Replica / "Fake" Cars

Browsing eBay Motors I came across the Replica/Kit Makes category, which contains some interesting vehicles which are older, cheaper cars (mainly Fieros and Datsuns) fitted with bodies to make them appear as much more expensive cars, from classic Ferrari Daytonas ($1m+) and 250 GTOs ($15m+) to more recent and not necessarily unobtainable cars (388s, 355s, Lamborghinis, etc) Being someone uninterested in the performance/engineering of cars to any great degree I personally wouldn't mind driving around in a replica of a great looking but almost extinct car (such as a 250 or Daytona) which would be assumed to be a replica, but the more modern vehicles (fake Modenas and 355s) seem somewhat dishonest, like wearing a fake Rolex. Then again, in some ways a replica could have some advantages over the real thing, especially in terms of maintenance/insurance costs and reliability. Plus you could thrash around a replica with much more abandon than it's $1-15m authentic cousin. The resale market for replicas seems very undervalued too, with cars people have sunk 30-60k into building selling for less than half that (but then, still more than the 1980s car most are built on) It's interesting that anything can be copied, even something as expensive/complex as a car. Anyone got any opinions? (Daytona replica, 360 Modena Replica, Mercielago replica)

The Murcielago looks the most realistic. The Daytona really looks bad and the first thing I noticed on the Modena was how far apart the wheels are. It's a little obvious it was built onto another car but I doubt most people would notice.

JB

Originally Posted by v0rtex

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Browsing eBay Motors I came across the Replica/Kit Makes category, which contains some interesting vehicles which are older, cheaper cars (mainly Fieros and Datsuns) fitted with bodies to make them appear as much more expensive cars, from classic Ferrari Daytonas ($1m+) and 250 GTOs ($15m+) to more recent and not necessarily unobtainable cars (388s, 355s, Lamborghinis, etc) Being someone uninterested in the performance/engineering of cars to any great degree I personally wouldn't mind driving around in a replica of a great looking but almost extinct car (such as a 250 or Daytona) which would be assumed to be a replica, but the more modern vehicles (fake Modenas and 355s) seem somewhat dishonest, like wearing a fake Rolex. Then again, in some ways a replica could have some advantages over the real thing, especially in terms of maintenance/insurance costs and reliability. Plus you could thrash around a replica with much more abandon than it's $1-15m authentic cousin. The resale market for replicas seems very undervalued too, with cars people have sunk 30-60k into building selling for less than half that (but then, still more than the 1980s car most are built on) It's interesting that anything can be copied, even something as expensive/complex as a car. Anyone got any opinions? (Daytona replica, 360 Modena Replica, Mercielago replica)
I'm not a fan of the replica's, however from what I've seen, some are created better than others. I can somewhat understand where you are coming from, regarding classics like the Ferrari Daytona, or even a AC Shelby Cobra 427, however the remake of a modern-day exotic would be disturbing. One would have to really be starved for attention, to attempt turning a Fiero into a 360 Modena. What satisfaction would that person get?

BTW..Something about both the Daytona and Modena replicas don't look right.

Originally Posted by JetBlast

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The Murcielago looks the most realistic. The Daytona really looks bad and the first thing I noticed on the Modena was how far apart the wheels are. It's a little obvious it was built onto another car but I doubt most people would notice.

JB
+1,

You could probably fool a number of people with the Murcielago, but the Daytona looked like a kit car, and the Modena's wheelbase is way to short to appear authentic.

Some replicas look the part but the engineering integrity and build quality can be truly appalling.

The only replicar I would consider purchasing is one of the Superformance replicas of the Shelby Daytona coupe.

http://www.superformance.com/coupe.aspx

Engineering, fit, and finish are all first rate. (and it's a truly beautiful car.)

as someone else said, I can understand a classic car that isn't in production or is impossible to find in good condition, but a modena?! when you buy a car like a ferrari, you're buying the styling, sure, but you're really paying for what's under the hood...having some crummy car transformed defeats the purpose unless you want to be noticed

That 360 looks like ass.

Originally Posted by v0rtex

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Anyone got any opinions?

Better to build a kit that to foist this kind of tragedy and butchery upon an already great car.

Originally Posted by Kai

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The only replicar I would consider purchasing is one of the Superformance replicas of the Shelby Daytona coupe.

http://www.superformance.com/coupe.aspx

Engineering, fit, and finish are all first rate. (and it's a truly beautiful car.)

Another one that's truly exceptional is the Beck Spyder, a Porsche 550 replica.

http://beckspeedster.com/

They go from pure retromobile (50s style steering and brakes) to firebreathing twin-turbo EFI with modern brakes for those who would wish to accelerate their reunion with James Dean.

If I didn't expect my car to have a trunk, I'd be all over that one. Probably with FI and a short-stroke motor, but hold the turbos in a 1500lb car.

Forgot to add, I notice the Murcielago has absolutely no Lamborghini badging. Cheap mothers.

I like proper replicas, built from the ground up with a dedicated chassis, like the plethora of Lotus 7 based cars, Shelbys, GT40s or this Lola T70:
http://www.gdcarsusa.com/images/collage.jpg

Plunking another body on a Fiero/Datsun always looks like ass.

The most important thing to me is, well one that the car doesn't break, but the interior of a car. It's like my computer, the monitor is the most important to me it's what I interact with.

Kit car interiors invariably look terrible, bolted together, with cheap plasticky parts and vinyl and staples everywhere.




Something like a Cobra or an older car where the interiors were much simpler, or a replica that's been made over and over and perfected might be acceptable. I don't even want to imagine the road noise, squeeking, and plastic rubbing on the replica murcielago.

The funniest though was the rash of Fiero -> Lamborghini Countach kit cars everywhere here in So Cal in the early 90's.

Speaking of which, I saw a red with white stripes Shelby Cobra driving by earlier today. First, I thought it must've been a kit. But then again, the neighborhood I was in has houses starting from at least a million. It certainly sounded good though.

I see those Shelby Cobras a lot.

Originally Posted by LabelKing

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I see those Shelby Cobras a lot.

The kits have gotten really good. I honestly can't tell the difference from a few feet away.