1 00:00:02,340 --> 00:00:04,220 Tonight For the Love of Cars 2 00:00:04,220 --> 00:00:07,500 What do you think? Back To The Future. 3 00:00:07,500 --> 00:00:09,460 ..we're rescuing a car that most of us 4 00:00:09,460 --> 00:00:12,140 think is a time machine made in Hollywood... 5 00:00:12,140 --> 00:00:14,500 Wow! Got to hit 88mph! 6 00:00:14,500 --> 00:00:17,100 ..but was actually born in Northern Ireland. 7 00:00:17,100 --> 00:00:19,180 The best job I ever had in my life. 8 00:00:19,180 --> 00:00:22,580 A unique sports car that was the 1980s on wheels 9 00:00:22,580 --> 00:00:26,300 and captured the imagination of the whole world. 10 00:00:28,140 --> 00:00:30,900 The product of an all-American dream... 11 00:00:30,900 --> 00:00:34,140 Is that it? ..that became a very British nightmare. 12 00:00:34,140 --> 00:00:36,820 A strange, flawed and unique car... 13 00:00:36,820 --> 00:00:39,500 We've got something really special here. 14 00:00:39,500 --> 00:00:42,900 ..that can only be understood by learning about the strange, 15 00:00:45,860 --> 00:00:49,860 Gull-wing doors have a lot of mystique and sex appeal. 16 00:00:49,860 --> 00:00:52,740 A classic 1980s tale of a fearless entrepreneur, 17 00:00:52,740 --> 00:00:54,900 tasteless excess... 18 00:00:54,900 --> 00:00:58,420 Is that exhaust gold-plated? Yes. Does that come off? 19 00:00:58,420 --> 00:01:02,540 ..financial meltdown and massive quantities of cocaine. 20 00:01:02,540 --> 00:01:07,500 Get ready for the greatest motoring disaster movie... 21 00:01:07,500 --> 00:01:08,820 ..ever told. 22 00:01:08,820 --> 00:01:10,380 Looks awesome. 23 00:01:14,500 --> 00:01:18,740 The DeLorean. Terrible car. Well, apart from Back To The Future. 24 00:01:18,740 --> 00:01:22,060 I take it you're not a fan, Anthony. It was all a little bit half finished. 25 00:01:22,060 --> 00:01:23,500 It was heavy, lumpy... 26 00:01:23,500 --> 00:01:26,500 Yes, but it was a little bit quirky and it had those gull-wing doors. 27 00:01:28,460 --> 00:01:31,180 OK, I give you that but it's going to be a nightmare to find. 28 00:01:31,180 --> 00:01:34,340 Let me just stop you there, Anthony. I don't want excuses. 29 00:01:34,340 --> 00:01:37,460 I want a DeLorean. I will find you a DeLorean. Thank you. 30 00:01:37,460 --> 00:01:41,340 Love your work. 31 00:01:43,140 --> 00:01:45,220 The DeLorean from me is all show and no go 32 00:01:50,260 --> 00:01:54,860 My friend Stuart who owns a DeLorean loves his DeLorean. It's like a member of his family. 33 00:01:54,860 --> 00:01:58,460 The incredible looking DeLorean DMC-12 was launched in 1981. 34 00:02:00,220 --> 00:02:01,460 Tell 'em ,Gloria. 35 00:02:01,460 --> 00:02:04,380 Well, for the last 18 months, this car has been one of the biggest 36 00:02:04,380 --> 00:02:06,020 talking points throughout the world. 37 00:02:08,860 --> 00:02:12,780 the most beautiful but controversial sports cars ever designed. 38 00:02:12,780 --> 00:02:14,740 Manufactured entirely in the UK, 39 00:02:14,740 --> 00:02:16,900 just under 9,000 were ever made 40 00:02:16,900 --> 00:02:19,980 and almost all of them were sold in America. 41 00:02:19,980 --> 00:02:23,580 I've spoken to the owner. It has been in a garage for 13 years 42 00:02:23,580 --> 00:02:26,260 and I am hoping that it's not a bit of a wreck. 43 00:02:26,260 --> 00:02:31,540 But Ant's not left our shores - he's headed to the wilds of Berkshire. 44 00:02:31,540 --> 00:02:33,860 To a cul-de-sac in Ascot. 45 00:02:33,860 --> 00:02:38,780 Hi. Hello. You must be Jean. I am and you're Ant. Yes, I'm here to see the car. 46 00:02:38,780 --> 00:02:40,780 Jean Austin's late husband Michael 47 00:02:40,780 --> 00:02:44,020 tucked his beloved DeLorean away in his garage 14 years ago. 48 00:02:46,900 --> 00:02:48,380 It hasn't been moved since. 49 00:02:54,620 --> 00:03:00,060 Here it is. OK. Would you like the keys? Thank you. OK. OK. 50 00:03:01,820 --> 00:03:03,740 Let's see what we've got. 51 00:03:05,340 --> 00:03:07,580 Well, the stainless work is fantastic. 52 00:03:07,580 --> 00:03:12,420 This bonnet is flawless. I can't see a body flaw yet. 53 00:03:12,420 --> 00:03:15,540 The DeLorean was made first and foremost for the American 54 00:03:15,540 --> 00:03:17,060 left-hand drive market. 55 00:03:18,460 --> 00:03:21,340 Very few were made for the leafy roads of Berkshire. 56 00:03:22,860 --> 00:03:25,980 It's a right-hand drive. This is rare. 57 00:03:25,980 --> 00:03:28,820 You just don't find these tucked up in garages. 58 00:03:28,820 --> 00:03:31,660 This car is as old as me. This looks like it's brand-new. 59 00:03:31,660 --> 00:03:36,060 It's been cocooned in this garage for so long that it's been saved. 60 00:03:36,060 --> 00:03:38,620 I don't think we could find a better car. 61 00:03:38,620 --> 00:03:41,100 Michael bought the car from a colleague in the '90s. 62 00:03:41,100 --> 00:03:45,100 But he wasn't your typical gull-wing door sort of chap. 63 00:03:45,100 --> 00:03:47,580 There he is in a Volvo. 64 00:03:47,580 --> 00:03:50,420 This is a Volvo driver, sensible man, 65 00:03:50,420 --> 00:03:52,780 and he comes home with a DeLorean. 66 00:03:52,780 --> 00:03:55,900 I'm here to buy the car. How much is it? 23,000. 67 00:03:59,940 --> 00:04:03,100 I wonder if his haggling skills have improved? 68 00:04:03,100 --> 00:04:04,100 OK. 69 00:04:05,460 --> 00:04:12,180 No. £23,000 for a car that's only meant to cost £12,000 new. 70 00:04:12,180 --> 00:04:15,860 But for me? Well, you can't put a price on how different it is. 71 00:04:17,260 --> 00:04:23,620 It looks like a car very much from the '80s. Extravagant, over the top. 72 00:04:23,620 --> 00:04:28,220 When you look at other cars built in the '80s, 73 00:04:28,220 --> 00:04:32,580 the DeLorean genuinely looked like it had landed from another planet. 74 00:04:32,580 --> 00:04:36,420 It was made of stainless steel. It had flappy doors. 75 00:04:36,420 --> 00:04:40,980 And even its name sounded like a far-off planet from Star Trek. 76 00:04:40,980 --> 00:04:43,540 When they built it, they thought it was space age 77 00:04:43,540 --> 00:04:47,380 and I think Ant hates it, which will be even more fun to watch him 78 00:04:47,380 --> 00:04:50,740 finding love for this motor. 79 00:04:50,740 --> 00:04:52,740 Ha-ha! 80 00:04:52,740 --> 00:04:57,780 Come on, then. Get it over. What do you think? Back To The Future. 81 00:04:57,780 --> 00:05:01,100 I knew you'd say that. It's in good nick. Looks it. Yes, it's not bad. 82 00:05:01,100 --> 00:05:04,220 What saved this car is that it's been put away 83 00:05:04,220 --> 00:05:07,660 so there's cars you restore and there's cars you re-commission. 84 00:05:07,660 --> 00:05:11,700 This is a re-commission... 85 00:05:11,700 --> 00:05:13,620 Well, there is still a lot of work to do. 86 00:05:13,620 --> 00:05:16,180 I mean, there's unfortunately a dent on the panel. 87 00:05:16,180 --> 00:05:19,820 The car hasn't run for years. Shall we have a sit in? 88 00:05:19,820 --> 00:05:24,460 Ooh! They go up, don't they? This is the iconic part of a DeLorean. Jesus! 89 00:05:24,460 --> 00:05:29,660 This funny little window bit here - is that...? That is the window. 90 00:05:31,140 --> 00:05:34,300 Not good for one of those drive-in burger places, is it? 91 00:05:34,300 --> 00:05:35,820 No, Happy Meal only. 92 00:05:35,820 --> 00:05:40,060 What's special about this car is DeLoreans were actually made left-hand drive 93 00:05:40,060 --> 00:05:44,900 because they targeted the 94 00:05:44,900 --> 00:05:47,420 Now normally my input is mostly about the colour 95 00:05:47,420 --> 00:05:51,420 but because every DeLorean looks the same - what do we do with it? 96 00:05:51,420 --> 00:05:54,180 I think the approach that we need to take with this is that we 97 00:05:54,180 --> 00:05:57,220 have got to go with its quirkiness, you know. 98 00:05:57,220 --> 00:05:59,860 It's a little bit different. It's kind of unique. 99 00:05:59,860 --> 00:06:02,540 Be grateful it's not an Austin Allegro or anything. 100 00:06:02,540 --> 00:06:06,740 I'm going to embrace the quirkiness. I think we have to. Yes. 101 00:06:06,740 --> 00:06:08,180 I'm looking forward to it. 102 00:06:10,020 --> 00:06:11,540 Sure you are(!) 103 00:06:11,540 --> 00:06:15,340 Ant's first job is to get this car started. 104 00:06:15,340 --> 00:06:18,980 Then he can find out what parts of the engine, 105 00:06:18,980 --> 00:06:22,620 gearbox and clutch need attention before this motor can move again. 106 00:06:22,620 --> 00:06:24,740 He'll have to ensure the suspension is still sound 107 00:06:24,740 --> 00:06:27,500 after 14 years of hibernation. 108 00:06:27,500 --> 00:06:31,260 Check the mechanics behind our rare right-hand drive conversion. 109 00:06:32,460 --> 00:06:36,100 Make sure the iconic gull-wing doors are up to scratch. 110 00:06:36,100 --> 00:06:38,060 Fix the dents in the bodywork. 111 00:06:38,060 --> 00:06:41,260 And give the unique stainless steel finish a good polish. 112 00:06:45,180 --> 00:06:47,540 Ant's got just eight weeks... 113 00:06:47,540 --> 00:06:50,780 Right, that should have power. ..to prepare this '80s icon 114 00:06:50,780 --> 00:06:53,580 for an expectant gathering of DeLorean fanatics. 115 00:06:54,820 --> 00:06:57,780 And its comeback appearance at auction. 116 00:06:57,780 --> 00:07:00,420 Really smells of stale fuel. 117 00:07:00,420 --> 00:07:03,100 I think he'd rather I'd chosen the Allegro. 118 00:07:03,100 --> 00:07:05,980 But then the Allegro isn't one of the most famous cars in the world. 119 00:07:11,540 --> 00:07:13,980 Hit 88mph. 120 00:07:13,980 --> 00:07:16,820 It doesn't go to 88. 121 00:07:16,820 --> 00:07:18,420 It goes to 85. 122 00:07:18,420 --> 00:07:23,060 Look! Wow! I think it's back in the future. Back in the future. 123 00:07:23,060 --> 00:07:25,140 We all know that the DeLorean 124 00:07:25,140 --> 00:07:28,820 is the star of 1985 Hollywood blockbuster Back To The Future, 125 00:07:28,820 --> 00:07:36,140 in which a young man narrowly avoids sleeping with his own mum. 126 00:07:36,140 --> 00:07:38,340 But in the first draft of the script, 127 00:07:38,340 --> 00:07:41,780 Marty McFly was due to travel through time in a large fridge. 128 00:07:41,780 --> 00:07:48,460 But they changed it to a car after the producers worried that 129 00:07:48,460 --> 00:07:50,140 And a bit cold. 130 00:07:50,140 --> 00:07:51,620 They chose the DeLorean 131 00:07:51,620 --> 00:07:55,020 because it already looked a bit like a space ship. 132 00:07:55,020 --> 00:07:59,140 But long before Hollywood producers sent the DeLorean back to the future, 133 00:07:59,140 --> 00:08:02,540 even before the DeLorean was a car, 134 00:08:02,540 --> 00:08:05,220 DeLorean was a man. 135 00:08:06,420 --> 00:08:10,220 Mr John T DeLorean! APPLAUSE 136 00:08:10,220 --> 00:08:13,220 John DeLorean was born and raised in the home of US motoring - 137 00:08:13,220 --> 00:08:15,180 Detroit. 138 00:08:15,180 --> 00:08:21,780 The son of a Romanian immigrant, his father couldn't afford to send him to college, 139 00:08:21,780 --> 00:08:25,740 so John worked in a factory to fund his engineering degree. 140 00:08:28,100 --> 00:08:29,980 But once he graduated, 141 00:08:29,980 --> 00:08:34,340 his rise from the shop floor to the boardroom was spectacular. 142 00:08:34,340 --> 00:08:37,820 Today, I don't think there's a car running anywhere in the world 143 00:08:37,820 --> 00:08:40,260 that doesn't have something that I created 144 00:08:40,260 --> 00:08:44,100 An engineering genius and natural salesman, John had it all. 145 00:08:45,460 --> 00:08:49,580 In 1965, at the age of 40, he became the youngest ever 146 00:08:49,580 --> 00:08:52,460 head of General Motors' giant Pontiac Division. 147 00:08:52,460 --> 00:08:54,900 He spent eight years at the very top, 148 00:08:54,900 --> 00:08:58,420 earning the equivalent of 3.5 million dollars a year, 149 00:08:58,420 --> 00:09:02,580 bought a gigantic estate, married a supermodel 150 00:09:02,580 --> 00:09:06,580 and spent his weekends golfing with celebrity friends. 151 00:09:06,580 --> 00:09:09,820 But at 48, having achieved all he felt he could with a large 152 00:09:09,820 --> 00:09:13,140 company, he turned his back on the corporate world, 153 00:09:13,140 --> 00:09:21,380 and risked it all on a lifelong dream. 154 00:09:21,380 --> 00:09:27,940 business has dared attempt, to design, build and sell his very own automobile from scratch. 155 00:09:27,940 --> 00:09:31,140 Most middle-aged men buy a sports car. 156 00:09:31,140 --> 00:09:32,700 John DeLorean decided to build one. 157 00:09:37,700 --> 00:09:41,580 To begin my journey into the DeLorean story, I need to drive one. 158 00:09:41,580 --> 00:09:43,100 And despite there being only around 159 00:09:43,100 --> 00:09:47,060 200 left in Britain, I've managed to track one down. 160 00:09:47,060 --> 00:09:50,500 All right, I'm off to meet somebody in an underground car park. 161 00:09:52,700 --> 00:09:56,540 If I'm not back up in half an hour, sublet my apartment. 162 00:10:01,740 --> 00:10:05,940 Richard, you're a young man. What in God's name are you doing owning a DeLorean? I don't know. 163 00:10:05,940 --> 00:10:08,620 When I was growing up, my father used to work for DeLorean 164 00:10:08,620 --> 00:10:11,060 so when I was five years old, he occasionally got them 165 00:10:11,060 --> 00:10:14,180 back from the factory, brought them home at the weekend. 166 00:10:14,180 --> 00:10:18,100 30 odd years later, I thought... One day, I'm going to own a DeLorean. That's right. 167 00:10:18,100 --> 00:10:20,220 'Better not break it, then.' 168 00:10:20,220 --> 00:10:21,580 The handle's come off. 169 00:10:24,780 --> 00:10:28,500 But this isn't just Michael's now- 170 00:10:29,740 --> 00:10:34,180 Was it meant to be a sports car? Yes, it was marketed as a sports car. 171 00:10:35,540 --> 00:10:38,020 It's the culmination of John DeLorean's dream. 172 00:10:48,580 --> 00:10:52,180 'I'm going to get a good idea what he wanted from motoring.' 173 00:10:53,700 --> 00:10:57,060 Quite heavy but it's actually quite a comfortable car as well. 174 00:10:57,060 --> 00:10:59,620 It's a motorway cruiser. Is its comfy on the motorway? 175 00:10:59,620 --> 00:11:01,540 Yes, I think it's great. Not too noisy? 176 00:11:01,540 --> 00:11:08,180 I think it's probably designed for the California freeway. 177 00:11:08,180 --> 00:11:11,540 There's all sorts of rude stories about the reliability of DeLoreans 178 00:11:11,540 --> 00:11:14,460 but I'd be happy to drive in this and go to Edinburgh right now. 179 00:11:14,460 --> 00:11:16,420 It would get me there. Really? Definitely. 180 00:11:16,420 --> 00:11:19,420 'Now, I'm sure DeLorean wanted his car to turn heads.' 181 00:11:19,420 --> 00:11:22,580 It is quite extraordinary seeing some people's reactions to it. 182 00:11:22,580 --> 00:11:24,860 'Just as long as it was for the right reasons.' 183 00:11:24,860 --> 00:11:26,380 Are we smoking? 184 00:11:26,380 --> 00:11:29,820 No, I don't think so. I think the cameraman would tell us if we were smoking. 185 00:11:29,820 --> 00:11:31,740 Yes. We'll have a check. Yes, we are hot. 186 00:11:31,740 --> 00:11:34,540 Can we pull over somewhere, please. 187 00:11:34,540 --> 00:11:37,580 We could not have picked a worse place. 188 00:11:44,433 --> 00:11:46,353 but it's not going very well. 189 00:11:46,353 --> 00:11:48,793 In fact, it's not going at all. 190 00:11:48,793 --> 00:11:50,313 Not enough water in the tank. 191 00:11:50,313 --> 00:11:52,273 They say it would take me to Edinburgh and back. 192 00:11:52,273 --> 00:11:53,793 Yeah, it'll do that no problem. 193 00:11:53,793 --> 00:11:56,073 It's just got to have plenty of water in the water tank. 194 00:11:56,073 --> 00:11:57,913 We didn't get out of London. 195 00:11:57,913 --> 00:11:59,913 Welcome to owning a car that's 30-plus years old. 196 00:11:59,913 --> 00:12:02,033 Welcome to owning a DeLorean, maybe. 197 00:12:02,033 --> 00:12:05,273 But our breakdown is proving one thing. 198 00:12:05,273 --> 00:12:07,793 It's so recognisable. I remember when it was launched. 199 00:12:10,753 --> 00:12:13,313 They don't make cars that are so exciting any more. 200 00:12:14,553 --> 00:12:16,753 30 years on, and there's something about 201 00:12:16,753 --> 00:12:20,113 John DeLorean's dream machine which leaves us misty-eyed. 202 00:12:21,273 --> 00:12:23,113 I've only seen about three in my lifetime. 203 00:12:23,113 --> 00:12:25,793 One was in Australia, one in the States, 204 00:12:25,793 --> 00:12:27,193 and now this is the other one. 205 00:12:27,193 --> 00:12:29,993 At the end of the day, it is an icon. It is a classic, isn't it? 206 00:12:29,993 --> 00:12:33,513 Well, it's nice-looking. Bit of a poser's car. 207 00:12:35,353 --> 00:12:38,033 Yay, beautiful. Rev, rev, rev. 208 00:12:38,033 --> 00:12:41,553 It's clearly a car which can still pull a crowd, 209 00:12:41,553 --> 00:12:45,153 but given that Richard's can't go 3 miles without overheating... 210 00:12:45,153 --> 00:12:46,953 Bye! 211 00:12:46,953 --> 00:12:50,553 ..maybe Ant was right about one or two of those technical issues. 212 00:12:54,113 --> 00:12:56,273 Right, what we're going to do is hook the power up. 213 00:12:56,273 --> 00:12:58,713 It's Ant's first few days with his new best friend, 214 00:12:58,713 --> 00:13:01,793 and our DeLorean is actually proving far from unreliable. 215 00:13:01,793 --> 00:13:03,073 Oh, we've got a light. 216 00:13:03,073 --> 00:13:05,913 Do you want to try the wipers? 217 00:13:05,913 --> 00:13:08,113 Well, this car hasn't been started for 13 years, 218 00:13:08,113 --> 00:13:10,433 and at the moment, everything's working. 219 00:13:10,433 --> 00:13:13,353 But we all know it's not what's on the outside that counts. 220 00:13:13,353 --> 00:13:17,473 Ant wants to find out if there are any problems on the inside. 221 00:13:17,473 --> 00:13:20,393 What do you reckon? Only one way to find out. 222 00:13:20,393 --> 00:13:21,913 ENGINE TICKS OVER 223 00:13:21,913 --> 00:13:23,393 BLEEP! Stop. 224 00:13:23,393 --> 00:13:27,673 Oh, dear. It looks like Ant's first job is to see why it's not starting. 225 00:13:27,673 --> 00:13:30,073 ANT SIGHS 226 00:13:30,073 --> 00:13:32,673 DeLorean. Right. 227 00:13:32,673 --> 00:13:35,113 But that might not be an easy job, 228 00:13:35,113 --> 00:13:37,793 because the engine was state of the art... 229 00:13:37,793 --> 00:13:38,953 in the 1970s. 230 00:13:40,833 --> 00:13:43,913 But before anyone had heard of global warming, 231 00:13:43,913 --> 00:13:47,193 the DeLorean had an engine that had the environment in mind. 232 00:13:49,113 --> 00:13:52,153 Most cars at the time saw a carburettor chuck fuel 233 00:13:52,153 --> 00:13:54,073 straight into the engine - 234 00:13:54,073 --> 00:13:57,073 the amount controlled by your foot on the accelerator. 235 00:13:57,073 --> 00:13:59,113 DeLorean made his car far more efficient 236 00:13:59,113 --> 00:14:02,633 by using a fancy thing called a computer 237 00:14:02,633 --> 00:14:05,673 to govern the amount of fuel that went to the engine. 238 00:14:05,673 --> 00:14:08,793 The system was called fuel injection. 239 00:14:08,793 --> 00:14:10,473 Sound familiar? 240 00:14:10,473 --> 00:14:13,873 But after 14 years standing in a garage, 241 00:14:13,873 --> 00:14:16,473 it's completely bunged up. 242 00:14:16,473 --> 00:14:22,713 To get things moving, Ant's hi tech solution 243 00:14:22,713 --> 00:14:24,353 Keep going. 244 00:14:24,353 --> 00:14:27,073 Come on, Dave, you're head tapper. 245 00:14:28,913 --> 00:14:31,113 which is doubling up the fuel injection. 246 00:14:34,073 --> 00:14:36,073 No. It's definitely broken. 247 00:14:36,073 --> 00:14:38,473 Oh, you complete... 248 00:14:38,473 --> 00:14:42,193 But if you think starting this DeLorean looks a bit tricky, 249 00:14:42,193 --> 00:14:44,593 imagine trying to start the whole company. 250 00:14:46,393 --> 00:14:50,273 John DeLorean needed $90 million to make his dream a reality. 251 00:14:52,753 --> 00:14:55,673 He persuaded his business associates and celebrity friends 252 00:14:55,673 --> 00:15:00,753 to invest but their pockets weren't quite deep enough. 253 00:15:00,753 --> 00:15:05,513 The shortfall came from a very unexpected source... 254 00:15:08,113 --> 00:15:13,273 In 1978 the British government, alarmed by spiralling unemployment, 255 00:15:13,273 --> 00:15:17,353 handed over £77 million of taxpayer's money, 256 00:15:17,353 --> 00:15:24,993 hoping that the dreamer from Detroit would create thousands of jobs. 257 00:15:24,993 --> 00:15:28,593 and I've come to where John built his factory. 258 00:15:28,593 --> 00:15:29,913 Hello? 259 00:15:29,913 --> 00:15:32,153 Hi, it's Phil Glenister from Channel 4. 260 00:15:32,153 --> 00:15:34,313 Can you speak up a bit? 261 00:15:34,313 --> 00:15:36,073 HE LAUGHS 262 00:15:36,073 --> 00:15:38,513 It's Phil Glenister from Channel 4. 263 00:15:38,513 --> 00:15:41,673 OK, no problem. 264 00:15:41,673 --> 00:15:44,993 The DeLorean had to be built in Northern Ireland. 265 00:15:47,753 --> 00:15:51,833 What we have now is a generation who have been taught to hate. 266 00:15:51,833 --> 00:15:55,113 Sectarian violence between Catholics and Protestants 267 00:15:55,113 --> 00:15:59,033 had raged for over a decade, killing hundreds. 268 00:15:59,033 --> 00:16:01,753 Unemployment was as high as 50% 269 00:16:01,753 --> 00:16:04,713 and company executives were kidnap targets. 270 00:16:07,273 --> 00:16:09,873 Of course not. If anything, the people here underestimate 271 00:16:09,873 --> 00:16:11,993 what they have to offer. 272 00:16:11,993 --> 00:16:14,913 The factory has long since changed hands, 273 00:16:14,913 --> 00:16:18,913 but to get an idea of the scale of the task DeLorean faced, 274 00:16:18,913 --> 00:16:23,833 I've come to meet a couple of blokes who were here at the very beginning. 275 00:16:23,833 --> 00:16:26,553 Neil Barclay, like most of the employees, 276 00:16:26,553 --> 00:16:29,273 had no previous car-making experience. 277 00:16:29,273 --> 00:16:32,393 Dick Mulholland was the plant's engineering manager 278 00:16:32,393 --> 00:16:35,193 and the most senior local man on the workforce. 279 00:16:35,193 --> 00:16:38,313 This was the aisle I would have walked down with John DeLorean. 280 00:16:38,313 --> 00:16:39,473 Down this one here? 281 00:16:39,473 --> 00:16:44,033 Well, he was a friendly individual. He didn't hold himself aloof. 282 00:16:44,033 --> 00:16:45,913 "Get to your work!" No. 283 00:16:45,913 --> 00:16:48,273 'But Neil and Dick had to work fast.' 284 00:16:48,273 --> 00:16:50,913 Under pressure to repay his investors, 285 00:16:50,913 --> 00:16:53,633 DeLorean set out the most ambitious start-up plan 286 00:16:53,633 --> 00:16:56,473 ever devised in car manufacturing. 287 00:16:56,473 --> 00:16:59,753 He gave the company just 18 months to build the factory, 288 00:16:59,753 --> 00:17:03,313 train the workforce, and start making the car. 289 00:17:03,313 --> 00:17:06,473 The mini metro took ten years, John. 290 00:17:06,473 --> 00:17:10,033 But the boys of Belfast rose to the challenge. 291 00:17:10,033 --> 00:17:12,153 I couldn't complain about the level of activity 292 00:17:12,153 --> 00:17:14,073 of anybody at this factory. 293 00:17:14,073 --> 00:17:17,193 People loved working here, believe it or not. 294 00:17:17,193 --> 00:17:19,913 A lot of these guys had never had a job before. 295 00:17:19,913 --> 00:17:26,753 In creating 2,500 desperately needed jobs, 296 00:17:26,753 --> 00:17:31,993 Not least because of where John built it - 297 00:17:31,993 --> 00:17:35,833 the opposing Protestant and Catholic neighbourhoods. 298 00:17:35,833 --> 00:17:38,713 For you guys with all the trouble going on outside, 299 00:17:38,713 --> 00:17:41,073 to come to work must have been a bit of a sanctuary. 300 00:17:41,073 --> 00:17:44,193 Politics and religion never entered. 301 00:17:44,193 --> 00:17:46,433 Basically you leave your politics, you leave your... 302 00:17:46,433 --> 00:17:48,193 Left at the gate and that was it. 303 00:17:48,193 --> 00:17:53,273 It was a place to really escape from the pressures from outside. 304 00:17:53,273 --> 00:17:56,833 All you were thinking about was the car. 305 00:17:56,833 --> 00:18:00,553 Against all the odds and just a few months behind schedule, 306 00:18:00,553 --> 00:18:02,753 Belfast was working together 307 00:18:02,753 --> 00:18:06,153 to build the world's most exciting new sports car. 308 00:18:06,153 --> 00:18:08,473 So would you say working here 309 00:18:08,473 --> 00:18:10,473 was kind of a special time in your lives? 310 00:18:10,473 --> 00:18:13,593 It was fantastic. You didn't want to go home at times. 311 00:18:13,593 --> 00:18:16,713 The guys who worked with me, they felt the same. 312 00:18:16,713 --> 00:18:18,833 The best job I ever had in my life. 313 00:18:18,833 --> 00:18:21,713 Good morning, it's 8 o'clock at the News Desk, Ken Johnston. 314 00:18:21,713 --> 00:18:26,433 The first batch of 375 DeLoreans sports cars have arrived in America 315 00:18:26,433 --> 00:18:28,673 after an Atlantic sea crossing. 316 00:18:28,673 --> 00:18:36,873 In January 1981, John DeLorean's dream became a reality. 317 00:18:36,873 --> 00:18:40,633 in such a short amount of time was unheard of. 318 00:18:40,633 --> 00:18:43,473 For a new company to do it was miracle. 319 00:18:43,473 --> 00:18:46,273 He'd risked it all and it was starting to pay off. 320 00:18:46,273 --> 00:18:50,033 MUSIC: "Can You Feel It?" by Jackson 5 321 00:18:50,033 --> 00:18:52,153 ENGINE RUNS 322 00:18:53,433 --> 00:18:54,913 And there's another miracle. 323 00:19:00,993 --> 00:19:02,913 but the wheels aren't turning. 324 00:19:02,913 --> 00:19:05,313 So the clutch needs replacing. 325 00:19:05,313 --> 00:19:07,993 The clutch is actually a basic bit of equipment. 326 00:19:07,993 --> 00:19:10,473 Depending on which car, it can be a really involved job. 327 00:19:10,473 --> 00:19:14,673 On a DeLorean, it's going to be a really involved job. 328 00:19:14,673 --> 00:19:17,633 The reason it's such a mission starts with James Bond. 329 00:19:20,073 --> 00:19:23,313 The DeLorean chassis was based on a Lotus Esprit - 330 00:19:23,313 --> 00:19:27,353 the one Roger Moore drove underwater in The Spy Who Loved Me. 331 00:19:27,353 --> 00:19:29,713 Lotus told DeLorean to put the engine in the middle 332 00:19:29,713 --> 00:19:31,313 so it would handle better, 333 00:19:31,313 --> 00:19:34,433 but John's other passion clouded his engineering judgment. 334 00:19:34,433 --> 00:19:37,393 He wanted space for his golf clubs. 335 00:19:37,393 --> 00:19:39,513 So to make room for them behind the seats, 336 00:19:39,513 --> 00:19:41,353 he moved the engine to the back, 337 00:19:41,353 --> 00:19:44,073 meaning the only place for the gearbox and clutch 338 00:19:44,073 --> 00:19:45,713 was in front of the back axle, 339 00:19:45,713 --> 00:19:47,633 where Ant can't get to them. 340 00:19:47,633 --> 00:19:49,473 Access is really poor. 341 00:19:49,473 --> 00:19:56,153 Oh, it's such a bad design. 342 00:19:56,153 --> 00:19:57,873 Bugger! 343 00:19:57,873 --> 00:19:59,273 ..they've got the gearbox free... 344 00:19:59,273 --> 00:20:00,753 We have success. 345 00:20:00,753 --> 00:20:04,873 ..and can now remove the entombed clutch. 346 00:20:04,873 --> 00:20:06,673 That's one way of doing it. 347 00:20:06,673 --> 00:20:09,353 Oh, it's completely worn. 348 00:20:09,353 --> 00:20:13,513 The friction plate is completely worn, in fact you can hear it. 349 00:20:13,513 --> 00:20:14,953 It's all loose and cracked. 350 00:20:14,953 --> 00:20:17,593 You compare that to our new clutch plate, 351 00:20:17,593 --> 00:20:19,513 it's got twice the amount of thickness, 352 00:20:19,513 --> 00:20:21,073 lovely new surface. 353 00:20:21,073 --> 00:20:24,273 That's good for the bin. 354 00:20:24,273 --> 00:20:27,393 This clutch is off a Renault Espace people carrier. 355 00:20:31,193 --> 00:20:33,873 Ant's Renault Espace clutch is perfectly in keeping 356 00:20:33,873 --> 00:20:36,473 with John DeLorean's methods. 357 00:20:36,473 --> 00:20:39,593 He gave himself so little time to get the car built, 358 00:20:39,593 --> 00:20:43,233 he had to buy in most of the parts from other car makers. 359 00:20:46,953 --> 00:20:49,473 front brakes from a Ford Cortina, 360 00:20:49,473 --> 00:20:51,833 rear brakes from a Jaguar. 361 00:20:51,833 --> 00:20:54,753 300 companies supplied parts. 362 00:20:54,753 --> 00:20:58,553 This was an off-the-shelf sports car 363 00:20:58,553 --> 00:21:01,473 complete with door handles from an Austin Allegro. 364 00:21:01,473 --> 00:21:03,473 Funny though, they didn't mention all of that 365 00:21:03,473 --> 00:21:06,513 in the TV ads used to launch the car. 366 00:21:06,513 --> 00:21:09,553 Beautifully crafted for long life, 367 00:21:09,553 --> 00:21:12,953 the DeLorean is one of the most awaited automobiles 368 00:21:12,953 --> 00:21:14,913 in automotive history. 369 00:21:14,913 --> 00:21:16,433 Drive the DeLorean. 370 00:21:19,353 --> 00:21:21,473 Live the dream today. 371 00:21:23,313 --> 00:21:27,393 Here was a shiny new car that reeked of the '80s. 372 00:21:27,393 --> 00:21:31,473 Aimed squarely at the rising tide of bracer-wearing city-boys 373 00:21:31,473 --> 00:21:34,073 able to fork out the equivalent of $60,000. 374 00:21:38,033 --> 00:21:44,393 Even in his sales strategy DeLorean was ahead of his time. 375 00:21:44,393 --> 00:21:50,153 In 1981, the American car market hit its worst recession in 25 years. 376 00:21:50,153 --> 00:21:56,353 Car sales were crippled, forcing hundreds of dealers out of business. 377 00:21:57,473 --> 00:22:00,993 John's car was too early for the loads-of-money market 378 00:22:00,993 --> 00:22:02,713 it needed to survive, 379 00:22:02,713 --> 00:22:05,673 and sales ground to a halt. 380 00:22:05,673 --> 00:22:07,593 Thousands of cars were being stockpiled 381 00:22:07,593 --> 00:22:09,473 as the message came through from America 382 00:22:09,473 --> 00:22:12,073 that the model just wasn't being bought. 383 00:22:12,073 --> 00:22:15,113 He needed cash to keep his dream alive. 384 00:22:15,113 --> 00:22:17,873 The DeLorean motor car needs another £10 million. 385 00:22:17,873 --> 00:22:20,753 He asked the bank. They said no. 386 00:22:20,753 --> 00:22:22,673 He went back to the British government 387 00:22:22,673 --> 00:22:24,513 and asked Margaret Thatcher. 388 00:22:24,513 --> 00:22:25,593 She said yes... 389 00:22:26,953 --> 00:22:28,393 ..but only gave him half. 390 00:22:28,393 --> 00:22:31,713 MUSIC: "Living In America" by James Brown 391 00:22:31,713 --> 00:22:35,073 Desperate to keep his dream alive, DeLorean got a bit creative. 392 00:22:36,913 --> 00:22:39,193 I've come here to the Peterson Automotive Museum 393 00:22:39,193 --> 00:22:43,193 in Los Angeles to see what the great man was capable of 394 00:22:43,193 --> 00:22:46,433 when everything he'd worked for was on the line. 395 00:22:46,433 --> 00:22:49,833 Chris, hi, I'm Phil. 396 00:22:49,833 --> 00:23:00,953 Chris Brown is curator of some of the rarest cars on the planet. 397 00:23:00,953 --> 00:23:02,913 So this is what we call the Vault. 398 00:23:02,913 --> 00:23:06,913 Oh, wow. There's a few quid's worth down here. 399 00:23:06,913 --> 00:23:09,113 This was Elvis's. No! 400 00:23:09,113 --> 00:23:11,433 Yeah, Elvis Presley actually owned this car 401 00:23:11,433 --> 00:23:13,353 and shot it when it wouldn't start. 402 00:23:15,513 --> 00:23:17,833 The Popemobile! 403 00:23:17,833 --> 00:23:20,553 That's a bit tricky for the Pope, I would have thought. 404 00:23:20,553 --> 00:23:22,393 It's basically an office chair, isn't it? 405 00:23:22,393 --> 00:23:26,393 'But DeLorean hadn't put his faith in God to save his company.' 406 00:23:26,393 --> 00:23:28,113 HE GASPS Is that it? 407 00:23:28,113 --> 00:23:30,953 MUSIC: "Gold" by Spandau Ballet 408 00:23:30,953 --> 00:23:35,353 He planned to raise some much-needed cash by building gold cars. 409 00:23:35,353 --> 00:23:40,913 Not gold painted, but proper 24-carat gold-plated cars. 410 00:23:40,913 --> 00:23:47,913 I thought it would have its own plinth that's all gold-plated. 411 00:23:47,913 --> 00:23:50,553 DeLorean hoped to sell 100 of these dream cars - 412 00:23:50,553 --> 00:23:53,113 generating cash and publicity. 413 00:23:53,113 --> 00:23:57,033 It sort of smacks a little bit of desperation on DeLorean's part 414 00:23:57,033 --> 00:24:01,273 to have to go to this length to keep the company afloat. 415 00:24:01,273 --> 00:24:03,433 Well, you know, you have this start-up company 416 00:24:03,433 --> 00:24:05,153 and you're trying to make it work. 417 00:24:05,153 --> 00:24:07,433 You're going to try and get the sales anywhere you can. 418 00:24:07,433 --> 00:24:09,433 Even the door seals are gold-plated. 419 00:24:09,433 --> 00:24:12,073 Yeah, they gold-plated all the bolts, all that kind of stuff. 420 00:24:12,073 --> 00:24:13,633 Even the bolts! 421 00:24:13,633 --> 00:24:16,833 Is that exhaust gold-plated? Yes. Does that come off? 422 00:24:18,633 --> 00:24:20,993 The dream to see hundreds of America's millionaires 423 00:24:20,993 --> 00:24:23,313 driving around in gold cars 424 00:24:23,313 --> 00:24:26,153 was a typically bold DeLorean move, 425 00:24:26,153 --> 00:24:28,393 but there was one slight set back. 426 00:24:28,393 --> 00:24:32,073 You're now looking at 50% of the total sales. 427 00:24:32,073 --> 00:24:34,433 Yup, he sold two of them. 428 00:24:35,513 --> 00:24:37,193 And as Ant's discovering, 429 00:24:37,193 --> 00:24:40,513 the shine is now coming off the standard models too. 430 00:24:40,513 --> 00:24:42,953 So, basically, all of my friends in the DeLorean world tell me 431 00:24:42,953 --> 00:24:45,953 that the front lower wishbones on the car are insufficient. 432 00:24:45,953 --> 00:24:48,273 They're not actually strong enough. 433 00:24:48,273 --> 00:24:52,393 So when it goes under a really heavy load, they buckle. 434 00:24:52,393 --> 00:24:55,393 Just as his marketing strategy unravelled, 435 00:24:55,393 --> 00:24:58,793 John's dream car started falling apart. 436 00:24:58,793 --> 00:25:00,833 All yours. 437 00:25:00,833 --> 00:25:04,393 The first 2,000 sold were so quickly thrown together 438 00:25:04,393 --> 00:25:07,593 that when you drove them, the nuts holding the suspension 439 00:25:07,593 --> 00:25:10,713 started coming loose and the front of the car collapsed. 440 00:25:13,753 --> 00:25:16,713 DeLorean was forced to recall of them. 441 00:25:16,713 --> 00:25:20,793 They fitted a new nut and sent them back out again. 442 00:25:20,793 --> 00:25:23,193 But that nut broke too, 443 00:25:23,193 --> 00:25:26,913 and John DeLorean made automotive history... 444 00:25:26,913 --> 00:25:33,033 he ordered a recall of a recall. 445 00:25:33,033 --> 00:25:35,593 but the suspension was still regarded as weak. 446 00:25:36,913 --> 00:25:40,513 Ant plans to make history of his own by creating a suspension 447 00:25:40,513 --> 00:25:43,633 for a DeLorean he thinks you can rely on. 448 00:25:43,633 --> 00:25:45,273 Right, here we are. 449 00:25:45,273 --> 00:25:46,393 Laser cutter. 450 00:25:46,393 --> 00:25:49,233 He's come to a bespoke car parts manufacturer... 451 00:25:49,233 --> 00:25:52,873 How's it going? Great, you? 452 00:25:52,873 --> 00:25:56,033 ..where a man called Paul is going to strengthen the suspension 453 00:25:56,033 --> 00:26:01,153 using something that John DeLorean could only dream of... 454 00:26:02,473 --> 00:26:04,593 I want to put a reinforcement panel on the bottom, 455 00:26:04,593 --> 00:26:08,793 but I need it curved at the front so I can still relieve the... Yeah. 456 00:26:08,793 --> 00:26:10,033 Access hole in the middle, 457 00:26:10,033 --> 00:26:12,433 and then a nice curve at the back so any water 458 00:26:12,433 --> 00:26:14,393 that gets trapped in is relived. 459 00:26:14,393 --> 00:26:19,313 Ant plans to weld this strengthening plate to the front suspension, 460 00:26:19,313 --> 00:26:22,433 guaranteeing that if you drove this 30-year-old sports car 461 00:26:22,433 --> 00:26:26,713 like a sports car, it wouldn't collapse. 462 00:26:26,713 --> 00:26:29,153 Getting this stuff laser cast is going to save me hours, 463 00:26:29,153 --> 00:26:31,393 rather than doing it by hand. 464 00:26:31,393 --> 00:26:36,193 Paul's PC can send Ant's design to Mark's laser... 465 00:26:36,193 --> 00:26:39,073 So you've gone for two mil then, yeah? Yeah. 466 00:26:39,073 --> 00:26:42,713 ..which can cut the part form sheet steel accurately 467 00:26:45,233 --> 00:26:48,393 Yeah, that's perfect. Look, they're all identical. 468 00:26:48,393 --> 00:26:52,153 Finally technology can make John DeLorean's dream 469 00:26:52,153 --> 00:26:54,273 a reliable reality. 470 00:26:54,273 --> 00:26:57,113 It's perfect. 471 00:26:57,113 --> 00:27:00,073 But 30 years ago the suspension was yet another nail 472 00:27:00,073 --> 00:27:01,913 in the stainless coffin. 473 00:27:01,913 --> 00:27:04,993 The car's reputation had been severely damaged. 474 00:27:04,993 --> 00:27:08,913 And DeLorean, once the golden boy of the American car industry, 475 00:27:08,913 --> 00:27:12,513 desperately needed money to buy enough time to repair it. 476 00:27:12,513 --> 00:27:14,473 With bankruptcy just weeks away, 477 00:27:14,473 --> 00:27:17,673 the man who was once called the Detroit dream-maker 478 00:27:17,673 --> 00:27:20,153 was facing a financial nightmare. 479 00:27:23,113 --> 00:27:26,273 John DeLorean, superstar automotive playboy 480 00:27:26,273 --> 00:27:32,033 and friend to the stars got involved in that most 1980s of commodities. 481 00:27:32,033 --> 00:27:35,553 You see on the table a portion of the cocaine 482 00:27:35,553 --> 00:27:38,153 negotiated by Mr Hetrick and Mr DeLorean, 483 00:27:38,153 --> 00:27:40,273 and it resulted in their arrests. 484 00:27:48,965 --> 00:27:51,805 a very 1980s story of ambition and excess. 485 00:27:53,765 --> 00:27:56,765 The story of the DeLorean dream, that by 1982, 486 00:27:56,765 --> 00:27:59,245 was rapidly turning into a nightmare. 487 00:28:00,645 --> 00:28:03,805 Near here, with his company on its financial knees, 488 00:28:03,805 --> 00:28:06,765 John DeLorean walked into suite 501 489 00:28:06,765 --> 00:28:09,645 of the Los Angeles Sheraton Plaza Hotel. 490 00:28:09,645 --> 00:28:13,445 What happened next would seal the fate of his company 491 00:28:13,445 --> 00:28:16,925 and destroy his reputation for the rest of his life. 492 00:28:16,925 --> 00:28:21,285 In the middle of the room was $6.5 million worth of cocaine. 493 00:28:25,485 --> 00:28:29,565 What John didn't know was that these new business partners 494 00:28:29,565 --> 00:28:36,845 were actually agents from the FBI. 495 00:28:36,845 --> 00:28:39,485 to build his own futuristic sports car 496 00:28:39,485 --> 00:28:42,885 is in jail on charges of trying to finance a cocaine deal 497 00:28:42,885 --> 00:28:46,285 to save his car company in Northern Ireland from collapse. 498 00:28:46,285 --> 00:28:49,765 John's final, desperate bid to raise the millions 499 00:28:49,765 --> 00:28:54,205 needed to save his dream car ended in scandal and humiliation. 500 00:28:59,565 --> 00:29:01,605 Just six days after his arrest, 501 00:29:01,605 --> 00:29:03,605 the company filed for bankruptcy, 502 00:29:03,605 --> 00:29:06,165 and the factory closed its gates. 503 00:29:06,165 --> 00:29:07,965 Did you know that his company 504 00:29:07,965 --> 00:29:09,965 was shut down today by the British government? 505 00:29:09,965 --> 00:29:11,005 I've heard that. 506 00:29:11,005 --> 00:29:12,685 Just shy of two years 507 00:29:12,685 --> 00:29:15,085 since the car first rolled off the production line, 508 00:29:15,085 --> 00:29:17,285 the DeLorean dream was over. 509 00:29:17,285 --> 00:29:18,645 Well, it's the fact he's gone. 510 00:29:18,645 --> 00:29:21,005 As far as I can see, it's finished, you know? 511 00:29:23,965 --> 00:29:27,485 But while John had been pursuing 512 00:29:27,485 --> 00:29:31,125 incredibly, behind the scenes, a group of employees 513 00:29:31,125 --> 00:29:34,325 had been working on their own to save their jobs. 514 00:29:34,325 --> 00:29:36,885 When the DeLorean 515 00:29:36,885 --> 00:29:39,205 they planned to sell them over here. 516 00:29:39,205 --> 00:29:42,565 To do that, they had to make them into right-hand drives, 517 00:29:42,565 --> 00:29:47,245 converting 12 cars before DeLorean's arrest scuppered the plan. 518 00:29:47,245 --> 00:29:50,605 Since then, others have attempted conversions 519 00:29:50,605 --> 00:29:53,045 with varying degrees of success. 520 00:29:53,045 --> 00:29:56,725 The question is, is our DeLorean 521 00:29:56,725 --> 00:29:58,445 or a dodgy one? 522 00:29:58,445 --> 00:30:00,085 Hello? 523 00:30:00,085 --> 00:30:07,045 Hi. You must be Chris. 524 00:30:07,045 --> 00:30:10,045 A right-hand drive DeLorean. Now, there's a rare beast. 525 00:30:10,045 --> 00:30:15,125 This right-hand drive element 526 00:30:15,125 --> 00:30:20,085 Absolutely. Right-hand drives are just so rare. 527 00:30:24,725 --> 00:30:27,085 The way this has been moved, 528 00:30:27,085 --> 00:30:29,245 the way pipes have been clipped. 529 00:30:29,245 --> 00:30:31,045 Everything has been done neatly. 530 00:30:31,045 --> 00:30:34,365 Yeah, it's a proper job. It looks like a proper job to me. 531 00:30:34,365 --> 00:30:37,125 Chris keeps a list of all the successfully converted 532 00:30:37,125 --> 00:30:39,245 right-hand drive DeLoreans. 533 00:30:39,245 --> 00:30:42,205 This is a list which I keep updated. 534 00:30:42,205 --> 00:30:45,605 So every time I heard of a right-hand drive, 535 00:30:45,605 --> 00:30:48,165 and I'm sure of my source, it goes on here. 536 00:30:48,165 --> 00:30:50,045 But 15 years ago, 537 00:30:50,045 --> 00:30:53,765 Chris lost track of one of the cars on the list. 538 00:30:53,765 --> 00:30:56,645 Can I just have a quick look at your VIN number? No, no, go for it. 539 00:30:56,645 --> 00:30:58,445 That's a bit forward, Chris. 540 00:31:00,725 --> 00:31:04,165 249A. July '81. 541 00:31:04,165 --> 00:31:05,805 This is your car. 542 00:31:08,365 --> 00:31:10,685 You're on the list. Isn't that a bit exciting? 543 00:31:10,685 --> 00:31:12,965 We're looking at about 35 cars in the world. 544 00:31:12,965 --> 00:31:16,645 You can't find many cars when there's only 35 of them, can you? 545 00:31:16,645 --> 00:31:19,365 Um, it puts it in the rare and exclusive category for me. Yes. 546 00:31:19,365 --> 00:31:21,965 In fact, so rare and exclusive, 547 00:31:21,965 --> 00:31:26,965 it makes our car one of the rarest in Britain. 548 00:31:28,405 --> 00:31:30,765 We've got something really special here. Absolutely. 549 00:31:30,765 --> 00:31:34,125 Any DeLorean's special. A right-hand 550 00:31:34,125 --> 00:31:37,965 And one that's been done to this quality is super special. 551 00:31:37,965 --> 00:31:44,325 While Ant's finally starting to appreciate the DeLorean, 552 00:31:44,325 --> 00:31:47,125 once he was forced to stop making them, 553 00:31:47,125 --> 00:31:49,285 and his dream had turned into a nightmare. 554 00:31:55,445 --> 00:31:58,205 And everything was in shambles. 555 00:31:58,205 --> 00:32:00,965 But my father never wanted to worry the kids. 556 00:32:00,965 --> 00:32:04,965 He never brought the stress of what was going on with him 557 00:32:04,965 --> 00:32:06,685 to the family life. 558 00:32:06,685 --> 00:32:14,005 Although John was eventually acquitted of the drugs charges, 559 00:32:14,005 --> 00:32:18,405 up until his death in 2005, 560 00:32:18,405 --> 00:32:22,605 that destroyed his reputation and his beloved sports car. 561 00:32:22,605 --> 00:32:25,325 People always used to ask me, "Do you have one? 562 00:32:25,325 --> 00:32:31,285 "Why don't you have one?" 563 00:32:31,285 --> 00:32:33,605 And I said, "Imagine that that went wrong in your life 564 00:32:33,605 --> 00:32:35,045 "in your childhood, 565 00:32:35,045 --> 00:32:37,765 "and it would remind you of your parents getting divorced, 566 00:32:37,765 --> 00:32:40,765 "and your father going to jail, and your family losing everything..." 567 00:32:40,765 --> 00:32:43,885 There it is in the driveway. Would you park it in your driveway? 568 00:32:43,885 --> 00:32:46,205 Because I don't think you would. 569 00:32:46,205 --> 00:32:50,725 But over the past ten years, I've been going to the DeLorean Car Show, 570 00:32:50,725 --> 00:32:52,845 interacting with all of the owners 571 00:32:52,845 --> 00:32:55,925 and getting to know all of these people so very well, 572 00:32:57,805 --> 00:33:00,085 And they love my dad. 573 00:33:00,085 --> 00:33:03,485 And to them, it represents somebody who dared to dream, 574 00:33:03,485 --> 00:33:07,565 and followed that dream, and so it's changed for me. 575 00:33:07,565 --> 00:33:10,005 Now, to be able to embrace it, and to love it, 576 00:33:10,005 --> 00:33:12,405 and be proud of the car, 577 00:33:12,405 --> 00:33:18,125 not just my dad, it's nice to be able to let that go and to enjoy it. 578 00:33:18,125 --> 00:33:20,165 Do you think about having one now? Yes. 579 00:33:20,165 --> 00:33:21,965 Would you? Mm-hm. 580 00:33:21,965 --> 00:33:23,605 I definitely would. 581 00:33:23,605 --> 00:33:32,245 What was life like for your father post the DeLorean saga? 582 00:33:32,245 --> 00:33:34,245 So when he got an idea, 583 00:33:34,245 --> 00:33:36,525 he was chasing down that idea, 584 00:33:36,525 --> 00:33:38,525 and he was feverishly writing. 585 00:33:38,525 --> 00:33:40,765 He would take notes, endless notes, 586 00:33:40,765 --> 00:33:46,125 and he was happiest when he was inventing something. 587 00:33:47,685 --> 00:33:50,405 With the disastrous tale of his downfall, 588 00:33:50,405 --> 00:33:53,845 it's easy to overlook what lay at the heart of John DeLorean. 589 00:33:53,845 --> 00:33:56,045 Yes, he was a maverick and a dreamer. 590 00:33:56,045 --> 00:33:59,205 But beneath that, he was an engineer. 591 00:33:59,205 --> 00:34:02,445 And to celebrate the legacy of DeLorean the inventor, 592 00:34:08,125 --> 00:34:11,645 Hi, Peter. Ant. Good to see you. How's it going? 593 00:34:11,645 --> 00:34:13,645 Over a 30-year career, 594 00:34:13,645 --> 00:34:17,365 he's worked for Jaguar, Lotus and McLaren, 595 00:34:17,365 --> 00:34:20,205 and feels there's one reason why the name DeLorean 596 00:34:20,205 --> 00:34:22,685 should be up there with the best of them. 597 00:34:22,685 --> 00:34:26,365 When the DeLorean was first designed and made, 598 00:34:26,365 --> 00:34:29,925 it was the beginning of crash-testing. 599 00:34:29,925 --> 00:34:32,605 It was apparent that cars had to be made safer. 600 00:34:32,605 --> 00:34:35,125 Before the US government introduced safety legislation 601 00:34:35,125 --> 00:34:38,245 in the early '70s, cars were death-traps. 602 00:34:40,285 --> 00:34:41,765 That will leave a mark. 603 00:34:43,045 --> 00:34:45,645 John DeLorean was one of the first car designers 604 00:34:45,645 --> 00:34:48,525 to make keeping his customers alive a priority. 605 00:34:50,125 --> 00:34:52,165 But you'll never guess how he did it. 606 00:34:54,005 --> 00:34:57,805 So the DeLorean door opens up this way, and what we get... 607 00:34:57,805 --> 00:34:59,125 Try twisting that box. 608 00:34:59,125 --> 00:35:01,565 You'll discover that, even though I've cut a hole in it, 609 00:35:01,565 --> 00:35:04,125 it's still pretty... Now, if we go with this one... 610 00:35:04,125 --> 00:35:07,285 So this is a standard A pillar. Oh, my goodness. Look at that. 611 00:35:07,285 --> 00:35:11,605 It's just amazing how much of the strength gets taken away. 612 00:35:11,605 --> 00:35:13,925 Because we've got this stiffness there... 613 00:35:13,925 --> 00:35:17,605 So even though the top portion's removed from the roof... Yeah. 614 00:35:17,605 --> 00:35:20,645 ..it's just the higher sill that makes it stronger? Yeah. 615 00:35:20,645 --> 00:35:23,005 So, gull-wing doors - 616 00:35:23,005 --> 00:35:24,365 bit gimmicky? 617 00:35:24,365 --> 00:35:26,205 Why did you choose gull-wing doors? 618 00:35:26,205 --> 00:35:30,925 Well, with the high sill, the driver is protected from side impact. 619 00:35:30,925 --> 00:35:32,285 Not really. 620 00:35:32,285 --> 00:35:34,885 It seems John DeLorean was less dodgy salesman, 621 00:35:34,885 --> 00:35:37,405 and more engineering mastermind. 622 00:35:37,405 --> 00:35:41,045 But no car is immune from the occasional ding. 623 00:35:41,045 --> 00:35:43,045 And ours has had its own side impact. 624 00:35:46,245 --> 00:35:48,005 While Ant's playing with boxes, 625 00:35:48,005 --> 00:35:49,845 he's asked Chris Nicholson, 626 00:35:49,845 --> 00:35:53,005 the number one DeLorean stainless steel repairer in the world, 627 00:35:53,005 --> 00:35:54,085 to fix it. 628 00:35:59,485 --> 00:36:02,365 I've probably worked on thousands of DeLoreans in my time. 629 00:36:02,365 --> 00:36:04,045 I've honestly lost count. 630 00:36:05,485 --> 00:36:08,285 I tend to work in Chicago, New York. 631 00:36:08,285 --> 00:36:10,405 Pretty much fixed every conceivable dent 632 00:36:10,405 --> 00:36:14,045 on pretty much every single DeLorean I've worked on. 633 00:36:14,045 --> 00:36:17,245 Small areas at a time is the best way to work on a panel. 634 00:36:17,245 --> 00:36:19,325 Just randomly banging up areas 635 00:36:19,325 --> 00:36:22,765 will cause lots of problems later on down the line. 636 00:36:22,765 --> 00:36:25,565 You need to make sure the surface is perfect. 637 00:36:29,085 --> 00:36:31,125 Only when I'm totally satisfied 638 00:36:31,125 --> 00:36:33,925 in pretty much every conceivable light I can see it in, 639 00:36:33,925 --> 00:36:35,925 do I actually stop the process. 640 00:36:35,925 --> 00:36:38,805 And then it's just simply putting the panel back onto the car 641 00:36:38,805 --> 00:36:41,005 and making the owner happy. 642 00:36:44,045 --> 00:36:47,565 And it's this stainless steel finish that protects DeLoreans 643 00:36:47,565 --> 00:36:51,325 from the serial killer of old cars - rust. 644 00:36:51,325 --> 00:36:55,245 Remarkably, for a car that's almost 35 years old, 645 00:36:55,245 --> 00:36:58,245 of the 9,000 DeLoreans ever made, 646 00:36:58,245 --> 00:37:00,565 two-thirds of them still survive. 647 00:37:02,725 --> 00:37:07,765 I'm on my way to Bradley, Illinois, 648 00:37:12,605 --> 00:37:14,405 How are you? How are you doing? 649 00:37:14,405 --> 00:37:17,525 Richard Weissensel lives and breathes DeLoreans, 650 00:37:17,525 --> 00:37:20,605 with a collection of over 20 - 651 00:37:20,605 --> 00:37:22,525 mostly in pieces. 652 00:37:23,765 --> 00:37:27,245 Because for Rich, John DeLorean isn't just a man - 653 00:37:27,245 --> 00:37:29,565 he's an inspiration. 654 00:37:29,565 --> 00:37:31,645 So you met John DeLorean. 655 00:37:31,645 --> 00:37:34,965 I met him at the DeLorean Car Show back in 2000. 656 00:37:34,965 --> 00:37:38,125 I started off by just talking about my regular cars that I had. 657 00:37:38,125 --> 00:37:40,205 Then I told him I had some other project ideas 658 00:37:40,205 --> 00:37:42,045 that I was thinking about, and he said, 659 00:37:42,045 --> 00:37:44,605 "Well, if you think you can do it, go for it". 660 00:37:44,605 --> 00:37:48,205 So for the last 14 years, Rich has been busy 661 00:37:48,205 --> 00:37:51,645 making his very own personal tributes to the DeLorean. 662 00:37:51,645 --> 00:37:54,485 This is the convertible project. 663 00:37:54,485 --> 00:37:58,445 The observant among you might notice that it's not quite finished. 664 00:37:58,445 --> 00:38:00,045 Wow. 665 00:38:00,045 --> 00:38:02,845 As you can see, it definitely looks a little bit different, 666 00:38:02,845 --> 00:38:07,485 but it definitely still has that DeLorean look to it. 667 00:38:08,645 --> 00:38:10,485 But that's not finished either. 668 00:38:10,485 --> 00:38:13,285 Well, there's not too much to take a look at right now. 669 00:38:13,285 --> 00:38:14,765 Where are the seats? 670 00:38:14,765 --> 00:38:17,285 The seats are right on the other side over there. 671 00:38:17,285 --> 00:38:18,925 But one is finished, 672 00:38:18,925 --> 00:38:22,565 and Rich has kindly agreed to let me have a go in it. 673 00:38:22,565 --> 00:38:24,645 # Hey, little thing, let me light your chemicals 674 00:38:24,645 --> 00:38:26,365 # Cos, mama, I'm sure hard to handle now... # 675 00:38:34,325 --> 00:38:39,445 In 2001, Rich saw a half-finished DeLorean monster truck online 676 00:38:39,445 --> 00:38:41,245 and promptly bought it. 677 00:38:41,245 --> 00:38:43,525 Well, you would, wouldn't you? 678 00:38:43,525 --> 00:38:44,925 And he finished it. 679 00:38:44,925 --> 00:38:46,165 Whoa-ho-ho! 680 00:38:46,165 --> 00:38:48,045 Bump it, baby, bump it. 681 00:38:48,045 --> 00:38:51,085 Start bouncing and you start smacking your head. 682 00:38:51,085 --> 00:38:53,885 You need to make the roof taller. 683 00:38:53,885 --> 00:38:57,005 Yeah. Either that or just put a helmet on. 684 00:38:57,005 --> 00:38:58,165 Yeah. 685 00:38:58,165 --> 00:39:01,085 This is absolutely insane. 686 00:39:02,485 --> 00:39:06,525 For Rich, it seems the DeLorean marketing slogan still lives on. 687 00:39:07,645 --> 00:39:09,565 "Dare to dream". 688 00:39:09,565 --> 00:39:11,805 And then getting out, of course, gracefully. 689 00:39:11,805 --> 00:39:13,925 Although a set of steps would help. 690 00:39:13,925 --> 00:39:15,685 There's only one way down. 691 00:39:23,317 --> 00:39:26,637 Ant and his boys have got just a couple of days before facing 692 00:39:26,637 --> 00:39:30,317 the scrutiny of some of the DeLorean's biggest fans. 693 00:39:30,317 --> 00:39:33,157 I've learned to maybe not take for granted the fact that the car 694 00:39:33,157 --> 00:39:36,957 might look OK, but underneath, it really had problems. 695 00:39:36,957 --> 00:39:39,717 Lift up. Let me get my end in first. 696 00:39:39,717 --> 00:39:42,317 Fixing the clutch took a bit of patience, 697 00:39:42,317 --> 00:39:43,877 but we got there in the end. 698 00:39:43,877 --> 00:39:48,117 I certainly wouldn't recommend doing one again. 699 00:39:48,117 --> 00:39:49,517 Something's not right. 700 00:39:49,517 --> 00:39:51,957 We fitted the crumple panel on upside down. 701 00:39:53,477 --> 00:39:55,357 Let's take this off, spin it round, 702 00:39:55,357 --> 00:39:59,957 have a good luck at ourselves in the mirror, put it on the right way. 703 00:39:59,957 --> 00:40:02,597 Before embarking on this DeLorean project, 704 00:40:02,597 --> 00:40:04,357 I was not a fan of DeLoreans. 705 00:40:04,357 --> 00:40:09,317 As a motor vehicle, it massively underachieves, 706 00:40:09,317 --> 00:40:10,597 Right, this should go. 707 00:40:10,597 --> 00:40:12,517 It's almost like a dream, this car. 708 00:40:14,517 --> 00:40:17,197 There's jam doughnut here! I'm probably guilty. 709 00:40:19,077 --> 00:40:22,357 We have put a car back on the road that otherwise would have 710 00:40:22,357 --> 00:40:24,677 been hidden in a barn. 711 00:40:24,677 --> 00:40:29,437 Dressed to kill. Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. 712 00:40:29,437 --> 00:40:32,677 She looks fantastic. Right. We can't do any more here. 713 00:40:37,197 --> 00:40:38,917 I'm on my way to see our DeLorean. 714 00:40:40,157 --> 00:40:43,477 Last time I saw it, it was covered in a thick layer of dust 715 00:40:43,477 --> 00:40:46,437 after 15 years hibernation. 716 00:40:46,437 --> 00:40:49,637 The engine wasn't working and there were dents in the stainless steel 717 00:40:49,637 --> 00:40:53,717 body work. I can't wait to see what Ant has done 718 00:40:53,717 --> 00:40:56,357 to awaken our DeLorean dream car from its slumber. 719 00:41:00,037 --> 00:41:01,877 Anthony! 720 00:41:01,877 --> 00:41:05,477 Morning. I've got something for you. Come over there. 721 00:41:05,477 --> 00:41:08,037 Promises, promises. 722 00:41:08,037 --> 00:41:10,077 Oh! 723 00:41:13,197 --> 00:41:15,037 ENGINE SPLUTTERS 724 00:41:15,037 --> 00:41:18,997 HE LAUGHS Ant's just stalled it. That's a good start. 725 00:41:25,677 --> 00:41:27,597 What do you reckon? 726 00:41:27,597 --> 00:41:29,077 You haven't done anything. 727 00:41:29,077 --> 00:41:31,957 It doesn't look any different. It's shinier. 728 00:41:31,957 --> 00:41:34,517 All the work on this car is underneath the skin. 729 00:41:34,517 --> 00:41:37,197 What we've done is we've taken a car that's been off the road 730 00:41:37,197 --> 00:41:40,517 for so long, we've recommissioned it. Now you can use this car everyday. 731 00:41:40,517 --> 00:41:44,877 So, you've basically brought it back to the future. Yeah, kind of. Yeah. 732 00:41:44,877 --> 00:41:49,677 Boom boom. Now, the engine bay has had a great deal of work. 733 00:41:49,677 --> 00:41:52,717 Not recognise the difference now? Well, it's cleaner. 734 00:41:52,717 --> 00:41:55,077 Yeah, it is cleaner. But not only that, it runs better. 735 00:41:55,077 --> 00:42:00,117 Worst job, new clutch. Wouldn't want to do it again. OK. I take your word. 736 00:42:00,117 --> 00:42:02,477 Right. Jump in. I wouldn't go as far as jump. 737 00:42:04,197 --> 00:42:07,517 So, you weren't a huge fan of these cars, were you, to begin with? No. 738 00:42:07,517 --> 00:42:11,557 So, where do you stand now on your view of them, 739 00:42:11,557 --> 00:42:13,357 having worked on it? 740 00:42:13,357 --> 00:42:16,157 Engineering wise, it still has a hat full of flaws. 741 00:42:16,157 --> 00:42:21,757 But as a whole package, a classic car in its own right... 742 00:42:21,757 --> 00:42:23,797 they're pretty cool. 743 00:42:23,797 --> 00:42:26,917 Shall we take here for a spin? Yeah, let's. Beautiful. 744 00:42:31,677 --> 00:42:37,477 We're on the open road! I'm already pressing the imaginary brake pedal. 745 00:42:37,477 --> 00:42:39,717 Don't panic, Ant. You're fine, kid. 746 00:42:39,717 --> 00:42:42,437 Look at all these people looking at her. 747 00:42:42,437 --> 00:42:44,677 Did you hear those people? What are they saying? 748 00:42:44,677 --> 00:42:47,397 They said, "That's a DeLorean." 749 00:42:50,997 --> 00:42:55,037 but this gets looks as well. Absolutely. 750 00:42:55,037 --> 00:42:58,237 # Baby, you're the best... # 751 00:42:58,237 --> 00:43:00,797 I tell you what is really nice, the fact it's been in a garage 752 00:43:00,797 --> 00:43:04,397 for 13 years, hasn't moved, hasn't turned a wheel... 753 00:43:04,397 --> 00:43:07,757 Here we are. This is its maiden voyage. She's back on the road. 754 00:43:09,237 --> 00:43:13,117 How do you feel about that? I'm absolutely over the moon. 755 00:43:13,117 --> 00:43:17,597 # You're the best... # 756 00:43:17,597 --> 00:43:19,637 They are mad cars, aren't they? 757 00:43:19,637 --> 00:43:24,437 # Baby, you're the best... # 758 00:43:26,077 --> 00:43:29,357 'Eight weeks since he found a monster in a barn, 759 00:43:29,357 --> 00:43:31,357 'Ant's resurrected a disaster... 760 00:43:34,357 --> 00:43:36,837 '..and turned it into a car we can all be proud of... 761 00:43:39,077 --> 00:43:42,037 '..good enough to hold its own in the exacting ranks 762 00:43:42,037 --> 00:43:43,877 'of the DeLorean owners.' 763 00:43:54,517 --> 00:43:56,997 It's great to see a car on the road that's been hidden away 764 00:43:56,997 --> 00:44:00,077 for goodness knows how many years. Good job? Out of ten? 765 00:44:01,157 --> 00:44:03,677 Ten of ten. I think it's very good, actually. 766 00:44:03,677 --> 00:44:06,957 I think you've done a good job. I think it's a fascinating history 767 00:44:06,957 --> 00:44:11,597 and a fascinating motorcar 768 00:44:11,597 --> 00:44:13,157 and the next generation. 769 00:44:13,157 --> 00:44:16,597 All the cars available in the world, why have you chosen DeLorean, guys? 770 00:44:16,597 --> 00:44:18,837 The doors. Is it the doors? 771 00:44:21,357 --> 00:44:24,317 cos the car was different and I can almost guarantee that 772 00:44:24,317 --> 00:44:27,517 if you get filled up in the garage, someone will come and say, 773 00:44:27,517 --> 00:44:29,037 "Oh, is that a DeLorean?" 774 00:44:29,037 --> 00:44:31,437 And it's all down to this man. 775 00:44:31,437 --> 00:44:33,357 Good work, fella. 776 00:44:33,357 --> 00:44:36,197 MUSIC: "Don't You (Forget About Me) 777 00:44:41,157 --> 00:44:45,677 Well, I don't think you could make the story of the DeLorean up 778 00:44:45,677 --> 00:44:48,877 I mean, a story of a fellow that had it all, 779 00:44:48,877 --> 00:44:52,877 risked it all and ultimately lost it all on his dream. 780 00:44:52,877 --> 00:44:57,277 But from that dream, he created a car that over 30 years later 781 00:44:57,277 --> 00:44:59,397 endures to this day. 782 00:44:59,397 --> 00:45:01,397 HE LAUGHS 783 00:45:01,397 --> 00:45:04,077 Welcome to the world of DeLorean. 784 00:45:04,077 --> 00:45:07,037 Makes people smile, makes some people laugh. 785 00:45:07,037 --> 00:45:09,157 I mean, it's not a perfect car, we know that. 786 00:45:09,157 --> 00:45:13,317 It's not a perfect car by a long shot. They've lost a car. Why? 787 00:45:13,317 --> 00:45:15,077 Broken down! 788 00:45:18,357 --> 00:45:23,557 In a way, those imperfections are sort of what makes it... 789 00:45:23,557 --> 00:45:25,637 endearing... 790 00:45:25,637 --> 00:45:28,237 maybe gives it that iconic status 791 00:45:28,237 --> 00:45:32,517 and John DeLorean himself, sure, he wasn't the perfect guy. 792 00:45:32,517 --> 00:45:35,237 But you know what? At least he followed the dream 793 00:45:35,237 --> 00:45:38,557 and in a funny sort of way that has to be admired. 794 00:45:53,637 --> 00:45:55,317 'Next time... 795 00:45:55,317 --> 00:45:57,677 'we say goodbye to the cars...' 796 00:45:59,117 --> 00:46:00,717 Don't go! 797 00:46:00,717 --> 00:46:03,477 '..and find out if it's all been worth it... 798 00:46:03,477 --> 00:46:05,717 'when they go to auction.' 799 00:46:05,717 --> 00:46:08,957 Battle of the titans. Who will blink first? 800 00:46:08,957 --> 00:46:11,797 I'm scared! I'm very scared! 801 00:46:11,797 --> 00:46:17,557 'Can they hold their own against the big boys of the motoring elite?' 802 00:46:17,557 --> 00:46:21,157 I mean, we're pitching it against a Porsche. 803 00:46:21,157 --> 00:46:23,957 'Or have we made a terrible mistake?' 804 00:46:23,957 --> 00:46:27,077 Have you got any tips for selling at auction? 805 00:46:27,077 --> 00:46:30,117 Well, yes, I think the first rule is don't. 806 00:46:33,717 --> 00:46:36,717 One more. That's the trouble with these, once you start eating them... 807 00:46:36,717 --> 00:46:41,197 They're moreish. Have that one, I'll have the yellow. 808 00:46:41,197 --> 00:46:42,877 I think it's nice.