Reverse-engineer Question

[OverlandMan]

So over the past decade, we've all seen a handful (in the grand scheme of things) of DeLoreans converted from a stock DMC-12 into a "BTTF Time Machine". My question is: Has any owner had a change of heart and tried having his/her car reverse engineered back to stock?

Yes I realize that this is trivial. You spend a bunch of $$ converting one of these into a time machine. You stand to make a little $ on the side with the time machine.

I'm wondering what all would be salvageable. For instance, I know from his website videos that VideoBob drills holes in the panels to mount props. I assume that this ruins the panel, unless you plan to paint the car...

[Kenny_Z]

You'd probably be better off selling the time machine to someone else and buying a stock Delorean. Depending on the quality of the conversion this may even net some change in your pocket.

[Dangermouse]

To the best of my knowledge - no, excepting for people who create "temporary" props for parades, parties etc.

Financially speaking, if you had spent $70k on a BTTF car and then took all the props off, how much would you get for them on ebay or whatever? $10k?, $20k - I have no idea. Anyway, you would then have a $50k regular car.

Far better to sell it and but a great stock car.

[OverlandMan]

To the best of my knowledge - no, excepting for people who create "temporary" props for parades, parties etc.

Financially speaking, if you had spent $70k on a BTTF car and then took all the props off, how much would you get for them on ebay or whatever? $10k?, $20k - I have no idea. Anyway, you would then have a $50k regular car.

Far better to sell it and but a great stock car.

You'd probably be better off selling the time machine to someone else and buying a stock Delorean. Depending on the quality of the conversion this may even net some change in your pocket.

No doubt that selling it and buying a stock D would make more sense. My question was more of a hypothetical as to what all would be salvageable on the car, aside from the obvious stuff (ie: drivetrain). AND has anyone ever done this... stuff along those lines.

[Jeff K]

No doubt that selling it and buying a stock D would make more sense. My question was more of a hypothetical as to what all would be salvageable on the car, aside from the obvious stuff (ie: drivetrain). AND has anyone ever done this... stuff along those lines.

My son wanted to convert, or partially convert one of our cars. He really made a case for it. I told him there is no way I can drill holes in the body panels and such.

Hypothetically.. You'd have to replace the drilled panels (removing the Flux bands). Get an engine cover and louver too. Probably dash and other interior pieces.

Depending on how much it was driven, all that stuff is very heavy. It's got to tax the drive-train.

Again.. my 2 cents..
Jeff

[OverlandMan]

My son wanted to convert, or partially convert one of our cars. He really made a case for it. I told him there is no way I can drill holes in the body panels and such.

Hypothetically.. You'd have to replace the drilled panels (removing the Flux bands). Get an engine cover and louver too. Probably dash and other interior pieces.

Depending on how much it was driven, all that stuff is very heavy. It's got to tax the drive-train.

Again.. my 2 cents..
Jeff

Yea - that's what I was thinking. Basically you'd need a lot of expensive replacement parts --> both interior and exterior.
I cringe thinking about drilling holes in a LFF...

[videobob]

Take it from the destructor, sure, you can weld over the small holes and rasp them down and regrain the metal, you can bondo-glass over the pontoon holes,
you can swap out body panels and all that jazz.... sure, you could take a $60,000 Time Machine and put another $10,000 into and turn it into a $20,000 Delorean.
Not the most economical of ideas!!!

[Coulombe]

We at Delorean Time Machines aka Coulombe Enterprises Inc. Drill holes and place bolts into almost every section of the DeLorean. The dashboard, pontoons, cargo area, trunk area, center console, headliner, engine area, floor area, under carriage and of course the beautiful stainless steel body. That's just too much in time and cash to replace and/or repair in my opinion. So unless the Time Machine was given to you at little to no cost and you're into a complete restoration, why would you. I tell my all customers before we finalize the sale, that they need to be 100% sure they want to do this because once the Delorean has been transformed, there isn't any going back to a stock DeLorean.

The Delorean owners that have their cars transformed by CEI into Time Machines usually have a clear goal and business plan in mind as to why they need this done and do so without reservation. If you're having these kind of questions/thoughts, I would advise you to not take the plunge.

[Nicholas R]

I think that maybe the time machines that Videobob and Bruce make would be exceptions. Still you're not the only ones making BTTF cars. Some of the other replicas are pretty good, but... some of the other time machine replicas are pretty bad. The cars you make may have $30000 worth of craftsmanship in them, but other replicas may have only $3000 worth of half-assery in them. Unlike a high end replica, some of those cars can go down in value. I believe it would certainly be pointless to convert a quality replica to stock, but some of the really bad ones??? Yes... I could definitely see the value in converting it back to stock.

(On a side note, I'm not out to insult anyone's BTTF car, I just know I've seen some really bad replicas. I mean, come on, we all saw what George Barris did to the A-car in the 90's right?? )

[ccurzio]

Depending on how much it was driven, all that stuff is very heavy.

Weight has nothi... Wait, nevermind.