INTERVIEW: FTN talks to Fusion Time Travel

 

Greetings my fellow Nerds and Nerdettes; as you probably know by now, we at FTN love the Back to the Future trilogy (I even loved the cartoon series that had little segments with Christopher Lloyd as Doc Brown). So when I heard that that there was a company based in the UK that had re-created the Delorean Time Machine, well, I just wanted to reach 88mph and scream “Out of the way, Butt Head!”.

Fusion Time Travel is a company that hires out a screen accurate DeLorean BTTF Time Machine (note; time circuits may not be operational during thunder storms!). Built to screen accuracy by a former NASA electrical engineer and Universal Studios contractee, this vehicle not only looks amazing, it also has authentic sound effects and special effects. All pictures below are the Fusion Time Travel car.

I spoke to Luke, creator and operator of this brilliant replica piece and popped him some questions:

FTN: Back to the Future seems to be as popular now as it was when first released in 1985, and this has a lot to do with the iconic car. What gave you the idea to create your own “Time Machine out of a DeLorean”?

FTT: Back To The Future will always be held close to peoples hearts. The fantasy of time travel, along with some of the most amazing character bonding and script writing makes this trilogy unbeatable. I figured that Deloreans were getting on a bit these days and that if I didn’t get one now, chances are I never would. I took the plunge and went ahead with the purchase of my dream car. I figured that once I had it, I could simply go back in time to before I paid for it!

FTN: Over the course of the movie trilogy, the car had a number of improvements, such as hover mode, Mr Fusion, and even rail wheels. Your vehicle has all of the main elements such as the flux capacitor and the time circuit relay. What other items from the film does your vehicle possess?

FTT: Out of the three films, Part 2 has always intrigued me the most. Who doesn’t love the idea of tearing around on a Hoverboard, then hitting the skyway in a flying car?

I worked with a good friend on this vehicle, to add some unique features that have helped take one of these amazing cars to the next level. I came up with an idea for a time travel mode that would activate when the car hit 88mph, to simulate the effect as accurately as possible. I obtained the accurate sound effects and they were added to one of the soundboards linked to the cars internal and external speakers. When that magical speed is reached, the cars Flux capacitor and external bands light up, and the sound effects burst from all speakers to give the passengers and surrounding people one amazing, nostalgic show! This mode can also be activated manually and whilst on display.

The Time Circuits can be activated and controlled just as Doc Brown demonstrated back in 1985. The overhead console can be customised for display purposes, or can be lit up in a screen accurate way. The doors will activate a sound clip when opened, along with the Mr Fusions suction sound when opening to throw in those Banana peels and Millers beers! Even down to the smaller details such as the Flux Capacitors crackling/static sound and Time Circuits beeping, I can’t think of anything that is missing from this faithful Delorean Time Machine.

Most of the special effects can be controlled wirelessly at the push of a button, including many memorable quotes and theme tunes to really enhance the experience. My personal favourite is when somebody is taking a close look at the car, from a distance you can have “What are you looking at butthead?” play from the car. It always gets a huge smile! 🙂

FTN: I’ve looked at your vehicles photographs and see Marty McFly’s jacket with “drying mode” and the sports almanac’; have you already travelled to the future to pick these up?

FTT: Yes, Doc gave me the jacket and Almanac in 2015 but unfortunately he forgot to supply me the unique charging system for the tiny futuristic batteries that power it, so I will have to make another visit shortly. Perhaps I can use some of the winnings from this Almanac to bring each of you guys a jacket back?

FTN: As you may know, the DeLorean was built here inBelfast,Northern Ireland(FTN HQ) so we at FTN always have a special place in our hearts for it. Why do you think the general public also hold this car and indeed the Back to the Future vehicle in such fondness?

FTT: I think the main features of a Delorean that stand out are of course, those amazing gullwing doors and brushed stainless steel body. It was the only car to have a 25 year body warranty due to the materials used. It is a part of history, and undeniably helped greatly by the Back To The Future trilogy.

Setting aside it’s associations with Back To The Future, the Delorean is a thing of true beauty and will continue to become more popular as time goes on. Was it the best built sports car..? No. Heck, it wasn’t even one of the fastest for its time, but it certainly is something special. Driving or being a passenger of a Delorean, is a feeling that can’t be explained until you experience it for yourself.

I have had a warm welcome on the Delorean forums which was nice. They are a helpful, friendly community, and I look forward to attending some of their events this year.

FTN: The number of replica film and tv show vehicles and enthusiasts has grown significantly over the last few years with companies hiring out iconic vehicles such as The A-Team Van, KITT from Knight Rider and The General Lee from Dukes of Hazzard. Which would be your all time favourite movie vehicle?

FTT: Now of course i’m going to be biased here, but if I were to take the plunge all over again….I would find myself right back at the same spot. It is agreed by most, that the Delorean Time Machine is the most iconic movie car to have been built. I’m a great fan of most movie cars, but another favourite of mine is the original Batman car. They stretch our imagination and bring out the kid in us all.

FTN: With a terrific Back to the Future vehicle replica already completed, do you have any plans to own any further film or tv vehicles?

FTT: I have already been to the future, so I can confirm that this Delorean Time Machine will be my only movie car purchase. My wife was giving it her utmost in the future to have the car moved on, so I decided to come back to 2013 to avoid this terrible disaster from happening.. 😉

I would like to take this opportunity to thank, from the bottom of my heart, everyone involved with creating the Back To The Future trilogy. I can confidently say that it’s a lot more than just a trilogy to not only myself, but many other fans worldwide. It’s something truly special, and i’m so glad I was born in this time period to truly enjoy it as a young adult. Those memories of going to Universal Studios in Florida to go on the Back To The Future Ride over and over again with my family, will stay with me for the rest of my life.

See you in the future…..or in the past!

Thanks to Luke and the folks at Fusion Time Travel for taking some time out to chat with me. If you would like to find out more about Fusion Time Travel, their work and contact them, here are their details:

Contact: http://www.fusiontimetravel.co.uk
email: doc@fusiontimetravel.co.uk
Tel: 07866 833999