Instead of being relegated to a footnote in automotive history, the DeLorean DMC-12 became in automotive icon, largely because of its role in the "Back to the Future" film series. That transformation and the car’s continuing popularity is the subject of the first full-length documentary movie from the Hagerty Drivers Foundation.

"88MPH: The Story of the DeLorean Time Machine" lives up to its title, documenting not only the creation of the DeLorean Motor Car company and its stainless steel-bodied cars, but shares extensive interviews with the filmmakers and designers and fabricators who turned the car into the time machine, as well as those who later restored the car to its movie specification.

The movie title comes from the fact that DeLorean transformed into time traveler at 88 mph.

The documentary, available for free viewing on YouTube, runs nearly an hour and 38 minutes. After the introduction, it shares the story of John DeLorean and his ill-fated car company, and then explains why Doc Brown ended up turning a DMC-12 rather than a Ford Mustang into his time machine.

Featured are interviews with the screenwriter Bob Gale and the designers and fabricators who took a trio of the gullwing cars and outfitted them for filming. It also tells the story of the cars used in subsequent Back to the Future films, and their fates.

It also shares how the movie production company, after taking the cars on tour, parked what was left of them outdoors in the elements, and how a group of film fans and DeLorean owners led the effort to restore the A-car featured in the flicks.

We share below links to the trailer:

and to the full film:

This article, written by Larry Edsall was originally published on ClassicCars.com, an editorial partner of Motor Authority.