Sammi Jo rescue story. Her kitty life has been one rescue after another.
But here is a photo of what the drunk did to our "retirement truck". It was paid for free and clear. We loved that truck.
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oh man! ouch! Thank God you were all ok though! the insurance didn't pay for a new truck?
I was Under insured, at 25k. Took nearly 3 months to get it, so after i payed late bills, i had 15k to put down on this truck..... pretty shitty deal. and the drunk did not have a pot 2 piss in, so a lawsuit would have been a waste of time.
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oh man! I hate that. What was the other truck worth? I'm afraid to ask but I'm very curious. You called it your retirement truck because it would have lasted that long?
I loved that Truck. I new every inch of it. I had 80k of money into repairs and up keep in 10 yrs. Payed 35k for it.
I would have rebuilt it over and over to keep it. It was a 1999 heritage edition. 75 yr KW Anniversary truck.
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Oh man..that sucks. that's a heck of a blow. What a beautiful rig, now I see why you called it your retirement truck.
Hey @janton:
I think I heard that someone was going to be selling more DeLoreans. Interestingly enough, there's also a film coming out in April about John DeLorean that looks fascinating.
Oh, and I guess there's a parody video going around about a Back to the Future Part IV, but to date, there's only three. :)
oh ok howdy sir Glen! sorry I should have looked that up about how many films there were. Yes I read that Hollywood is coming out with a movie this year which will feature it and that there are two documentaries coming out that will bring more attention to the car. Pretty amazing. I think it still looks good as far as the sides and rear but the front is way to chunky looking and 70's looking. not aerodyamic in front. but if people want the original car look then it's fine.
hey I wanted to ask you about the steemit wallet, do you know anything about that and how it should be used?
Hey, @janton.
re: Steemit wallet
Not really. I just know they've been doing some kind of separating of the wallet from the social part of Steemit, but I haven't seen any real difference, and I'm not totally sure it's even available yet. Other than providing better stability and security, I'm not sure just what else it's supposed to do that's any different than the existing wallet.
My guess is someone in your vast comment network will no more than I. :)
haha! sir Glen! you're the most knowledgeable person in my network! lol. I just had heard about it and didn't know anything, as usual. lol.
Hey I pulled out of the league for awhile. I need to get alot of work done around the house and on the property and I just have to step away completely or else I wouldn't be able to stay away and Mrs. J is not happy at all with the time I spend on steemit so I had to make a change. It might only be for a month or so. Melinda is doing the same thing, she has other things she wants to concentrate on for awhile.
So, that's happening effective now? Sorry to hear that. Also sorry to hear about Mrs. J's feelings about your time on Steemit. I know exactly how that is. I'm not sure how long I can continue to do what I'm doing myself. I understand the need to get the work done, though. With you and Melinda gone (if you don't end up making up time after you're chores are done for the day), will take two of the top contenders out of the way.
Not sure who I feel about that. An opportunity for someone else, I suppose, but the best of the best won't be in contention. One by one contenders have been falling out anyway, I guess. Bound to happen.
re: most knowledeable
Well, then we're all in trouble. :) I was thinking someone like smithlabs or tcpolymath would have a better grasp on that, even if they did have to read up on it because they missed the posts.
Howdy today sir Glen! well this is probably temporary as far as cutting my time back but who knows? lol. I don't have alot to show for my time here except the account is finally starting to build up, but she wants me to be earning "real money" that we can be paying bills with etc, I know you're in the same spot.
But yeah to stay in the top of the League is a big time committment as you know and I think that's why people drop off. If the price of steem takes off it will be easier to justify though. can you make that hapen? lol.
That's a good suggestion about tcpolymath and smithlabs. Smithlabs doesn't have much time these days and what time he has he's building his weku account up for the big IPO. He says I'm missing out big time.
We have two people who are super competitive and who both want to win and that's d swigle and jj. I haven't checked today but jj was killin it in comments Sunday and Monday, he had more than I did so I figured coming in second place last week inspired him. d swigle says she's in it to win it so we'll see what happens this week. Then we have the great Glenalbrethsen who could jump in anytime and take it all. lol.
I'm still going to be active enough that I'd be in the top few but I'm just not going to be thinking about it or trying to keep up the PS number which was always hard for me to do.
I haven't seen tcpolymath for awhile but I don't go to his post, his comments always sound brilliant though!
So you are going to zip around town in that new toy? Better ask what Mrs J thinks first. lol
haha! I like the stainless steel but I really need a pickup so I guess this is out. You could tool around the city in style though sir Vincent!