Classic & Sports Car UK – September 2019

LOST & FOUND

Aslaunched,theDeLoreanwas

left-handdriveandprimarilyaimed

attheUSmarket.However,the

firmdidhavea Europeandevelop-

mentprogramme,whichincluded

right-hand-driveexamples.The

prototypesweremodifiedversions

ofearlycarsandoutsourcedto

WoolerHodecLtdofAndover.

Threeofthesecarswereusedas

dealerdemonstratorsandregis-

teredinNorthernIrelandAXI

1697,AXI 1698 andAXI1699.

EnthusiastChrisParnhamhad

wanteda DMC-12eversincehe

sawAXI 1699 picturedonthecover

ofJohnMoore’sbookMotorMakers

inIreland. Parnhamjoinedthe

embryonicDeLoreanOwners’

Clubandeventuallytrackeddown

AXI1699,whichhadbeensold

secondhandbya dealerin 1984

toMartinWalton inLondon.

Walton’sfatherwasnothappywith

hissondrivinganIrish-registered

car,sohadit re-registeredMGJ

126Y.Sadly,Martincouldn’tafford

toinsuretheDeLoreanandputit

awayin a lock-upfor 18 years.

Parnhameventuallytracedit and

in 2000 heandWaltonwenttosee

thederelictgarage.Thecarwas

sad,butWaltonwouldn’tsell.

WhenhelatermovedtoAustralia,

a garage-owningfriendremoved

theDeLoreanandtookit withhim

whenhemovedtoBattle,whereit

stoodin a fieldforanother 18 years.

In2018,Waltondecidedto enter

it ina Bonhamsauction,butParn-

ham’spre-saleofferwasaccepted.

“Myplanis simple,”hesays.“I will

notbedoinga fullstrip-down,but

willdisturbas littleas possibleand

keepas manyoriginalpartsas I can.

It is nowrunningwellandholding

water,allcleanunderneathwith

justthebrakestofinish.Everynut

andboldhasfoughtme,despite

mygettingthroughfourlitresof

WD40overa coupleof weeks!”

RARITY WINGS ITS WAY TO REVIVAL

Clockwisefromfarleft:

thecabinhascleanedup

remarkablywell;mould

linedtheenginebay;the

DeLoreanasfoundin

thefieldinBattle

September 2019 Classic & Sports Car 39

Super-rare right-hand-

drive De Lorean has now

been rescued from its

rural home and will be

sensitively restored