Frequently Asked Questions

All DeLoreans left the factory with unpainted stainless steel body panels. There was some experimentation into creating colored DeLoreans, but that technology never made it to production cars. All painted DeLoreans were done privately.

The DeLorean was built in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The factory was built by the DeLorean Motor Company in the late 1970′s.

Although the exact number is unknown, the general consensus is that roughly 8,500 DeLoreans were produced from 1981-1983. This figure doesn’t count cars like the prototypes and test vehicles.

Again, there is no exact number. It is estimated that about 6,000 to 6,500 DeLoreans are known and documented.

Grade 304 Stainless Steel

All of the stainless steel body panels bolt directly onto a fiberglass underbody. This fiberglass shell then bolts to an epoxy-coated steel frame.

No. John DeLorean was arrested in September 1982, and after a long trial was acquitted of all charges in 1984. John DeLorean passed away in 2005.

All of the panels on the DeLorean bolt on and off, so replacing or fixing a panel is quick and easy.

Depending on the quality, condition, and milage of the car, a DeLorean costs between $20,000 to $40,000.

The DeLorean weighs in at 2,800 lbs. By comparison, a Mazda Miata weighs 2,100 lbs., and a brand-new Corvette weighs 3,100 lbs.

The reasons are too long and in-depth to answer here. To summarize, DeLorean funded most of the car through the British government, who loaned him millions to build the factory and the car. There were many reasons that caused the collapse, but ultimately the Britain rescinded the loan, there wasn’t enough capital for DeLorean to continue to build cars.

There are an abundance of parts which are readily available. In addition, new replacement parts are being manufactured to keep the cars running strong and reliably. Most parts today are available through the DeLorean Motor Company, and there are many local businesses that cater to DeLorean owners, like DeLorean Parts Northwest.

The DeLorean is actually a very simple car mechanically. The vehicle’s straight-forward construction means the car is incredibly easy to service and maintain.

X-Frame. To help prevent rusting, the chassis was coated with an epoxy. This proved to be a good short-term solution. Now there are companies that are offering a full stainless-steel frame, which will last much longer and cause the car to dramatically increase in value.

Since the DeLorean was designed to be a grand-touring car, the performance was not the original selling point, and therefore lacking. There was a twin-turbo option in development during production, but those plans fell through when the company closed. Today, there are many aftermarket options offered to boost the DeLorean’s power, from bolt-on additions to full engine swaps.

Lotus was hired to engineer the suspension for the final production version of the DeLorean. The suspension is an all-independant spring & shock assembly.

The Pacific Northwest DeLorean Club has been around since 1983. Originally founded by Greg McDonald & Arnie Brandon, the club has since grown to become one of the largest and most established clubs in the world. You can read more about the history of the club here.

As a matter of fact, there are. The club knows of about 100-150 DeLoreans in the northwest region alone. There may be a few elusive cars out there, but even this number is very healthy.

As of 2014, PNDC has about 100 members.

Feel free to contact anyone of our board members. Any of us would be happy to give away as much information about the club as you want.

Delorean Service Northwest is located in Redmond, WA. They have a full service and repair facility.