Spiegel Online Article (Germany) Rich W's Custom DeLoreans

As most Germans already know, having a story about you (and your hobby) on Spiegel Online is pretty cool.

Sorry for the posting delay, but Google Translate made a bit of a mess with the article, so I waited until my
German co-worker could do a better translation for me, to post here, compared to the Google Translate.

The only "real" error was referencing the K5 Blazer frame with the Limo project, instead of the D Rex project.

Article Link: http://www.spiegel.de/auto/aktuell/d...a-1010099.html


Spiegel Online article in English: Black text = Google German Translate ... Blue Text = Actual German Translation

When the flop DeLorean sports car would not spectacular enough, missed a US fan the secret star of "Back to the Future" extreme modifications. Monster tires instead Fluxkompensator - this is also the inventor of the cult barrow well.

As if the flop sports car DeLorean wasn't spectacular enough, a US fan has given the secret star of "Back to the Future" extreme modfications. Monster tires instead of flux capacitor - even the inventor of the luxury jalopy likes that.

If it had been the original screenplay, main character Marty McFly had competed in the "Back to the Future" films his time traveling in a refrigerator. Concerned that children climb in refrigerators for the purpose of imitation, but the script was rewritten sports car instead of fridge was the solution. The exotic brand DeLorean helped the posthumously - the unconventional two-seater with gullwing doors were only built from 1981 to 1982 - world famous.

According to the original screenplay the main character Marty McFly in the "Back to the Future" movies was supposed to do his time travels in a refrigerator. Out of concerns that children would climb into refrigerators for imitation the script was rewritten however: a Sports Car instead of refrigerator was the solution. This helped the exotic brand posthumously - the unique 2-seaters with the gull-wing doors were built only from 1981 to 1982 - to world fame.

The first "Back to the Future" movie came in 1985 in the cinemas, and converted to the time machine DMC-12 quickly became a cult object. Also Rich Weissensel was a fan, not the film, but the streaker. Meanwhile owns the software engineer from near Chicago five models of the brand, which he has converted all by hand. So there is in his fleet, although only DeLorean types - but ranging from Limousines to Monster Truck.

The first "Back to the Future" movie came into theaters in 1985, and the DMC-12 that was converted into a time machine very quickly became a cult object. Rich Weissensel, too, became a fan, not of the movie, but of the sportster. By now the software engineer from near Chicago owns 5 models of the brand, all of which he has modified himself. So his fleet may contain only DeLorean types - but those range from a Limousine to a Monster Truck.

Weissenfels passion for the one-model brand whose cars were manufactured in Northern Ireland began in 1977 when he saw a photo of a DeLorean prototypes in a car magazine. He was especially fascinated by the body design of Giorgetto Giugiaro with the spectacular gull-wing doors. "When the film was released in theaters in 1985 then, I knew the car I have," says Weissensel. In the same year he slept with his first DeLorean. "In reference to the time machine in the movie I'm driving around with my first DeLorean had stopped, opened the door and asked passers-by: 'What is the date today?'"

Weissensel's passion for the one-model brand, whose cars were manufactured in Northern Ireland, began in 1977 when he saw a photo of a DeLorean prototype in a car magazine. He was especially fascinated by the by the body design by Giorgetto Giugiaro with the spectacular gull-wing doors. "When the movie came into the theaters in 1985 I knew I had to have this car," says Weissensel. In the same year he got his first DeLorean for himself. "In reference to the time machine in the movie I drove around in my first DeLorean, stopped, opened the door, and asked passers-by 'What date is it today?'"

His ideas how to pimp a DeLorean, Weissensel held over the years in numerous sketches firmly. The collected drafts he showed in 2000 to a car show in Cleveland founder of the brand that may be present, John DeLorean. "I told him that I offer restoring DeLoreans and repair for 15 years, also I had two of my then three-DeLorean doing so John realized that I was serious," says the now 50-year-old.

Weissensel recorded his ideas of how to pimp up a DeLorean over the years in many sketches. At a car show in Cleveland where in the year 2000 he showed the collected drafts to the attending founder of the brand John DeLorean. "I told him that I've been restoring DeLoreans for 15 years, and I aslo had 2 of my then 3 DeLoreans with me, so John realized that I was serious," says the now 50-year-old.

"When he heard about my ideas and saw my sketches, he said: 'If you build it, then do it!'" The blessing of the founder Weissensel had so. No sooner said than done - "so that the projects went."

"When he heard about my ideas and saw my sketches, he said 'If you can build it, go for it!'". So Weissensel had the blessing of the company's founder. No sooner said than done - "with that, the projects started."

Since then Weissensel uses every spare minute and turns the wedge-shaped Gullwing in-kind prototypes. The Stretch Limousine constructed of inventors, for example, from a damaged DeLorean and a Chevrolet Blazer K5. Still, the eight-meter vehicle is not roadworthy, but the other DeLorean alterations may be used in traffic.

Ever since Weissensel has been using every spare minute to transform the wedge shaped gull-wing door types into one-of-a-kind prototypes. The tinkerer engineered for example the stretch limo from a damaged DeLorean and a Chevrolet Blazer K5. The 8-meter vehicle is not for use on roads, but the other DeLorean alterations are allowed in road traffic.

Exception: The DeLorean Hovercraft mobile. "But it floats the part about land, water, and particularly over ice," says Weissensel - much like Marty McFly on his flying skateboard in "Back to the Future".

Exception: The DeLorean Hovercraft vehicle. "But instead that vehicle hovers over land, water, and particularly well over ice," says Weissensel - much like MartyMcFly on his flying skateboard in "Back to the Future."