Doc’s time machine of both movie and MOVE-y fame

By Bree Harding

Aug 13, 2024

Here's an early-1980s DeLorean DMC-12 made famous by the *Back to the Future* movies. Photo by Rodney Braithwaite

Marty McFly once asked Dr Emmett ‘Doc’ Brown incredulously if he built a time machine out of a DeLorean.

Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content

Doc’s answer: “The way I see it, if you’re gonna build a time machine into a car, why not do it with some style?”

Of course, the time machine bit is a fictional element of the 1985 film Back to the Future.

Michael J. Fox, who starred as Marty McFly in the film, sits on the bonnet of the DeLorean-come-time machine at a *Back to the Future* event. Photo by IMBd

The futuristic-looking DeLorean, manufactured by DMC, however, is very much a real car — sans a built-in flux capacitor.

It is estimated that 6500 of the original 9000 (give or take) still exist in the present — not the future or the past — whether still on the road or on display in museums.

MOVE’s Andrew Church has to masterfully manoeuvre all kinds of vehicles to rotate the ever-changing displays of expensive, custom and rare motoring history. Here he takes the left-hand driver’s wheel of a DMC DeLorean. Photo by Bree Harding

One of those sits stunningly original on the showroom floor under spotlights at the Museum of Vehicle Evolution in Kialla.

The two-door coupe with its distinctive gull-wing doors, rear engine, five speeds and left-hand drive, has not had a skerrick of restoration work.

Its trademark brushed stainless panels are in pristine condition and it only has 8500 original miles on the clock.

The DeLorean is a two-door sports coupe that seats two. Photo by Bree Harding

“It doesn’t matter who you are — a little kid, grandparent, into cars, or know nothing about cars,” MOVE’s Andrew Church said.

“It resonates with everybody. Everyone recognises it.”

MOVE’s 1983 model DMC-12 DeLorean’s original list price was US$34,007, equivalent in purchasing power to about US$107,250 ($162,850 in our money) these days.

Quite a hefty price tag for a car that looked the part but reportedly performed disappointingly.

The name made most famous by the movie Back to the Future. Photo by Bree Harding

The only car the fledgling motor company brought to market is known for lacking power and had a reputation for unsatisfactory driving experiences.

The DeLorean has brushed stainless steel panels and distinctive gull-wing doors. Photo by Bree Harding

Maybe the Back to the Future creators knew as much when they wrote in Michael J. Fox’s character McFly asking Doc if the DeLorean time machine ran on regular unleaded gasoline.

“Unfortunately, no,” the mad scientist answered.

“It requires a little more kick. Plutonium.”