Replicas....

What's your price range? 0-$50K - buy a Corvette (targa top or conv / $50-$100K - buy a 360 spider / $100-$150K - Buy an early 430 spider or Maserati Gran Turismo conv / $150-200K the options are endless

To answer the question on replicas - IMO they are a complete joke - especially replica Ferrari's. As stated the Cobra's are respectable as are some of the other resto-replicas out there like the early Shelby mustangs, Eleanors, GT40s etc. but for the most part I would much rather drive a real Corvette than a replica Ferrari and anyone who knows or cares about the fact you appear to be driving a Ferrari will instantly know it is a fake which is worse than just not driving one at all.

Cheers

 

BTW - I am 6' 3" and fit like a glove in my 355 GTS - top on or off - Nice 355s can be had for $50-$70K so add that one to the list of options as well as the aforementioned TR

 

In summary how old are you and what is your knowledge about cars in general and specifically Ferrari? I think some general knowledge about you would help a great deal, don't be a poser. I am not being a hater in any sense but inquiring minds would like to know.

 

How about an opinion on replica’s from someone who is currently building one? I might as well make this my first (and last?) post!

OK, why build a replica? Short answer is because I really enjoy working on cars. And I don’t mean checking the oil and waxing it now and then. I like to challenge myself with more difficult projects because it is a great learning experience. I’ve built 2 Shelby Cobra replicas. So why did I build these?

It was not because I was trying to fool people into thinking I had an original Cobra. To me, anyone that is fooled by a replica really doesn’t know very much about the Cobra (which probably accounts for 99.99% of the public). I wanted to build a kitcar. I had never done it before, but thought it would be a great learning experience, and it would result in something I would really like the look of, and really enjoy driving. I also wanted something with decent performance. You could look at it like a tribute to the real car, its designers and builders, or you could look at it like I was somehow ripping-off what they did. Whatever you do in life, someone is not going to agree with it. So I built a Cobra replica, enjoyed driving it for a while, sold it, built another one, then sold it. One thing I learned is that I like the project as much or more than having the finished product.

So how does this relate to building a Ferrari replica? For my next project I thought a V8 swap into a fairly light-weight mid-engine car would be fun. I bought an old Fiero (as there is no such thing as a new Fiero!), and started an engine swap with a SBC. I got partway done that and then found an otherwise stock Fiero for sale with a replica Dino body on it. So I bought that one, swapped my engine swap over to it, and continued with the project. What I ended up doing with the Fiero was swapping in a different engine, different transmission, different suspension, and different interior, so why keep the body stock? As I said, I like a challenge and the body on the “Dino” was in pretty bad shape; lots of damage to the fibreglass panels. I thought it would be a lot of fun to repair them and modify them at the same time to give the car my own personal look (take some vents out here and there and add others in). Does it look like a Dino? It has the general lines of the car, but certainly anyone who knows anything about Ferraris will know it is not the real thing. The roofline is completely wrong, along with all the windows. Am I trying to fool people into thinking it is a Ferrari? Yes, maybe I am. If you know Ferraris you won’t be fooled at all. If you are your average Joe (no offence to the Joe’s on the forum) then you will likely be fooled. To me it is the challenge of changing things on a car that I’ve never changed before. I had never put a dash from one car into another one. I had never done this much fibreglass work before. I had never fabricated engine mounts and modified suspension. If I am going to do all that, then why shouldn’t I copy the general lines of a really nice looking existing car?

This explanation is not going to change anyone’s mind about replica cars. To me, to say that a replica Cobra is acceptable and a replica Ferrari is not, makes no sense. But that’s me. You can have your own opinion. And if you do the amount of work on cars that I do, then I will accept your opinion. If you haven’t built a kitcar, done an engine swap, or other major work, then maybe you just can’t understand it. When I get this car done, maybe I’ll bring it to the local cruise night where there are a lot of Ferraris. I can put a large sign in the window saying “this is not a Ferrari” if it will make people happy. What I would expect is for people to come up to the car and say “this is obviously not a Ferrari, but you sure did a lot of nice work on it”. If you don’t like it, then I would give you the same line I gave people when they would comment on the wheels or other features of the Cobra replica I built: “when you build your car, you can do it differently”. I’ve seen a lot of replicas in all the car shows I’ve been to. I’ve never been offended by any of them. With some of them I could spot the difference from literally a block away, and others (an aluminum bodied Cobra) took a real careful inspection to spot what was wrong. But I appreciated the amount of work and the workmanship in all of them.

So that’s my story. If anyone is interested in seeing this project car, you can check out my website. It is a bit out of date, and you might get offended if you really think copying a Ferrari should be a crime, but here it is:

www.wheeltimesolutions.com/Dineroproject

I don’t build cars to please anyone other than myself. At some point in the near future I will buy a Ferrari, but I have to finish this car first. Of course when I buy a Ferrari, someone will say “why on earth did you buy that one!?”. Oh well.

Rick
Bolton, ON.

 

Go out and test drive some real Ferrari's in your price range, You just might change your mind about a replica.



Ago

 

What he said.

 

Agreed. It's like dating a robot with a mask that looks like Kate Upton . No matter what you say, you're not dating Kate.

 

Well said! And I bet those people can't spell either.

 

That is something I never thought about. I am generally against replica Ferraris but not replica Cobra's. I have no issue with plastic surgery either so to a point that certainly makes me a hypocrite.
That said I do believe most of us are hypocritical in some way.
Here's how I see it. At a car show this year the Italian replicas were parked opposite Italian cars and at one point I went over to look. I stood looking at an F355 replica (probably the most commonly copied Ferrari?) based on the Toyota MR2 (not sure if this exists in the USA) which many Ferrari replicas are built on along with a Peugeot 406 Pininfarina designed coupé in Europe/UK, and over heard a conversation. It went along the lines of ..faster than a Ferrari, cheaper than a Ferrari and faster than a Ferrari. These guys are in a area saying Italian replicas so most folk know they are. That conversation did not involve the owner of the replica but it did one of his 'friends'. I then questioned why they did it and why so much money. The owner a real decent young chap said he loved the style and loved building cars. I asked about the badges and his simple reply was that as it was a replica the badges were part of that.
His 'friend' then suggested we have race after the show and at that point it made me smile. There are two types of replica owners, genuine petrolheads and knobheads. His 'friend' was a complete arsewipe knobhead.

My mate owns a 1970 Dodge Charger 383 and that is where his passion sits with cars but appreciates Ferraris and because of me is quite wise to them. We were at a car show just this weekend when we came upon a 'Ferrari' from behind it. He went on to wonder what this wide bodied F355 was, I was only half listening at that point but then picked up on what he said. He asked which model it was, I told him the MR2 version. He was pretty shocked and only on going around to the front noticed it was a replica.


The thing is the knobhead owner wants the public to think he or she owns the real thing whereas many just enjoy the car as I enjoy my cars.

Here's my hypocritical point. I love fake boobs, I love Cobra replicas and I hate Ferrari replicas. There is a sense of occasion in a Ferrari that no other car has for me and no replica can replicate that. It is not speed, it is not the looks it is what it is.

I do see a place for replicas and that simply lies with the individual as after all apart from the knobhead owner (we get them in the Ferrari community too ) we are all petrolheads.

I could not imagine spending £20k on a replica F355 as some do but then my work colleagues can't comprehend £35k on Ferrari. Only a Ferrari can be a Ferrari for me . I would never comprehend spending £35k (my car worth) on a replica of any kind (including a Cobra and breast implants for my girlfriend ) but you must do what makes you smile and not this Ferrari community or any community for that matter

 

I don't like them, to me it feels like you are stomping on all the hard work that a company such as Ferrari has put into building their cars.
Also,I don't believe fake boobs can be put into this same category. Fake boobs can be compared to adding a challenge grill to your 360, you are simply just making something that is already beautiful more beautiful!

 

I would love to have a Superformance Daytona Coupe.

 

Ironically, the very next thread I came across was http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=342464

 

Yeah, but it's gotta be a bigger grill

 

Driving a replica car is sort of poser-ish, much like being the pope is sort of Catholic.

All replicas are fakes. period. They cheapen the sight of what should be something special.

I can't afford a Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder, so I don't own one. This doesn't seem to be an issue for me or anyone I know.

Regarding your plans: $100K is a reasonable budget for a modern Ferrari. 458 values will be falling for the next 15-20 years, at least, so I wouldn't buy one if money is even slightly a concern. The 328 and F430 are probably two best post-classic Ferraris to enjoy as weekend toys; 328 for the old school Italian extreme styling, gated shifter, etc., and the F430 for comfort and a lot of speed.

 

People don't seem to have a problem buying cheaper substitute parts for their cars rather than the "real" ones from Ferrari. Should they always buy from Ferrari to pay them back for all the hard work Ferrari put into their cars?

I find this whole thing very amusing, how strong the opinions are.

 

The fake Ferrari's come with fake Rolex's so that's not a problem.

"mean", as in repulsive fakes, or is a GT-40 replica OK?

 

i've always found it peculiar to have cobra replicas acceptable, but not others? i'm not a proponent of copyright imfringement, there are ways to go about it, primarily to not affix badges to something that "isn't"
...but on the subject of cobras, it was Shelby himself who stated he didn't have an issue, so long as any maker of such contribute to his kids heart fund charity ...none of which ever did!

the statments of person being posers, etc is just inflammatory, it's the lesser ....the main reason and primary purpose, is simply the man can't afford more expensive (original) car ....along with the enjoyment of the building process ....many people may have the mechanical ablility, but not creative ability to make something unique, of thier own design, so they harken to the images of cars they dreamed about as a kid ....simple as that!

it's easy to be a car snob, particularily with means, but really, live & let live IMO

 

agreed, and why i say there are 'right' and 'wrong' ways of going about it ....like fixing badges on something that isn't the real deal

for example, lamborghini isn't worried about replicas, they take no legal actions on those doing so, to me if i did a countach replica (for example) i'd simply leave the badges off, or make my own named ones ....i both understand and admonish those who lie about thier replicas being real, and that is exactly what it is, lying ...but that's not about to stop in the future, 'some' people always will

 

Hello Carbuilder; I for one , visited the link you posted about your project, and applaud your fabrication/mechanical skills. Your skills lend themself to being profitable in terms of restoring cars with appreciation value/s. My suggestion would be late 60's/ early 70's American muscle cars. 69 Z28 comes to mind....I just got through, lightening & polishing a crank for my 1972 DeTomaso Pantera, so I understand the feeling of being in a well equipped garage, surrounded by..."Tools & Time".....My Best Regards!!!.....Mark