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Thread: Non-invasive BTTF mod - a thought

  1. #11
    Guy with a DeLorean Mark D's Avatar
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    It's pretty cool that the PJ Grady kit uses existing mounting holes and apparently you don't have to drill the SS panels..I'll give you that one. I'll stand by my original comment though that using double sided tape to hold parts on the outside of the car is a bad idea. If the Grady kit uses the front rock screen mounting points for the front flux bands or some other mounting points to keep the parts on securely then that's a different story. Parts have to be bolted on one way or another or it's just not safe.

    I'm pretty biased in my opinion though that if you're going to build a BTTF conversion that it should be done accurately. Having extra brackets coming out from places to mount parts isn't true to how the car looked on film. There are just some details that you can't get right without drilling a few holes. If the builder is willing to make those sacrifices then that's their own choice.

    My personal opinion/philosophy on converting a car into a time machine is that if you're not going to do it right, then don't do it at all. When people take shortcuts it shows. Attention to detail is what sets apart an accurately done car vs a cringe-worthy mess.

  2. #12
    Senior Member Timebender's Avatar
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    An interesting and great conversation. I'd like to relate this to two other groups of hobbyists who make movie replicas it costumes. One group, the 501st (and even the Rebel Legion) are super picky when it comes to costuming, having replicas do Stormtroopers and all the common Star Wars characters. In fact if you have one thing that's off or wrong in your costume, you can't be a part of their groups.
    Then you have the R2 builders, who I belong to. They're not so picky, and the words "screen accurate" are actually really hard to stick to, as R2D2 from each movie, heck, even scene to scene has some detail that changes, or is missing, or broken, dented, and so on. So you have guys who have fixed 3 leg versions (accurate), 2-3-2 versions (accurate), unpaired rear panel (accurate), painted rear panel, black hp's, silver hp's, fiberglass bodies, wood and metal or plastic bodies, psi's that blink it slide, logics that blink, logics that fade smoothly, and the list goes on with too many changes, no continuity from film to film, and so on. However, if a builder spends time making it look as good ad possible with the budget and time they have (granted if they really care about making R2 recognizable), and know there are some things that aren't perfect- Knicks in the paint, skin panels not perfectly aligned, the dome ring not perfectly spaced, legs a bit too close or far by 1/8th inch... in the end people always say or ask "wow, that looks like the one in the movies exactly!" and "how did you get Lucas to let you use their R2?" and so on. People line up by the dozens to get their picture with him. Yet he's not really screen accurate- and in most cases looks better than the screen used droids.
    People don't care. They just know it's R2. Now if it were a complete hack job then I'd never take him out, nor would anyone else hopefully take theirs.
    I get your concern as there have been some really crappy "conversions" lime the one in Las Vegas. And I get the whole thing about damaging a D. I'dike to keep my D, when I get it, pristine. But it would be fun to once in a while dress it up for charity. If there's a way to do it without being invasive or damaging, then I'd like to explore that. And it won't be some hack job one way or the other.i want it to be accurate enough so that people will get it, and that I'm proud of it too- but I don't think it needs to be screen accurate down to the littlest detail to get people excited about having one at their event.

  3. #13
    Senior Member Starglider's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mjdehlin View Post
    If the Grady kit uses the front rock screen mounting points for the front flux bands or some other mounting points to keep the parts on securely then that's a different story
    It doesn't use the rock screen mounts, it uses the hidden mounting points where the stainless panels bolt to the fibreglass frame.

    Having extra brackets coming out from places to mount parts isn't true to how the car looked on film.
    They are concealed under the rubber parts and not visible to casual observation.

    I'm pretty biased in my opinion though that if you're going to build a BTTF conversion that it should be done accurately.
    Personally I prefer to do something radically different as a series of perfect clones is completely against the homebuilt prototype / individualistic spirit of the source material.

    Attention to detail is what sets apart an accurately done car vs a cringe-worthy mess.
    'Screen accurate' is just one kind of 'attention to detail'.

  4. #14
    Senior Member
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    Location:  Brisbane. QLD. Australia

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    Actually I wouldn't replace the front fascia to take it back to original just repair the mounting holes in the bumper section, an easy fix as is repairing holes in the pontoon. I have an old damaged t panel that I am using to mount the flux boxes. If it wasn' t available I would glue them so I would say my conversion would be easily reversable with a few days work.

  5. #15
    Just leave me out of it..
    Join Date:  Jun 2011

    Posts:    97

    I'm not gonna lie. There are been times where I've given serious thought to converting my car back to stock, just to see if it could be done. The easiest thing to do would be to swap fenders from another D, but everything else is pretty much undoable if you have even a half ounce of ability to do body work.

    -Gary

  6. #16
    Senior Member Dangermouse's Avatar
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    Undoable ???

    Do you mean it is un-doable or undo-able?

    The joys of the English language. Same word can mean two completely different things
    Dermot
    VIN 2743, B/A, Frame 2227, engine 2320

    I don't always drive cars, but when I do, I prefer DeLoreans

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    No-one is to stone anyone, even, and I want to make this absolutely clear, even if they do say "carburetor"

  7. #17
    Senior Member
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    Quote Originally Posted by Timebender View Post
    An interesting and great conversation. I'd like to relate this to two other groups of hobbyists who make movie replicas it costumes. One group, the 501st (and even the Rebel Legion) are super picky when it comes to costuming, having replicas do Stormtroopers and all the common Star Wars characters. In fact if you have one thing that's off or wrong in your costume, you can't be a part of their groups.
    Then you have the R2 builders, who I belong to. They're not so picky, and the words "screen accurate" are actually really hard to stick to, as R2D2 from each movie, heck, even scene to scene has some detail that changes, or is missing, or broken, dented, and so on. So you have guys who have fixed 3 leg versions (accurate), 2-3-2 versions (accurate), unpaired rear panel (accurate), painted rear panel, black hp's, silver hp's, fiberglass bodies, wood and metal or plastic bodies, psi's that blink it slide, logics that blink, logics that fade smoothly, and the list goes on with too many changes, no continuity from film to film, and so on. However, if a builder spends time making it look as good ad possible with the budget and time they have (granted if they really care about making R2 recognizable), and know there are some things that aren't perfect- Knicks in the paint, skin panels not perfectly aligned, the dome ring not perfectly spaced, legs a bit too close or far by 1/8th inch... in the end people always say or ask "wow, that looks like the one in the movies exactly!" and "how did you get Lucas to let you use their R2?" and so on. People line up by the dozens to get their picture with him. Yet he's not really screen accurate- and in most cases looks better than the screen used droids.
    People don't care. They just know it's R2. Now if it were a complete hack job then I'd never take him out, nor would anyone else hopefully take theirs.
    I get your concern as there have been some really crappy "conversions" lime the one in Las Vegas. And I get the whole thing about damaging a D. I'dike to keep my D, when I get it, pristine. But it would be fun to once in a while dress it up for charity. If there's a way to do it without being invasive or damaging, then I'd like to explore that. And it won't be some hack job one way or the other.i want it to be accurate enough so that people will get it, and that I'm proud of it too- but I don't think it needs to be screen accurate down to the littlest detail to get people excited about having one at their event.
    Somebody just have too much money/time on their hand. I agree at 100% with Stevedmc, a sensible route for a Delorean owner would be put the car in an ''impeccable'' or at least in a very reliable condition first... But don't get me wrong, I absolutely love the BTTF movies (part one and three only though).

  8. #18
    Senior Member Starglider's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Victor View Post
    Somebody just have too much money/time on their hand. I agree at 100% with Stevedmc, a sensible route for a Delorean owner would be put the car in an ''impeccable'' or at least in a very reliable condition first...
    What about building a car from scratch (salvaged frame + parts + raw fibreglass + uncut stainless sheets) specifically for this purpose? That is the route I am taking.

    But don't get me wrong, I absolutely love the BTTF movies (part one and three only though).
    Strangely on recent viewing the second one is my firm favourite.

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