When someone stumbles upon a treasure trove, it’s often in the most unexpected of places.
That’s precisely the feeling Michael McElhattan experienced when he heard whispers of a 1981 DeLorean, tucked away in a Wisconsin barn. But this wasn’t just any DeLorean.
It was a piece of cinematic history with only 977 miles to its name.
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McElhattan, the heart and soul behind the DeLorean Midwest restoration shop in Illinois, is no stranger to vintage beauties.
Yet, even for him, this call was different.
The tip came from the nephew of a 90-year-old gentleman, Dick, who had been the car’s sole guardian.
With curiosity piqued, McElhattan and his trusty sidekick, Kevin Thompson, embarked on a road trip to Waukesha County.
The mission? To meet Dick and, hopefully, bring the DeLorean back to its former glory.
The duo’s adventure turned it into a cinematic experience of its own as they captured every moment for their DeLorean Nation YouTube channel.
From the initial excitement to the final handshake, everything was recorded.
It was a journey filled with anticipation and nostalgia.
The car, hidden away for years, still held its charm.
Its original tires, a testament to its limited adventures on the road, and an interior that seemed frozen in time made it clear.
This DeLorean was a rare find. McElhattan couldn’t help but describe it as an “absolute time capsule.”
For McElhattan, the real joy lay in the restoration.
“Transforming a car like this, bringing it back to its full glory, is incredibly rewarding,” he mused.
And who could argue? The DeLorean, after all, is a symbol of an era.
A brief history lesson for the uninitiated:
The DeLorean Motor Company, nestled in Belfast, North Ireland, birthed this iconic car between 1981 and 1983.
Their dream was short-lived, with only 9,000 units seeing the light of day before bankruptcy darkened their doors in 1982.
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Yet, the DeLorean’s star shone brightly when it raced through time in “Back to the Future.”
It became an emblem of pop culture, an iconic piece of 80s nostalgia, and a dream for collectors worldwide.
See the journey that led McElhattan to his unicorn DeLorean below!
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