Father of the muscle car passes away - RIP John DeLorean

[Egz]

Now I hope this isn't a repost. Its brand new.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/ne...orean

Quote »

Car Developer John DeLorean Dies at 80 40 minutes ago Top Stories - AP By JEFFREY GOLD, Associated Press Writer NEWARK, N.J. - John Z. DeLorean, the innovative automaker who left a promising career in Detroit to develop the short-lived gull-winged sports cars featured as a souped-up time travel machine in the "Back to the Future" movies, has died. He was 80. DeLorean died late Saturday at Overlook Hospital in Summit, N.J., of complications from a recent stroke, said Paul Connell, an owner of A.J. Desmond & Sons Funeral Directors in Royal Oak, Mich., which was handling arrangements. "Obviously, we're deeply saddened by the passing of an incredible, talented car person and loving family member," said DeLorean's nephew, Mark DeLorean. DeLorean was among just a handful of U.S. entrepreneurs who dared start a car company in the last 75 years. Nearly all faded away, but his crashed spectacularly amid drug charges. A Detroit native, DeLorean "broke the mold" of staid Midwestern auto executives by "going Hollywood," and pushed General Motors Corp. to offer smaller models, auto historians said. While at GM, he created what some consider the first "muscle car" in 1964 by cramming a V-8 engine into a Pontiac Tempest and calling it the GTO, fondly dubbed the "Goat" by auto enthusiasts. DeLorean was a rising if unconventional executive at GM who many believe was destined for its presidency before he quit in 1973 to launch the DeLorean Motor Car Co. in Northern Ireland. Eight years later, the DeLorean DMC-12 hit the streets. Its hallmarks, such as an unpainted stainless steel skin and the gull-wing doors, have been ignored by mainstream automakers. The angular design, however, earned it a cult following, and the car was a time-traveling vehicle for Michael J. Fox in the popular "Back to the Future" films of the late 1980s. But the factory produced only about 8,900 cars in three years, estimated John Truscott, membership director of the DeLorean Owners Association. That figure is dwarfed by the major automakers, who sell more than a million vehicles a month. DeLorean's company collapsed in 1983, a year after he was arrested in Los Angeles, accused in a sting of conspiring to sell $24 million of cocaine to salvage his venture. DeLorean used an entrapment defense to win acquittal on the drug charges in 1984, despite a videotape in which he called a suitcase full of cocaine "good as gold." He was later cleared of defrauding his investors, but continuing legal entanglements kept him on the sidelines of the automotive world, although his passion for cars did not abate. After declaring bankruptcy in 1999, he said he wanted to produce a speedy plastic sports car selling for only $20,000. A public viewing was tentatively set for Wednesday at the funeral home, located north of Detroit, with a private burial scheduled for Thursday at White Chapel Cemetery in the Detroit suburb of Troy.

[Egz]

Its a shame I never got to meet him. Aparantly, his mansion was just minutes away from where my mom works.


Modified by Egz at 2:49 PM 3-20-2005

[breathe]

"Well, the way I see it, if you're going to build a time machine into a car, you might as well do it with style."

Indeed.


Modified by breathe at 2:56 PM 3-20-2005

[AudiVwMeister]

R.I.P.

[Impeccable]

Now I gotta go out and get me a DELOREAN

[The Ninja]

This is sad news indeed. I never realized he was 80.

[username]

dang.

[Lwize]

[sams0n]

Damn, 24 million worth of cocain? That must be a hell of a lot of coke.

[vdubjb]

"DeLorean used an entrapment defense to win acquittal on the drug charges in 1984, despite a videotape in which he called a suitcase full of cocaine "good as gold.""

[vwlarry]

From engineering prodigy at Packard, to the heights of executive power at GeeEmm, to DMC, and then on to shame and obscurity.

DeLorean indeed lived a full life, it's just a shame that the final chapters were so sad.

Rest in peace, sir.

[SMG]

I didn't realize he was that old. For some reason, I was thinking he was in his 60s.

[4RCD3S4]

Cocaine's a hell of a drug

[4x4s]

In one of those odd coincidences, I just posted yesterday about an event early Johhny Z.'s career at Packard, relating to Porsche. Check it out at: http://forums.thecarlounge.net...69995

R. I. P. John

[MoochsMalibu]

Quote, originally posted by vwlarry »

From engineering prodigy at Packard, to the heights of executive power at GeeEmm, to DMC, and then on to shame and obscurity. DeLorean indeed lived a full life, it's just a shame that the final chapters were so sad. Rest in peace, sir.

[Deflated_97]

somebody install this so we can bring him back into the future

[VR6GTI72]

Done and Done!

[genxnympho]

It's kinda shameful that people (I.E. the press) takes a story such as the death of John Delorean and still manages to focus on what they believe is the biggest story of his life, His arrest in L.A. What many may not know is that he was at the head of the program at GM to produce what what known as the GTO. One of the most popular and successful muscle cars and is now being produced once more by GM. I will bet John had goosebumps seeing that one on the road again. In all respects I just hope that we and the rest of the industry remember him for what he gave and his contribution to the automotive world..

Thank You John

[atomicalex]

We lost a good one.

[Cerebral Provocation]

Quote, originally posted by genxnympho »

It's kinda shameful that people (I.E. the press) takes a story such as the death of John Delorean and still manages to focus on what they believe is the biggest story of his life, His arrest in L.A. What many may not know is that he was at the head of the program at GM to produce what what known as the GTO. One of the most popular and successful muscle cars and is now being produced once more by GM. I will bet John had goosebumps seeing that one on the road again. In all respects I just hope that we and the rest of the industry remember him for what he gave and his contribution to the automotive world.. Thank You John

You're right, we should just gloss right over it as if it never happened.

[kaizenro]

I'm sure dealing in buttloads of drugs made as many people happy as his car did. And probably didn't ruin any lives in any way by adding to the business which is run by nice, caring businessmen.

[Obin Robinson]

our friend's dad worked with DeLorean at GM back in the day of GM muscle power. he said he was a pretty cool guy. R.I.P. John, the father of the GTO.

DeLorean was singlehandedly the man we can thank for the muscle car. he'll surely be missed.

this one's for you:

obin

[krado94]

RIP John. The was a Delorean gtg in Cleveland a few years ago. I found out about it 2 weeks late, and John Delorean made a surprize visit.

Just truely ahead of his time. !!!!

[Minker17]

Quote, originally posted by It's kinda shameful that people (I.E. the press) takes a story such as the death of John Delorean and still manages to focus on what they believe is the biggest story of his life, His arrest in L.A. What many may not know is that he was at the head of the program at GM to produce what what known as the GTO. One of the most popular and successful muscle cars and is now being produced once more by GM. I will bet John had goosebumps seeing that one on the road again. In all respects I just hope that we and the rest of the industry remember him for what he gave and his contribution to the automotive world.[/quote »

That's why the CNN article is better: [quote=CNN.com]NEWARK, New Jersey (AP) -- John Z. DeLorean, an automotive innovator who left General Motors to develop a radically futuristic sports car only to see that venture crash spectacularly as he fought federal drug charges, has died at age 80. DeLorean was among just a handful of U.S. entrepreneurs who dared start a car company in the last 75 years. While apt to be remembered popularly as the man behind the car modified for time travel in the "Back to the Future" movies, DeLorean left a powerful imprint in auto making built on unique, souped-up cars. DeLorean died late Saturday at Overlook Hospital in Summit, New Jersey, of complications from a recent stroke, said Paul Connell, an owner of A.J. Desmond & Sons Funeral Directors in Royal Oak, Michigan, which was handling arrangements. A Detroit native, DeLorean broke the mold of staid Midwestern auto executives by "going Hollywood," and pushed GM to offer smaller models, auto historians said. While at GM, he created what some consider the first "muscle car" in 1964 by cramming a V-8 engine into a Pontiac Tempest and calling it the GTO, fondly dubbed the "Goat" by auto enthusiasts. "John DeLorean was one of Detroit's larger-than-life figures who secured a noteworthy place in our industry's history," GM Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner said Sunday in a statement. "He made a name for himself through his talent, creativity, innovation and daring. At GM, he will always be remembered as the father of the Pontiac GTO, which really started the muscle-car craze of the '60s." DeLorean was a rising if unconventional executive at GM who many believe was destined for its presidency before he quit in 1973 to launch the DeLorean Motor Car Co. in Northern Ireland. Eight years later, the DeLorean DMC-12 hit the streets. Its hallmarks, such as an unpainted stainless steel skin and the gull-wing doors, have been ignored by mainstream automakers. The angular design, however, earned it a cult following, and the car was a time-traveling vehicle for Michael J. Fox in the popular "Back to the Future" films of the late 1980s. But the factory produced only about 8,900 cars in three years, estimated John Truscott, membership director of the DeLorean Owners Association. That figure is dwarfed by the major automakers, who sell more than a million vehicles a month. DeLorean's company collapsed in 1983, a year after he was arrested in Los Angeles and accused of conspiring to sell $24 million of cocaine to salvage his venture. DeLorean used an entrapment defense to win acquittal on the drug charges in 1984, despite a videotape in which he called a suitcase full of cocaine "good as gold." The British government lost the equivalent of $94 million over its heavy subsidies for the plant in West Belfast, granted with the hope that the venture's 2,000 jobs would weaken support for the Irish Republican Army, which was then fighting to end British rule in Northern Ireland. Another dream DeLorean was later cleared of defrauding investors, but continuing legal entanglements kept him on the sidelines of the automotive world, although his passion for cars did not abate. After declaring bankruptcy in 1999, he said he wanted to produce a speedy plastic sports car selling for only $20,000. "We are striving to bring the performance of a million dollar Ferrari, McLaren or Mercedes to younger people of modest means," DeLorean said. That latest dream spoke of a life that revolved around cars. John Zachary DeLorean was born as the first of four sons to a foundry worker for Ford Motor Co. After his parents divorced, he grew up there and in Los Angeles. He played saxophone in a jazz band and won a music scholarship to the Lawrence Institute of Technology in Detroit. He shifted to engineering, and after graduating in 1948 was hired by Chrysler. DeLorean later earned advanced degrees in engineering and business administration. He joined GM in 1956 as an engineering director for Pontiac. His patents included the recessed windshield wiper and the overhead cam engine. DeLorean led Pontiac by age 40, and four years later became the youngest head of GM's giant Chevrolet division. He helped shift Detroit toward smaller, more efficient autos, such as the Vega 2300 in 1970. DeLorean was a GM vice president in charge of all North American car and truck operations when he quit in 1973. Car still modern today The namesake car he created in the early '80s featured a rear-mounted, aluminum 2.8-liter V-6 fuel-injected engine that produced 130 horsepower and went 0-60 mph in less than 8 seconds. Independent four-wheel suspension, a broad 62-inch stance, and front wheels smaller than the rear set made for tight handling, aficionados said. "Twenty years later, it's still just as modern as anything coming out of the factories now," Truscott said. The two-seater originally sold for $33,000, and was available with either automatic or 5-speed manual transmissions. Some are now available for less than $20,000. After the DeLorean car venture failed, he was involved in some 40 legal cases, including his 1985 divorce from model and talk show personality Cristina Ferrare -- his third wife -- after a 12-year marriage. "I believe I deserve what happened to me," DeLorean told The Associated Press after the divorce, which followed his drug trial. "The deadliest sin is pride," he said, proclaiming his faith as a born-again Christian. "I was an arrogant egomaniac. I needed this, as difficult as it was, to get my perspective back." DeLorean is survived by his wife, Sally DeLorean; son, Zachary Tavio DeLorean; daughters, Kathryn Ann DeLorean and Sheila Baldwin DeLorean; three brothers; several nieces and nephews; and two grandchildren. A public viewing was scheduled for Wednesday at the funeral home, with a private burial scheduled for Thursday at White Chapel Cemetery in the Detroit suburb of Troy.

[vwlarry]

I'll make everyone mad by my dissenting view of the DMC automobile. It was a DOG. What started out with so much promise, gradually degenerated, over a period of five or so LONG years, into a mish-mash of design and engineering compromises, topped-off with the use of a powertrain (the PRV V6 boat-anchor) that was so mediocre that even by early eighties (low) standards was a piece of doo-doo.

DeLorean enlisted the aid of Lotus to help sort-out the suspension, and that helped some, but the quality-control issues were so all-consuming, and the design so ultimately half-baked that the car really amounted to not much more than a stainless steel fart-in-a-bottle, at least when stacked up against its contemporary competitors.

Honestly, I wouldn't walk across the street to see a DeLorean car. It was most likely the LEAST of his automotive accomplishments in an otherwise rather distinguished career.

[Blue Golfer]

Quote, originally posted by Obin Robinson »

our friend's dad worked with DeLorean at GM back in the day of GM muscle power. he said he was a pretty cool guy. R.I.P. John, the father of the GTO. DeLorean was singlehandedly the man we can thank for the muscle car. he'll surely be missed.

In a way, he was responsible for the GTI as well. What ws the GTO but a basic midsize two-door family car with a big engine in it? A powerful performance package, placed in a car that was also practical. Well, that's the GTI, too - a Golf hatchback (the practical side) with an engine capable of powering it to 140 mph (performance side). VW simply borrowed the idea.

I believe that is what as known as "having your cake and eating it too."

John DeLorean served some pretty tasty cake.