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US News

‘Time capsule’ 1981 DeLorean found in Wisconsin barn with original tires and only 977 miles

By
Alyssa Guzman
Published Oct. 21, 2023, 7:31 p.m. ET

It was almost like stepping back in time.

A 1981 DeLorean — the gullwing-doored car that took its star turn as a time machine in “Back to the Future” — was found in a Wisconsin barn, complete with its original tires and with just 977 miles on the odometer.

Mike McElhattan, a business owner who specializes in repairing DeLoreans, didn’t think much of the call he got from New Mexico about the car until he learned it had less than 1,000 miles on it.

The original owner, identified only as “Dick,” had stored the classic car in a barn.

The body was covered in dust and rodent droppings, but the car was in otherwise good condition, right down to the original tires and blue oil filter.

“This thing is literally a time capsule,” McElhattan said in a YouTube video about the finding.

A 1981 gull-winged DeLorean sits outside a bar with its doors popped open.
A 1981 DeLorean, the gullwing-doored car featured in “Back to the Future,” was found with its original tires and only 977 miles on it in a Wisconsin barn. USA Today
A 1981 DeLorean parked in a barn and covered with dust.
The car was covered in dust and rodent droppings, but was in otherwise good condition, down to its original tires and the blue oil filter. USA Today

“The doors work well,” Dick said in the video, but warned the inside wouldn’t smell so great.

When they opened the signature-style doors, they discovered four mice running around inside.

The car, manufactured in April 1981, had sat in the barn for so long it was settled into the dirt.

“To me, what’s cool about it, is it’s completely original, down to the original tires that rolled out of the factory in Belfast, Ireland,” McElhattan said.

The business owner bought the car from Dick, but did not disclose how much he paid for the vehicle.

A closeup of the odometer of a 1981 DeLorean found in barn, showing that it has just 977 miles on it.
The car only had 977 miles on it, which could help when it comes time to send the renovated car. USA Today
A 1981 Delorian sits on a trailer with a man standing next to it.
In the famous movie, the car was used as a time travel machine. USA Today

The car will need professional cleaning as well as some effort to get the engine working before they can start the overall repairs.

McElhattan estimated it would take at least six months to get it back on the road.

DeLoreans were manufactured between 1981 and 1982 before DeLorean Motor Company went bankrupt. Only about 9,000 of the unique cars were ever made

The company had originally planned on making 25,000 cars a year before bankruptcy and had stocked its warehouses with enough parts that even DeLorean drivers today can still get them.

As for Dick’s car, which can net up to $85,000, according to USA Today, McElhattan doesn’t know if he’ll sell it.