◄ Back to Driving Force, Spring 2016
Obtaining the Unobtainable
By Colby Martin
“If you build it, he will come.”
—Field of Dreams
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| Based in Humble, Texas (a suburb of Houston), the current DeLorean Motor Company has owned the remaining stocks of parts, engineering drawings and some of the factory tooling and equipment from the original DeLorean (’81–’83) since the mid-’90s. Plans are underway to produce complete new cars thanks to the Low Volume Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Act. | |
The memorable line from the 1989 blockbuster film centers on an adult’s attempt to reclaim his past; particularly the troubled relationship with his father, a devoted baseball fan. In the years since the movie’s debut on the big screen, it has been used to describe the realization of an impossible dream. The premise fits perfectly with the new federal law that will allow us to purchase newly built completed replica vehicles for the first time ever. As detailed in the cover story of this issue, the SEMA Action Network’s (SAN) fight to enact this milestone legislation into law ultimately ended in victory.
Like myself, enthusiasts live vicariously behind a steering wheel. A special memory connected with a particular automobile can spark a personal sense of nostalgia or capture a dream. A rolling tribute to a past moment, feeling, or fantasy, if you will. Popular past models has been available for decades as kit cars and have allowed these dreams to become an affordable reality. Today, there are more early Ford roadsters, tri-five Chevys and first-generation Mustangs on the road than ever before—thanks to kits, reproduction bodies, patch panels and other restoration parts.
The possibility of buying a turn-key legend represents the next evolution in providing our hobby with greater options. This law will enable more dreamers to enter our community than ever before. It also opens the door for manufacturers to revive other sought-after cars with a built-in fan base. Imagine owning a functional version of the short-lived Tucker ’48 “Torpedo”, Toyota 2000GT or the original military-based Dodge Power Wagon. Each example has now achieved “cult” status among our ranks. Since current-model-year engine packages will be required for ready-to-run cars and trucks, it should only be a matter of time before powertrain manufacturers catch wind of these new opportunities and develop tailor-made products.
Providing the next generations of drivers with additional options should put to rest rumors and speculation regarding our hobby’s demise. The topic continues to be popular among car clubs everywhere and for good reason as computer programming often trumps mechanical tinkering these days. However, cross-over audiences are more welcome than ever. Brands such as the DeLorean Motor Company have realized that they possess an invaluable connection to the tech-minded “geek culture” (think of the ComicCon phenomenon). Bringing a beloved classic—immortalized by the ’80s Back to the Future film series—into the present using modern technology will allow a whole population of younger drivers to reconsider their leisure transportation choices.
Anything is possible with proper momentum. It’s hard to resist envisioning the joy of putting a “brand new” GT40 through its paces and turning a hot lap on a defined road course. Even a coned-off autocross track in a large, paved parking lot would suffice.