Throughout the subscription build of their 1:8 scale Back to the Future DeLorean partworks build-up, Eaglemoss offered three ‘Special Issues’. These issues were automatically sent and were billed in addition to the monthly subscription.
The first two Special Issues (#1 and #2) were hardcover graphic novels. But this time, we get a set of white wall tires that are seen on the car in Back to the Future: Part III. They cost $32.95 USD and can be used to replace the stock wheels if you so chose. Originally, these wheels confused builders as the initial run of 130 issues was missing the hood box containing the makeshift time circuits to finish out the Part III look. However, with the subscription extension to 160 issues which contain the missing Part III pieces, it makes more sense.
Contents
Parts
Magazine
- Drive Time: Model Instructions
- The Fabulous Fifties: The Decade of Cool
- A Time Traveler’s Guide: Doc’s Nifty Alterations
Build
Assembling the Wheels
Step 1
Fit a Valve into one of the Wheels as shown:
Step 2
Push this Wheel into one of the White Wall Tires with the white wall side facing outwards.
I highly recommend soaking the White Wall Tires for a few minutes in the warmest water you can safely handle before moving forward. These tires are hard and do not want to give. Warming them up will make the next steps a LOT easier:
Step 3
Turn the tire around, and insert an Inner Rim into the tire while aligning the screw holes:
Step 4
Fix the parts together with three (3) DM screws:
Repeat steps 1 through 4 with the other three wheels:
Fitting the Wheels
NOTE: I will not be fitting these wheels to my car, so these steps are for information only:
Steps 1-2
Remove the screw covers (Hubs) from the existing wheels and put them aside.
I never put these Hubs in while installing the wheels. Once they go in, they are pretty difficult to get out without damaging them and I wanted to be able to access the the screws inside to tighten any loose wheels as the build progressed. I will put them in when the model is finished. If yours are installed, the online community has suggested using sticky tape to try to pull them out.
Step 3
Remove the screws and washers holding each wheel in place.
Step 4
Carefully remove each wheel.
Step 5
Fit one new white wall wheel onto each front spindle, then install a new Washer included in this issue.
Step 6
Secure these front wheels back into place with the removed screws.
Step 7
Push one of the chrome-plated Hub Caps from this issue onto each front wheel, aligning the post and socket.
Step 8
Fit an Adaptor from this issue over each rear wheel spindle. Only the rear wheels will use these.
Step 9
Fit one new white wall wheel onto each rear spindle, then install a new Washer included in this issue.
Step 10
Secure these rear wheels back into place with the removed screws.
Step 11
Push one of the chrome-plated Hub Caps from this issue onto each rear wheel, aligning the post and socket.
Thoughts
There are a few reasons why I chose not to use these on my model. First, I want my model to match the car as it rolled out of Doc’s truck in the first film. Second, the chrome ‘moons’ on them are too big and inaccurate. Third, to correctly portray the movies, the car would have to be jacked up in ride height. The car seen on-screen driving through the desert was actually a makeshift DeLorean body on a custom tube frame with off-road suspension and a 4-cylinder engine from a Volkswagen Beetle. Still, it is nice of Eaglemoss to include all of the parts needed to display the model in any of the film formats.
