The DeLorean Time Machine in Philadelphia: Built Here, Available Here

This one started in a garage in Philadelphia.

The bulk of the build happened there — nights and weekends, over 1,000 hours of work. The kitchen island handled the electrical prep. Between the two, Steve Layden turned a stock 1981 DeLorean he bought for $37,000 into one of the most screen-accurate Time Machine replicas available for rent in the country.

Every wire run pre-cut, labeled, and coiled on the kitchen island before going into the car

Dozens of individually labeled wire bundles — each one tagged with its destination in the car

Philly's Own Time Machine

This isn't a replica that tours out of some warehouse in another state. Philadelphia is home base. It's where the car lives, where it's maintained, and where Steve operates out of.

Steve personally travels to events from the Carolinas up through Connecticut. Need the car further out? There's a trusted network of DeLorean Time Machine owners across the country — so wherever your event is, there's a good chance we can make it happen.

Where It's Shown Up Around the City

The DeLorean has been part of Philadelphia's fabric for years. A few highlights:

The Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade. The car has rolled through one of the country's oldest and most-watched parades, in front of thousands of spectators lining the streets of Philly.

Fan Expo Philadelphia. The DeLorean is a regular presence at Fan Expo Philly — exactly the kind of crowd that stops dead in their tracks when those gull-wing doors go up.

Time Mission Philly — Grand Opening. The DeLorean was there for the launch of Time Mission Philly, adding a little extra time-travel energy to an already fitting occasion.

Jewelers Row. The car has made appearances along Philadelphia's historic Jewelers Row — one of the oldest diamond districts in the country.

The Phillie Phanatic at Citizens Bank Park. The Phanatic once popped out of the trunk. Enough said.

Lincoln Financial Field. The car has made appearances at the home of the Eagles.

Back to the Future: The Musical — Philadelphia. When the Broadway production made its way to Philadelphia, the DeLorean was there. And when the show ran on Broadway in New York, Steve rode with one of the producers to the Winter Garden Theatre. NBC New York covered it.

His words from that night: "We're just nerds that have a time machine from a movie and we're working with all these people who made the movie. We looked at each other like, 'How are we here?'"

That's the Philadelphia origin story in one sentence.

Book It for Your Event

Philadelphia is home, but the car goes where it's needed. Steve handles everything personally — delivery, staging, photo ops, and every Back to the Future question your guests can throw at him. East Coast or beyond, reach out and we'll figure it out.

Head to the reservations page to get the conversation started.