Passed away yesterday at 80. RIP

First I heard of this!..RIP

John DeLorean, auto executive and sports car developer, dies at 80

By JEFFREY GOLD
.c The Associated Press

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - John Z. DeLorean, an automotive innovator who left General Motors Corp. 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 automaking built on unique, souped-up cars.

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.

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.

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.

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.



03/20/05 20:04 EST

Copyright 2003 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

RIP, Mr. DeLorean.

To John Z.

Please, please please tell us here, the story of your building the Chevrolet Limo for John Delorean. (LMAO)

JD :D

Smokey Yunick thought very highly of Mr. Delorean, and had some very interesting storied about him in his book. How he wore sports coats, and no socks when everyone else was wearing a 3 piece suite, LOL. How he dated super models, etc.

His car didn't work out to well, but according to Smokey, the guy was the best business man he'd ever known.

RIP, :( .

Thus ends an era. RIP.

His viewing is open to the public.

R.I.P. John, too!!

And the sad part of the whole car deal was that the British Gov. (or whoever it was), deep-6'ed his car's body sheetmetal dies out in the North Sea!!

OR so I have heard/read...

pdq67

De Loreans career with GM was chronicled in the 1979 book "On a Clear Day You Can See General Motors." It was written 1973-1974 but De Lorean fought publication for some reason.

He put himself through college, got drafted, sold insurance and conveyor systems. He got a Masters in Auto Engineering, started at Chrysler, moved to Packard.

Chevy was a mess when he became GM in February 1969. He turned it around and was promoted to a job he hated and left to build his own car. He was smart and widely respected in the industry.

Try to find it. An interesting story, particularly the Chevrolet stuff.

I remember I was in college when he came out with the DeLorean...I didn't know what to think of it.lol He really was a significant player back in the day. RIP JZD...

Dano :(

"On a Clear Day You Can See General Motors."

You can buy that book on Amazon. I think I may get it.

That one and Ralph Nadar's book, "Unsafe at Any Speed"!!

It told about the short-comings of the First Gen. Corvair!!

And a buddy of mine in school had one AND yes, he wrecked it just like they did back then!!

Slightly too fast around a curve, rear jacked and over it went!!

Bttt, you know I sure wish the General would wake up and smell the coffee like Mr. D. could AND did!!!

pdq67

I always held a lot of respect for John D. --RIP!!

Amen.

Originally posted by John Doyle:
To John Z.

Please, please please tell us here, the story of your building the Chevrolet Limo for John Delorean. (LMAO)

JD :D OK, you asked for it :D

Shortly after John DeLorean became the Chevrolet General Manager, he attended his first monthly General Managers’ Meeting as the head of Chevrolet, at the GM Building; he arranged to be driven to the meeting from Chevrolet’s headquarters at the GM Tech Center in a black Cadillac limousine. Shortly after the limousine drove into the executive garage at the GM building, the manager of the garage called upstairs to the 14th floor to inform the Chairman that Delorean had arrived in a Cadillac. This didn’t go over well at all with (Chairman) James Roche and (Vice Chairman) Richard Gerstenberg, and they chewed him out royally when he arrived in the conference room, reminding him that only the top two officers were entitled to chauffered Cadillac limousines, and as head of Chevrolet, he was expected to arrive in his Division’s product, not in a Cadillac.

Later that day, after DeLorean arrived back at Chevrolet, he told Alex Mair, the Chevrolet Chief Engineer, that he wanted a Chevrolet limousine built in time for the next month’s General Managers’ Meeting. The project started that night in the Engineering Metal Shop; a Caprice station wagon was pulled out of the fleet for the front third of the car, and a Caprice hardtop coupe with the stylish concave back window was pulled out of the fleet for the back third of the car. The two cars were cut in half and set up on a surface plate, and work proceeded (on a three-shift schedule) to fabricate the center third of the car to join the two partial cars together as an extended-wheelbase Caprice limousine.

Fisher Body Plant #21 (where the Cadillac limousine bodies were built) was approached to provide the interior trim and glass divider partition, but they refused, so the velour interior and mouton wool carpeting was stripped out of the borrowed limousine used earlier, modified, and installed in the now-stretched Caprice, including the rear air-conditioning unit and overhead A/C ductwork in the headliner. The completed car was sent to the Proving Grounds, checked out for function and safety, and returned to Chevrolet Engineering two days ahead of the deadline.

Delorean used the freshly-created Caprice limousine to go to the next General Managers’ Meeting, the same call was made to the 14th floor from the garage office when he arrived, and he was again berated when he entered the conference room; he then pointed out that he had done exactly as he had been instructed and arrived in a Chevrolet. The 14th floor gang was not amused, but he enjoyed it. Upon return to Chevrolet Engineering, the limousine was parked in the fleet lot, sat there for several months, and was later wholesaled to a dealer or National Car Rental; where it went from there is unknown, but it was the only factory-built Chevrolet limousine ever made.

graemlins/beers.gif

He, He!!

A man after my own humor!!

What is it my Buddy at work always say's??

"Well, there's always something!"....

He, He!!

pdq67

Thanks John! I LOVE that story! :D

great story John,, enjoyed reading that
Frank