OK, I'm sure every one of us DeLorean owners have experienced the question of, "Hey where's the Flux Capacitor".  Over this past year I have been getting out to participate in more car shows and have heard that question over and over again.  I didn't like the usual answer like, Oh that was an option I didn't get.  I was never really into making my car a BTTF replica but the bug bit me and I felt it was time to make my own Flux Capacitor (FC).  Some research on the internet revealed a number of various replicas, some which where very realistic while others seems just plain ugly.  I realized that I wanted to make mine myself and that some of the original parts, such as the relays used are no longer available.

 

To start with I collected as many pictures and videos of a FC from the internet as I could.   I found several sites that explained how to make your own but no single sight really answered all my questions.

 

I started out looking for the box and found out that something close could be purchased from a company called Stahlin.  They even had a model with the clear plastic window in the front.  It costs a lot more than the non-window version but I decide to go for it and save the trouble of cutting a window myself.  While I was waiting for the box to come in the mail I experimented with and designed a circuit to power the LEDs.  I knew I wanted 3 LEDs in each arm of the Y shaped display, thus I needed 9 LEDs.  They should light up 3 at a time, converging on the center of the Y.  Then at some point I wanted them all to flash at once.  Eventually I came up with a circuit that uses commonly available inexpensive parts and tested it in my basement lab. Finally I got it to do what I wanted and so I assembled it in a small case and decided to call it the Pocket Flux capacitor. (Now you can see why I opted to buy a box with a built in window.)

 

 

Finally the proper box came and now I had to build the "real thing".  The other parts needed were, a base to mount all the parts on, the "relays, spark plug wires and the plastic pieces to make up the Y.

 

Well the base was easily made from a piece of Masonite spray painted flat black.

 

The plastic I bought as a 1" x 12" x 3/8" piece of Lucite on Canal Street.  I've go to tell you that it was really depressing to go down to Canal Street in NYC and see what's left of it.  Back in my younger days, like 30+ years ago, Canal Street was famous for surplus electronics.  Today all you can find is knock off pocket books, perfumes and watches.  Only a few of the original stores are still there. Alas but I digress.

 

I had to cut the plastic into three angled pieces then polish the edges so they looked nice.
 

Next was the yellow spark plug wire with the red boots.  These are still sold by Accel but I really didn't want to spend $50 for a set that I would only be cutting up to use as a prop.  I ended up going to a car show / swap meet and found the red wires with black boots that I ended up using.

 

Now for the relays...  You can but a set of three, really authentic looking plastic molded ones for $200.  I opted to search Home Depot for something and found that 1-1/4" plastic pipe caps were about the right size.  I spray painted them metallic gold.

 

Assembly was straight forward except I didn't know how to mount those three plastic arms on to the base.  I ended up drilling and taping 2 holes for 4-40 Nylon screws in each one.  Hey that was pretty annoying to do.  Then of course I had to drill 3 more holes in each to fit the LEDs into.

Then there is the obligatory DYMO taped, phases on the front.  Believe it or not modern versions of the old  DYMO label machines are easy purchased.  I bought mine at Target.

 

All in all I came up with a reasonable replica that is certainly not as good as some I have seen but served my purpose well .  A  couple of weekends ago I was showing the car at Belmont raceway when I got the question I was now waiting for.  "So where's the Flux Capacitor?"   Right in here I said with a big smile on my face.

 

I have had a number of people say that my car, was the best at the show, and even one guy that said I really made his day.

 

I've been asked to build one for someone else and I explained that it took me a long time and it would cost them too much.