'Back to the Future' DeLorean hero car will join the National Historic Vehicle Register

The Hagerty Drivers Foundation (HDF) has announced the latest car to join its National Historic Vehicle Register, a list and collection of documentation of historically significant automobiles. And that car is the instantly recognizable DeLorean DMC-12 time machine from the first "Back to the Future" film.

This particular car is the hero car used in the movie. The organization notes that the car was restored from 2012 to 2013, and the restoration was done by a team of fans led by the movie's writer, Bob Gale. Being that it's a car from the first film, it lacks the "Mr. Fusion" fuel tank from the second movie or the steel wheels and white wall tires from the third. It has a standard Peugeot-Renault-Volvo V6 making 130 horsepower, and this one has a manual transmission, just like you'll see in the movie.

The car is owned by Universal Studios and is on permanent loan to the Petersen Museum in Los Angeles. So you can see it there, but if you can't make it to California, the car will be on display at the National Mall in Washington D.C. this September as part of the HVA's Cars at the Capital program.

The DeLorean is the 29th car to join the National Historic Vehicle Register. Another car will be added this year that the HDF hasn't revealed. The DeLorean is in excellent company with the original Bullitt Mustang, the 1911 Marmon Wasp (the first car to win the Indy 500), and Bruce Meyers' original Manx dune buggy, among many others. You can see the whole list at this link.

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