The ‘DeLorean Revival’ has been organized by passionate local lovers of the famous iconic car, with co-organiser David Mathers revealing that 62 DeLoreans are set to descend on Northern Ireland from across the UK and Europe tomorrow night.
“I spoke to Alistar Vanston in England just before Christmas last year. [co-founder of the DeLorean Club UK]and they have their own meetings in Norfolk,” explained David.
Alistair Vanstone (co-founder of DeLorean Club UK)
“I said me and another guy wanted to come meet the DeLoreans and he suggested they come over.
“Over the last few months it has grown from half a dozen cars coming to a small car show to 62 coming to the big Stormont event.”
This Saturday, the engines made famous by the Back to the Future films will take over as the rally’s home, while on Sunday all visitors will take to the test track at the old DeLorean factory in west Belfast.
In 1978, American engineer John DeLorean signed an agreement to set up a custom factory in the Twinbrook Industrial Zone to fulfill orders for 30,000 of the iconic DMC-12 DeLorean a year.
By the end of 1981, the factory had produced 7,500 cars, but DeLorean Motor Company was only able to sell 3,000 cars.
The iconic Delorean (Credit: Russell Pritchard / Presseye)
In February 1982 DMC was placed into receivership and by the end of May 1982 production at the factory was halted.
John DeLorean was then charged with drug trafficking in October 1982, but a jury found him not guilty in 1984, although his reputation suffered greatly.
The old DeLorean factory in Dunmurry is now owned by Linamar Metals and the once iconic DeLorean test track was overgrown with scrub, but David and other vintage enthusiasts made it to the weekend event.
David added: “About eight weeks ago I got a friend with two diggers to clear the DeLorean track and everything is now in great shape.
“We spent about a week hauling away all the grass and trees. Everything is there and looks like it was just built. We had almost £10,000 in total to clean it up.
“A few Americans donated several thousand pounds and all our boys contributed money.
DeLorean lovers have a busy schedule for the whole weekend, starting with a trip to the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum on Friday, where the DMC-12 design is housed in the Innovation exhibit, along with Back To The Future replicas and a hoverboard.
The group will then head to Titanic Distillers where a special limited edition bottle of the whiskey will be unveiled.
Peter Lavery – a bus winner from Belfast’s Short Strand who opened the distillery last year – is himself a big fan of classic cars.
“Peter owned a DeLorean and unfortunately sold it a few years ago, but he’s still very interested in it,” continued David.
“So his distillery makes a special bottle of whiskey for us labeled ‘DeLorean Revival.’
On Saturday, drivers have been instructed to head to Stormont Buildings from 8.30am, where members of the public are invited to come and see the show, and Sunday will see them drive around the old test track at Dunmurry.
The DeLorean name has been making a bit of a comeback of late, with John DeLorean’s daughter Kat announcing earlier this month that she is determined to restore her father John DeLorean’s tarnished legacy by creating a spiritual successor to his Belfast-based DMC.
Two decades after her father’s death, Kat DeLorean’s company, DeLorean Next Generation Motors (DNG Motors), is working on a new vehicle in the traditional home of US auto manufacturing, Detroit.
“I’m not bringing that car back,” she said of the famous original.
Motorcars:DeLorean/Car designer John DeLorean in one of his gullwing models.
“My car is not a DeLorean, it’s a DNG JZD. And I’m building a car in honor of my father.
“It’s about heritage. It is about the inspiration he can give to others. It’s about my father.”
It is estimated that around 6,000 DMC DeLoreans still remain on the road around the world and several will be available for public viewing at Stormont on Saturday morning.
Attendees can purchase tickets on the door, with all proceeds from the show going to the Pancreatic Cancer Research and Action Cancer charities.