I'm going to preface this by saying I am completely exhausted. So if I have a few spelling errors, please bear with me.
I just got back from a crazy trip to L.A. and by crazy I mean there were things that happened on this trip I NEVER would have dreamed of.
About once a year I try to fly into Burbank/LA to do stuff for my DeLorean Time Machine replica. Usually that involves trips to Apex, Norton Sales, Luckys and some of the other classic surplus shops. This time was no different.
My first stop was Lucky's where I was finally able to score a complete set of the secondary hoses with go on the vents around the reactor (pic later). The irony is that I had JUST MADE my own at home. Oh well
I also picked up some other parts to finish out some things for friends.
Next stop was Norton Sales. Here I found a slew of Part II/III Reactor hoses and a Sola Transformer (Part III Hood Time Circuit). It was almost like someone put them there. Oh well... mine now.
I specifically went to Norton to look for the Main Vent hoses on the BTTF Delorean. YEARS ago, I got a hose from a friends which had an ID Tag of "Pacific Flex Inc". I could NEVER track this company down in websearches, so I just assumed they had been closed down for a while.
Well, the trip to Norton paid off - BIGTIME. I was scouring through these hoses and came across another in a similar style. The tag instead read "Pacific Flexible Metal Inc.". A 4 second Iphone search later confirmed that they were in Alhambra and better yet - STILL IN BUSINESS.
I got my tuckus down there immediately and showed them my reference pictures of the hoses (since no real hoses exist on ANY of the Universal DeLoreans anymore - More on THAT in a bit). The knew exactly what I was talking about and even brought up the specs to get the lengths correct.
Ends up they are the SAME assembly but built in an older style and a newer style. They got my order set right up and they will be here by the end of the week.
Better yet, they told me that ANYONE can call them up and order a set. My pricing was $120 EACH plus shipping. If you are building a BTTF Delorean you can call them up and get your own. I can't gurantee you will get the $120 since I may have been getting a price break on the quantity I bought.
Pacific Flexible Metal (323)-221-5146
Just ask for Bob and tell them you would like to order a set of BTTF Delorean Hoses - even reference you heard about them from Gary Weaver if they can't recall the dims.
The A-Car style will be 1 of each (new and old). The B-Car style will be 2 of the Old Style hoses.
That was pretty much my first day if I recall correctly. I didn't think the trip could top the Hoses...
I was wrong.
Over the years I've a few good contacts at Universal. However, I NEVER tried to flex any sway over those contacts for the good of the Screen Used vehicles still in their posession. In the past 6-8 months I've changed my mind and been actively trying to push the issue of preservation with them for the sake of movie history. Let me tell you, it's a lost cause.
However, this trip I did manage to make SOME progress.
First off, I requested access to the cars for measurements and photo data - That was granted on the condition I don't do any filming or do anything too crazy. I had a good couple of hours at my own pace with the cars and was SHOCKED and DISSAPOINTED by what I saw.
You need to understand that there are two KNOWN DeLorean Time Machines on the Universal Backlot. The first is the "A-Car" which is currently on display for the Tram Tour. This car is in about a 4.5 of 10 shape. There are a few original screen used parts present, but most have flown the coop over the last 10-15 years. Things have gotten particularly bad over the last 5 or so. However, after a trip and some conversations with Universal last year, the A-Car was locked up tight and from my trip last week looks to be in about the same shape. That's a GOOD thing.
The other car on the backlot is a different story entirely. This car was a "replica" built by J Ohrberg after the filming of Part II and III. I used "replica" because believe it or not a good percentage of that car "was" made from screen used car parts. J was given a box of parts from Universal a long time ago to use in replicas. These "parts" were actually from the "B-Car". It so happens that the filmmakers used this car for the train impact scene at the end of part III. The car was specially sliced and prepped for maximum destruction - then hit by the train.
At that point continuity photos were taken of the wreckage locations and the necessary scenes were filmed. For re-shoots and closeup work these photos were reference and the parts were kept as-is for shooting.
Ohrberg took a mess of these parts and incorportated them into a replica car. Among the items used in the replica which were legit parts, included:
Original Metal Wormhole Emitter and Stand
Overhead Switching Console
Reactor Core Oil Separators
Reactor Core Hoses (repurposed on scratchbuilt green tubes)
Reactor Vent Hoses (Both of the old style PFM's mentioned above)
Torin Fan from Bulkhead Panel 2
The ENTIRE Bulkhead Panel 1 assembly including the VSR and Wire Trunk Housing
Gold Claire Power Supply
Upper Flux Boxes (B-Car)
Passenger Side Rear Flux Band (still had the original Diffusion Plex in place)
Possibly the lower rear Flux Boxes (although they are probably part III boxes)
This is what has been CONFIRMED in the past couple years via looking at the car and talking with other collectors/hobbyists. There may be more parts or something I missed.
Sadly, a good percentage of those parts were well and GONE by the time I got there last week. In the last couple months someone had gone so far as to steal BOTH rear Venting Hoses off the Rear Vents.
Last year, I thought it was a good idea and agreed to salvage the Wormhole Emitter off the car with the intent to give it back to Universal when they wanted it. I left it with someone in LA and now I honestly doubt it will ever be returned. Lesson learned I suppose. Between that and seeing this car's current state CONVINCED me that something needed to be done to salvage the few pieces left on this car. I spoke with Transportation about it and they agreed that my idea was a good one.
I REMOVED every last screen used part on that car and gave it to the transportation department to put in their secured warehouse. The didn't have a problem with doing so at all. In the end, this is what we managed to save.
It's not much, and I honestly feel it is too little, too late.
If you think that's sad, take a look at what's left of the interior.
Now, to the keen observer - something is missing that was mentioned above. The bulkhead panel 1 assembly with the last complete screen-used VSR. Never fear, it's safe.
They let me keep it :eek
I now own a VERIFIABLE and trackable part from the ORIGINAL DeLorean time machine. I was shocked just HOW CLOSE my replica unit was. I made that crazy thing 4 years ago from screen caps and photos. That was a good feeling.
This covered about two days of my trip to LA. I went out for five days.
As for those other three? Well, that's another pretty awesome story and let me just say it's totally "tubular" will make certain people "green" with envy...
:love
Till next time, keep thinking about the future.
-Gary
I just got back from a crazy trip to L.A. and by crazy I mean there were things that happened on this trip I NEVER would have dreamed of.
About once a year I try to fly into Burbank/LA to do stuff for my DeLorean Time Machine replica. Usually that involves trips to Apex, Norton Sales, Luckys and some of the other classic surplus shops. This time was no different.
My first stop was Lucky's where I was finally able to score a complete set of the secondary hoses with go on the vents around the reactor (pic later). The irony is that I had JUST MADE my own at home. Oh well
I also picked up some other parts to finish out some things for friends.Next stop was Norton Sales. Here I found a slew of Part II/III Reactor hoses and a Sola Transformer (Part III Hood Time Circuit). It was almost like someone put them there. Oh well... mine now.
I specifically went to Norton to look for the Main Vent hoses on the BTTF Delorean. YEARS ago, I got a hose from a friends which had an ID Tag of "Pacific Flex Inc". I could NEVER track this company down in websearches, so I just assumed they had been closed down for a while.
Well, the trip to Norton paid off - BIGTIME. I was scouring through these hoses and came across another in a similar style. The tag instead read "Pacific Flexible Metal Inc.". A 4 second Iphone search later confirmed that they were in Alhambra and better yet - STILL IN BUSINESS.
I got my tuckus down there immediately and showed them my reference pictures of the hoses (since no real hoses exist on ANY of the Universal DeLoreans anymore - More on THAT in a bit). The knew exactly what I was talking about and even brought up the specs to get the lengths correct.
Ends up they are the SAME assembly but built in an older style and a newer style. They got my order set right up and they will be here by the end of the week.
Better yet, they told me that ANYONE can call them up and order a set. My pricing was $120 EACH plus shipping. If you are building a BTTF Delorean you can call them up and get your own. I can't gurantee you will get the $120 since I may have been getting a price break on the quantity I bought.
Pacific Flexible Metal (323)-221-5146
Just ask for Bob and tell them you would like to order a set of BTTF Delorean Hoses - even reference you heard about them from Gary Weaver if they can't recall the dims.
The A-Car style will be 1 of each (new and old). The B-Car style will be 2 of the Old Style hoses.
That was pretty much my first day if I recall correctly. I didn't think the trip could top the Hoses...
I was wrong.
Over the years I've a few good contacts at Universal. However, I NEVER tried to flex any sway over those contacts for the good of the Screen Used vehicles still in their posession. In the past 6-8 months I've changed my mind and been actively trying to push the issue of preservation with them for the sake of movie history. Let me tell you, it's a lost cause.
However, this trip I did manage to make SOME progress.
First off, I requested access to the cars for measurements and photo data - That was granted on the condition I don't do any filming or do anything too crazy. I had a good couple of hours at my own pace with the cars and was SHOCKED and DISSAPOINTED by what I saw.
You need to understand that there are two KNOWN DeLorean Time Machines on the Universal Backlot. The first is the "A-Car" which is currently on display for the Tram Tour. This car is in about a 4.5 of 10 shape. There are a few original screen used parts present, but most have flown the coop over the last 10-15 years. Things have gotten particularly bad over the last 5 or so. However, after a trip and some conversations with Universal last year, the A-Car was locked up tight and from my trip last week looks to be in about the same shape. That's a GOOD thing.
The other car on the backlot is a different story entirely. This car was a "replica" built by J Ohrberg after the filming of Part II and III. I used "replica" because believe it or not a good percentage of that car "was" made from screen used car parts. J was given a box of parts from Universal a long time ago to use in replicas. These "parts" were actually from the "B-Car". It so happens that the filmmakers used this car for the train impact scene at the end of part III. The car was specially sliced and prepped for maximum destruction - then hit by the train.
At that point continuity photos were taken of the wreckage locations and the necessary scenes were filmed. For re-shoots and closeup work these photos were reference and the parts were kept as-is for shooting.
Ohrberg took a mess of these parts and incorportated them into a replica car. Among the items used in the replica which were legit parts, included:
Original Metal Wormhole Emitter and Stand
Overhead Switching Console
Reactor Core Oil Separators
Reactor Core Hoses (repurposed on scratchbuilt green tubes)
Reactor Vent Hoses (Both of the old style PFM's mentioned above)
Torin Fan from Bulkhead Panel 2
The ENTIRE Bulkhead Panel 1 assembly including the VSR and Wire Trunk Housing
Gold Claire Power Supply
Upper Flux Boxes (B-Car)
Passenger Side Rear Flux Band (still had the original Diffusion Plex in place)
Possibly the lower rear Flux Boxes (although they are probably part III boxes)
This is what has been CONFIRMED in the past couple years via looking at the car and talking with other collectors/hobbyists. There may be more parts or something I missed.
Sadly, a good percentage of those parts were well and GONE by the time I got there last week. In the last couple months someone had gone so far as to steal BOTH rear Venting Hoses off the Rear Vents.
Last year, I thought it was a good idea and agreed to salvage the Wormhole Emitter off the car with the intent to give it back to Universal when they wanted it. I left it with someone in LA and now I honestly doubt it will ever be returned. Lesson learned I suppose. Between that and seeing this car's current state CONVINCED me that something needed to be done to salvage the few pieces left on this car. I spoke with Transportation about it and they agreed that my idea was a good one.
I REMOVED every last screen used part on that car and gave it to the transportation department to put in their secured warehouse. The didn't have a problem with doing so at all. In the end, this is what we managed to save.
It's not much, and I honestly feel it is too little, too late.
If you think that's sad, take a look at what's left of the interior.
Now, to the keen observer - something is missing that was mentioned above. The bulkhead panel 1 assembly with the last complete screen-used VSR. Never fear, it's safe.
They let me keep it :eek
I now own a VERIFIABLE and trackable part from the ORIGINAL DeLorean time machine. I was shocked just HOW CLOSE my replica unit was. I made that crazy thing 4 years ago from screen caps and photos. That was a good feeling.
This covered about two days of my trip to LA. I went out for five days.
As for those other three? Well, that's another pretty awesome story and let me just say it's totally "tubular" will make certain people "green" with envy...
:love
Till next time, keep thinking about the future.
-Gary
