The DeLorean still bringing movie magic to life

HUMBLE, Texas -- About 9,000 DeLoreans were made between 1981 and 1983. An estimated 6,000 are still on the streets. Three DeLorean auto shops still operate in the United States, and of one of them is in Humble.

DeLorean Motor Company President James Espey weighed in on why the futuristic-looking vehicle is still so popular, "I think a lot of why they're still so popular has to do with Back to the Future. I know somewhere, one of the three movies is on TV, and someone is seeing it for the first time. They'll go to the internet, and they'll type in DeLorean, 'oh my God, it's a real car.' It's something you can own; it's not just a movie prop."

At the DeLorean Motor Company, they sell parts, service and restore cars, and sell DeLoreans. Espey says he gets DeLoreans from all over the world to work on.
The DeLorean shop in California will even outfit your car to look like the Time Machine in "Back to the Future," including the Flux Capacitor.

The DeLorean Motor Company in Humble stocks more than three and a half million DeLorean parts, some still in their original packaging from Germany and England. "There are about 3,000 parts that make up a DeLorean; we have about 98% of them here in this building."

The DeLorean shop is more than just car parts. The business also sells DeLorean Hot Wheels and Back to the Future merchandise like posters and bottles, "We've got 180,000 people who follow us online; even if everyone wanted a car, we couldn't do it, but everyone can have a Hot Wheel." Espey adds, "Back to the Future came out in 1985, the DeLorean still looked futuristic like a spaceship. Just as much as Christopher Lloyd and Michael J. Fox, the DeLorean was a star in the movies."

The DeLorean Motor Company is located at 15023 Eddie Drive in Humble.