Sudesh
15-12-2009, 05:04 PM
The iconic DeLorean DMC-12 is back, and this time it also comes in right-hand drive.
How did this happen? Well, some cars simply will not lie down and die. No matter what life, legislation or company bankruptcy throw at them, they just keep coming back to life. The Jensen Interceptor is one of them. The DeLorean is another.
Only around 9000 stainless steel DMC-12 sports cars made it out of the company's Northern Irish factory before the company folded in late 1982, but a series of films starring a certain Michael J Fox has ensured the car's cult status, and around 6000-7000 DMC-12s survive today.
Even more numerous are parts, which is where a new Houston-based DeLorean Motor Company comes in. These guys have enough spare parts to last all existing DeLoreans well into the 22nd century without even having to resort to time travel.
DeLorean is also building a series of 'series II' DMC-12s - which use 80 per cent original factory parts and feature such mod-cons as a modern stereo and speakers. The new-build DeLoreans can also be specified with an upgraded engine that includes new stainless steel headers, exhaust, ignition system upgrades and a new air filter, among other things. The result is around 200bhp against the standard car's 130bhp.
Which brings us to the question of the right-hand drive DeLorean. According to our across-the-pond colleagues at Jalopnik, a customer from an unspecified Pacific rim country (presumably one where they drive on the left) has had a bespoke right-hook DMC-12 made.
We reckon it looks pretty good too, quite probably better than the 17 or so right-hookers that dribbled out of the DeLorean factory the first time around.
So if you've got a real yearning for a right-hook DeLorean, give the chaps in Houston a call and get one made. Or you could just get a left-hooker...
http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=21205
http://images.pistonheads.com/nimg/21205/DeLorean_5-L.jpg
http://images.pistonheads.com/nimg/21205/DeLorean_6-L.jpg
http://images.pistonheads.com/nimg/21205/DeLorean_7-L.jpg
How did this happen? Well, some cars simply will not lie down and die. No matter what life, legislation or company bankruptcy throw at them, they just keep coming back to life. The Jensen Interceptor is one of them. The DeLorean is another.
Only around 9000 stainless steel DMC-12 sports cars made it out of the company's Northern Irish factory before the company folded in late 1982, but a series of films starring a certain Michael J Fox has ensured the car's cult status, and around 6000-7000 DMC-12s survive today.
Even more numerous are parts, which is where a new Houston-based DeLorean Motor Company comes in. These guys have enough spare parts to last all existing DeLoreans well into the 22nd century without even having to resort to time travel.
DeLorean is also building a series of 'series II' DMC-12s - which use 80 per cent original factory parts and feature such mod-cons as a modern stereo and speakers. The new-build DeLoreans can also be specified with an upgraded engine that includes new stainless steel headers, exhaust, ignition system upgrades and a new air filter, among other things. The result is around 200bhp against the standard car's 130bhp.
Which brings us to the question of the right-hand drive DeLorean. According to our across-the-pond colleagues at Jalopnik, a customer from an unspecified Pacific rim country (presumably one where they drive on the left) has had a bespoke right-hook DMC-12 made.
We reckon it looks pretty good too, quite probably better than the 17 or so right-hookers that dribbled out of the DeLorean factory the first time around.
So if you've got a real yearning for a right-hook DeLorean, give the chaps in Houston a call and get one made. Or you could just get a left-hooker...
http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=21205
http://images.pistonheads.com/nimg/21205/DeLorean_5-L.jpg
http://images.pistonheads.com/nimg/21205/DeLorean_6-L.jpg
http://images.pistonheads.com/nimg/21205/DeLorean_7-L.jpg