1981 DeLorean DMC-12 TIME MACHINE BUILD (Gray Auto; Grooved Hood)

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Overview

This Time Machined 1981 DeLorean DMC-12 is offered for sale out of Winter Garden, Florida and features an Automatic transmission, while showing 27,438 miles on the odometer. It was deliberately selected as the basis for a “Back to the Future” Time Machine conversion. The car was carefully refurbished in recent years with an emphasis on preserving its authentic appearance while incorporating select modern upgrades for improved safety, reliability, and comfort. Prior to the conversion, the car in “stock” condition received highly favorable car show accolades, being a three-time Celebration Exotic Car Show Platinum Concourse Award Winner in Celebration, Florida (2024-2025-2026).

The superior quality Time Machine conversion was completed in September 2026 by the acclaimed “Time Cobblers” team of Brett Aiken and Peter Varrica. The build reflects extensive research into the screen-used cars, with components thoughtfully sourced, carefully fabricated, and meticulously integrated into the DeLorean to create a representation that is both visually stunning and of the utmost quality. Vintage-correct details, purpose-built components, and an extensive suite of functional electronics were used throughout the conversion, resulting in a highly detailed, museum-quality yet drivable re-creation of one of the most recognizable movie cars of all time.

About the DeLorean DMC-12

Introduced for the 1981 model year, the DeLorean DMC-12 remains one of the most instantly recognizable automobiles of its era. Designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro of Italdesign, the DMC-12 combined unfinished stainless-steel body panels, counterbalanced gullwing doors, and a rear-engine layout with a fiberglass underbody mounted over a Lotus-derived backbone chassis. Power was supplied by a rear-mounted 2.85-liter Peugeot-Renault-Volvo V6.

Approximately 9,000 examples were produced in Northern Ireland between 1981 and 1982 before the DeLorean Motor Company ceased operations. While the DMC-12 was already distinctive when new, its place in popular culture was transformed following its appearance as Doc Brown’s Time Machine in the 1985 film Back to the Future.

Director Robert Zemeckis and writer/producer Bob Gale had originally considered other concepts for the Time Machine before settling on the DeLorean. Its stainless-steel construction, wedge-shaped profile, and gullwing doors gave the car a futuristic appearance that worked particularly well for the story—including the joke that residents of 1955 initially mistook the newly arrived machine for a spacecraft.

For the film, the production transformed 1981 DeLoreans into the elaborate Time Machine envisioned as having been constructed by Dr. Emmett Brown. The conversion surrounded the DMC-12’s already-futuristic body with industrial, aviation, electrical, and fabricated components, while the interior incorporated the now-famous Flux Capacitor, Time Circuits, switches, gauges, and related equipment.

The DeLorean returned for Back to the Future Part II in 1989 and Back to the Future Part III in 1990, with the Time Machine evolving throughout the trilogy. Most notably, the later version replaced the original plutonium reactor with the Mr. Fusion Home Energy Reactor and incorporated the hover-conversion equipment depicted in the second film.

The trilogy permanently linked the DeLorean with Back to the Future, turning a short-lived 1980s sports car into one of the most recognizable movie cars ever created. Four decades after the original film’s release, the silhouette of a stainless-steel DMC-12 equipped with its Flux Capacitor, Time Circuits, illuminated exterior components, and Mr. Fusion remains immediately associated with Doc Brown, Marty McFly, and the films’ fictional 88-mph journey through time.

This 1981 DMC-12 has been converted into a detailed recreation of that Time Machine, combining the unmistakable character of the original DeLorean with the equipment, lighting, electronics, and visual details associated with its appearance in the Back to the Future trilogy.

Details About This DeLorean

“3x Celebration Exotic Car Show Platinum Concourse Award Winner”

This exemplary, running/driving3-speed Automatic transmission DeLorean was garage-kept and well-maintained throughout its three-owner history. It was purchased by the current owner in January of 2024 and received notable mechanical and cosmetic enhancements and safety modernizations to key elements while still maintaining a highly authentic appearance.

Much of the primary mechanical work was performed at the DeLorean Motor Company - Florida service center in Orlando, FL by authorized technicians. Genuine DMC Classic parts from Houston were utilized where available.

Prior historical service records from each previous owner that are in the possession of the current owner, along with any records since the 2024 acquisition will be conveyed with the sale upon request.

Work performed since acquisition include:

2024

• Installed Dave McKeen's hot start relay

• Cooling system pressure and leakage test

• Drain, flush, refill bleed cooling system

• New coolant

• New hot water valve (aftermarket)

• New hot water valve and short hose

• New driveshaft flange

• New O-ring seal

• New lip seal

• New nut, differential side seal, driveshaft flange, drive axle

• Changed engine oil, filter, and gear oil

• New fuel accumulator kit

• New fuel distributor PPR O-ring

• New switch, oil pressure light

• New oil pressure switch for dash indicator light

• New pulley bracket upper and lower

• Replaced auto trans fluid, auto trans filter, trans pan gasket

• New hose, trans cooler/pump, oil cooler hose

• Lube outer suspension joints and angle drive

• 4-way spray rubber suspension bushings

• New inner and outer door seals/weatherstripping

• Adjusted door latch strikers

• Recharged A/C with R-134A

• Adjusted miss-firing piston

• Corrected A/C fan blower wiring

• New radiator cooling fans and shroud

• New engine and A/C compressor belts

• New car battery

2025

• New frunk spring and pulley adjustment

• Installed WolfBox rearview mirror / backup camera system

• Adjusted sun visors

• 4 new tires (installed by Firestone)

• Front: 195/60R-14 Hankook Kinergy ST SL

• Rear: 235/60R-15 Hankook Kinergy ST SL

• New cold air intake system

• New fuel pump sender/module kit from DMC classic Houston

• New set of 13 braided stainless steel fuel lines (entire kit from DeLoreanGO)

• New fuel filter

• New 120 amp DMC alternator (with belt and hardware) from DMC Houston

• New leather wrapped stock steering wheel

• Installed Drayron led tail light kit (bulbs & boards)

• New stainless steel screws in tail light housings

• New ignition coil w/bracket from DMC Houston

• 6 new spark plugs (aftermarket) from DMC Houston

• Professional window tinting (windshield & doors only)

• New misc new stickers and bulbs in center console array

• Installed Dave McKeen's fan relay & fan fail relay modules

• New coil cover w/label (early style with latch)

2026

• Change engine oil and filter (Aug-2026)

• New struts for “frunk”

• New front parking light kit with harness, bulb, and socket

• New engine mount kit (two)

• New passenger side window seals (inner and outer)

• Adjusted fuel mixture, timing, and idle

• LH-123 valve cover gasket and camshaft cap

• New oil pressure switch / light switch for dash indicator light

Time Machine Conversion:

This DeLorean was hand-selected for its excellent cosmetic condition and its movie-accurate configuration, with the one exception being the automatic transmission, which in terms of Time Machine builds makes for much easier drivability.

The conversion incorporates a combination of vintage found components, fabricated aluminum pieces, precision machined reproductions, and custom electronics selected to reproduce the equipment seen on the screen-used Time Machine. The fabricated / reproduction parts and electronics are of the highest quality available on the market from reputable creators.

The conversion of this car was completed by the Time Cobblers in September 2026 and was configured to represent the “Back to the Future” Part II - Mr. Fusion version of the Time Machine.

Details specific to this build are outlined below:

• Aluminum Flux Boxes and Bands with Ice Blue Time Dispersal Look

• Paint detailed cooling vents and brushed aluminum

• Complete Movie Prop Elec Setup with one switch activation

• Flux capacitor with glass relay tubes

• Prop sound system with amp and subwoofer

• Complete sound effects package, including time dispersal mode, door opening and full soundtrack playback

• Complete car charging setup including prop and car batteries.

• Car battery one switch disconnect

Built by The Time Cobblers

The Time Machine conversion was completed by the highly acclaimed “Time Cobblers” team consisting of Brett Aiken and Peter Varrica. The duo specializes in the construction of detailed, screen-accurate recreations of the DeLorean Time Machine from the Back to the Future trilogy.

The pair's work draws on years of research into the surviving screen-used cars, original movie props, production and behind-the-scenes photography, and the vintage industrial, aviation, military, and electronic components used by the original film-car builders. Together, Aiken and Varrica have completed more than a dozen DeLorean Time Machine builds (including their own personal cars) in addition to producing individual components for other replica builders and collectors.

Rather than treating the conversion as a collection of decorative props added to a DeLorean, the Time Cobblers approach each build as a recreation of the film car itself. Their conversions incorporate custom fabrication, lighting and electronics, working Time Circuit displays, interior equipment, exterior cabling and hardware, and reproduced or period components selected to replicate those seen on the original movie cars.

Varrica's involvement with DeLorean Time Machine replicas predates the Time Cobblers and has included the construction and exhibition of his own Time Machine as well as the sourcing and fabrication of components for other builds. Aiken likewise has produced specialized Time Machine components used by replica builders, and the pair combined their experience under the Time Cobblers name to offer complete DeLorean conversions.