Back to the Future: Swiss Man Restores Iconic DeLorean, Offers Rides for Special Events
A Swiss orientation advisor has fulfilled a lifelong dream by meticulously restoring a DeLorean DMC-12 – the iconic time-traveling car from the Back to the Future film trilogy – and is now offering it for rent for private events.
A childhood fascination with taking things apart, “to the great despair” of his parents, ultimately led Cédric Blanc to embark on the ambitious project. He recalls dismantling televisions and VCRs simply “to see how it was done,” a curiosity that foreshadowed his later automotive endeavor. While his early attempts at deconstruction lacked the benefit of online tutorials, Blanc’s adult restoration benefited immensely from the wealth of information available on the internet.
Blanc, who resides in Val-de-Ruz and works as an orientation advisor in Val-de-Travers, is neither a trained mechanic nor an engineer. “I really like to tinker, I restore old odds and ends, but a car was a first!” he explained. The seed for this project was planted in 1985, when he and a friend could “recite all the replicas” from the Back to the Future films and harbored a shared desire to one day own the legendary vehicle.
The dream began to materialize after his fortieth birthday. “I had a little money aside and decided to find out to buy a used Delorean,” Blanc stated. He located a promising candidate in France, boasting a relatively well-maintained body and engine. The restoration process involved a comprehensive overhaul, including rebuilding engine components, repairing various elements, and revising the rear electrical system and fuel supply.
Fortunately, sourcing parts proved surprisingly manageable. “When the company went bankrupt, it still had in stock of which to build around sixty cars,” Blanc noted. An Englishman based in Texas acquired the remaining inventory, establishing a robust network of resellers. While most parts are original, Blanc also incorporated modern enhancements, utilizing 3D-printed components in some instances. He relied heavily on online forums and technical advice to guide his work, completing the restoration independently with the exception of the braking system, which he entrusted to a professional mechanic.
After a year of dedicated work – and successful completion of required expertise testing and a noise assessment by the cantonal car service – Blanc is now enjoying the fruits of his labor. However, he admits the car is more at home in his garage than on the open road. “I feel a certain pride of having been able to restore this car almost without any basic knowledge in mechanics, but I ultimately use it very little, it attracts the eyes too much. It is rather a museum piece,” he said.
But Blanc isn’t content to simply admire his restored DeLorean. He intends to share it with others, offering rentals for special occasions such as birthdays, weddings, and themed events. “I would be delighted to be able to share them with other people by renting it for private events such as birthdays, weddings, geek or retro evenings!” he concluded.
