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jakeXT

(10,575 posts)
Sun Mar 30, 2014, 07:37 AM Mar 2014

Time-capsule DeLorean with only 309 miles emerges



We see time-capsule cars on a pretty regular basis, but they seldom happen to be proper time-travel cars as well. Of course we're talking about the DeLorean DMC-12, an automobile whose several thousand examples were believed to be largely accounted for. So imagine our surprise when we heard about a DeLorean recently found in a storage bay with delivery mileage on the clock and a mild layer of dust on its stainless-steel body.

This DeLorean turned up recently in California when a client visited "Corvette Mike" Vietro's shop to look at a 1966 Chevrolet Corvette 427 Coupe. The client was known to have a few eccentric cars in his collection, and he asked the owner of the shop if he were willing to take anything in trade. Vietro was willing to hear what he had to offer, and the prospective buyer quickly mentioned a 308-mile DeLorean. Vietro asked him to repeat himself, and he was surprised to hear that the client indeed had a delivery-mileage DeLorean DMC-12 sitting in a storage locker.

"Of course I told him I had an interest without being too overzealous," Vietro says. "It took some time, but the day finally came when the car showed up on a tow truck with all its years of dust and cobwebs, as one would expect. I was so thrilled that he didn't wash it. He is quite meticulous, so time must have been of the essence why he didn't as least dust it off."

Read more: http://www.autoweek.com/article/20140326/carnews01/140329885
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Time-capsule DeLorean with only 309 miles emerges (Original Post) jakeXT Mar 2014 OP
That's pretty cool... JohnnyRingo Mar 2014 #1
The one Seinfeld used in one of his episodes broke down jakeXT Mar 2014 #2

JohnnyRingo

(18,633 posts)
1. That's pretty cool...
Sun Mar 30, 2014, 09:18 PM
Mar 2014

...but I wonder how many were put away by hopeful investors looking to turn a big fortune in a couple decades? Considering 30 years have come and gone, I imagine this one may be among the last. Of course there are two factory gold plated examples out there too.

This is obviously an unusually low mileage example, but many of those expecting six figure jackpots have been sorely disappointed. Most DeLoreans, and they're all relatively low mileage, are lucky to break the $20k mark.

I saw one at a car show once that the owner had obviously tried to "restore" with a Brillo Pad. I admit I gave an evil inward chuckle at the hapless fool's expensive lesson learned. I felt bad about it, but I just couldn't imagine what he was thinking.

I see the "Back To The Future" stigma more of a detriment than an asset to value. If I owned one, I don't know how many times I'd have to hear "flux capacitor" before I finally snapped. Thanx a lot, Doc Brown. hahaha

Thanx for posting!

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