My First Documented Musings on the DeLorean

[dvonk]

so, i was digging through a box of old stuff from my childhood recently and came upon an old journal of mine. paging through the entries and chuckling at the whims of my former self, i came across some entries that i thought i would share. i had recently turned 13. (reproduced verbatim, please excuse the poor grammar)

April 5th, 1996

Yesterday, I got on the DeLorean home page! They have lots of pictures of DeLoreans, and they have DeLoreans for sale! I'm going to get a DeLorean when I grow up! When DeLoreans were still in production, you could buy a 24k gold plated DeLorean! Only two people did, and the last one they made was gold plated. They're worth about 240,000 dollars!

i was clearly talking about VIN 04300, 04301, and 20105. (but had no idea what a VIN back then. )

April 12th, 1996

[...]You know the DeLoreans for sale? They don't cost very much! You can get a really good one for about 20,000! What I like most about DeLoreans is the gull wing doors, and the stainless steel paneling. Dad had a friend who had a DeLorean once, but he sold it. I would never do that!

was the "25k rule" a "20k rule" 15 years ago?

October 11th, 1996

[...at the end of the entry]

I still like DeLoreans!

December 20th, 1996

[...]You know those 24k gold plated DeLoreans? I went on the net yesterday, and there was an awesome story! A guy's fellow employee (in the early 80's) joked him about buying a gold DeLorean, he thought she really meant it, so he bought one. Later he wheeled it buy hand, into the bank, put a glass box around it, and it's been there ever since! It has "0" miles on the odometer, gas has never been put in the gas tank, and it has all new parts! Now, he has it for sale! (he lives in Texas) The price is $176,000! WOW! I want to buy it! That would be so cool! (I downloaded pictures of it!)

i think it is interesting that the website i visited so long ago is essentially unchanged almost 15 years later.

[Roman Legion]

Certainly was an entertaining read, you seemed like you were a very happy childhood. In 1996, I was living in Lincoln, Nebraska and rocking out on my walkman (Which I found on the side of the road walking home from school one day.).. My earliest memories were from 1990/ 91 in the mall/ parking lot with my father and of a trip with him to the Army hospital. (I know, not that old.. :P)

[dvonk]

i was amused at my excessive use of exclamation points. the entries themselves do seem rather optimistic... i guess i was a pretty happy kid.

i dont recall exactly when my fascination with DeLoreans started, but it is clear (to me, at least) that it was well before the first entry. i wrote like it was something i had known about for a while.

i do remember, however, discussing DeLoreans with my neighborhood friend. his father was a car guy and owned a speed shop. he was the first one to tell me that they only cost around $20k (i was in disbelief that they were actually an achievable goal ), and that they were 'from Italy.' (no doubt he misunderstood his father referring to the Giugiaro design). his family had 'the web' before ours did, so we would look at DeLorean info on his computer.

as to when i developed interest in the car? i can only imagine it was from BTTF... when i found out it was based on a real car is when i believe i started gaining interest. now, only a sum of money lies in between me and my childhood dream.

[Farrar]

Man, I feel old now. My childhood journals are all handwritten paper volumes.
You've inspired me to see if I can find an old sketch or two from my childhood. I used to draw my favorite things: the Starship Enterprise and cars. :geek:

Farrar

[dvonk]

my childhood journal is indeed handwritten; I had to transcribe it to post it here. however, my method of DeLorean data "research" was electronic... i was surfing the web on our 16MHz Macintosh IIcx from c. 1989 and a 28.8 modem!