Actual Production Numbers (was: DeLoreans made)

[James Espey <james@xxxx>]

For years the commonly accepted number of DeLoreans made has been 
8583. The DOA uses this figure, but does not say what it is based on 
or where they got it. They break it down as follows:

1981 - 6539
1982 - 1126
1983 - 918

Assuming that there were no VIN's skipped during the 1981 production 
run (00500 - 07199), that would indicate that 6699 were built as 1981 
models. The assumption that no numbers were skipped, particularly 
early in production is a a very large assumption.

However, one would think that there would be no reason to skips VIN's 
in the 1982 model run (010000 - ?). The count of 1126 appears to have 
come from a service bulletin showing the VIN range of 10000-11126. A 
quick check of the VIN chronology shows that there VINs as high as 
11784 for the 1982 model run.

Knut Grimsrud's statistical analysis of the DeLorean Owners Directory 
data, in the form of the "DeLorean Production Chronology" indicates 
that the exact number is somewhere in the low-9000's and can be found 
here:

http://www.dmcnews.com/faq/n_chron.htm

Interestingly enough, a recent phone conversation I had with Barrie 
Wills, the original DeLorean Motor Company Director of Manufacturing, 
also recollected that the actual production was somewhere around 9100.

Unless documentation/information surfaces from a former Belfast 
employee or Consolidated in Ohio, the exact number will probably 
never be known.

James Espey
DeLorean Motor Company
Houston, Texas

281/568-9573
800/USA-DMC1
http://www.delorean.com

>Is the exact number of DeLoreans made 8,583? More or less??
>
>John Feldman
>VIN 4275

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