# If you had to make a time machine out of a car **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 5, 2015, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-make-a-time-machine-out-of-a-car/719313 "2015-05-05T14:06:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Encinitas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Encinitas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Encinitas)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-make-a-time-machine-out-of-a-car/719313/21 "2015-05-06T10:34:10Z")
A Bentley Continental. Because that’s how I role. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-make-a-time-machine-out-of-a-car/719313/22 "2015-05-06T15:00:21Z")
> [@Balance](#): > > …The displacement field can be seen to extend several feet in front of the vehicle, which seems to be its greatest extent. It does not seem to extend any significant distance into the surface (if any) on which the vehicle is traveling at the time of displacement, since it doesn’t leave holes. However, it does leave firetrails, and it does so without destroying the tires (and even if there are no tires), suggesting that the fire is local material. The fact that these trails appear only below the vehicle, and not at all points where the field interacts with non-displaced materials, along with the fact that the first visible energy discharge occurs at these points, suggests that some special interaction occurs there, even before the flux capacitor is fully powered. I submit that this is likely by design; Doc somehow contrived to produce an effect at those points that isolates the vehicle from the surface on which it is traveling. > > These pre-displacement ignition points are slightly under 15 inches below the lowest point of the stainless body panels (I just went and measured), confirming that the displacement field can extend at least that far from the metal, so amputation isn’t guaranteed as long as your hand isn’t too far out the window. (Frozen fingers are likely, though.) As to the license plate–the rear fascia of a DeLorean is not metallic, and the harness roughly conforms to the metallic body panels and frame components; it’s possible that the plate, as the metallic component nearest the edge of the dispersal field, “shorted” the field at that point, carrying enough electrical current to melt it loose from the fascia. (The plate was still too hot for Marty to hold when he picked it up.) Of course! Now it makes sense! The car doesn’t have to go 88 because of some effect of the actual relative velocity. That never made any sense. If it was required, you’d probably have to go only in one direction. But if the machinery creating the time displacement field requires a minimum relative difference in velocity between the car (tires) and ground, in order for the field to be able to determine “car” vs “not-car”, then that fits! This is the missing piece of the puzzle! I have to go to the lab now. Be back…whenever! hahaha (of course, if he’s just made it out of a helicopter, these field effect issues could have been easily avoided.) ---
**Author:** ![G0sp3l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@G0sp3l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G0sp3l)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-make-a-time-machine-out-of-a-car/719313/23 "2015-05-06T15:01:13Z")
1973 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Those deadites will never know what hit’em. ---
**Author:** ![Gretchion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8edcca/32.png) [@Gretchion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gretchion)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-make-a-time-machine-out-of-a-car/719313/24 "2015-05-06T16:16:57Z")
[quote=“Just\_Asking\_Questions, post:5, topic:719313”] It wasn’t like the movie’s Delorean was lighting up the dragstrip. It looked like it took 15-20 seconds to get to 88./QUOTE] It took a lot longer than that when they used the lightning to send Marty back to 1985. More like two minutes if I remember correctly. I never thought about it, but that’s a pretty horrible acceleration rate. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-make-a-time-machine-out-of-a-car/719313/25 "2015-05-06T16:58:47Z")
> [@Gretchion](#): > > It took a lot longer than that when they used the lightning to send Marty back to 1985. More like two minutes if I remember correctly. I never thought about it, but that’s a pretty horrible acceleration rate. DeLoreans are, to put it kindly, not known for their powerful engines. The promotional material claimed a 0-60 mph of 8.8 seconds–not horrible for the time, but not great, either. In practice, the acceleration fell short of that, particularly in the American version–10.5 seconds is closer. From that, I’d guess about 15 seconds to get it to 88. The stock Peugeot V6 only supplied 150hp, and the American version was limited to 130hp. It’s pretty common for DeLorean owners to swap out the engine for something with more power. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-make-a-time-machine-out-of-a-car/719313/26 "2015-05-06T17:20:26Z")
One of the Jeeps from Rat Patrol. (in color!) ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-make-a-time-machine-out-of-a-car/719313/27 "2015-05-06T19:12:22Z")
> [@Encinitas](#): > > A Bentley Continental. Because that’s how I role. Quite so. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-make-a-time-machine-out-of-a-car/719313/28 "2015-05-06T20:51:42Z")
Reset the speed need to 66mph, and use a Baja Bug. ---
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-make-a-time-machine-out-of-a-car/719313/29 "2015-05-06T21:18:40Z")
A '47 Ford, in case some jerk in a stainless steel car comes after me. I’d rip it to tinfoil. ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-make-a-time-machine-out-of-a-car/719313/30 "2015-05-06T21:41:07Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > A Tesla. Badass acceleration, fewer finicky parts than an ICE, and no refined fuel concerns - anywhere you go, if you can construct a rudimentary generator, you can recharge it. And unlike the gasoline engine in the movie, you actually _could_ power it from the Mr. Fusion. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-make-a-time-machine-out-of-a-car/719313/31 "2015-05-06T21:42:51Z")
[Why is this even a question](http://arielatom.com/models-atom3/)? ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-make-a-time-machine-out-of-a-car/719313/32 "2015-05-06T23:04:06Z")
> [@TimeWinder](#): > > And unlike the gasoline engine in the movie, you actually _could_ power it from the Mr. Fusion. It has definite advantages. However, it would also have had some serious weaknesses in the movie; it has a lot of critical components that are pretty sensitive to electrical discharge, and even one of the lightning encounters would have probably killed it. As long as you don’t get stranded without anything to drive the time circuits, and go for the hover conversion/Mr. Fusion upgrade before going anytime without good roads, I could see using the Tesla. > [@eschereal](#): > > [Why is this even a question](http://arielatom.com/models-atom3/)? Better take a sweater. It appears that temporal displacement drops the external temperature of the vehicle to dry ice levels (or lower). It might be a bit chilly in an open cockpit. ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-make-a-time-machine-out-of-a-car/719313/33 "2015-05-06T23:38:26Z")
> [@kopek](#): > > A Reliant Robin, of course! OK, it really doesn’t meet any of the criteria except affordability but it would just be a natural choice for me. It made a terrible space shuttle but this could be a chance for redemption! The problem here is that it will create a classic time travel paradox. If you go back in time with a Reliant Robin, the people of the past will conclude that the automobile is not a practical invention and thus will never be invented. ---
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-make-a-time-machine-out-of-a-car/719313/34 "2015-05-07T01:57:32Z")
> [@GreasyJack](#): > > The problem here is that it will create a classic time travel paradox. If you go back in time with a Reliant Robin, the people of the past will conclude that the automobile is not a practical invention and thus will never be invented. That’s nothing! All of Britain will point at it and literally die laughing, thereby short-circuiting the funniest joke ever written, so the Nazis won’t lose the war through uncontrollable laughing at the funniest joke ever written, because there won’t be a war because Britain will be depopulated so no one will write the joke anyway. Time machines. I wish I had never invented it. It’s caused nothing but trouble. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-make-a-time-machine-out-of-a-car/719313/35 "2015-05-07T02:04:24Z")
> [@Kenm](#): > > That’s nothing! All of Britain will point at it and literally die laughing, thereby short-circuiting the funniest joke ever written, so the Nazis won’t lose the war through uncontrollable laughing at the funniest joke ever written, because there won’t be a war because Britain will be depopulated so no one will write the joke anyway. > > Time machines. I wish I had never invented it. It’s caused nothing but trouble. I know a way to fix that! ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-make-a-time-machine-out-of-a-car/719313/36 "2015-05-07T02:04:45Z")
> [@Kenm](#): > > … so the Nazis won’t lose the war through uncontrollable laughing at the funniest joke ever written … _Wenn ist das Nunstruck git und Slotermeyer? Ja! … Beiherhund das Oder die Flipperwaldt gersput!_ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-make-a-time-machine-out-of-a-car/719313.md?page=1)