This is a 1981 DeLorean DMC-12 that was built up to the specification of the example used in Back to the Future Part II along with seven other cars, all were then used as promotional displays for the film.
A number of different DeLorean time machine configurations were used in the three Back to the Future films, perhaps the most memorable is the flying version used in Part II with the Mr Fusion reactor and wheels that turn sideways, becoming thrusters.
Fast Facts – A “Flying DeLorean” Time Machine
- This 1981 DeLorean DMC-12 was built to replicate the “Flying DeLorean” from Back to the Future Part II. It is one of seven promotional cars created for the film and features movie-spec details, including the Mr. Fusion reactor, Flux Capacitor, and external lighting.
- The DeLorean was chosen for Back to the Future because of its iconic gullwing doors, counterculture appeal, and futuristic design. Its on-screen speedometer was modified to show the crucial 88 mph required for time travel.
- The car was developed by a team led by Larry Paull and Michael Fink, who previously worked on iconic sci-fi films like Blade Runner and TV shows like Knight Rider. They incorporated a broad series of updates to transform the DMC-12 into a convincing 1980s-era time machine.
- This promotional “Flying DeLorean” is set to be auctioned by Mecum on January 18th in Florida. Though not a screen-used vehicle, it remains a faithful recreation and a unique piece of Back to the Future memorabilia for collectors.
Why Did They Choose The DeLorean?
Interestingly, the Time Machine used in the Back to the Future trilogy could very well have been a Fox Body Ford Mustang. Ford approached the producers of the film and offered to pay $75,000 USD in product placement fees to have the Mustang used rather than the DeLorean. When screenwriter and producer Bob Gale was approached about it he’s said to have raised his eyebrows and said “Doc Brown doesn’t drive a f@#king Mustang” and that was the end of that.
Above Video: This is an original theatrical trailer for Back to the Future Part II that shows the original “Flying DeLorean” in action.
Exactly why a DeLorean DMC-12 was used has been the subject of much debate over the years. The early production of the film began in 1982, right around the time that John DeLorean was facing charges of drug trafficking and his eponymous automaker, the DeLorean Motor Company, went bankrupt in a very public way. It’s important to note that John DeLorean would be found not guilty on all charges.
In later years Bob Gale said the following when asked about the decision:
“When we were working on the movie, the company’s founder, John DeLorean, was on trial for cocaine trafficking—he was in the news pretty much every day—and then, of course, his company went bust. But to us, there was something dangerous, something counterculture, something so very gorgeous about just how beautiful that car was. And we loved those gullwing doors.”
The crew who developed the time machine version of the car was led by production designer Larry Paull and artist Michael Fink. Both men had previously worked on vehicles for Blade Runner and Knight Rider, other members of the team had designed props for Star Wars and Alien.
One modification to the DeLorean that many didn’t notice was the fitment of a different speedometer. Anyone who has sat in a DMC-12 will have noticed that the speedo only went up to 85 mph. A 95 mph unit was installed so that the needle could be filmed going past that all-important 88 mph mark.
Perhaps the one great irony is that if Back to the Future had been released just three years earlier it could very well have saved the DeLorean Motor Company from insolvency, as demand for the DMC-12 spiked to previously unheard of levels, with the cars selling for a premium.
All of the external and internal lighting works, and there’s even a smoke machine to add to the effect.
Without the Back to the Future trilogy it seems likely that the DMC-12 would be remembered today more like the Bricklin SV-1.
The “Flying DeLorean” Shown Here
The car you see here is a 1981 DeLorean DMC-12 that was built to “Flying DeLorean” specification developed for Back to the Future Part II. It’s important to note that this car wasn’t used on screen in the film, it was one of seven made for promotional purposes.
As an aside, the only universally agreed upon “real” Back to the Future DeLorean is a restored example from the first film now on permanent display at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California.
The DeLorean DMC-12 developed for Part II featured a slew of updates over its predecessor. It was powered by a Mr Fusion reactor rather than plutonium or lightning strikes, and its wheels could turn into thrusters, allowing it to fly.
The car is an exact replica inside and out, and was used for promotional purposes.
The car you see in this article has been done up to movie-spec inside and out, including the Mr Fusion unit, Flux Capacitor, external lighting, date selection controller, and more.
It’s now due to roll across the auction block with Mecum on the 18th of January in Florida. If you’d like to read more about it or register to bid you can visit the listing here.
Images courtesy of Mecum
Articles that Ben has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
