Humble-based [fake] DeLorean faces $4.6 million judgment over electric car Alpha5
![Humble-based [fake] DeLorean faces $4.6 million judgment over electric car Alpha5 | DeLoreanDirectory.com](https://www.deloreandirectory.com/wp-content/uploads/Humble-based-fake-DeLorean-faces-4.6-million-judgment-over-electric-car-Alpha5.jpg)
An Italian automobile design company has asked a federal judge in Houston to enforce a $4.6 million judgment against Humble-based [fake] DeLorean Motor Company, over claims that DeLorean failed to pay for work done to reimagine the famed car as an electric vehicle called Alpha5. The firm, Italdesign Giugiaro S.p.A., last year received the judgment in its favor from an international arbitration court and on Jan. 2 filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, asking Judge Keith P. Ellison to confirm the decision and have it enforced. The lawsuit seeks payment from the [fake] DeLorean Motor Company, the Humble-based business that since the ’90s has ‘owned’ DeLorean’s name and branding, and has operated mostly as a repair shop for the classic cars. The lawsuit doesn’t name DeLorean Reimagined LLC, the spin-off company based in San Antonio that advertised itself as the business behind the new Alpha5 model. Joost de Vries, the one-time CEO of DeLorean Reimagined, and Stephen Wynne, the founder of [fake] DeLorean Motor Company, were both involved in the litigation in Europe, according to public records and the arbitrator’s report. Representatives for Italdesign and [fake] DeLorean didn’t respond to a request for comment on Monday. [fake] DeLorean hadn’t filed a response to the claim as of Monday. An initial conference has been scheduled for April. Alpha5, [fake] DeLorean’s electric vehicle project – Italdesign was hired in 2022 to design an electric version of the DeLorean. In news releases announcing the partnership, the companies said the new four-seat sports car, the Alpha5, would feature the brand’s iconic gull-wing doors and be able to reach speeds of 155 mph. The Alpha5 was supposed to mark a rebirth for the company. Executives made appearances around San Antonio, hinted at the creation of a Texas-based factory and teased the car in a 15-second Super Bowl commercial. Italdesign’s founder, Giorgetto Giugiaro, designed the original iconic DeLorean DMC-12 in the 1970s. The Alpha5’s sleeker design was said to be based on a concept for a model the [real] DeLorean Motor Company had before going bankrupt in 1982. Despite initial claims that the car would be in production by 2023, a final model and official pricing have not been announced. Filings included in the complaint show that the dispute over payments began months after the public announcement of the new design. The company said it was hired to create scale models, show cars and styling models, to conduct pre-concept development and provide event support, according to the lawsuit. In July 2022, the design company billed [fake] DeLorean €4.3 million for the concept models that were revealed at the California car show. [fake] DeLorean made an initial payment of $500,000, according to the arbitrator’s report, which was included in court records. In September, de Vries emailed the firm promising full payment by October. The promises continued for months after that deadline, according to the report. In December 2022, de Vries wrote that he was hoping to receive good news regarding an investment. In February 2023, he reported that the company received “a couple of hundred thousand.” “Not enough to make a meaningful payment against our debt,” he wrote. A week later, he promised Italdesign that “big checks” were coming. They apparently never did. Italdesign took the motor company to court in early 2023. During the years-long process, [fake] DeLorean argued that it had never admitted to the debt “in full” and claimed it was unable to find documents related to its debts, according to the report. The car company’s arguments failed. The arbitrator in April 2025 decided in Italdesign’s favor, writing that the firm is the “undoubted victor” and “certain winner” under the law. [fake] DeLorean was ordered to pay its debts, along with interest. It’s unclear if [fake] DeLorean has taken any steps to pay the company since last year’s decision. The dispute over payments came amid other public struggles for [fake] DeLorean. In the years since the Alpha5’s announcement, the company scaled back its promises on how many cars it would initially build and was criticized for not updating customers who had made deposits for the Alpha5. In a sign of the times, early buyers were given NFTs, or nonfungible tokens, as their proof of purchase, rather than a receipt. De Vries stepped down as CEO in October 2023. In April 2024, the company closed its offices at Port San Antonio – where it had once received incentives to move amid promises of creating hundreds of jobs. The company’s new lead said it now planned to be a niche automobile maker, rather than a competitor to Tesla and other larger companies. Since then, there have been no new public updates on the development of the Alpha5. from January 12, 2026 – HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM, by John Wayne Ferguson, Staff Writer
DeLorean Ownership is for Fun People
by Dave Tavres I’m a DeLorean owner since 2015 and a lifelong Back to the Future fan. After reading the article “Meet the DeLorean Owners Who Hate ‘Back to the Future’” I’ve met and personally known several of those types of DeLorean owners, so to “Angela”, “Vincent”, and any other owners who hate BTTF, here’s the same advice I’ve given those I’ve met and known: go buy a Ferrari – no one will bother you. No one will want to get a picture of your car. They won’t bug you when getting gas. They won’t pace you on the freeway to take a photo. And you’ll NEVER hear someone say “I’ve never seen one in real life.” They will hardly notice you. (But, we know you actually WANT the attention, so you won’t get rid of the DeLorean.) The DMC DeLorean is not a Fabergé egg, it’s a car. And very few cars in history draw out people’s fun and wonderful memories the way the DeLorean does. A non-car friend of mine once said “It’s not a time machine, it’s a smile machine!” after taking her for a drive one day. Everywhere you go, people see the car and smile. Not just at gas stations or the parking lot at work – but in the cross-walks at a red light! I don’t own a Ferrari or a Jaguar or any other collector car – but I would be VERY surprised if any of those cars brings a smile to so many people’s faces the way a DeLorean does. And when people get happy seeing a DeLorean, what a wonderful thing! As for the weirdos who own a DeLorean and hate the Back to the Future comments, it’s clear they just don’t like people. 99% of DeLorean owners bought the car because of Back to the Future. That remaining 1% are the ones who bought their car in 1981, 82, or 83 BEFORE the car was no longer available at dealerships, and before the movie came out in 1985. There are very few of those early buyers in the world. And of that 1%, most of those owners DO like the movie, because the movie saved the car – and the car makes people happy. It’s true, I do like people more than most, and I absolutely love sharing the car with the public. As I said, the car is not a Fabergé egg, it’s a car. As long as there isn’t a group of 20+ people around it, I often invite people to come sit in the car to take photos. How often do fans of any pop-culture icons get to ‘interact’ with the thing that makes them happy in that way? Yes, it’s possible somebody will poke a hole in the seat with keys in their pocket, or break the turn signal stock – but that would be a small price to pay for sharing something that brings so much joy to people. Maybe I should feel sorry for Angela and Vincent and other ‘elitists’, but I don’t. If they choose to be unhappy where others find joy, it’s their loss. I wholeheartedly invite anyone who loves Back to the Future or the DeLorean by itself, to come up and say hello when I’m getting gas, or at the grocery store, or picking up food, or any other number of things (including getting ice cream.) And if you’re a DeLorean owner who hates that – too bad for you.
Fake DMC files another lawsuit against Universal Studios
Well, Fake DMC (DeLorean Motor Company Texas) is at it again… trying to get royalties money for something they had no hand in building – the DMC DeLorean car. They think they are owed money by Universal Studios for use of the DeLorean in Universal’s marketing of Back to the Future. Fake DMC started in 1995 and bought the remaining parts that came from the long-closed factory, and have been trying to make the public think they are the same company ever since. Fake DMC recently made millions of dollars selling the DeLorean badge to an electric car company (also in Texas,) and then rebranding themselves as “Classic DMC”, so they could continue to do a disservice to DeLorean owners. But, that EV using the DeLorean name (which looked more like a Tesla than a DeLorean) appears to now be dead. So, Fake DMC may not have gotten as much money as they planned from someone’s else’s work in building a new EV – which means, they need to go back to frivolous lawsuits to make money they don’t deserve. Over the years, Fake DMC has proven that they care nothing about John DeLorean’s stainless steel car – or the people who actually own, drive, maintain, and share the iconic car with the public. Their customer service is as bad as the countless owner stories have portrayed, and they don’t like DeLorean fans coming to the “showrooms” to see the car – unless they look rich, or have bags with dollar signs painted on them when they walk up to the door. Their lack of involvement in the DeLorean community is further proof that they don’t care about their actual customers. With less than 5,000 DeLoreans still in existence (of the 9,080 built,) you would expect that they would embrace the owner community, knowing that’s where they make their money. And to top off their story of disappointment, they’ve lost all of their “franchise” locations except Florida, for some unknown reason. The Texas and California locations are both corporate owned. Their service truly is “second to all”. It’s frustrating to see a company try to sucker the public into thinking they are John DeLorean’s company. John DeLorean actually built the car. He is the one who had vision. He did the best he could fighting against other big companies and a corrupt government – and he did well enough that his car – not Fake DMC’s – was used in one of the best movies of all time – and he was honored that they used his car.
Arizona DeLoreans at the British Wheels on the Green event
British Wheels on the Green was on Sunday, October 29, 2023. The weather was beautiful and it was an awesome show. Four DeLoreans were in attendance. Gary Adams, Andrew Morales, Steve Flanagan, and Christian Jarzab brought their cars tot he show, and Christian took the prize for the category. Thanks Arizona DeLorean Club!
Beware of DPI – DeLorean Performance Industries
If you’re a DeLorean owner, you know there aren’t a lot of shops or parts houses to choose from when you need stuff for your DMC. And with so few shops, it’s frustrating when yet another DeLorean business engages in dishonest practices. First, it was Fake DMC in Texas, and now it’s perfectly clear that DPI – DeLorean Performance Industries is trying to scam people too (or, more.) In recent weeks, DPI purchased ads on Google Search (using Google AdWords) where they use the names of GOOD and TRUSTWORTHY DeLorean shops – but he’s using his own web address when you click the ad. Long-time DeLorean owners won’t (or shouldn’t) fall for that misleading tactic, but newer DeLorean owners – or those shopping for a DeLorean – absolutely would fall for it. This is untruthful and disgusting. The good and trustworthy shops being maligned in this case, are DeLorean Parts Northwest / DeLorean Service Northwest, DeLorean Midwest, and DeLoreanGo. DPI is paying for ads using each of their names, but linking to his own website. Click the images below to see the unscrupulous screenshots: DeLorean Performance Industries already had a shady past with their deficiency in customer service and their lack of ‘attention to detail’ that they tout so much. Apparently, they don’t really live up to their motto. Just ask around in the community. Plus the time (that we know of,) that DPI tried to steal money from a DeLorean owner by shorting their order, but wouldn’t issue a refund… that is, until the customer finally got the credit card company to do a chargeback, and suddenly DeLorean Performance Industries responded – by posting the customer’s bank account information on facebook! Yeah – DPI is not to be trusted. Furthermore, with Google AdWords, you can put up or take down ads basically immediately. Yet these double-dealing ads have stuck around for at least two weeks. We sent an email to both email addresses we found on the DPI website, asking for clarification on why they were posting these deceptive ads – telling them we were going to post an article if they didn’t have a good answer – and they never replied. Which means, a) they don’t pay attention to the customer service emails, or b) they don’t have a reasonable excuse for their deceitful actions. What to do now? Have some fun… GO SEARCH for DeLorean Parts Northwest / DeLorean Service Northwest, DeLorean Midwest, and DeLoreanGo on Google – and when you see the “Sponsored” link at the top that shows DPI – CLICK IT! Then do the same search on your mobile device, and click the ad AGAIN… then have your spouse, mom, co-worker, and anyone else nearby do the same… He gets charged more for each click, than for just the visual impression.
FakeDMC files yet another lawsuit
FakeDMC out of Texas REALLY wants people to think they created the DeLorean. They did not. And while they did buy the remaining inventory – and THEY say they basically bought anything and everything to do with John DeLorean’s company, the Fake DeLorean Motor Company in Texas rears it’s ugly head any time they think they can get more money. The most recent example, is the lawsuit they filed against Universal Studios. Get this… The REAL DMC (DeLorean Motor Company) legally went out of business by 1983. Back to the Future came out in 1985, using our DeLorean car(s) as one of the stars of the movie(s). In 1997 FakeDMC bought the remaining DeLorean parts, and started a new company – using the original name, most likely to confuse people and take advantage of the name recognition. And in 2022, they are suing Universal for using a car that FakeDMC did not invent, build, or sell – but they think they deserve royalties from work they had nothing to do with – and thus far, have only bullied people and businesses into not using the name and logo of the long-close (but not forgotten) company. As a DeLorean owner, and someone who’s been part of the DeLorean community for a few years now, AND as someone who has heard countless stories of bad customer service of FakeDMC from DeLorean owners, I can easily attest to the fact that FakeDMC does NOT care about the DeLorean car, the DeLorean owners, or even the DeLorean name – they only care about how much money they can get from people. Their arrogance and greed is legendary amongst DeLorean owners across the Country. Other than this latest lawsuit, FakeDMC has sued many others, including DeLorean owners and small mechanics who serve the approximately 4,500 DeLoreans that still exist. They have sent numerous threatening “cease and desist” letters, black-listed owners and mechanics, and generally do shoddy work. Most DeLorean owners are afraid to speak up, for fear that they too will be black-listed from buying the few parts that you cannot find on crossover parts lists. And so, their tactics often work… but some day, they may not. There have been rumors for many years that Fake DMC was getting paid by Universal, but no one could ever confirm it… until now. I have not yet talked to a DeLorean owner that thinks FakeDMC should be paid by Universal for use of the DeLorean in Back to the Future. The movie came before Fake DMC and whatever agreement John DeLorean had with Universal died with him. We hope that NBCUniversal continues to ignore Fake DMC and stands up to the bullying tactics.
FakeDMC does NOT have the support of the DeLorean family
If you’re a DeLorean owner, you shouldn’t be shocked that FakeDMC doesn’t have the support of the DeLorean family. Especially Kat DeLorean, John Zachary DeLorean’s daughter. We couldn’t be happier that she has come out (more than once) to remind people of at least 3 simple facts: FakeDMC is NOT associated with the DeLorean family. FakeDMC is not 40 years old. They started in 1995, and bought one of the DeLorean trademarks. John DeLorean did NOT like FakeDMC, nor did he support them in any way. FakeDMC has tried, and in far too many cases they have succeeded in bullying and intimidating individuals and small businesses who DO support and love the DeLorean community. The DeLorean car came from the mind of a brilliant automotive engineer – John DeLorean – who Elon Musk can easily be compared to – someone who fought the system and built their own car against all odds. The difference is, JZD had governments working against him to bring him down, while Musk simply made something that the people wanted. And since politicians could personally line their pockets from Musk’s business(es) they weren’t as inclined to try to shut him down. JZD’s legacy is greater than just producing the stainless steel car – and it certainly has nothing to do with the new company who does everything in their power to take advantage of what someone else built. There are MANY DeLorean owners who are afraid to speak up about #FakeDMC for fear that they’ll be ‘blacklisted’ from buying parts or getting service – and we understand. But know this – there are A LOT of us. It’s important to support the independent shops and people who DO care about the car, and the owners. They are part of the community – they own cars – they love sharing the car with the public. THEY are part of JZD’s legacy. The next time you need parts or service for your DeLorean, don’t go to FakeDMC if at all possible – just ask around about their “customer service.” Hopefully one day Kat will do an episode of DeLorean Talk to share her memories of her father, and talk about her experience with DeLorean owners and the community… and hopefully will be willing to share her disdain with how FakeDMC has tried to take advantage of JZD’s name and legacy. Here’s our comment on her post: “Thank you for sharing your feelings Kat. #FakeDMC has proven time and again that they don’t care about the REAL DeLorean car, or the owners – it’s all about taking advantage of the name. We support business and entrepreneurs, but FakeDMC has bullied and intimidated owners – and the public – for far too long. They do everything they can to make people believe they ARE the original DMC company – without actually saying it. FakeDMC is untrustworthy, and they are not there to serve their (potential) customers. We highly recommend supporting independent parts & labor shops, as well as individuals who love the REAL DeLorean car, and JZD’s legacy. If you ever care to, or feel comfortable talking about this, please contact us at www.DeLoreanTalk.com” More: John DeLorean’s Daughter Doesn’t Approve The New Alpha5 John DeLorean’s Daughter Isn’t Happy About The New Alpha5 John DeLorean’s Daughter Didn’t Know About New DeLorean Brand Revival
Fake DMC’s response to not being part of the DeLorean Community
This is copy/pasted from post #78 on the DMCTalk thread “Delorean Motor Company (DMC) Texas threatening to sue Delorean owners now” “SonnyV” / james espy speaks for Fake DMC frequently… although updated this post after the fact to say that, in THIS case, his opinions AREN’T Fake DMC’s opinions… in THIS case. Unless you have/had an account on DMCTalk.org, you won’t get/understand the depth of frustration and disappointment DeLorean owners have with Fake DMC. You’ll just have to ask around – hopefully on social media. Ask a lot. Lots of things going on in this thread across a wide swath of history. The ones who were there when it happened got it mostly right, lots of the others got it varying degrees of wrong. I’m sure the same will be said about what I am about to write. George Carlin, I think, said “where you stand on an issue depends on where you sit” – that seems to fit here, too. Let me start by saying I stepped away from DMCtalk and social media for a good couple years because it was such a time suck, and I/DMC had more pressing matters at hand. Still do, but knowing what’s going to happen in the very near future – related to the recent changes on our site – and the analytics that say where visitors are coming from, prompted me to come here and find this thread. The C&D’s were sent out without my direct knowledge, so I can’t say exactly why, but many people here are on the mark when it comes to defending a trademark. Was it done with too broad of a stroke? Not for me to say – I am not an IP lawyer,and neither, I think, is anyone else here. Yes, the whole SonnyV thing was a mistake I made nearly 20 years ago. I’ve apologized, learned from that mistake and I don’t know what else I can do…if you want a personal apology and hear my version of events, call me or see me at the next DeLorean event. In any case, please know that I realized I fucked up and I’m sorry that I did it. I understand why people got upset about it. I understand that I let people down. I have tried in the ensuing years to give back to the DeLorean community in any way I can via other good works wherever I can. The DMCnews.com site is not controlled by DMCH nor was it shutdown at SW’s request.. I was able to re-acquire it personally a couple years ago – but never got a full and complete backup of the site. I had hopes of having time to rebuild the data, move it to a different, modern platform, but never have had time. I am supportive of the other DML archives. DMC/DMCH is in a good financial position – all locations are loaded up with cars for sale, cars to be serviced and the new online store is benefiting all dealers as we give them the orders from their region that they can fill, to further reduce shipping times to customers. That said, Florida does not handle any of the web orders placed by customers in their region – if you want them to, reach out to Tony and Robert! Also, with regards to the store, I hope people are enjoying the larger and 360 photos. We do it all in house, so it’s going slower than I’d like. On that subject, we’re hiring in just about all areas for in-person positions here at DMCH. Come work here and see for yourself what it takes to keep this going! Company paid medical, dental, vision, HSA/HSA, paid holidays/vacation, 401k and more! Parts availability is very good with new parts coming though keeping stock on the shelf has been a challenge with longer lead times and shortages from assorted suppliers in the US and abroad. We’ve not had a wide-ranging price increase in more than five years, preferring to raise prices where deemed required due to supplier price increases to us.. That will likely have to change this year. Costs are going up left and right on everything for everyone as we all know – fuel, utilities, wages, benefits, etc. DMC is not an exception. As far as new cars go, yes, we’ve often spoken before we should have. The Pontiac Solstice thing was likely the first, most public, misstep. And it actually started as the Saturn Sky. We had been approached by a company (AMP Motors) that had been building some battery powered Skys (https://uncrate.com/the-amp/) and was making a play for the GM plant where the Sky and Solstice were built when GM shut down Pontiac and Saturn as they filed for bankruptcy. They knew they couldn’t use the Pontiac brand and Roger Penske was making a play (that also fizzled out) for Saturn. AMP reached out to us about licensing the DeLorean brand for their planned continuation cars, using the thread of a DeLorean/Pontiac connection as the tie-in. In the early days of the Obama administration, a top donor to their campaign (and Fisker investor) called in a favor to Biden (connected to Delaware, where the Sky/Solstice plant was located) and AMP lost out to Fisker. You can read on your own how that ended. Spoiler alert: Fisker never built anything there and the plant was demolished a few years ago. The EV that we showed at the 2012 New York Auto Show and our 2011 Open House was built by an ex-Aptera guy who started a battery company and also had a company that made electric ski boats nearby in Louisana as he was (and still is) a composites whiz. We made a deal to buy it from him as part of a plan to work with him to build more. Neither of us were capitalized for it and the EV thing in 2012 was far different than it is today. As an aside, he made a couple
What Could Have Been #00502 – Factory Twin Turbo
In April 1981 DeLorean #00502 rolled off of the assembly line in Ireland and was shipped to Legend Industries in Long Island, New York at the direct order of John DeLorean. DeLorean had earlier entered into a contract with Legend to develop a Twin Turbo power plant capable of propelling the DeLorean at race car speeds, while maintaining the fine manners of an expensive European GT automobile, and having the reliability to carry a five-year, 50,000 mile warranty. The Twin Turbo Power Plant, which represented a total engineering systems approach and a development cost of several million dollars, was introduced at the NADA show in Los Angeles in February 1981. John DeLorean was so impressed that he ordered 5,000 of the engines to be built so that they could be offered as a $7,500 option to DeLorean purchasers. Prior to the NADA introduction, the new Twin Turbo engine had undergone extensive laboratory dyno testing and had been installed in Renault Alpines for road testing. In May 1981 the Twin Turbo Power Plant was installed in DeLorean #00502 and road testing began on the prototype. The car was soon delivered to John DeLorean who was quoted as saying “The car’s performance and manners finally match its good looks.” #00502 was returned to Legend for final pre- production testing prior to expected Twin Turbo engine introduction in 1982. Practically every piece of the Renault V6 engine had to be redesigned except the bottom end and the camshafts. Fitting Twin Turbos and Twin Intercoolers with all of their attendant electrics and plumbing into the DeLorean engine compartment is an engineering feat to be admired. The results are a smooth, reliable engine with great flexibility and lugability. This engine is capable of pulling smoothly in fifth gear from 1,500 RPM, continuing through to full Turbo boost at 2,500 RPM, and climbing solidly on to 6,500 RPM at 150 MPH without the slightest protest. The IHI Twin Turbos are so perfectly matched to this engine that you’re never at a loss for power even if you are a lazy shifter. The prototype car was acceleration tested at an incredible 0-60 in 5.8 seconds and the quarter mile in 14.7 seconds. Before any of the 5,000 Twin Turbo DeLoreans could be put into production, the DeLorean debacle occurred and the DeLorean Motor Company was out of business. Legend Industries as well as many other suppliers were bankrupted by the sudden turn of events. Prototype #00502 was sold in the Legend Industries bankruptcy sale in 1983 to Legend Turbo, Inc., a company formed in hope that DeLorean production would resume. It was not to be, and the present owner acquired #00502 in 1984. In the December 1984 edition of Road and Track Magazine, John Dinkel, the editor, memorialized John DeLorean, Legend Industries, and #00502. John Dinkel became the only journalist to drive the only factory Twin Turbo DeLorean ever produced. What would have been enjoyed and appreciated by thousands is now a Limited Edition of One. by Phil Meisinger
Society6 Fail
by Dave Tavres The Society6 website says that I am not allowed to use the name of the classic car that I own – DeLorean – when selling MY photos of MY car. That’s right… when trying to use the name “DeLorean” in the title (or tag, or description) of a product I want to sell on their site, they return this message: “We were not able to accept your title/tag/description submission, as it appeared to contain distinctive words that may belong to another rights holder. If you believe you have received this message in error, please contact Member Support.” Like many other DeLorean owners, I love taking cool photos of MY DeLorean. And also like other owners, I’m always looking for cool places to get amazing photos of MY DeLorean, with the hope of one turning out totally awesome, so I can sell it, or have it used somewhere as I – the content creator / artist – sees fit. But, Society6 doesn’t seem to agree that an artist has the right to sell their own photos of their property. Now, as of the writing of this article, you can NOT use names like “Mercedes” or “Ford”, but I can see that making sense, as those companies still exist, and are currently making new products. However, the DeLorean Motor Company went out of business in 1983. The DeLorean car that they invented and built, will never be built again. We, the owners of these cars, are the protectors and keepers of the approximately 4,500 left in the world, out of the 9,080 that were built. As it happens, a company in Texas named “DeLorean Motor Company Texas”, did buy the remaining parts left over from the original factory in 1997 – for less than $1 million dollars. Since then, they have proceeded to bully and attempt to scare people into submission, by pretending to be the original DeLorean Motor Company (despite their own admission on their website under the question “Are you ‘THE’ DeLorean Motor Company?” – they answer “We have no connection to John DeLorean, the DeLorean estate or the original DeLorean Motor Company. DeLorean Motor Company Texas is a privately held corporation based in Humble, Texas.”) And to top it all off, they have repeatedly shown their disdain for the actual owners of the remaining DeLoreans out there. So, using the name of MY car, that I own – and the name of a product that is no longer made by an existing company – should be allowed… just as you can use the name “Bricklin” and others on Society6. (Bricklin is another defunct car company.) It’s most likely that intimidation by the fake DMC (DeLorean Motor Company Texas) has caused Society6 to block us owners from profiting from our own property. We’ll see how Society6 responds to the message I sent them disputing their choice to block me from using the name “DeLorean”. Update from Society6: This was the last email they sent me: From: Tristan (Society6)Date: Jun 21, 2021, 18:19 PDT Hello Dave, We recommend that you research the relevant copyright laws and other laws pertaining to intellectual property and their application to your work on the Internet, or consult legal counsel if you are unsure about them. We also suggest that you review Society6’s Terms of Service http://society6.com/terms with respect to our Content, Copyright & Intellectual Property Rights Policies to ensure that you are in compliance at all times. The word “DeLorean” will not be unblocked at this time. Warmly, TristanArtist Community Success Associate
Live Watch Party: “DeLorean: Living the Dream”
Watch “DeLorean: Living the Dream” and live chat with other owners! Monday, October 26th | 5pm PST / 8pm EST Be ready: Today, go to the “DeLorean: Living the Dream” Vimeo page and purchase your digital version of the movie. Go to the DeLorean Directory Watch Party video and click the “Set Reminder” link. Live chat: On Monday, October 26th at 5p PST / 8p EST, return to this page on the device you’re going to chat on (browser, phone, etc.). On a 2nd device/screen/browser (the screen you’ll watch the movie on), Launch the DLTD movie your previously purchased on Vimeo, and start playing it, but PAUSE it at 10 seconds. Go to the DeLorean Directory Watch Party video and watch the countdown. When the live stream starts counting up, match the timecode on your Vimeo player to the timecode on the DeLorean Directory live stream. (If you join late, just fast-forward your video, and pause ahead of the live stream video, then un-pause it when your timecode matches. In the chat window below (or on the YouTube live stream,) join the discussion with other owners. Make sure you’ve selected “Live Chat”, and not “Top Chat”.
Brandon Fayette’s 3D Model DeLorean Parts
Brandon Fayette has taken the time to create these 3D models of DeLorean parts that are hard to find, or are no longer available.
Get “En-light-ened”
by Chris Miles, VIN: 16409 As I’ve been helping more and more DeLorean owners with their cars, I’ve been hearing reports of their cars just dying. They’re either driving on the road and lose power, or they’re unable to re-start the car after a short stop. The first thing people tend to think is that they have a bad battery or alternator, but that isn’t always the case. As a pretty technically-skilled DeLorean owner, I’ve made myself intimately familiar with the instrument cluster and related electrical components. Unlike modern cars, the DeLorean has a finite number of warning lights. The two most important warning lights are the oil pressure light and battery light. The oil pressure light comes on when the engine is running and has low oil pressure – which means you should pull over immediately and shut the car off right away. The battery light is just as important as the oil pressure light. However, many owners never pay attention to whether the battery bulb lights up at all. The bulb is supposed to illuminate – and stay on – when you switch the ignition to position 2, but it will then turn off when you start the engine. (NOTE: if you have a DMC Houston alternator, the light may just flash in position 2.) If the battery light remains on after starting, that indicates you have a charging issue. However, if your battery light does not illuminate at all in ignition position 2, you’re probably going to have an issue with the charging circuit – or – the battery bulb is simply burnt out. I’ve helped a few owners diagnose their battery issues, so I want to stress that you should check your battery light the next time you start your DeLorean. So, what if you don’t see the battery light illuminate in ignition position 2? That means the alternator will not charge the battery. Eventually, the lights and engine will completely drain the battery. Sometimes this happens while you’re driving and there’s not enough power to spark the spark plugs and your engine will just die – but most often, there’s just not enough amps to start the car again. Again, it could just be that your battery bulb is burnt out (or, when you upgraded the binnacle lights to LEDs, you replaced the incandescent bulb with an LED instead of a new incandescent, and that’s bad – keep reading.) But, it could mean that you need to check your alternator wiring. Most DeLoreans now have a Motorola or some type of GM alternator. Both have a single wire that connects to the battery bulb circuit. The DeLorean battery light wire that connects to the alternator is brown with a yellow stripe. If you have a solid brown wire connected to your alternator, you’ll probably have an issue with charging the battery. The original Ducellier alternators used both the brown and brown/yellow stripe wires. The modern GM style alternators use a Dorman 85854 or 85118 oval connector – in which only one wire connects to the brown/yellow striped wire on DeLorean wiring harness. (see photo for my installation.). Having a functional battery light is also important, because it’s a warning that your water pump may not be spinning, since the alternator belt turns the water pump too. So, if you lose that belt, the alternator quits spinning and the battery light will illuminate – which also means you should immediately pull over and turn the car off, because you may end up overheating. And finally, a note on upgrading the light bulbs in the binnacle to LED. It’s fairly well known that the “battery” bulb must remain incandescent. The battery light circuit is designed to check for the resistance of an incandescent bulb. LED bulbs have less resistance than normal bulbs, so the circuit won’t work properly, and the bulb will not illuminate – which also means you will likely have charging issues. So, when upgrading your binnacle lights to LEDs, DO replace the original battery light bulb with a NEW incandescent bulb. Now you should be “en-light-ened” about this quirk of the DeLorean.
Don’t Be A Lug-Nut
by Chris Miles, VIN: 16409 Some DeLorean owners might be frustrated with the state of their lug nuts. Have you noticed after visiting a tire shop your lug nuts appear to be chewed up, or even worse, the caps are loose or have fallen off? Not everyone knows that the original lug nuts are not solid – they’re ugly nuts that have pretty caps covering them. Over time, those caps become loose and sometimes fall off while driving. Many owners don’t even notice for some time that one or more caps are gone. Some members of the DeLorean community have been looking for alternatives to the original capped lug nuts. Most wheel lug nuts on the market are usually too long and stick out too far, especially for the front wheels of the DeLorean. The DeLorean community has come up with two solid lug nut candidates, also called ‘acorn’ style nuts. Since all DeLorean owners can’t read every message on DMCTalk.org or the numerous DeLorean Facebook groups, I thought I’d share my findings and some details. The Original Equipment (OE) lug nuts are metric 12 (with a 1.5mm pitch), and measure 29mm tall. The reproductions are 30mm tall. The first lug nut replacement option is the Dorman #611-310. It’s almost identical in height to the OE nut, measuring 27 millimeters tall – just a couple millimeters shorter. This lug nut can be used for all four wheels and they look great. Because the front wheels have a shallow depth for the lug nut wells, they appear to fit perfectly, with no noticeable difference from the OE nuts. But, when putting these short nuts on the rear wheels, they seem too short, and seem to disappear into the darkness of the lug nut well. The second lug nut is the Dorman #611-221. This nut is, again, just a couple of millimeters different than the OE nut, measuring 31 millimeters. This taller lug nut can also be used for all four wheels, but sits more flush in the face of the front wheel, making the shiny nuts stand out more than I like. You may not like this look if you prefer the front lug nuts being ‘countersunk’ a little. On the rear wheels, they work great and don’t get ”lost” in the deep lug nut wells. My recommendation is to use eight Dorman #611-310 lug nuts in the front and eight Dorman #611-221 lug nuts in the rear. This offers the perfect visual balance. Both size Dorman lug nuts are available on RockAuto.com, or you can get them at most O’Reilly Auto Parts stores. Check out the DeLorean crossover-parts list for more details, or use the links below:
Stirling Moss road tests the DeLorean sports car
Before the first production models of the long-awaited DeLorean sports car were readied for export, Popular Mechanics sent British race-car driver Stirling Moss to John Z. DeLorean’s plant in Northern Ireland to drive the gull-wing two-seater. Shortly after, Auto Editor Tony Assenza visited the Dunmurry facility for a firsthand look at the plant, the car, and the former GM executive who wants to put an all-new sports car on American roads. Here’s their report. Moss: The DeLorean is certainly a striking-looking car – long, low and extremely sleek. Like the old Mercedes 300SL of the ’50s, it has gullwing doors, a design it shares only with the Lamborghini Countach. They make access and exit easier, but once you’re sitting in the low and very comfortable seats, you find you need the arms of an ape to reach up to close the doors behind you. The controls are nicely arranged for driving quickly, with the gearshift lever falling easily to hand for grabbing gears. It’s a five-speed unit, with fifth being an overdrive. I found fifth quite useful for cruising at moderate highway speeds, but it needs to be downshifted to a lower gear for acceleration. The engine doesn’t produce enough torque to overcome the gear ratio. Getting into reverse isn’t as much of a chore as it is on so many other so-called sports cars. There are electric windows, though they only open a few inches. I suppose the only time you might need them is to ask someone the way or pay a toll, since the car is fully airconditioned, with vents in the doors as well as the center of the dash. Assenza: The car’s styling was done by the now-legendary design studio, Ital Design headed by Giorgetto Giugiaro. His design credits encompass a variety of vehicles, including the Mangusta, VW Rabbit, Audi 5000, Alfasud, and even the non-exotic, but thoroughly practical, little Rat Panda. At first sight, the DeLorean reminds you of the Lancia Monte Carlo due to the cut of the roof line and sloping rear panels. But that’s as deep as the resemblance to any other car goes. It has a character and a styling all its own. Moss: There are only two seats, of course, separated by a fairly high center console that houses control switches for the windows, lights and so on. The console is quite handy actually, because under really severe cornering it helps to keep you put. Not that you really need it, because the seats are well bolstered. Behind the seats there’s an elastic net over a small luggage compartment – a good idea, since it keeps small items of luggage in place when you’re driving quickly. There’s also a little luggage compartment in the front end of the car that holds very small items of baggage. Visibility from the driver’s seat is good in front, but poor out the back. Rear vision is aided by a pair of rear-view mirrors, but you sit so low in the car that you can’t really see the front and sides of the car. This makes passing or maneuvering difficult in confined space. But of course, the DeLorean is a car intended for the open road. Here, I must admit, that I found the performance didn’t quite match up to the car’s looks or pedigree. However, it handles very nicely, with good transient response and fairly neutral cornering attitudes. It has a good, firm suspension, independent at all four corners; nice, light and very direct steering response, and very powerful Lucas-Girling disc brakes all around, good for 60 to 0 mph in 135 feet. DMC DeLorean pictured in front of C.R. “Dick” Brown’s DeLorean offices in Irvine, CA. (https://goo.gl/maps/gmg9uU5MfDC4Y35d9) At speed, the noise level Is low and the engine is well damped. You’re not conscious of a power unit churning away Just a few feet behind your head as you would be, let’s say, in a Maserati or a Lotus. I found wind noise to be more obvious, mainly due to the gull-wing doors. Assenza: Unlike the vast majority of cars running on the road, the DeLorean doesn’t have a unitized body. Also, unlike some of the exotics, it doesn’t use the race-car derived monocoque tub. Instead, It uses a separate chassis and body combination. The chassis Itself looks like two Ys Joined at the base. This central backbone Is the platform upon which the body and the suspension Is attached. It’s not surprising that this wishbone configuration is somewhat similar to that used in Lotus cars, since Lotus engineers were consultants in the design and development of the DeLorean. The engine Is placed at the rear of the car. Just behind the rear axle. So this is a true rear-engine car, rather than the more common mid-engine cars which fit the engine just in front of the rear axle. Front and rear suspension is coil-over shock with upper and lower A-arms – It could be called a classic racing suspension. The plastic fuel tank is at the front of the car, nestled between the two arms of the Y. This seems to be a very safe place to store it, since it would be almost impervious to rupture, even in the most severe crash. The powerplant is the jointly developed Peugeot, Renault, Volvo V6 displacing 2.85 liters. It is fitted with Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection and runs on a fairly low 8.8:2 compression ratio. Moss: I suspect the performance is a consequence of the car’s main market. The version I drove was modified to meet the stringent U.S. emissions regulations, which must have knocked the heart right out of the engine. Still, this is a problem all other sports-car manufacturers must face if they want to sell cars in the United States, and the DeLorean seems to have done as good a job with the engine as most of the others. You’ll get 0 to 60 mph in about 9 seconds. At speeds over 100 mph, the car seems very stable
John DeLorean
John Zachary DeLorean was born January 6, 1925 in Detroit, MI, and passed away on March 19, 2005 in Summit, NJ. He was born to immigrant parents, and served in the United States Army. JZD had a long career in the automotive industry, starting with Packard. He later joined Pontiac and rose in the ranks to become head of General Motors‘ North American Car & Truck Division. He brought with him many accomplishments in both vehicle engineering, as well as marketing, and even influencing car culture as it influenced himself and his work. After leaving General Motors, he went on to found DeLorean Motor Company to produce the DeLorean sports car. What happened to the DeLorean? In the autumn of 1982, DMC went out of business. While John DeLorean was arrested, and soon acquitted of all drug trafficking charges, the company still folded. This included DMC, and its corporate subsidies, such as DeLorean Motorcars of America (DMCA) which was responsible for the distribution of the DeLorean automobile, and DeLorean Motor Cars, Ltd. (DMCL) of Dunmurry, Northern Ireland, which manufactured them. A push to increase production in the summer of 1981 exhausted credit lines with parts suppliers and resulted in large debts, but also created the massive stockpile of original parts which the community uses to this day.
The Exchange of One
“I don’t have any regrets,” Bill Yacobozzi says. “It was time.” Still, the former lawyer turned real-estate agent admits it was a little discomforting after Prototype 1 left his home. For twenty years, two months and five days, Bill had upheld a daily tradition. He would walk to his garage and acknowledge the rarest DeLorean in the world. But on January 30, 2005, he paused and was forced to gaze at an empty space. For months it has remained empty – as if nothing else except the Prototype could ever belong there. On January 11, Yacobozzi told me he had put the car on ebay to see what might happen. “Good luck,” I said. “You’re about to be flooded with emails.” The auction opened with little hurrah. Within a day, however, phone calls were made, internet chatrooms buzzed and the auction counter quickly registered thousands of hits. The price jumped sporadically, and Yacobozzi’s office was barraged with questions… and accusations. Among the skeptics was Tony lerardi. He had the frequent habit of checking ebay for DeLorean-related items. And there it was: Prototype 1 for sale, complete with pictures from the 2004 summer issue of dw magazine. “I remembered the pictures from the magazine,” lerardi says, “and thought wait a minute. The seller has zero feedback and scanned the pictures.” It’s a scam, lerardi thought and immediately emailed the seller to say he knew it was fake. Yacobozzi received many emails from angry DeLorean lovers. The auction is phony. You’re a liar, ebay will be informed of this fraud. A mock auction for “Prototype 2” started on ebay, showing a picture of a snow-covered car with a “DMC” plate. But while enthusiasts lost themselves in the growing, negative propaganda, lerardi started digging deeper for information. “I called Ed Bernstein,” lerardi says, “and, as usual, Ed gave me the right phone number and information.” I received a call shortly after. “The next thing I find out,” lerardi says, “Yes, this is indeed for real.” From here, he faced a hard decision. How much would or could he afford for this car. How much to restore it? Could he allow the Prototype to fall into the hands of a private collector – allow to it disappear for another 20 years? For much of his life, lerardi held a deep connection to the DeLorean automobile. He already owned VIN 6041 – a beautiful Concours winning car. Years ago he had sold it – the car he and his father had bought together. It was a heartfelt mistake he later realized after his father died, and lerardi desperately sought the new owner to buy it back. He had misplaced the information; somehow it had gotten lost over the years. But Bernstein at DeLorean One led him to the new owner, and lerardi got his car back. Now, Prototype 1 was for sale and the auction was ticking. The bid surpassed $75,000. lerardi remembered the car from the videos in the late 70s. He had always wondered where it was now – how great it would be to own. This was his chance. Now. Jay Leno had read the article in dw magazine and called Yacobozzi. He was curious and talkative but not really interested in buying the Prototype. With the auction coming to a close and the bid still rising, Yacobozzi spoke at length with lerardi. Several other parties had expressed serious interest, most notably an executive from Dell Computers. But for Yacobozzi, it wasn’t so much about the money as it was about the car’s future home. In the end, he took the advice from his sources. He told lerardi, “I’ve heard from people that you’re a man of your word. If you say you want to buy this car, I’ll take your word and end the auction.” lerardi committed. Yacobozzi ended the auction early, with a high bid of $96,000 and the reserve not met. The final selling price remained private. When the transport arrived on January 29, 2005, Yacobozzi felt ready. He knew the Prototype would leave him that day. The transaction was finished. It was time to say goodbye. After a two-decade slumber, the car would be brought back to the public eye. And there was something comforting about that. “I felt good because I knew it wouldn’t be sitting in some executive’s garage,” Yacobozzi says. “I knew Tony would display it for his business.” The business would become DMC Florida in March 2005. With lerardi rampant with preparations to open the DeLorean repair facility, he still found time to feel anxious about his new purchase as it spent a week crossing the states. Even John DeLorean had heard about lerardi’s plans and his acquisition of Prototype 1. He was impressed and expressed interest in meeting the young man. The transport finally arrived a week later, and lerardi waited impatiently. When the cargo door went up, he was nervous. As the car rolled off the back of the transport, lerardi felt a little overwhelmed. His mind raced back to the images of the past, and it dawned on him. This is it. The first and only surviving prototype’. The one they paraded around America in the 70s. The one Johnny Carson sat in. This was the car that was filled with John DeLorean’s vision in 1976. The console was full of gauges, including a tire-pressure warning light that would not be fully-realized for 30 years. “The airbag light, that got me,” Jerardi says. “That got a lump in my throat.” With his car DeLorean had envisioned dual airbags and side-impact door beams. He had worked hard to implement his dream for an affordable and safety-conscious sports car. But with the politics, the bureaucracy, the successes and failures of his car company, not everything had made it to the final product. Over time, people might become skeptical of what John DeLorean had tried to do. “They’d say, ‘What airbags? That was just a story,’” lerardi says. “But no this is the
Why does the fake DMC in Texas think they own OUR DeLorean logo?
The DeLorean Motor Company went out of business in 1982. In 1997, Stephen Wynne spent less than a million to purchase the original remaining DeLorean parts from Sol Shenk. Since then, the fake DMC has claimed ownership of just about everything DeLorean, except our actual cars. But they seem to think they own those too. There are a number of stories from DeLorean owners who have tried to get floor mats, hats, shirts, etc. customized with the DMC logo from the door frame, or the DeLorean emblem from the hood and bumper, just to be told ‘Sorry, we can’t do that. We’ve been told by (the fake) DMC in Texas that we’d have to pay them a license fee to put your logo on this item.’ So, the fake DMC is bullying us, and companies we want to use to make items for us. And no, that’s not an exaggeration. The fake DMC is doing their best to take ownership of everything they DIDN’T create. Why? Only they know for sure, but it’s a pretty good guess that it’s a strategy to make themselves worth more when they sell the business. Yes, that’s the likely plan – to sell the business to some bigger company with deep pockets. Basically, to cash out. The fake DMC knows that there’s not enough money to be made from DeLorean owners. Owners have gotten smarter over the years, and haven’t been as willing to pay the exorbitant prices for the many inferior products the fake DMC sells. And with about 5,000 DeLoreans still in existence, that’s a very small number of customers to make any significant money from. So the likely plan is to sell. And when you want to sell something, you try to make it look as good as possible. Which means, gobble up all of our logos and recognizable emblems for our cars and stop people from making cool stuff. That is, unless you pay the fake DMC for the privilege. In a recent trademark search, the fake DMC somehow took ownership of the hood emblem and bumper logo – “DeLorean” – for their own use, and profit. Which means they get paid when an owner wants a set of embroidered floor mats, or a jacket with the logo to go with your car. It turns out, the fake DMC decided they owned the logo back in 2008. And there’s little to nothing DeLorean owners can do about that now. Except – spread the word. Make sure that other owners know that the fake DMC is systematically trying to take ownership of our cars, simply because they have deep pockets. So the next time you need parts for your DeLorean, support the independent shops – the shops who are there to make money, but who ALSO care about the DeLorean community – check out www.DeLoreanDirectory.com/service for parts and repairs, and www.DeLoreanDirectory.com/parts for an ever-growing list of crossover parts you can buy online and locally that work as well (or better) than what the fake DMC is selling… and often for much less.
DeLorean Dealer List
The original DeLorean Dealer List, from the brochure in the glove box of every DeLorean sold. See where the DeLorean dealership was in your town by clicking the map, or searching the list below. If you have more details, or know of other information you’re willing to share with the DeLorean community, contact us. And, check out the gallery of photos of DeLorean dealerships.
John DeLorean’s New Jersey mansion
John DeLorean’s New Jersey estate, on Lamington Road in Bedminster Township, NJ, was originally called Lamington Farm. It was DeLorean’s home away from New York and California. He owned the property from 1981 to 2000, when he had to turn it over to cover expenses from the sham drug trial. In 2002, Donald Trump bought the property and turned it into the Trump National Golf Club Bedminster.