Whenever a DeLorean appears on our desks here at Barn Finds, there is an overwhelming desire to make references to the “Back To The Future” movie franchise. Although the temptation is sometimes too great to resist, our writers tend to avoid such references. I feel no such constraints with our feature car because it is a beautiful recreation of the original. The owner’s attention to detail is second to none, and it seems that he has left no stone unturned in his quest for perfection. There’s no doubt that this DeLorean would draw a crowd wherever it goes. That would be an unavoidable consequence of buying this classic. However, if you want to make new friends and meet interesting people, you will find this DeLorean located in Las Vegas, Nevada, and listed for sale here on eBay. The cost of perfection will always be high, so the owner has set a BIN of $199,999.

When I first saw this DeLorean, I was left scratching my head trying to decide how best to describe this car. It breaks all of the usual rules of a classic because the distinctive modifications overwhelm the base vehicle. It retains all its traditional DeLorean stainless steel panels and the original wheels. The panels are in good condition, and the owner mentions no issues with rust underneath. It presents superbly as a faithful recreation of the cars featured in the three movies. It features all the correct lights and external fixtures, and most items function as they did in the films. It is an eye-catching piece of work, and it should prove a hit at a local Car & Coffee. It also wouldn’t look out of place at a classic car show. That brings me to a small point for you to ponder. In the first movie, we are introduced to the DeLorean in the Twin Pines Shopping Mall car park. The character of Marty arrives on his skateboard to be confronted by Doc Brown’s van, an enclosed trailer, and Einstein, the Doc’s faithful pooch. There are no signs of either Doc or the car. Suddenly, the rear of the trailer opens, and Doc backs the DeLorean into view from inside the trailer. That’s the point to ponder. The trailer is barely wide enough to accommodate this classic, so how did the good Doc open the gullwing doors to gain access? The DeLorean features a remote control. Did Doc reverse the car out using the remote, climb aboard, and drive it back into the trailer before Marty arrived? Did Doc Brown consciously do this for dramatic effect? I’ve agonized over that one for forty years, and I still don’t know the answer!

Hidden below the glitz and tinsel is the DeLorean’s original drivetrain. It includes the 2,849cc V6 engine that produces 145hp. Those horses find their way to the rear wheels via a five-speed manual transaxle. If the original owner had pointed this classic at a ¼ mile, the journey would have taken a relatively leisurely 16.5 seconds. All of the modifications performed by the owner will have added considerably to the vehicle’s weight. That will undoubtedly have negatively impacted its overall performance. However, he says that it runs and drives well. That means that a Cars & Coffee might not be far away for the new owner. I have watched the BTTF Trilogy a few times, as you may have guessed. The car in the movies has to hit 88mph to achieve time travel. While DeLorean claimed that the car could hit 131mph, it took its time getting there. That car doesn’t sound like a standard DeLorean if you watch the movie. Its engine has the distinctive note and whine of a supercharged V8. Maybe that was the secret to its success! It’s also worth noting that this car features the “Mr. Fusion” addition that Doc Brown installed so that he no longer required Plutonium to power the time circuits. I can think of many reasons why having a lump of radioactive material sitting between your shoulderblades is a bad thing, so this is a welcome addition.

I have compared the feature car with those from the movie franchise. Once again, the owner’s eye for detail is exceptional. He has faithfully recreated every button, switch, and gauge from the original car has in this DeLorean. All of the lights illuminate as they should, and the time circuits operate with identical beeps and other sounds that you will find in the films. The beauty of this recreation is that all of these electrical items can also operate as stand-alone devices. It means that the owner can connect the vehicle to mains electricity for static display. Therefore, there is no chance that the time circuits will flatten this DeLorean’s battery. Looking beyond that, the original interior components are in good condition. There is no appreciable wear on the leather, while the dash and plastic components appear to be excellent. It isn’t clear whether it has functioning air conditioning, but the original radio/cassette player has made way for some of the movie props.

I know that you’ve wanted to ask the question. So yes, this DeLorean does feature the legendary Flux Capacitor. The movie’s Doc Brown conceived the Capacitor after a blow to the head in 1955, but it takes another three decades before his dream becomes a reality. With the power of Plutonium to produce the required 1.21 gigawatts of electricity, the Flux Capacitor endows the DeLorean with the ability to travel through time. As with so many aspects of this recreation, this Flux Capacitor illuminates exactly as the original does in the movies. Sadly, this baby won’t transport you through time, even if you manage to hit the required 88mph.

Values have increased in recent years for the 1981 DeLorean, and good original examples will easily sell for more than $45,000. This car is far from original, making assigning a value almost impossible. However, I did find a similar vehicle that recently sold for nearly $180,000. That makes the price of this example seem realistic. Whoever buys it can’t take it seriously but will have to possess a well-developed sense of fun. It’s a lot of money for a car of this type, but since one has already sold for a similar figure in recent months, I won’t be surprised if it achieves the same feat. If you had that sort of cash, would you be tempted?