WAS John Delorean and Reliability...NOW saving the cars (LONG)

[Senatorpack@xxxx]

I have to disagree with the Back to the Future films saving the car. 
However, the films did create a new generation of owner (NON-car enthusiasts) 
that weren't alive or interested when the car was introduced in 1981. The 
"car buffs" (people that have driven everything) and enthusiasts quickly 
disregarded the DMC as out of date, slow, poor quality, too expensive, etc., 
etc. 
However, there is a healthy curiosity interest, even though 3-4,000 out 
of the 8,500 cars are accounted for. Where are the other 4,000 DMC's?????????

Unfortunately, John DeLorean turned his back on his fans & the owners 
of the DMC for over 20 years. He only came to an event (Cleveland) when he & 
his daughter were paid to attend. However, over the years he was willing to 
sign copies of his autobiography & DMC literature.

The biggest savior was the team at Consolidated International, Columbus 
Ohio. They were the only interested investor with the wherewithal and 
resources to keep the car on the road. 

(there were many interested in saving DMC, such as, Jean Farnan of Maryland, 
Peter Kalikow of NYC & H.D. Norman of Auburn, Alabama. They couldn't agree 
who would control DMC or raise sufficient private investment) 

Their option to lease the factory, which enabled CI to buy the cars in 
inventory, including the parts for car in inventory @ Belfast and Irvine, 
then ship them to NYC then on to Columbus, saved the cars and kept them on 
the road. 

Many of the original owners, frustrated, disappointed, dissatisfied, 
eventually gave up, sold at a huge loss, donated to charity, who knows 
what..., to get rid of the cars. The massive write off & loss, even though 
the parts were here in the USA. Many owners didn't even know about the 
inventory of parts still available today.
Have you ever entertained the question "Where can you get parts for 'em?" 
Just imagine trying to scour the European countryside, speaking French, 
German, Dutch, etc., etc., to buy a part for the DMC. 

Without this foresight of KAPAC there wouldn't be a DeLorean Motor 
Center, DeLoreanOne, PJ Grady, Houston, Darryl, Baurle, Zilla, John H., or 
even a DeLorean in BTTF. 

In addition, when the DeLorean first arrived to the United States, an 
owners club had already been formed 1980. ONE of the first clubs was featured 
in a Forbes magazine article from 1982. The article classifies the typical 
DeLorean owners meeting as, "champagne and caviar served on sterling 
stainless."
The owners clubs, specifically the DeLorean Owners Association formed in 
1983, the independent service centers & specialists in DeLorean automobiles, 
the original dealerships that continue to service DMC's, the DeLorean World 
magazine, KAPAC, and lastly, the Internet explosion and slow evolvement of 
this mailing list have all contributed to the life of the DMC. 

Best Wishes,
Michael Pack