DeLorean DMC-12 more popular than ever, 160 in the Netherlands, club has 35 members

An almost surreal sight when we arrive at DeLorean Europe in Hem on this Saturday morning. Where a single DMC-12 is still an immense head turner in traffic, we now just count ten to fifteen of those wing door vehicles. Carelessly parked in front of Ed Uding’s building, as if it were nothing. Of course all in the stainless steel ‘ground color’, except for one red copy. A rare original or painted afterwards? Just as we’re about to investigate this, Ed opens his doors and everyone—from youthful fans to near-lookalikes of wacky inventor Dr. Emmett Lathrop “Doc” Brown from the Back to the Future film trilogy—throws over to inside.

There it is also all DMC-12 what the clock strikes. There are several cars in the workshop in various stages of dismantling and construction, but the space behind it really beats everything: enough engine blocks, gearboxes, clock shops, exhausts, wheels, furniture, steering wheels, doors and other sheet metal to make the same number of cars again. build like the collection that is steaming outside after the sunny ride. However, our host does not have time for that. “There is now an eight-month waiting period for large projects,” says Ed, who ended up in the DeLorean world more or less by accident. You could read it in AutoWeek Classics 13 of 2021. For those who missed this edition, here’s a short summary: “In 1998 I bought a DMC-12 in Philadelphia that I brought to our country. Unfortunately, the clutch soon gave way, and because it was a car that had never been officially delivered here, no garage dared to repair it. Because I had the necessary key experience with racing engines myself, I therefore took on the job myself.”

In December, Rick Nicolaas became a member of the DeLorean Club Netherlands, but he did not yet have a DMC-12. Today he is present to view a former Finnish copy for sale.

In the 90s you bought Dolorean DMC-12 easily

Ed did this successfully, which did not go unnoticed: he met Mario Perotti, also a DMC-12 owner. “In the mid-1990s I was working in the US and reading about John DeLorean there,” said Mario, who joined in. “His idea of ​​building a car that would last a lifetime fascinated me. To my delight I read in an ad somewhere that there was one for sale in New York; even a brand new copy. I call, the seller says, “Which one would you like?” We have 18 here!’ Well, in that period it was long over and over for DeLorean and the last cars were sold with a lot of pain and effort. I didn’t immediately see that coming, but I did have my own, almost new DMC-12.”

Mario Perotti who founded the Dutch club for the DeLorean DMC-12.

DeLorean Club Nederland has been around for more than 20 years

Long story short: both men joined forces and founded the DeLorean Club Netherlands (DCN) together with a third DMC-12 owner, Roland van Vliet, more than 20 years ago. The club has 35 members, and there are even 160 DMC-12s in the Netherlands. Ed is no longer a board member, because he is too busy, but his expertise is still indispensable for the association. “There are now about 160 DeLoreans in the Netherlands, but little knowledge is available about the DMC-12. You have to go to the DCN or Ed for that,” Mario explains. Today the forces are joined, because a technical meeting of the DCN is taking place at Ed’s place. “That is not so much a key day, but more a meeting with various workshops. Gaining technical knowledge and having fun, that’s what it’s all about,” said the chairman. Because we did not focus so much on the Dutch DeLorean owners in the earlier Klokje Rond Classics video, we let a number of ‘winged’ compatriots speak here, because who drives such a DMC-12? Mainly movie fans or lovers of exotic sports cars? From the appearance of the first person we approach, we think we are dealing with a Back to the Future adept: huge head of white hair, blue reflective glasses, exuberant scarf … As if Han Bulterman from Amstelveen has stepped off the silver screen like this .

Han Bulterman and his wife Bastiana with their DeLorean DMC-12.

However, nothing could be further from the truth, because he purchased his DMC-12 precisely for practical reasons. “When I retired, I wanted a special sports car. But no matter which one I tried – Alfa Romeo, Austin-Healey, Jaguar, Porsche – my six-foot-tall didn’t fit anywhere. Until I read John DeLorean’s story: with his also almost 2 meters length, he wanted a sports car in which taller people could also sit comfortably. That put me on the trail of a DMC-12. Six years ago there was one for sale on Marktplaats. It was not a total catastrophe, but the restoration was not done properly. Thus, the electronics were neglected. With the help of Ed, I completely restored it myself and my wife, Basiana, and I have been driving the ZT-77-HR ever since. Along the way we have a lot of attention and attention, especially from children and – remarkably enough – Poles. Once at a gas station, I was offered to trade our DeLorean for a Fisker Karma! I didn’t. This car is like a moving museum, albeit one of the sensitive type. We drive about 7,000 kilometers every year and I have already had to push it back to the garage four times and it has also been picked up by the roadside assistance.” That doesn’t stop Han from being proud of his car and he likes to share it, because suddenly it appears to have disappeared. “He’s driving around the neighborhood with young DeLorean fans,” we hear. And indeed: a little later he drives back onto the terrain. After the right-hand door folds up, a young boy with red cheeks steps out with excitement.

Martin McFly

When we address him a little later, it turns out that his mother is more or less responsible for his presence. “She once gave me a Back to the Future DVD, which I played many times. I’m a big fan of that movie, I put on my Marty McFly clothes especially today and thought the ride in a real DeLorean was really cool”, 12-year-old Bastiaan Quellhorst from Sliedrecht looks back, not quite down to earth. Another fan of the sporty gull-wing door is Rick Nicolaas. For some time he has been hinting at buying a copy. Today he traveled to Hem from The Hague to view a former Finnish DMC-12 from Ed’s stock. “I have already taken the first step, because in December 2021 I became a member of the DCN.” Okay, now the second step: the actual purchase. Because if you bear a name that is suspiciously similar to that of the Goedheiligman, then you can also treat yourself sometimes, right? But alas: when we contact Rick a few weeks later, it turns out that his house has been skipped: “I have decided not to buy a DeLorean now. Perhaps later.”

Maybe Rick should talk to the Black couple from Middenmeer. Sipko and Angelique have been driving DMC-12 for three years now, after buying their stainless steel sports car two years earlier. Sipko: “I was repairing boats as a hobby when I saw a replica of a Lamborghini Countach at one point. That car turned out to be not very good, but my interest in special four-wheelers was awakened. It is something different than a boat! On Marktplaats I came across this DMC-12. It turned out to be an American roast, but because I like odd jobs, I bought it anyway. With the help of Ed, I did everything myself, except for the windscreen.” “Because we installed them together,” adds Angelique. The spouses drive as much as possible with the Northern Irish American, “but only in good weather, because you can’t take it through the car wash”, says Sipko, who likes the lines best. “For me, it’s the gull-wing doors,” says his wife.

Workshops during the key day

Then we quickly go back inside, because the next workshop announces itself. After Ed has already covered the power windows – “If you hear ‘tick, tap, tap’, the end is near” – and the fuel tank – “American gasoline is different from the fuels here. It can therefore happen that over time there is ‘drop water’ in the tank: a viscous mixture of petrol and crumbled parts” – it is about torsion bars, the correct adjustment and suspension of the doors and finally the chassis, of which the Y support beam “is made of seawater-resistant material”. The visitors watch, listen, ask questions, take pictures and Ed allows them to try things themselves. But above all, this meeting, which has been postponed several times due to lockdowns, is a great time to catch up, admire each other’s cars, exchange tips and explain. Then it turns out that the red DMC-12 that we spot upon arrival is not original, but later repainted. Too bad, it detracts somewhat from the unique character of John’s brainchild, which appears to be very much alive 40 years later, especially in our down-to-earth little country!