DeLorean enthusiasts from Co. Armagh are among those heading for Belfast this weekend as part of a car meet dedicated to the legendary vehicle.
The ‘DeLorean Revival’ will see owners from all over the UK, Ireland and Europe descending on the city, with some even coming from as far away as the USA.
Made famous thorough the classic 1985 film, ‘Back to the Future’, the DMC-12 DeLorean’s proud Northern Ireland connection is well-known, having been manufactured in Dunmurry.
As part of the weekend-long itinerary, the motorists will also get a chance to visit the former Dunmurry factory and test track, which has been lovingly restored by the organisers at a high cost.
The meet is being organised by Paul Jenkins, Alistair Vanstone, David Mathers and David Abraham.
David Abraham is a proud DeLorean owner from Lurgan. His passion for the vehicle was sparked in the same way as it was for so many others – through watching ‘Back to the Future’ as a child.
David also has the privilege of saying his uncle worked in the factory back in the day.
“I would like to thank the Ulster Transport Museum, the Titanic Distillers, Belfast City Hall, Hastings Hotels and Linamar Metals (the owners of the Dunmurry site) for helping make the event happen,” he said.
The three-day event kicks off on Friday morning, with the owners meeting at the Ulster Transport Museum, before making their way to the Titanic Distillery for the unveiling of a limited-edition ‘DeLorean Revival’ whiskey.
On Saturday, the fleet will be heading to Stormont on the hill to take part in a huge Classic Car Show alongside hundreds of other cars, organised by David Mathers from the Dollingstown Classic Car Club.
On Sunday, the cars will make the poignant pilgrimage back to the former factory site in Dunmurry – a place most of the cars have not been since they left for America all those years ago.
The best part, however, is that the drivers will get access to the DeLorean test track which has been cleared specifically for this event and is being opened for the first time in over eight years.
The track was restored after a few local owners decided to take it upon themselves to raise money to get it cleared, through donations and ticket sales for the ‘DeLorean Revival’ event.
The event proves to be an exciting weekend for DeLorean lovers and has been a long time coming, with the last big meet cancelled in 2021 due to COVID-19.
DeLoreans at Stormont
On his love for the DMC DeLorean, David Abraham told Armagh I: “I had the opportunity of buying mine back towards the end of 2017. I went over to England and drove it home in 2018, so I’ve had the car for six years.”
David’s DeLorean was originally sold in Nevada, USA, before making its way back to the UK in 2014.
It has been featured on BBC Top Gear, ITV’s Car Years, Tourism Ireland Adverts and is due to be featured on Bargain Hunt next week.
For David, it’s not just the ‘Back to the Future’ link that cemented his love for the DMC, but the history and local connection of the vehicle.
“There was cross-community manufacturing as well. Protestant and Catholic communities were coming together to build the car,” he added.
However, he admits, “They’re known for being underpowered but that was just a product of the time. Nothing was absolutely outstanding at the time.
“We’ve done a few runs in the last few years, and we’ve had around 15 cars. This will be the biggest gathering since 2016.”
Speaking on the restoration of the DeLorean track, David says it was “now or never”.
He explained: “If we didn’t clear the test track this year, it was getting beyond the point of saving. It should have been cleared in 2021 but it wasn’t because of COVID-19.
“It was now or never to save the track, but thankfully we have.”
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