Used BTTF Cars

[Dangermouse]

http://www.beebesmotors.com/Vehicle/...20122281110558

so are used BTTF cars an appreciating asset?

Anyone know who's car this is and who the creator is/was?



EDIT - I see that it is a VB car, just finished apparently.

I don't intend this to be a commentary about this particular car. If you buy one, do you get your money back? Do you make money?

[Michael]

It's a little edgy for that $$. The front fascia is warped(maybe he is going too far for screen accuracy), the seats look pretty rough, and the switches on the steering pad look like they were aligned using a rubber band for a straight edge.

[1Mcfly4u]

I'd rather have the '69 Charger at the bottom !

[adam_knox]

I think it was Nullset who bought one off of eBay that was not running for less than $10K. If I woulda saw the listing I probably would have bid on it (thankfully he won it as it sounds like it's in good hands. He's given it way more attention than I ever could've over the last few years)! I can't imagine the market it that great for them when they are pre-owned conversions...but who knows. Do buyer's care about screen accuracy, or do they just go for the "vibe of the thing?" I just think you'd have to have to garage space to keep it and driving it to run errands or even "Sunday" driving would be difficult. I would love to hear what ownership is like for the average BTTF car owner. I mean, people complain about getting caught in a BTTF related convo all the time, but those conversion folks create like a Twilight Zone when filling up the tank at the gas station! Do conversion owners only take it to car shows and cruise-ins? Has anyone converted one and then a few years later decided to go back to stock or do they just stand in the garage looking in awe at the Time Machine in their garage? Do they try to upgrade their conversions or change it from a Part I to a Part II Time Machine?

[Mark D]

Do conversion owners only take it to car shows and cruise-ins?

What people do with their converted DeLoreans isn't that much different than a standard DeLorean. You have owners that put thousands and thousands of miles on their car (Like Oliver and Terry Holler) taking it to charity events and raising money for the MJF Foundation. Then you have owers that take them out occasionaly for a drive for personal enjoyment or contract out with various groups or companies for paid appearances and promotional events.

Has anyone converted one and then a few years later decided to go back to stock or do they just stand in the garage looking in awe at the Time Machine in their garage?

As far as I'm aware a converted car has never been brought back to stock. By converted I mean a car that has been built with the original intention that the converson be permanent, IE drilling holes in the stainless, removing rear glass, louvers, engine cover etc. Cars often get upgraded to be more accurate and replace parts to look closer to the screen used car, but I've never heard of a car getting completely stripped of the time machine components and turned back to stock. There have been 'lightly' converted cars that I wouldn't necessarily consider true conversions where people install only a few props designed to be temporary and not permanently fixed to the car.

Do they try to upgrade their conversions or change it from a Part I to a Part II Time Machine?

There are no permanent changes needed to convert back and forth between a Part I time machine and a Part II time machine. Mr. Fusion was designed to be part of the car from the conception and fits over the nuclear reactor components. To swap from the Plutonium version to Mr. Fusion you simply remove the hub cap from the reactor ring and drop the fusion deck on top.

There were minor changes to a few props on the car from part I to part II such as the elimination of the two round cans in front of the reactor and being replaced by an ammo box with heatsink, but in that case it was most likely due to the original parts being lost between the filming of the original and the sequel.

In regards to the upgrades, yes people are always swapping in more accurate parts as they become available. At a certain point you run out of things to improve though ;-)

[adam_knox]

Thanks for the reply! I did not know the difference between a Part I and II was so little. I guess I just sort of always pictured the hover conversion and assumed more time travel parts were altered as well. That's kind of neat that owners can mix-it up a bit. Friday night take out a Part I and Sat. take out a Part II!

[Mark D]

Yeah I think in the movie it was always implied that there was a lot more that went into the car once it went into the future and had the hover conversion done. If you look at sequences in part II that show the ILM miniature version of the car (in the flying sequences) the underside has all kinds of funky components on there to make it look futuristic. None of the actual Deloreans were modified in this way though and retained their stock chassis and frame. The only full size car to be modified to look like it had the hover conversion parts underneath was the fiberglass mockup 'DeLorean' that wasn't built from a real car, but rather mostly fiberglass and wood.

The A, B, and C (cutaway) cars used in the original movie were mostly unchanged throughout the trilogy. The B car eventually got a set of train wheels and met it's death by locomotive at the end of part III. But the A car, the one that is now being restored, made it though looking pretty much the same.

The ability to quickly swap back and forth between the reactor version and Mr. Fusion is a nice feature...probably a requirement from the production crew so they would have the freedom to shoot out of sequence and make changes on the fly.

[nullset]

I think it was Nullset who bought one off of eBay that was not running for less than $10K. If I woulda saw the listing I probably would have bid on it (thankfully he won it as it sounds like it's in good hands. He's given it way more attention than I ever could've over the last few years)! I can't imagine the market it that great for them when they are pre-owned conversions...but who knows. Do buyer's care about screen accuracy, or do they just go for the "vibe of the thing?" I just think you'd have to have to garage space to keep it and driving it to run errands or even "Sunday" driving would be difficult. I would love to hear what ownership is like for the average BTTF car owner. I mean, people complain about getting caught in a BTTF related convo all the time, but those conversion folks create like a Twilight Zone when filling up the tank at the gas station! Do conversion owners only take it to car shows and cruise-ins? Has anyone converted one and then a few years later decided to go back to stock or do they just stand in the garage looking in awe at the Time Machine in their garage? Do they try to upgrade their conversions or change it from a Part I to a Part II Time Machine?

I'm not sure I'd say it's in "good" hands, but it's in my hands at least!

I'm in the process of getting it in good shape again for the Dragoncon parade. I just finished fixing the leak I had in the automatic transmission drainpan/gasket. She should be ready to go soon.

One of these days when I have more time and money, I'll make a better set of props....and replace all the rotted interior bits I've thrown away.

--buddy

[Jimmycxc]

I personally had mine converted because I loved the movie and always wanted to have it. To me, I treat it no different than when it was stock. I don't take it out in the rain, I only park it where I can see it. If I can't see it, I don't leave it alone for long. It was always my weekend fun car and remains the same.

Of course, I get more attention with the conversion, but that's the fun part of it. After the initial "Holy Sh*t! Its the Time Machine", I like to educate people when they start stating "facts" about the DeLorean car that they heard from a friend of a friend. Plus I got tired of people asking me where my flux capacitor was when it was stock, so now I just point to where it is.

VB told me before hand that an owner of a BTTF car either has to set aside plenty of time when they take it out because of everyone's curiosity or to be an asshole and leave without talking to anyone. I personally only drive it when I'm in a good mood and don't mind talking to people when I stop somewhere.

I occasionally rent it out for promotions to make some pocket money or donate it for charities to raise money, but don't plan on making it a career.

[Brisfx]

I am just starting my conversion, been collecting the parts for the exterior. I plan to make mine convertible from Part 1 to Part 2

I will be mounting the 2 front cylinders and then cutting the base from the ammo box so i can mount it over the top.

Have nearly all the exterior parts. Have had to fabricate some as they are virtually unavailable