Owner of DeLorean car restoration business says they will survive after runaway Hills truck crash
Few people had any idea there was an SA business dedicated to restoring the cult DeLorean car from Back To The Future - until a runaway truck smashed into their workshop.
Adelaide Hills & Murraylands
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A deep love for the Back to the Future films has turned into a successful sports car business venture for one South Australian man – now, he is dealing with the extensive damage from a freak accident.
In December 2020, Paul Black decided it was time to take a break from his management role and put more time into something he loves – restoring DeLorean sports cars.
“I desperately needed to take a break and it was then that I came across the workshop in Totness and decided it was time to give the business concept a go,” he said.
“I managed to find a few lots of what the DeLorean community call new old-stock dealer inventory in the USA, purchased the parts, imported them and it’s all grown from there.”
Mr Black, 40, of Mount Barker, said in the absence of a specific service provider in a country that has an estimated 150 DeLoreans, he is confident his business has a future.
“Plenty of people suggested I was mad, argued it was too much of a niche market and that it would never work,” he said.
“We have since finished the restoration of two DeLoreans, employed four staff, currently have another seven cars from all over Australia under restoration and have recently taken on a second workshop and storage area in the same yard.”
Mr Black’s Totness business - near Mount Barker - was rocked by a freak accident on Wednesday in which a semi-trailer, travelling along Follet Cl, lost control and tore through part of the restoration shed, causing up to $250,000 in damage.
“The accident has quite simply brought the business to standstill,” he said.
Mr Black said one client’s car was damaged in the carnage and they had lost a significant number of spare parts.
Mr Black said he intends to lobby to council for speed restrictions to be enforced on Follet Cl and Innovation Dr to prevent the same accident occurring again.
The owner said before the accident he was restoring their second Back to the Future time machine replica.
“It’s the first time we’ve been involved in the repair of a movie car complete with a “Mr Fusion”, the first car we completed was a replica of the time machine from part one,” he said.
The DeLorean fanatic said his love for the cars derives from his love of the Back to the Future franchise.
“However, I prefer the car in its natural state as opposed to the car with the movie props,” he said.
The 40-year-old said he is uncertain as to when the business will be up-and-running again while they wait for insurance.
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