Countywide : DeLorean Owners Take a Rare Spin

David Lancaster loves to show off the jewel of his 12-car collection--a 1981 DeLorean with distinctive silver and black trimmings and doors that open upward, simulating a sea gull in flight.

Lancaster, 55, who describes himself as a fun guy from Las Vegas, displayed his toy once again Friday, this time with 110 other DeLorean car owners who formed a caravan from the Brea Mall to Universal Studios Hollywood.

“This is exciting,” said Lancaster, who passed out pictures of his car. “Every decal, every sticker, every tire in that car is original. It draws attention wherever I take it.”

For the moment, though, it was just one of scores of similar-looking cars lined up for the two-hour, 40-mile trip to Universal Studios, where car owners sampled the theme park’s featured “Back to the Future” rides.

Actor Christopher Lloyd, who played scientist Emmett Brown in the “Back to the Future” movies, greeted the caravan participants, said Mary Lou Knudson, activities director of the 2,000-member DeLorean Owners Assn.

In three “Back to the Future” movies, a DeLorean car was featured flying and traveling through time. Owners said publicity from the movie considerably boosted the value of the car as a collectible.

Susan Weinreb and her husband, Bob, both members of the organization’s national board, said they bought their 1981 DeLorean for $19,000 in 1981. She said the car is worth “about $30,000” now.

She said there is considerable interest in the car abroad as a collectible. John Truscott, director of the organization’s membership committee, said that as many as five DeLoreans are shipped overseas each week.

Truscott, who said he has done extensive research on the car, said the first DeLorean was built in 1981 and the last one in August, 1982. In all, less than 9,000 cars were built by the DeLorean Motor Co. plant in Ireland before it was closed in 1982, he said.

DeLorean Motor Co. was owned by John Z. DeLorean, a former General Motors Corp. executive. He ran into financial and legal difficulties in the early 1980s, leading to the closure of his plant.

The original target price for the sports car was $15,000, but inflation pushed the price to $25,000. The car is now available mostly from private owners who are willing to sell.

Truscott, and his wife, Joan, of Santa Barbara, each owns a 1982 DeLorean.

“This is probably the most collectible car of the 1980s,” Truscott said.

Jason Lindbergh, 23, of Arroyo Grande spent $12,000 to install a supercharger in his 1981 DeLorean, enabling the car to go as fast as 160 m.p.h.

Lindbergh, a former member of a maintenance crew in the Air Force, said his car is probably the only one with a supercharger. A few are turbocharged, but the majority use the original engine, he said.

His mother, Marion, 47, said they bought the car because of its “fascinating design.”

Bernie Wood, 60, of Chatsworth, like many other owners, seldom uses his car, except on special events. He said he logged only 1,400 miles in the last three years.

“It’s sitting in the garage most of the time,” Wood said. “But I know it’s gathering value as a collectible.”