88 MPH Time machine

We have been completely overwhelmed with tour requests which is a very good thing! Of course, Expedition BTTF got this whole thing started, but recent articles in the Boston Globe, appearances on local news etc have really boosted attendance. We are booking a few select dates for 2024 so please write to inquire!

Tours are for up to 6 people and we ask for a $150.00 donation (more if you see fit). A portion of the proceeds from these tours will go to our TeamFox team, The Ruptured Ducks. This of course is to promote awareness and provide funding to find a cure for Parkinsons Disease. We are a proud member of the Michael J Fox Foundation. Payment is due on the date of the tour.

Since we have been so busy there may be other groups that will be a part of your tour. But trust me, everyone is here for the same reason. The love of BTTF and to have some fun! So, let us know what day is good for you, we look forward to hearing back. Thank you!

IMPORTANT! Please check your SPAM and TRASH if you have written to us regarding a tour….I have had a few people tell me that my response went to one of those folders. I respond to EVERY request!

BTTF Promo Picture 1.jpg
stacked-1.jpg

 AVAILABILITY FOR APPEARANCES

It is our intention to share our vehicles with as many people as possible, young and old, as the feedback has been, frankly, overwhelming. We have driven to cruise nights and looked in the rear view to see people running after us. Sometimes it’s hard for us to get out of the time machine once we’ve parked it. Don’t get us wrong, we still love it. Sometimes it’s even more difficult to leave an event and we’ve had to run over a few spectators on occasion…Just kidding!!

Therefore, we shall continue to drive and trailer the vehicles to car shows and cruise nights in the New England area. The cars are totally road worthy. We have come close to causing a number of accidents when other cars pull up alongside to take pictures and videos. It’s not so bad when it’s the passengers who are hanging out the window to get a close up. It’s a bit more challenging when it’s the driver trying to take the pictures while texting his buddies and yakking on his cell phone.

Part of our motivation for putting in the time and effort was to make the time machine available for appearances at any type of event where it could serve as an attraction. We would honestly say that 99% of people over eight years old, who see the car,  immediately recognize it. We have been astounded by the number of people who told me they have sat down and watched the trilogy dozens of times. Untold numbers have said they have seen the movies 100’s of times and we’ve had many say they have worn out copies of the movie because they have seen it so many times. People immediately begin to quote lines from the movie and go into their Doc Brown impressions…it’s really a lot of fun to participate in all of this.

We do a few select events per year. We are also prepared to proactively participate in the event by being present to answer questions, demonstrate some of the incredible features of the “screen accurate” time machine and explain some of the eye popping accessories such as:

 

  • Programmable time circuits just like the movie.

  • Digital speedometer on the dashboard.

  • Original alarm clock on the dash just like in the movie.

  • Main Time Circuit switch functions just like in the film, with sound effects.

  • All interior indicators and switches light up, just like in the film.

  • Remote door opener.

  • Totally accurate plutonium box..a real eye catcher!

  • Plutonium canisters and rods which can be loaded into the “reactor” on the rear of car, just like in the film.

  • Exterior flux band lighting that will blow you away.

  • Marty McFly mannequin incredibly accurate right down to his “Calvin’s”

  • Let’s not forget Doc Brown…we’ve got him covered too!

  • We are also prepared to convert the vehicle to the “Mr. Fusion” version.

If allowed at your event, we can bring items to sell as well. These include license plates, key chains and other collectibles. Proceeds from this merchandise will always go to charity, generally TeamFox but not limited to that.  

Moving along now, to the winter of 2012-13 when we acquired a VW bus to enhance our display! It needed some work (it is 40 + years old!) so we made it into a fun project and we think you will agree that it was worth it. This is now available for appearances with the Time Machine and if you think just that was cool, wait til you see the two of them together! We even have the Libyans for full effect. 

There’s more but we also like to offer an additional element of surprise. We indicated throughout this website that our goals were to have fun and promote worthy causes. We donate a percentage of any profits derived from appearances to either the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s research http://www.michaeljfox.org/  or various Veteran’s organizations. We are motivated to do this by our close friendship with Major Dick Winters from the HBO series “Band of Brothers” who passed away in January 2011. This American hero was a close friend. I saw the impact Parkinson’s disease had on him and it had a profound effect on me.  If you would like to make a donation to the Michael J. Fox Foundation, please CLICK HERE!

If you would like to receive a quote from us regarding bringing our vehicle and the accessories to your event, please do not hesitate to contact us. Remember, along with the above, we will be present to ensure the experience will be impressive, informative, educational and entertaining.

Here is our contact information:

 

Bill Shea

978-928-4440

Patrick Shea

978-413-8345

pln0226@yahoo.com

BTTF Promo Picture (1280x777) (1024x622).jpg
 
 

The History of the DeLorean

Much has been written about the design, development, introduction, marketing, shortcomings and myths behind both the car and the man whose name was plastered all over it. If you take ten minutes and search the internet you can find just about everything ever written, both good and bad, about all of the above.

With that in mind, we have decided to concentrate on other aspects of the car with the emphasis on the historical decision to transform this car into the legend that it is by using it, in many forms, in the production of the trilogy we all know and love. In the future we may bang on the keyboard in an effort to share certain pearls of wisdom that we come across as we venture off to car shows and cruising nights. For the time being, here are a few links we have found to be very helpful in providing facts, figures, anecdotes and all other means of trivia regarding DMC.

If you encounter a DeLorean website you think we should be made aware of, please let us know so we can check it out and possibly link it here. Enjoy:

Tamir's DeLorean Site: www.entermyworld.com

on Wikipedia:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeLorean_DMC-12

DMC's website: www.delorean.com

on Exoticcars.com: http://exoticcars.about.com/od/overviewsofmaker1/p/DeLoreanHistory.htm

 
 
 
 

About Us

The Shea family has had a life long interest in automobiles which goes back a few generations. The love affair has continued to blossom with those of us who are still driving. My son Patrick and I (Bill) are the prime movers behind the DeLorean restoration and conversion but the seeds were planted many years ago.

As a pre-teen, I had two paper routes at the same time and would often marvel at those magnificent machines sitting in the driveways or protected by one-car garages. I would peek inside those behemoths and marvel at that endless, shiny chrome as I made my way around my route.

I couldn't wait to get my hands on my very own set of wheels. I started my first official job on my 16th birthday on the 30th of June, 1961 making a whopping $1 per hour pumping gas at a Sunoco station in Worcester, Massachusetts. On that very same day I purchased my first car.....a 1937 Ford two door sedan with running boards. It had it's original flat head eight cylinder with the more powerful 85 horsepower motor. I gave the fellow $60 for it and paid him $5 per week until it was paid off. There were many other vehicles, including a 1933 Plymouth, shown on the right with Patrick in 1978.

Not really Bill’s first car, but just like it!

Not really Bill’s first car, but just like it!

phoca_thumb_l_img 2 800x537.jpg

 

I had a lot of fun with that Ford and could write a book about it and the subsequent 100 or so cars I've owned since then. I'd sure love to have many of them back now as they included Packards, Corvettes, a Ford Skyliner, Dodge Chargers, oh and a few station wagons and mini-vans in-between.

In the "good olde days", it was customary to put your "real car" away for the New England winters and buy a clunker as a winter machine. I can remember buying at least five of these and never paying more than $50 for them. I'd kick the crap out of them all winter while my true love would be safely tucked away and then I would sell the "beast" in the Spring or, in a few cases, give it the coup de grâce. 

Patrick certainly has inherited the automotive DNA and has taken this passion to an even higher level. There is hardly an automobile that has been produced in the past 30 years that he cannot identify and describe in accurate detail. Our business takes us on the road occasionally and Patrick will go on for hours identifying models and years of cars just by their tail light configuration. You might not think that's such a feat but try doing it at night just by the illumination of those tail lights! Our vehicular interests are quite diverse and we currently have multiple DeLoreans, a totally restored 1958 Corvette as well as three motorcycles that all belonged to Steve McQueen. You will also learn about many of our other vehicles here!

Steve McQueen motorcycle collection

Steve McQueen motorcycle collection

Bill’s 1958 Corvette he has owned since 1980

Bill’s 1958 Corvette he has owned since 1980

 Another car that was a part of the "fleet" is a very special 1991 SSP (Special Service Package) Florida Highway Patrol Mustang that has been restored to it's "in service" condition. Our SSP is now being enjoyed by our friend Chris in NH. Sorry to see it go but it certainly has found a great home!

phoca_thumb_l_dsc09318 800x600.jpg
phoca_thumb_l_dsc09101 640x480.jpg

It was replaced by another trick pony, a 2008 Shelby GT500KR that is a unique, one-of-a-kind vehicle for many reasons, not the least of which is the fact that it was owned by the name sake, the chicken rancher turned race car driver, Carroll Shelby himself! This car was the very first production GT500KR in 2008, which was the 40th anniversary of the first KR way back in 1968. It was gifted to him by Ford at a very special 85th birthday bash that was attended by a whose who of automotive royalty. It has a few unique features too, the most unique of which is the "CSM" number it was assigned. Never before and not since repeated, it was assigned the "number" JAN112008 which was to celebrate Shelby's birthday and of course the year. A few other unique features not seen on regular production cars were the Hurst marked shift knob, the Shelby signature dead pedal and the prototype tires (DOT reads "NOT FOR SALE"). We purchased this gem in June of 2018 at the Greenwich Concour D'Elegance where 24 of Shelby's vehicles were up for grabs. The mileage at the time of purchase was 135....yes 135. We plan on adding to that I can promise!

IMG_9907_1280x828.jpg
IMG_9904_1280x821.jpg

We mention this not for bragging rights but to reinforce the commitment (some would use other terms such as addiction or obsession) to restoring and preserving our fascination with two and four wheel "babes".

But what about our love affair with the ill-fated DeLorean. At the time the car arrived in the USA in the Spring of 1981, there were no DeLorean dealerships. John Z. DeLorean had dreamed of having 400 dealerships nationwide but this never happened. Therefore, other car retailers opened franchises and that was where I spied my first example. Bancroft Motors in Worcester, MA opened a franchise and put up that huge silver DeLorean neon sign over the door. It just so happened I worked directly across the street from this entrance and the entrapment began. I was currently working on another car project at the time....

Day 1, 1981

Day 1, 1981

Day 1 in the body shop, 1981

Day 1 in the body shop, 1981

                                                                                                                                                                                                               

....our 1958 Corvette, so I was staying pretty busy. I purchased this, ahem, beauty in 1980 from my pal Rich Green (R.I.P. my friend!) and the restoration took place over the next year or so. I did much of the work needed, but I relied on Jim Derzius of Jim's Auto Body right here in our hometown of Hubbardston to tackle the body and paint work. All of the "in progress" pictures are taken at his shop. Additional work has since been performed by our good friend Ron Bunnell of Ron's Auto Restoration in Fitchburg, MA (www.ronsautorestoration.com). He and his team are excellent and we recommend them highly. This included a repaint in 1998 and a full mechanical restoration in 2008.

Back to 1982,  we were ready to hit the show circuit. Our first show came in July of that year and it was held at Whalom Park in Lunenburg, MA. Man, I can remember how nervous we were! Anxiety was high, and this was enhanced when the first thing we spotted was our competition cleaning his tire treads with Armor All. We thought we were in way over our heads. But lo and behold, here are the results of our efforts......our first show netted a first place trophy! The picture on the right shows the Corvette in a ferry on it's way to Martha's Vineyard, MA for a big show in 1984. This is where Bill and Donna met the one and only Zora Arkus Duntov!

Patrick, left and Bill at First Car Show, Whalom Park, Lunenburg, MA 1982

Patrick, left and Bill at First Car Show, Whalom Park, Lunenburg, MA 1982

On a ferry headed to Marthas Vineyard, MA 1984

On a ferry headed to Marthas Vineyard, MA 1984

Looking good here!

Looking good here!

Yes, it is!

Yes, it is!

So....back to the DeLorean. As much as I pined over this car, the $25,000.00 (approximately $60,000.00 in 2011 dollars!) was just slightly out of my price range. Especially when you consider that a brand new, loaded 1981 Corvette was listed at around $18,000.00. That didn't prevent me from occasionally strolling over to the dealership and looking at this "eye candy". Window shopping was all I could do at that time. 

Fast forward to 1995, and a very good friend of mine by the name of Kevin Bourgeios offered me his 1981 DeLorean for a very reasonable price. By this time, DMC was long gone, the scandals had taken place and the car had attained a cult status as one of the favorite cars in all movie history. The DeLorean time machine consistently scores in the top three. The Batmobile and the 1964 Aston Martin DB-5 (sexy!) driven by James Bond in Goldfinger are the only two that seem more popular. A deal was struck so Patrick and I, along with Patrick's seven year old son Branden, journeyed up to Manchester, N.H. to pick up the car. 

On the way home Branden kept saying to me "Grampa, everybody keeps looking at us." I told him that it was the car they were looking at, not necessarily us , although maybe it was us!. It was a defining moment in our DeLorean saga as I knew this car held a place of significant appeal in the hearts of all people, regardless of their age.

That feeling certainly did not change over the past two decades, as everywhere we drove the car and at every show attended, we were greeted by enthusiastic crowds of fans who were thrilled to see their very first DeLorean motor car. The totally original, stock version turned countless heads and engendered numerous questions which we were more than happy to answer.

Patrick’s obsession with vehicles started very early on and he has always loved to work on, repair, restore and tinker. Many of his jobs have been in and around the automotive industry. It would be fair to say that it was in his DNA and obviously “in his blood". That has trickled down to the next generation as Branden now works in the automotive field and can give the old man a run for his money when it comes to makes, models, wheels and accessories with the myriad of cars on the road these days.

In spite of the relatively short show season here in the Northeast, we enjoy going to different car shows and cruising nights. We’ll be sure to list, photograph, and describe some of the events we attend in that section of the website. 

 
 
 
Bill and Patrick with the one and only Jimmy Kimmel. This was taken at the Brooklyn Academy of Music on October 21, 2015…..BTTF Day when he had Michael J Fox and Christopher Lloyd on as Doc and Marty. Our time machine was used and it was awesome!

Bill and Patrick with the one and only Jimmy Kimmel. This was taken at the Brooklyn Academy of Music on October 21, 2015…..BTTF Day when he had Michael J Fox and Christopher Lloyd on as Doc and Marty. Our time machine was used and it was awesome!

CHECK OUT THIS REALLY COOL LIST OF ALL OF THE MOVIES THAT A DeLorean HAS APPEARED IN (not ours, stolen from Facebook lol but thought it was awesome!)…….

Back to the Future 1-3, Ready Player One, The Wedding Singer, Rocky 3, Beverly Hills Cop, Executive Decision, Space Jam 2, Scarface, The Lego Movie 2, A Million Ways to Die in the West, Halloween 3, The Manhattan Project, Smokey & The Bandit 3, Rock of Ages, Arthur, Sausage Party, King Fury, Police Academy 5, Driven, The Lawnmower Man 2, Silent Hunter, Framing John DeLorean, Six Weeks, Blue World Order, Spymate, Malibu Express, Angie, Bigger, Bikini Planet, Shakedown, Big Fat Liar, Haker, The Tripper, Fraternity Vacation, Say Goodnight to the Bad Guys, Mini's First Time, The Informers, Archive, The Billion Dollar Code, I Wanna Dance With Somebody, Shallow Hal, Ping Pong Summer, Merry Christmas Drake & Josh, A Taste of Money, Barry Munday, The Act, The Girl of July 14, Welcome Back Mr. President, Burisuta, Haker, Cascadeur, Tekasztorik