• A DeLorean with fewer than 1,000 miles (1,600 km) on it is unearthed in a barn in Wisconsin.
When it comes to cars that have gained iconic status after appearing on the big screen, a classic example is the time-traveling DeLorean from the Back to the Future movies.
15 or 20 years ago, this model wasn't being snapped up by collectors, though it had an attractive market value of around $25,000 on average. Nothing out of the ordinary. But over the last ten years or so, its popularity has jumped as the generation that grew up on the BTTF franchise gained in buying power. Today, you can possibly get a DeLorean for $45,000 USD, but many go for $70,000, $80,000 or $90,000, depending on condition.
Of course, every collector's dream is to get their hands on a piece in perfect condition or at least, on one that’s been left to sit, odometer unchanged, in a barn.
The model found in Wisconsin hasn't even been driven 1,000 miles (roughly 1,600 km).
How it was discovered
In fact, it was a DeLorean restorer in Crystal Lake, Illinois, who received a call from the owner's nephew, who explained that the family had one in perfect condition and wanted to sell it. After learning that the car had hardly been driven, Michael McElhattan of DeLorean Midwest was quick to act, not wanting to miss out on a great deal. He told the local CBS News affiliate that “It happened pretty quick, because once I found out the car was close and it was a low-mileage car, I was excited to go take a look.”
McElhattan explained they found the car in “interesting” condition. “We open it up, and the first thing I saw was a mouse running across the center console.” On the plus side, “The condition of the leather, the condition of the instruments in the dash, and a lot of places where you see sun damage,… this car virtually has no sun damage.”
The DeLorean had been sitting undriven for two decades, but it’s likely it wasn’t driven much even before that. It may have been idle for other extended periods in fact, given that the odometer sits at 977 miles. The car dates from 1981.
Once restored, the value of this DeLorean could reach or surpass the $100,000 mark.