Time McFlys in iconic DeLorean

Michael Smith owns a 1981 DeLorean, renowned as being the time machine in the Back to the Future films. There are only about 100 of the iconic cars in Australia and about 12 in Queensland. Mr Smith bought his on e-Bay.

Rob Williams

MICHAEL Smith reckons he only rarely tires of hearing people ask to see his flux capacitor.

That's right, he owns a DeLorean, the car made famous in the 1985 science fiction adventure film Back to the Future.

Mr Smith's father, Allen, owns the motorcycle museum at Haigslea and Michael is building up a collection of cars.

The only spanner in the works of this story is he didn't buy the DeLorean because of the movie.

"To tell the truth I'm not a big fan of the movie. It doesn't do anything for me," said Mr Smith, who guesses there are fewer than 100 DeLoreans in Australia and about a dozen in Queensland.

"But Back to the Future is the most obvious reference non-car people associate with it. I don't take it anywhere if I'm in a hurry because someone always wants to stop me and have a look."

Car people find it a curiosity as well because the car is different and has an interesting back story.

"It's a normal car really; it's got an engine in the back and four wheels but it just goes left field. It's got gull-wing doors, stainless steel body finish, and it's not just a Ford or Holden that was made differently, it's a whole different company that existed to make just that one product," Mr Smith said.

The short story behind the DeLorean is that John DeLorean worked for General Motors before deciding to build his own car.

The longer story was turned into a couple of books that tell of a man who built an unlikely empire then watched it crash and burn.

Less than 10,000 cars were manufactured from 1981 to 1983 by DeLorean Motor Company, just outside Belfast in Northern Island.

"I always thought, 'they're interesting. I wouldn't mind one of those one day'," said Mr Smith, who already had a Ferrari, RX-7, Skyline, BMW and a Falcon.

"It came up on e-Bay earlier this year in Sydney. I was looking overseas as well."

He said he has learnt to be cagey about how much it cost.

"If you're looking to buy one at the moment, they're advertised around the $60,000 mark. It's not what I paid but if you want one, that's what you'll have to pay."