New book tells definitive story of doomed DeLorean sportscar

[dutchman]

Company based its purchasing office in Coventry next to the cathedral

A book has been written by a Coventry man which tells the definitive story of one of the world’s most famous sports cars - the DeLorean DMC-12 which featured in the Back to the Future films.

Barrie Wills’ version of the ultimately doomed car project includes much on DeLorean’s Coventry connection, with the firm’s purchasing office located in the city.

Mr Wills, a DeLorean director and its longest serving employee, set-up the Coventry operation and went on to become the car maker’s managing director during its final days.

His book, 'John Z, The DeLorean & Me... Tales From An Insider', promises to ‘reveal all’ for the first time about the four-and-a-half year period which saw DeLorean cars manufactured in Belfast from the late 1970s with the backing of the British government via a £65million investment.

For much of the time Mr Wills, a Freeman of the City of Coventry, was based at DeLorean’s Coventry purchasing office and was at the table for many of the key meetings during the ambitious automotive project.

He had been asked by the firm's founder John DeLorean to establish a purchasing office in his home city, equidistant between the DeLorean factory in Dunmurry and Lotus Cars (who also worked on the project) in Hethel, Norfolk.

Mr Wills had attended King Henry VIII School, Coventry Technical College and Lanchester College of Technology (now Coventry University) and served a five-year commercial apprenticeship at Jaguar, before becoming chief buyer, special projects.

Prior to joining DeLorean he was deputy managing director of Reliant.

He located a brand new office tower that had been constructed in Coventry city centre, next to the third of its famous three spires - Christchurch. The new building was called Christchurch House.

At the time the top floor was vacant and a patch of wasteland by the side of the building was large enough for a car park to cater for vehicles of both staff and visitors.

Mr Wills said: "Coventry City Council were very keen to have a small part of a new, government-backed car company in the city’s environs and a lease was negotiated and agreed for the top floor and car park enabling occupation during January 1979."

Former Standard Triumph buyer Nick Sutton was recruited as purchasing manager from Reliant to head up the Coventry office.

Mr Sutton built up a team of young, energetic buyers who were well respected in the industry and came from Jaguar-Rover-Triumph at Canley, Chrysler UK and Reliant.

Speaking about his book Mr Wills said: "It tells how automotive industry records were broken, how advanced technology was pioneered and how a mixed Unionist and Nationalist workforce of 2,500 strived in harmony for success.

“Also how firebombing and British Army occupation of the manufacturing plant disrupted production, how the worst recession in American industrial history in the harsh winter of 1981-82 led to bankruptcy and receivership and also tells of when a committed and determined workforce occupied and protected the factory."

He added: “Of course no book on the DeLorean project would be complete without telling how a cocaine-trafficking FBI sting entrapped the firm’s founder John DeLorean.”

Mr Wills said he had many fond memories of the period but was also disappointed the determined efforts he and many others made to salvage car production when DeLorean collapsed did not succeed.

He said: “A British rescue plan, based on manufacturing the gull-winged DeLorean and the Triumph TR8 sports car - rebranded with the illustrious Healey name - was thwarted by Margaret Thatcher.

“Ultimately the keys of the state-of the-art factory in Dunmurry near Belfast were handed over to auctioneers and the people of Northern Ireland were left behind as the real losers.”

Mr Wills said the DeLorean remained the automotive industry’s greatest ever “near miss” but is pleased the car is still so loved around the world - in large part down to its Back to the Future connections.

The hardback book of 392 pages, supported by almost 600 colour and black and white photographs, comes hot on the heels of Back to the Future Day on October 21, which commemorated the day the character Marty McFly “arrived in the future” in Back to the Future II.

It costs £25 and is available on Amazon, eBay, from the publishers DeLorean Garage, Waterstones and through the car book specialists Chaters.

[rebbonk]

That might be a good read.

However, the DMC was a flawed design from the start. Using 'stainless steel' was not a particularly good move. In fact it stained very easily from sweat and grease, and was difficult to repair after even a small accident. The vehicle was too high off the ground and had a myriad of quality control and other annoying little problems. I did drive several and was always worried about the car flipping over and being unable to exit because of the gull-wing doors. I must say though that I did like the cockpit experience and found it very reminiscent of post war military aircraft by way of control illumination.

Leaving suppliers to hang on for months to be paid didn't exactly engender the company to the supply chain, and using local taxis and aircraft as couriers for non urgent parts was simply a waste of money. The management did leave rather a lot to be desired!

It was, none the less, an interesting little project, and the assembly line was quite advanced for its time.

[dutchman]

It's back in production!

[rebbonk]

I wish him well, but in truth, can't see it being a runaway success.