Man Owns Real Life Back To The Future DeLorean I RIDICULOUS RIDES
WHILE millions of film fans dream of owning Bond’s Aston Martin or Bruce Wayne’s Batmobile, Ollie Wilkey has turned his movie car fantasy into a reality. The self-employed inventory clerk, 25, from Keynsham in Somerset, is the proud owner of a DeLorean Time Machine – the iconic vehicle made famous in the Back to the Future series. The car was built in Florida by an ex-NASA engineer and Universal Studios constructor, and later bought by his friend Luke, from Leeds, UK, who sold it to Ollie in February 2014 for a five-figure sum. Although sadly not capable of traveling back to 1955, the “screen accurate” DeLorean features everything from a flux capacitor to a Mr Fusion Home Energy Reactor. And when the souped-up vehicle reaches 88mph, it activates a special time travel sequence, including lights and sound effects. Ollie runs a business renting the car out, but still finds time to take the DeLorean for a spin - and the car never fails to attract hordes of appreciative onlookers.
Transcript
00:00 00:33 COMM: A time machine in a traffic jam, not
00:19 something you see everyday, unless you live near Ollie Wilkie.
00:23 But while this car might not actually be able to travel through time, its owner believes
00:27 his pride and joy is the most screen accurate back to the future DeLorean in Britain.
00:32 A lifelong fan of the films, Ollie knew from a young age that he wanted a car just like
00:38 Marty McFly's.
00:39 01:10 OLLIE WILKIE - I saw it when I was about ten and I thought, I bet when I learn to drive
00:43 I can get a DeLorean.
00:44 There's about 6500 left, if you can get a good running one they're a good investment.
00:49 01:20 COMM: At age 26 he was able to buy and renovate
00:52 an original DeLorean, which he still owns.
00:55 01:27 OLLIE WILKIE - The first DeLorean I bought in pieces as a restoration, I was able
01:00 to pay for the parts over the two years that we did it up.
01:02 It was a long process and it was essentially my savings fund.
01:06 01:37 COMM: But then a couple of years later his
01:08 time travel dreams came true, when he had the chance to buy this sci-fi work of art.
01:13 01:44 OLLIE WILKIE - I bought the car through the
01:16 DeLorean owners club.
01:17 I met a guy on there who bought this car and imported it from America.
01:22 The real life Doc Brown as it were, is an ex-NASA electrical engineer based in Florida.
01:28 He now converts DeLoreans into Back to the Future replica time machines.
01:31 02.05 COMM: The attention to detail is every fan's
01:34 dream, including iconic props like the flux capacitor and Mr Fusion.
01:39 02.14 OLLIE WILKIE - My favourite part of the car is the time circuits where you can
01:45 input your destination time.
01:47 When you hit 88 miles an hour it will activate time travel mode.
01:51 It will look and act as if it had made a jump through time.
01:56 03.05 OLLIE WILKIE - The most iconic parts of the car is its gold wing doors.
02:02 When you open the doors it makes futuristic opening noises as it does in the film.
02:07 03.14 COMM: To complete the experience Ollie has managed
02:10 to acquire a host of replica props from the film.
02:13 03.18 OLLIE WILKIE - People do love the Nike shoes and they love the hoverboard.
02:17 People get just as excited about the hoverboard as they do about the whole car.
02:20 03.21 COMM: While the car isn't exactly practical
02:22 for going down the shops, it does attract plenty of attention.
02:25 03.26 OLLIE WILKIE - I've had people right up behind me taking a video.
02:29 You almost get a bit worried because it's not so much you're driving but someone going
02:32 to the back of you.
02:33 Luckily I've never been pulled over in it.
02:35 Whenever I do see police they usually just give you a thumbs up and a smile.
02:39 03.40 COMM: Entrepreneur Ollie has even managed to
02:41 turn his boyhood dream into a business, hiring out the car for weddings and other events.
02:47 But what does his girlfriend Anna think?
02:48 03.52 ANNA - First I was a bit like, yes, okay, it's another DeLorean.
02:52 And then I got inside it and then I got really excited as well and I acted a bit like a little
02:55 kid pressing all the buttons and it does this, it does that.
02:58 I've always liked the films but I didn't necessarily call myself a fan as in I'd want
03:02 to get one.
03:03 I'd rather get a Volkswagen camper van so I'd happily get the one that the Libyans come
03:08 in.
03:09 That would be the next thing that I would like, thank you very much.
03:12 Instead of having two DeLoreans.
03:14 03.59 COMM: What does the future hold for Ollie and
03:16 his DeLoreans?
03:18 Only time will tell.
03:19 you.
03:20 (upbeat music)
03:23 [BLANK_AUDIO]