1976 DeLorean Proto 1 for sale.

[Matt Clark]

I'll probably find this out if I spend hours cross-referencing SSI and Fallon's book, but I wonder how long DMC had P2 before it was shipped to Lotus - I actually can't recall ever seeing a photo of it in DMC's custody other than that photo of the 3 cars above - the few other images of it are all of it is in some varied state of disrepair at Lotus. Clearly P1 did all the promotional work.

Checking some documents I saved from DMCSeller's eBay - Proto 2 was made by Creative Industries in Detroit. A purchase order for it was raised November 13, 1976, for a total of $203,500.00 ($845k in todays money, making P1 a bit of a bargain!), with delivery 16 weeks later. Assuming they got P2 on time, they would have a had a few months to fix whatever was wrong with it before Lotus drove it but apparently didn't? It would be interesting to talk to Bill Collins about this.

(They also apparently quoted for a further 10 prototypes from them but that obviously never happened.)

Here's P2 at Lotus - note the silver interior and absence of side mirrors:



I'm sure former Lotus engineers must have tonnes of photos/documents on P2 - it would be lovely to liberate those one day especially seeing as the car is gone. I suppose it's lucky that P1 even still exists, really.

[Rich Hanlon]

Quote:They cant look after the Delorean they have, never mind the proto

True enough it was a bit of a shed last time I saw it, lots of bits missing. Souvenir hunters I expect :roll:

[Domi]

That's a very cool picture, thank you for sharing

[Guinney1971]

great photo and info Matt, thanks for sharing

[Chris P]

This shows its construction…wether proto 1 and 2 were identical, i'm not sure. This one shows a V6 engine, so was probably 2.

The main criticism of this design was its lack of rigidity and its likely failure of crash testing.

[steve.s]

Hi

i assume most of you know already, but it is possible that proto 2 still exists....one of the well known members very nearly aquired it and he did say sat in it at lotus, albeit in a shabby condition, but certainly the Holy Grail!

if my numbers come up i would buy proto 1 and a gold car!!.

Steve
ex vin 1621

[Chris P]

I think you must mean this?

[Matt Clark]

I've never seen Proto 2 with a passenger seat, either. If you look at the the B+W photo I posted on the other page, there's glare, but I don't think you can see the seat...

[RobScott]

IIRC that got used as hardcore for the new factory in the mid 1990's

[steve.s]

hi

i'm not so sure, there have been rumours that it still exists.

as if it did i guess even in that state could be worth over £100k plus.

steve

[RobScott]

i recon it would have surfaced before now, if it was still alive?

Did the Delorean club contact lotus about selling it in 1996?

[Chris P]

We arrived with a trailer as agreed a few days after the pictures were taken…..they denied all knowledge of it and have done ever since, insisting it was scrapped!

[stunned_monkey]

Matt Clark Wrote:As said above, they were fibreglass underbodies with bolted on subframes - they couldn't get ERM to work at that point but were expecting to develop it.

Just to be picky: ERM is a method of producing fibreglass parts. Whether the prototype parts were produced in this way or hand-laid with wet resin, the result should have been basically on-par.

To my knowledge, there are 3 parts on the DeLorean which are ERM-made. Can anyone name them!?

[Chris P]

The rear lovers, engine cover and infill panels?

[BABIS]

IIRC the 3 ERM pieces are the rear fascia closing plate, license plate bezel and one moulding under the front fascia..
anyway this is described in Nick Sutton's book