Tom and Corrinna Sedor’s story began on wheels — at a suburban roller rink in 1985 — and, in many ways, it has stayed there ever since.
The Orland Park couple, now married 26 years, bonded early over a shared love of movies. One of their first dates was to see “Back to the Future,” a film that would ultimately shape not only their interests, but their livelihood.
“One of the first movies we saw as a couple was ‘Back to the Future,’” Tom Sedor recalled. “And that is how the story began.”
The “story,” as he describes it, centers on a car that was as unconventional as it was unforgettable: the DeLorean DMC-12, with its gull-wing doors and stainless-steel body.
When the car debuted in 1981, it looked like a glimpse into the future. Its real-world performance, however, fell short of expectations. Critics knocked its sluggish acceleration and handling, and consumers largely passed it by. By 1983, after producing about 9,000 vehicles, the DeLorean Motor Company had shut down.
Then Hollywood intervened.
The DeLorean found new life as the time machine in “Back to the Future,” starring Michael J. Fox as teenager Marty McFly and Christopher Lloyd as the eccentric scientist Doc Brown. Outfitted with blinking lights, wires and the fictional “flux capacitor,” the car became a pop culture icon almost overnight.
More than four decades later, that cinematic legacy still resonates — and for the Sedors, it has become a business.
The couple purchased their first DeLorean in 1992. In 2015, they transformed their passion into a venture, converting a vehicle into a detailed Time Machine replica and renting it out for events through their websites.
“My whole reason for converting my vehicle into a Time Machine replica was to celebrate the Chicago Cubs potentially winning the World Series in 2015, as predicted in ‘Back to the Future Part II,’” Sedor said. “Interestingly enough, the Cubs won the World Series a year later in 2016.”
Since then, the Sedors have expanded their offerings, adding more vehicles inspired by film and television and connecting customers with DeLorean owners across the country to secure cars for events ranging from private parties to corporate promotions.
Rental rates vary depending on travel and event details, but typically start at $275 per hour for the Time Machine replica, with a two-hour minimum. A standard DeLorean without modifications rents for less. Even local bookings often reach into the four-figure range.
The cars themselves represent a significant investment. According to Hagerty Insurance, DeLorean models can range from about $32,000 in fair condition to more than $100,000 for top-tier examples — values bolstered in part by the vehicle’s enduring connection to the film franchise.
That connection has not gone unnoticed by Michael J. Fox himself. In his 2025 memoir “Future Boy,” the actor praised the film’s magic while candidly critiquing the car, describing it as uncomfortable and difficult to drive, especially after the addition of movie props.
Sedor, however, stands by the vehicle.
“The DMC-12 is one of the more spacious, ergonomically comfortable cars I’ve driven,” he said. “It’s like sitting in a recliner with wide armrests.”
He suggested the film cars may not have been maintained for performance and noted that the Time Machine modifications themselves made driving more cumbersome.
Today, enthusiasts continue to preserve and modify the cars, keeping them on the road and in the public eye.
Its place in pop culture — and in the Sedors’ lives — remains secure.
What began as a shared movie experience between two teenagers has evolved into a niche business built on nostalgia, ingenuity and a car that, while flawed, proved it could stand the test of time.