Club Lotus and DeLorean meet at Dunmurry 24 Aug 2013

[DMCNI]

Club Lotus organised their annual gathering this year to include a visit to the DMC Factory in Dunmurry due to the connection between DMC and Lotus. Club Lotus kindly invited members of the local DeLorean Club to attend their event.

As my DeLorean is currently being restored there was only one DMC-12 in attendance I didnt get the vin but the owner told me its an ex Kuwait car which he has owned for 13 years, its an 82 Auto with black leather interior....I dare say a few of the Irish crew on here will know the car.

The original plans for the trip was to include a walk around the test track however it was deemed unsafe to do this. Barrie Wills happened to be in town along with other members of the DeLorean Owners Club Uk and give us a brief history on the factory, the car, how he accepted the job with DMC, he commented on his time with Lotus and role with the Elan it was great to hear him talk about his experiences.

Once we finished at Dunmurry we made our way to the Crossle car factory in Holywood, Co Down where we were given a guided tour of the facilty and shown examples of the race cars they still produce today.

After the visit to Crossle we the went to the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum were we had a look at the 50000 mile test car and the wooden mock up of the DMC-12 was on display.

All in all it was a great day out, a chance for me to experience a bit of the factory, meet another DeLorean owner from NI and see meet with the Club Lotus guys and girls and see some fine examples of the various Lotus cars they brought.

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[DMCNI]

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[Domi]

Great pictures, thanks for sharing ;)
I really like the ones of the 50k car :)

[DMCNI]

No probs Domi, I forgot to include the interior shot...I noticed the 50k car is still on the Goodyear NCT's.

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[Domi]

No probs Domi, I forgot to include the interior shot...I noticed the 50k car is still on the Goodyear NCT's.


Thanks again for the interior shot, appreciated :)
That's too bad the interior is such in a bad shape :eek5:

[djdogbone]

Wonderful photos. I have always wanted to visit the DMC plant...the wooden DMC-12 I've never seen!

[DMCNI]

That is the first time I have been at the factory in 20 years, last time I was there was for Expo 93 event run by the DOA. It brought back the memories of being a 14 year old all over again and walking around in awe at the site of so many DeLoreans....roll on Eurofest 2016...if I make it that long :)

Regards the wooden mock up I think thats the first time I have got to see it in the flesh...I dont think it comes out to play too often.

Does anyone know what the item is that comes out of the clove box and is attached to the dash on the 50k car?

[Domi]

Does anyone know what the item is that comes out of the clove box and is attached to the dash on the 50k car?

According to Tamir's website, it seems to be a microphone to record people explanations during the test?
See it here:
http://www.entermyworld.com/history/dmc-test-car
In the middle of the page.

[MML]

I've been meaning to get a trip up to Cultra for ages but I never got around to it! The 50k car is in a sorry state from what I hear, with bits missing and broken. Glad the mockup is behind a barrier at least.

[DMCNI]

Thanks for that Domi, the microphone is still there by the looks of it but tucked away in the glovebox...why do that???

DOI club meet at Cultra someday Martin?

You can touch the 50k car from the barrier....its a solid big thing.

[MML]

DOI club meet at Cultra someday Martin?

You can touch the 50k car from the barrier....its a solid big thing.

That wouldn't be a bad idea!
I get the bus up to Belfast pretty often, so failing a meetup I could just wander out there by myself...

[Domi]

Thanks for that Domi, the microphone is still there by the looks of it but tucked away in the glovebox...why do that???


I don't know either, but I'll be curious to know its story.

[DMCNI]

Leave it with me Martin, I will see if we can get a date that suits a few of the local owners to also go...no need for the cars to attend, that way we might get a few more people out ;)

Domi, I am wondering if its broken?

The last time I was at museum was Eurofest 2006, I could have sworn you could get closer to the car (feel free to correct me someone), perhaps a paying member of the public decided to get too close?

[JohnZ]

Every time I look to the Esprit I remember a line that Gene Cafiero once said, asked by a journalist regarding the shape of the Delorean: "You say? I don't see any similarity with the Lotus Esprit!"

:shocked: