BTTF Time Machine Build Questions - Ask Me Anything

[powerline84]

Awesome Sir thanks a bunch!

["What The Flux?"]

Hi Mark,

I was wondering if you are able to offer some detailed dimensions for the T-195 Radio Vent that sits on the back please? If you have a cross-section or cut-through that would be awesome!

Thank you!

[Mark D]

Hi Mark,

I was wondering if you are able to offer some detailed dimensions for the T-195 Radio Vent that sits on the back please? If you have a cross-section or cut-through that would be awesome!

Thank you!

I have info on this that I can share, just none at my fingertips at the moment. I'll post some measurements and additional info when I can.

["What The Flux?"]

I have info on this that I can share, just none at my fingertips at the moment. I'll post some measurements and additional info when I can.

Thanks Mark, any help appreciated

[DavidProehl]

Here are some T-195 Radio Vent reference photos I found on Gary's FB page with some measurements:

https://www.facebook.com/pg/bttfpart...40314762757990

[Mark D]

Thanks Mark, any help appreciated

Looks like the photos that were posted are better reference than the mockup CAD model that I created. It's really just a placeholder and I forgot that I never went back and did a full on detailed model for it. If you're just looking for basic photos and overall dims what you're looking for is there in the pics.

Otherwise the vents do pop up on ebay from time to time, or there are places online that deal with old radios that might be able to sell you just the vent cover if you want to buy a legit one.

[Bob635]

I have been to APEX and the two other surplus stores where many of the original BTTF parts were sourced. I also have copies of the numerous original invoices for many of the original sourced parts.

Realistically, non of these parts are available at any of these sources any more. They were surplus items that existed in the 1980s and are long gone. (Even in the "expensive item trailer" - that is restricted access.).

I think it is great that people are reproducing these parts.

However, I have a problem with people claiming their cars are "screen accurate." ALL THREE ORIGINAL BTTF CARS WERE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT FROM EACH OTHER.

The "perfect" parts and cars you find today and also NOT reflective of a custom built Time Machine - made by a mad scientist in his garage. His car would simply not look that good!

The fact that Terry and Olivers car looks "beat up" because of the 100,000 miles they have driven-makes it the closest looking to a "mad scientist-garage built time machine."

Bob

[Mark D]

I have been to APEX and the two other surplus stores where many of the original BTTF parts were sourced. I also have copies of the numerous original invoices for many of the original sourced parts.

Can you expand on this more? Are you saying you have copies of invoices from Filmtrix/USH from when they purchased parts for production in 1984?

Realistically, none of these parts are available at any of these sources any more. They were surplus items that existed in the 1980s and are long gone. (Even in the "expensive item trailer" - that is restricted access.).

This is mostly true, but places like APEX are finding stuff all the time and listing it on ebay. Just a few months ago there were half a dozen TRW keypads for sale from APEX. For hoses, places like Luky's may not have the exact hose that is needed but you can scrounge through the pile and buy one or more hoses just for the end fittings and they can crimp these ends on new hose to the correct length as long as the correct size crimp (ferrule) is available.

I think it is great that people are reproducing these parts.

However, I have a problem with people claiming their cars are "screen accurate." ALL THREE ORIGINAL BTTF CARS WERE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT FROM EACH OTHER.

It's awesome what people have come up with in terms of castings or 3D printed replica parts. I also agree that the term "Screen Accurate" is tossed around way to liberally in most cases. You can say you have a screen accurate part if it's the exact vintage part used as the production cars, but as you noted there were differences between the three cars in terms of not only parts but how the parts were mounted to the car. Almost no one has ever built a 100% screen accurate replica. The best a person can really say is as close to screen accurate as possible, and then you should really specify if it was built to look like the A, B, or C car or some combination of the three. One of the main things most people don't consider when touting screen accuracy is the mounting locations of everything on the rear deck, bulkhead panels and the fiberglass pontoons. Positioning of the parts is just as important as the actual parts themselves and it takes an incredible amount of knowledge to get it exactly correct.

The "perfect" parts and cars you find today and also NOT reflective of a custom built Time Machine - made by a mad scientist in his garage. His car would simply not look that good!

The fact that Terry and Olivers car looks "beat up" because of the 100,000 miles they have driven-makes it the closest looking to a "mad scientist-garage built time machine."

Attaining that aged/weathered effect is difficult for most people to achieve, so outside of years of actual use and weathering a lot of replicas do look too new and clean compared to what they should. Years of research went into correctly weathering the A car during the restoration so it would accurately appear as it did when it first rolled out of Doc's truck.

[Bob635]

Mark,

Thanks for your accurate description that no BTTF Delorean is Truely "screen accurate" because each A, B, C car was slightly different. And that most Time Machines look new.

I was very impressed with the work done on the A car restoration, but as you know, even this car is not restored to "exactly" how it was used in the movie. (e.g. numbered months.)

One question, I pose to people about the "screen accurate" car. Did the movie give the illusion that the BTTF Delorean was a hot rod engine? Clearly, the exhaust tone was NOT a PRV engine.
So should a "screen accurate" car have a hot rod engine? The "Delorean" in BTTF III was a hot rod engine -albeit a VW- BUT is was not a PRV. So exactly what is a "screen accurate" Time Machine?

What really bothers me with this situation is that there are certain Time Machine owners, who rent their car, and who are going around "bad mouthing" other people's time machines- claiming that theirs is the only "screen accurate" car, making them huge amounts of money and not sharing this benefit with other D owners who had the dedication to do this conversion.

After all these years, since 1995, when I negotiated with Universal Studios to get the permission for people to build Time Machines, without getting sued, now I hear of serious infighting amongst different Time Machine owners. I negotiated this permission for everyone to share, NOT FOR CERTAIN people to hoard.

As for the copies of the invoices for parts, these came from Kevin Pike, way back in the early 1990s, when I was researching and obtaining parts to build the first Time Machine - hot rod- Delorean.

As you know, 2 years ago, I also developed the wheel conversion parts for this car to make it look like a BTTF III car, and reproduced the parts for the Pepsi box, using my 3D printer, and old radio tubes and electronics from the 1950s.

I share this cars with people who come to Delorean Weekend to inspire them to maintain and upgrade their Delorean to "Live the Dream."

Over the years, I have admired all the work you did to develop Time Machine parts, especially with all the LED and PLC components that exist today. I was limited by TTL logic back in the 90s.

My Current "Dream Delorean" project is another attempt to share my experience with other D owners to update their cars. As JZD said to me back in Cleveland when studying my full size power windows. "You a damn good engineer. If I had had more people like you, I would still be in business."

I always remember him saying this to me, and continue to try to live up to his expectations.

["What The Flux?"]

Looks like the photos that were posted are better reference than the mockup CAD model that I created. It's really just a placeholder and I forgot that I never went back and did a full on detailed model for it. If you're just looking for basic photos and overall dims what you're looking for is there in the pics.

Otherwise the vents do pop up on ebay from time to time, or there are places online that deal with old radios that might be able to sell you just the vent cover if you want to buy a legit one.

Here are some T-195 Radio Vent reference photos I found on Gary's FB page with some measurements:

https://www.facebook.com/pg/bttfpart...40314762757990

Thank you both for your guidance. I was somewhat hesitant to have to refer to that particular FB page for information, but measurements are measurements I guess. I was just enquiring as I know that Mark has some very useful resource and experience in this area and have observed that he is very keen to help.

@Bob365 I appreciate your comments and found them interesting to read. I believe that the politics of other known builders and their motives is perhaps better saved for another forum as I don't think it's really related to the objective of Marks thread here. He has stated "Ask Me Anything", but I'm not sure he meant the more negative aspects of the community. I think there are enough pages ruined by bullshit disputes and personal dislikes and its a pain to have to wade through all of the unimportant, unrelated shit to find the really useful, valid information. Just saying...