Kevin Pike began his career in 1974 working as a busboy @ the Harborside Restaurant on Martha’s Vineyard. One night a large group stayed very late and one of the parties forgot their attache under the table. Kevin ran out to return it only to find out it belonged to a production designer named Joe Alves and all his storyboards were inside. “Who are you guys?” Kevin asked. “We’re making a movie.” they replied... “It’s about a shark that eats your island.” Kevin was brought on as a local hire sweeping floors on a little film that would become Steven Spielberg’s JAWS...
Before the design was even finalized, the producers had the task of hiring someone to build the machine. They already knew they had something special on their hands and consequently interviewed many potential vehicle and special effects crews.
When Kevin Pike’s company FILMTRIX, INC. was commissioned by UNIVERSAL STUDIOS in 1984 to build the time traveling DeLoreans for this little “Back to the Future” film, he knew immediately that the car would play a role in the movie equal to that of it’s big name co-stars.
Several months and a team of ten workers later... the cars were complete and camera ready. They all rolled out to begin their work on set... all very similar in appearance but with different purposes. One blew smoke, one laid fire trails, one was a “hero” car to use with the actors, one was a stunt car to be driven hard on 2nd unit shots. One was cut up for close up shots and believe it or not, anytime we see the DeLorean on screen, it’s likely that ALL THREE of those cars were used to complete that scene.
One of the finished products can be seen below just before it left the FILMTRIX studio in 1984.
Kevin Pike (at right) jokes around with Doc Brown’s 1955 mind reading helmet as they perform lighting tests on the DeLorean for the above studio shot.
This area is still under construction. Content will be updated frequently.
Kevin and his team took three absolutely stock DeLorean cars and transformed them into the iconic symbol we all picture when we hear the words “time-machine“ today.
...He ended up working with the special effects team and immediately moved out to Hollywood as soon as they were through. “Everyone loves a good story” says Kevin. I’d have to agree.
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