CHICAGO - Whether you’re a gearhead or not, it’s been 40 years since many fell in love with the DeLorean sports car.
Back in 1985, it was featured in the Hollywood box office smash hit "Back to the Future."
In the first part of this story, Fox 32 learned about the little-known connection between a Chicago company and the DeLorean. In this story, Fox 32 takes a look at what the future holds for the legendary car.
The backstory
The DeLorean not only has a place in movie history when it was featured in "Back to the Future," but also in automotive history.
Four years ago, it was added to the National Historic Automobile Registry. But that’s not the end of the road for the iconic car, thanks to a local company.
Based in Orland Park, Rich Weissensel is USA DeLorean Rental’s convention director, but for the last 25 years, when he wasn’t busy planning a gathering of DeLorean fans, he was working on the DeLorean limo.
"Six to eight people, 26-feet long, 20-foot wheelbase, engine motor for it is the Tesla Model 3," Weissensel said.
He’s built it working with the best of the best in the DeLorean car community, both nationally and internationally.
They helped with everything from the custom chassis to stainless steel fabrication.
As for all the other parts in between…
"Almost all of them have been wrecked DeLoreans or somehow damaged DeLoreans," Weissensel said. "There’s probably about five or six cars worth of parts in the limos."
Known for its gull wing doors, Weissensel built this DeLorean with six of them and the blessing of John DeLorean himself.
"We started in 2000 when I met John DeLorean at one of the DeLorean car show conventions in Cleveland, and I showed him a sketch of what I wanted to do and he said, ‘If you think you can do it, go for it,’" Weissensel said
He added, "I had showed him on the old cocktail napkin, stretched out and sketched for him."
While Weissensel’s goal was to have the limo complete by 2006, he said a couple of other custom DeLorean designs he had in the works crossed the finish line first.
Dig deeper
Back in the early 2000s, Weissensel said he was on the Discovery Channel for designing the first-ever DeLorean monster truck and DeLorean hover board. But now, Weissensel said his quarter-century custom creation is near completion.
"So the DeLorean limo has evolved over time," he said. "I certainly did not picture it as an electric car 25 years ago, but after doing a number of evaluations over time and reconsidering what it was going to take to have a gas or a hybrid-powered vehicle in that big of a chassis. I started thinking more and more, how can I simplify this or make it easier? Make it better?"
He said an electric motor took care of any concerns he had about engine noise, torch, and acceleration.
"I believe the projects that I’ve put together push the DeLorean in a different direction, you know, keep it creative, keep it fresh, keep it moving forward in time rather than just being locked in the 80s," Weissensel said.
But it was an 80s box office hit that gave the short-lived car some real drive. The DeLorean was produced only from 1981 to early 1983.
"I mean, for a car that was not expected to go very far in the market, it certainly has had some staying power," Weissensel said.
There are about 6,000 DeLoreans that still exist. As for when you can try out the DeLorean limo for yourself, Weissensel said they are working on putting the finishing touches on and should have it ready to go in the near future.
For more information on the DeLorean limo, go to deloreanusarental.com, email [email protected] and check out the company's YouTube page.
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