Frequently Asked Questions

This page provides a list of frequently asked questions, along with the appropriate answers! Further questions and answers will be added to this list over time.

If you cannot find the information you require, please contact us.

History

How many cars were built?
This is a contentious point! The generally agreed figure is 8,583 – being the production models from 1981 through to 1983. However, there may be a handful of cars out there in addition to this figure. Certainly prototype 1 and the pilot cars are not included in that figure, but are DeLorean cars nonetheless. Back to top

How many DeLoreans exist today?
It’s difficult to say with any certainty. There is an owners chronology, put together by Knut Grimswald, although there are many cars unaccounted for. Some of these cars are likely to be stored away in garages and barns as investments. Others may have been scrapped or exported elsewhere. In general terms, a figure of around 6,000 to 6,500 is likely to be reasonably accurate. Knut's chronology can be found at http://www.dmcnews.com/faq/n_chron.htm.
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What happened to the original prototype cars?
Prototype 1 was the very first DeLorean, hand built by Bill Collins. This was used by John DeLorean and Dick Brown as they travelled the US seeking funding for the project. This car was purchased in an auction in 2005 by Tony Ierardi – the president of DMC Florida. This car has been restored by Tony and his team and is featured among our Unique DeLoreans section of this website.

Prototype 2 was unfortunately destroyed some years later by Lotus. After retaining the car for the statutory 12 years, the car was crushed and used as hardcore for a new plant building at Lotus’ headquarters in Hethel, England.
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Did all of the cars have a stainless steel finish?
Yes. All cars were built with a stainless steel finish, although some dealers decided to paint the cars – as an option.
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Why did John DeLorean choose stainless steel?
Originally John DeLorean intended to use light weight composite panels, which would keep the weight of the car down and allow the owners to easily switch between different colour options, or replace damaged panels. At the time, the cost of developing such tooling was too high, so he opted for stainless steel – on the basis that it would be a unique feature, and would not rust.
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Did they ever make a right-hand drive DeLorean?
Yes. The company authorised a handful of conversions as a development exercise. They used a UK company called Wooler Hodec, who produced around 20 cars before the company folded.
Wooler Hodec are featured within the DeLorean Companies section of this website.

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Why is the car model called a DMC-12?
The DMC of course stands for the DeLorean Motor Company. The 12 was originally intended to be the price of the car - $12,000 – although with spiralling costs, the final retail price was around $25,000.
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Where was the DeLorean built?
The DeLorean was built in Dunmurry, Northern Ireland. Much of the design work was undertaken by Lotus at their Hethel plant in Norwich, England. The styling of the car was done by Giorgetto Giugiaro, based in Turin, Italy.
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Is it true that there were some gold plated DeLoreans made?
Yes. The company built two 24 karat gold plated cars for an American Express promotional campaign. A third car was later produced using the spare parts from the first two. These cars are featured among our Unique DeLoreans section of this website.
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What happened after the company went bust?
The impact of the company going bust affected a lot of people in many different ways. There were mass redundancies at the plant in Northern Ireland, and a great many suppliers went bust, as they were dependent upon the parts orders from the company. Many of the DeLorean executives moved on to other projects. Check out the ‘DeLorean – The Companies’ section of this website to read about the people involved in building the dream. The companies US operations continued for a short while following the administration of the UK operations.
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Why does my VIN number conflict with the Build Date?
If you were to list all of the DeLoreans in order by VIN number, you would see that they have conflicting build dates. For example, VIN570 was built before VIN502, and so on.

This is because the VIN number is assigned first, and the build date is included once the car is mechanically complete. If any of the cars had problems during production, they were put to one side (without build dates) and were later worked on and completed. Hence the cars that were produced and completed in the meantime all have higher VIN numbers, but earlier build dates.
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What interior colours are available?
The DeLorean essentially has two main interior colours to choose from – Black and Grey. It is a common misperception that the company started with black only and then switched to grey. Actually, the company used both from the start – using grey interiors in a selection of the pilot cars. However, after speaking to some of the DeLorean production engineers from Dunmurry, we have learnt that the company purchased a large number of black interior carpets, etc up front. Once they had used these up, they followed customer feedback and purchased the next batch in a grey material.

There are also some specialist burgundy type interiors (which the company intended to offer), which are widely used in hot climates – as black attracts heat and would quickly crack the leather. Of course prototype 1 and the gold cars all had tanned interior – but these were largely custom made.
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Technical

How fast can the DeLorean go?
Each car is different, depending upon it’s specific configuration and uprated components. For example, a Legend Twin Turbo can go a lot faster than a stock DeLorean. However, as a general figure, a standard DeLorean in good running order should be able to reach a top speed of around 115 to 120 mph (185 to 195 KMh). The 0-60 mph (95 KMh) speed is around 8.5 to 9.0 seconds.

Of course many DeLorean speedometers only go up to 85mph, which makes an accurate figure very difficult for a specific car!
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Do the gull wing doors make it difficult to get in or out the car?
No. This is a common misperception. People think that a gull wing door makes it difficult to get out of the car in tight spaces. However, the doors open upwards, so the ‘outswing’ is only around 14 inches each side – far less than a conventional car door.
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What size engine does the DeLorean have?
The DeLorean has a 2.85 litre Peugeot-Renault-Volvo (PRV) engine. Further details of the cars technical specifications can be found within the ‘DeLorean – The Car’ section of this website.
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Is it possible to turbo charge a DeLorean?
Yes – it is possible, but to varying degrees of success. Some aftermarket turbo modifications work quite well, others are questionable. Originally, John DeLorean commissioned a company called Legend Industries to develop a twin turbo DeLorean, which at the time would have been one of the fastest production cars on the market. Only a few of these ‘Legend’ cars exist today, as sadly the collapse of the DMC also bought about the end for Legend Industries.

Legend Industries are featured within our ‘DeLorean – the Companies’ section of this website.
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Are the gull wing doors safe in the event of an accident?
Yes. The DeLorean was originally conceived as a safety vehicle. Amongst the testing undertaken by Lotus was a test to see how easy it would be to escape from an overturned DeLorean. They actually placed an engineer in the car and then lifted the car upside down to see if he could escape. He could, quite easily – and the car passed the test.
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What part did Lotus play in the DeLorean project?
Lotus Motor Cars were originally commissioned to help develop the chassis – although they actually ended up doing a great deal more! They took the prototype 2 from Bill Collins and pretty much redesigned large parts of the car in order to make it into a production ready car.

Lotus Motor Cars are featured within the ‘DeLorean – the Companies’ section of this website.
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Wasn’t there an issue with being locked in – faulty doors?
The original door locking mechanisms weren’t the best design, and had a few flaws which could lead to being locked in. However, this was quickly realised and a number of aftermarket corrective kits are available. These include up rated components or remote activated equipment.
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Do the gull wing doors leak water?
Generally no. The gull wing doors were extremely well designed – specifically not to leak. The gull wing doors were worked on largely by Jim Prentice, who is featured under ‘Lotus’ within the ‘DeLorean – The Companies’ section of this website.
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What is the chassis made of?
The chassis frame is made of mild steel, covered with an epoxy resin. The frames were initially made from stainless steel too, but were too expensive - so were later developed from mild steel with the epoxy coating. The frame is one of the most common parts of a DeLorean to rust or corrode, and is perhaps the most important thing to check when buying a car. PJ Grady Europe have fixed many frames that had badly corroded. Details of this can be found within the 'Repairs' section of this website.
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Parts

Are parts still available for the DeLorean?
Yes. Although some parts are in short supply, a large number of the parts used on the DeLorean are common to other cars. In addition, there are a number of vendors, of which PJ Grady Europe is one, that are able to source and supply pretty much any part required for a DeLorean.
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What does OEM and NOS mean?
OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer, which means that replacement parts are manufactured by the same company that originally built the parts.
NOS stands for New Old Stock, which essentially means an unused original part.
In addition, you can get what are sometimes referred to as ‘pattern parts’, which are modern day reproductions of original parts. PJ Grady Europe offer a wide range of stainless steel pattern parts which are a direct replacement for the inferior originals.
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Where can I source replacement parts for my DeLorean?
PJ Grady Europe can provide pretty much any DeLorean part you require. However, there are a number of other major US vendors which provide a similar service. Alternatively, websites like www.eBay.com occasionally list DeLorean parts. Lastly, your local DeLorean owners club may be able to provide you with further information.
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Can I take my DeLorean to any motor garage for repair?
Possibly! The DeLorean itself has a few areas that are specific to the model; however most garages will be able to perform routine maintenance. However, anything more involved or needing specific DeLorean parts is usually best handled through a DeLorean specific garage. PJ Grady Europe is able to provide a full DeLorean repair service, as can a number of other major vendors.
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Is there a parts list or manual I can refer to?
Yes. There is a parts catalogue available, listing all components of the car, each with a unique reference number. The link to the online parts manual is http://www.dmcnews.com/faq/n_soft.htm.
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Stainless Steel

What type of stainless steel was used for the DeLorean?
The DeLorean stainless steel panels were constructed from 304-grade stainless – which is traditionally used within the catering industry.
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Does stainless steel ever rust or corrode?
Stainless steel doesn’t rust, but if you were to use anything like steel wool to brush the car, small particles of the steel wool could get trapped within the pits of the stainless and cause a rusting effect. Stainless steel will not corrode naturally, but can be adversely affected by certain chemicals or overexposure to water – especially salt water.

An example of stainless steel corrosion is featured within the ‘DeLorean Repairs’ section of this website.
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Doesn’t stainless steel show fingerprints and smudges?
Unfortunately yes. However, a standard stainless steel polish can quickly rectify this problem.
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Is it possible to mirror polish my DeLorean?
Yes – if you have sufficient, time, money and know-how! The PJ Grady Europe show car has been fully mirror polished – to stunning effect. PJ Grady Europe are pleased to be able to offer a refinishing service to DeLorean owners, ranging from a stock factory finish, through to custom or mirror finishes.
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Is it possible to repair dented, damaged or scratched DeLorean panels?
Yes. There are of course varying degrees of damage. However, PJ Grady Europe are experts in stainless repair and offer a ‘second to none’ stainless repair service. A range of our unique repair projects are featured within the ‘DeLorean Repairs’ section of this website.
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Is it possible to remove the ‘X’ in a DeLorean hood?
Unfortunately - no. Once an ‘X’ appears on a hood there really isn’t much you can do to correct it – short of attempting to re-skin the entire hood – which simply isn’t cost effective. PJ Grady Europe may be able to help improve the ‘X’, but it is impossible to remove it completely.
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Where can I buy replacement panels for my DeLorean?
PJ Grady Europe are able to supply pretty much any panel required for your DeLorean. There are also a number of other main vendors who also offer this service.
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Other

How much does a DeLorean cost?
This depends on a number of factors, not least where you are based and what type of car you require. In UK and European terms, the following values are approximately true:

Specifications	USA	UK	Europe
Standard left hand drive, Poor Condition	$6,000	£5,000	€7,000
Standard left hand drive, Fair Condition	$17,000	£10,000	€14,000
Standard left hand drive, Top Condition	$27,000	£17,000	€24,000

Of course there are exceptions to this rule, which include different configurations (right hand drive), previous show winning cars, ‘nut and bolt’ restorations and so on.
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How do I import a DeLorean from the USA?
The import process is similar for all European countries, although each country has its own specific rules regarding imports and duties. A high level overview of the process for importing to the UK is provided within the ‘Useful Information’ section of this website, although you are strongly advised to research the subject thoroughly within your specific country. A sensible starting point would be to contact your local DeLorean owners club for advice.
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Is the insurance expensive on a DeLorean?
This is dependent upon a range of factors including where you are, your age, previous convictions and so on. Generally, insurance is available as a ‘classic’ car, or with specified annual mileage, so in real terms, the cost of insurance is often lower than an equivalent modern day production car. It is an important consideration when assessing insurance options to look for comprehensive cover.
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Are there any owners clubs, or people I can talk to about owning a DeLorean?
Yes. DeLorean owners are amongst the most friendly and helpful people anywhere. A list of national owners clubs and links to their websites is included within the ‘Web Links’ section of this website.
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What is the most valuable DeLorean (in terms of cost?)
The most expensive DeLorean today is Prototype 1, owned by Tony Ierardi – president of DMC Florida. A close second has to be the Gold cars or possibly the Legend Twin Turbo cars such as VIN 502. All of these cars are featured within the ‘Unique DeLoreans’ section of this website.
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Where can I buy a DeLorean?
You can buy a DeLorean from a number of places. Firstly, you can buy from a vendor, of which PJ Grady Europe is one. Generally, vendor cars have been restored to a point where significant problems have been fixed – so you can be assured that the car is of sound quality.

Our 'DeLoreans for Sale' section of this website shows a selection of the cars we currently have for sale.

Alternatively, you can buy privately, through direct sales or through internet auctions, etc. Whilst these options may provide you with a lower purchase price, you do take on a great deal more risk in not knowing the history of the car, or its condition.

A sensible option is always to talk with your local DeLorean owners club, to see if the car is known within the community, or to get advice on how to manage the purchase and any necessary repairs.
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