DeLorean Motoring Heritage Questionnaire

[Chris Williams]

[ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND]

Not sure if any one wishes to spend a bit of time helping out with this book, it basically involves downloading this form and Emailing it back. I have put my Email conversation with him below so you can see what it's all about.

Dear Secretary,

I am a social anthropologist based in Queen's University Belfast, and am
conducting research for a chapter in a forthcoming book on Tourism and
Motoring Heritage. I would like to distribute questionnaires to your
members regarding their knowledge of, and interest in, DeLorean's Belfast
heritage. I also have a separate questionnaire for club secretaries. I
will be happy to forward a digital copy of the completed chapter to the
club. Please can you let me know if you are interested in participating in
this research?

best regards,

Dr. Gordon Ramsey,
Queen's University Belfast

Dear Chris, thank you for your prompt response.

If you could forward the attached - that would be great.

I attach two questionnaires, one for distribution to members,
and a briefer one for the Club Secretary. Please can members
answer the questions and return them as email attachments to this
address (which is on the questionnaires).

The questionnaires are anonymous, and should any member wish
to protect their email address, they could send it to you for you
to forward on, if this is not too much trouble,

very much appreciated,
Gordon
________________________________________

Sent: 19 August 2013 16:41
To: Gordon Ramsey
Subject: Re: Research into DeLorean and Tourism in Belfast

Hi

Thanks for your Email, Unfortunately I would not be able to provide you with
a list of our club members due to the data protection act, I could however
forward them on for you or enclose a flyer with our next magazine or if you
wish post something on our DeLorean forum for you.

I'm sure there would be some interest in what your doing.

Best Wishes


Chris Williams
Secretary DeLorean Owners Club (UK)
-----Original Message-----
From: Gordon Ramsey
Sent: Monday, August 19, 2013 11:19 AM
To: secretary@deloreans.co.uk
Subject: Research into DeLorean and Tourism in Belfast

[Guinney1971]

Gordon Ramsey lol - I bet he gets f'ing ribbed about that one :lol:

[DMCNI]

Lets get as many of these questionnaires completed, in the hope it might finally get DeLorean, its legacy and the people who made it recognised for their great achievements.

Northern Ireland needs to be reminded we made one of if not the most iconic car ever....Belfast CIty and Lisburn City Councils need to wake up fast before its too late. The people who worked for DMC first hand are not getting any younger we need to tap into their first hand experiences before its too late, the test track is an important part of the history and would be a great centrepiece to a potential visitor centre.

It also gives tourism another option in the ever competitive market, offering visitors another interesting attraction to visit!

On another note is Gordon involved in the Electric Delorean project that Queens University in Belfast are currently working on? If so would he be able to provide some details for the website or the next edition of the magazine?

[Chris Williams]

Quote:Northern Ireland needs to be reminded we made one of if not the most iconic car ever....Belfast CIty and Lisburn City Councils need to wake up fast before its too late. The people who worked for DMC first hand are not getting any younger we need to tap into their first hand experiences before its too late, the test track is an important part of the history and would be a great centrepiece to a potential visitor centre.

How very true, as I wrote over on DMC talk the test track needs to be saved NOW, as I'm sure it will be swallowed up when/IF the global economy picks up.
Chris

[DMCNI]

I happened to be talking to a colleague in work who used to be an MLA in the Northern Ireland Assembly at Stormont. I explained the situation about the test track, the historical interest, the potential visitor attraction etc and he can see the point of trying to save the test track.

He suggested that the Department of Arts, Leisure and Culture at Stormont are the people to contact regards the matter of saving the track. He also suggested getting a bit of media interest in the cause to save the track and take it from there. However my guessing is that this has been done already, but the MLA's in Stormont, Belfast and Lisburn City Council's just dont want to know?

[Rich Hanlon]

I'm not sure this has been done: if you have a 'Way In', then it'd be great for the whole Delorean community if you could use it to influence people in the know!

[Chris P]

Ian Foster, who's family ( and his Delorean's) are in Northern Ireland and who is an Urban Planner and Architect in Hong Kong, did all this years ago....nothing, absolutely nothing was done.

We walked around the test track with Ian on Saturday....its in a right old state......


( pity i can't master sending photo's to attach....I'll send them to a friend to post up).

[DMCNI]

Is it maybe worth trying something again with the Northern Ireland Executive?

We could get all the DeLorean Clubs around the world, along with any official bodies for Classic Cars in the UK/Ireland/American on board and get them to lobby the case to save the track? Its better to keep on trying rather than give up and let the "folks on the hill as we call them in Northern Ireland" know we haven't gone away.

Perhaps I am just being naive about it all as I am fresh blood to the world of DeLorean ownership.


What was the track like Chris? Has it overgrown again similar to the photos I have seen before they cleared the track for Eurofest 2011.

Must say I was rather disappointed they wouldn't let us walk around it on Saturday due to good old health and safety....however being down at the factory was good enough for me.

[ROBLAMROCK]

Since the factory closed, the DeLorean Owners Association has been the only organisation to actively adopt a strategy to restore, maintain and use the test track at the former Dunmurry site.
DeLorean owners and enthusiasts from around the world have enjoyed memorable visits to the factory and drives on the test track during Eurofests held in 1993, 1997, 2001, 2006 and 2011.
The dynamics concerning preservation of the test track are complex and the Association has taken a lead role in this.
Whilst the track might look ‘in a right old state’ at present this is superficial as this is its’ dormant state between usage as the photos below illustrate. Closer inspection will show that the leaves and moss actually give the track protection during the winter season.
Over the years there have been numerous rumours of the test track’s imminent demise but these have all come to nothing. At the same time opportunities to have a practical endgame have also been explored.
Recent developments however give the Association hope for the future and I am optimistic that the test track will be around for a while yet. There is much work yet to be done and the global DeLorean community will be kept informed of any significant change in the status quo.

Robert Lamrock
Board Director
DeLorean Owners Association




Test track before and after maintenance/clearing work is carried out.

[DMCNI]

Glad to hear work is being done to preserve the track....role on Eurofest 2016 so I can take my car around the track!!