Car replicas - what do you think?
05 October 2008, 04:49 PM
#1
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Car replicas - what do you think?
Hi all,
Ive always turned my nose up at anything looking like something its not ment to be - mr2 ferrari's - Escort Cosworth rep - anything really.
Until a friend of mine has project managed a pug 406 v6 into a Ferrari 360 rep - i mean the car has turned out A1, i just cant believe how well its gone, so much fabrication was involved and the car resembles very little pug from the outside!
He sold the car prior to it being completed for a profit of circa 10k and all he done is buy various parts from ebay and manege the build!
Personally i would never own a replica but there seems to be a market out there - anybody owned something like that before?
Ive always turned my nose up at anything looking like something its not ment to be - mr2 ferrari's - Escort Cosworth rep - anything really.
Until a friend of mine has project managed a pug 406 v6 into a Ferrari 360 rep - i mean the car has turned out A1, i just cant believe how well its gone, so much fabrication was involved and the car resembles very little pug from the outside!
He sold the car prior to it being completed for a profit of circa 10k and all he done is buy various parts from ebay and manege the build!
Personally i would never own a replica but there seems to be a market out there - anybody owned something like that before?
06 October 2008, 12:01 PM
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I love the 911 kits - I think the company is called Covin!?!? They look really good, would be hard pushed to tell the difference between an original and one of these (although I'm no expert on 911's). Have seen a couple on flea bay for not so silly money!
06 October 2008, 01:17 PM
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Yeah you're right on this particular occasion. F40's go for silly money these days, so a quality replica like that would fool anybody. If it wasn't for the RHD layout, I don't think even the most ardent Ferrari fan would be able to tell the difference. 
Seriously though, my opinion on replicas is that if the original is worth massice amounts of cash (well over 6 figures) like a D-Type, a GT40 or a Cobra then fair enough. I do think they should have the same manufacturers' engines though. Eg: XK in a D-Type rep and Ford (not GM or Rover!!!) V8's in a GT40 or Cobra. Not keen on fibreglass bodies, if the original was alloy either.
Seriously though, my opinion on replicas is that if the original is worth massice amounts of cash (well over 6 figures) like a D-Type, a GT40 or a Cobra then fair enough. I do think they should have the same manufacturers' engines though. Eg: XK in a D-Type rep and Ford (not GM or Rover!!!) V8's in a GT40 or Cobra. Not keen on fibreglass bodies, if the original was alloy either.
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06 October 2008, 01:32 PM
#9
The thing with replica's is that most have some pathetic thing in them for an engine which then takes away any point in having a replica car ?? I don't see any point in having a 911 replica with a vw 1.6 engine in it when you could pick up an old 911 for say £6/7k anyways ??
06 October 2008, 08:31 PM
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06 October 2008, 08:32 PM
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ok so the real thing is 1/2 million.
06 October 2008, 08:56 PM
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got to admit I really hate replica cars but I think this looks pretty good. better than the mr2 ferraris.
the rear badge needs putting on straight and then lowered and it will look pretty much spot on. Pitty it wont have the soundtrack, but if you can make 10k doing this then fairplay.
the rear badge needs putting on straight and then lowered and it will look pretty much spot on. Pitty it wont have the soundtrack, but if you can make 10k doing this then fairplay.
07 October 2008, 08:44 AM
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There was a fad back in the mid-80's when this thing for copies of supercars started. It coincided with the start of the exclusive hire car operators: you know the guys; hire a Ferrari for a weekend for a grand or two.
These hire car companies started noticing that the Lamborghini Countachs kept being returned with mysterious light scuff marks on the bodywork, but with relatively few miles added. It turned out that some cheeky swines were hiring them for a day or two and driving them to their lock-ups and using them as the basis for producing moulds for fibreglass replicas!
That's why the bodywork looked so accurate (I think a company called Prova were the market leaders for Lambo lookalikes).
So these guys got to start a business in producing replica cars without ever having to buy a real one!
These hire car companies started noticing that the Lamborghini Countachs kept being returned with mysterious light scuff marks on the bodywork, but with relatively few miles added. It turned out that some cheeky swines were hiring them for a day or two and driving them to their lock-ups and using them as the basis for producing moulds for fibreglass replicas!
That's why the bodywork looked so accurate (I think a company called Prova were the market leaders for Lambo lookalikes).
So these guys got to start a business in producing replica cars without ever having to buy a real one!
07 October 2008, 10:58 AM
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Some of the Cobra and GT40 replicas are good.
So long as they have the right engine for the job, and are pretty accurate in looks, with a chassis+suspension setup that is as good or better than the original. Then I give it the thumbs up.
So, that's a big NO to Rover V8 or Pinto engined Cobras. But a big YES to a LS1 engined Cobra or GT40 with a well tuned 427 or 428 Ford V8, with dual wishbone suspension all round, no McPherson struts and certainly no live axles.
So long as they have the right engine for the job, and are pretty accurate in looks, with a chassis+suspension setup that is as good or better than the original. Then I give it the thumbs up.
So, that's a big NO to Rover V8 or Pinto engined Cobras. But a big YES to a LS1 engined Cobra or GT40 with a well tuned 427 or 428 Ford V8, with dual wishbone suspension all round, no McPherson struts and certainly no live axles.
07 October 2008, 11:20 AM
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Some of the Cobra and GT40 replicas are good.
So long as they have the right engine for the job, and are pretty accurate in looks, with a chassis+suspension setup that is as good or better than the original. Then I give it the thumbs up.
So, that's a big NO to Rover V8 or Pinto engined Cobras. But a big YES to a LS1 engined Cobra or GT40 with a well tuned 427 or 428 Ford V8, with dual wishbone suspension all round, no McPherson struts and certainly no live axles.
So long as they have the right engine for the job, and are pretty accurate in looks, with a chassis+suspension setup that is as good or better than the original. Then I give it the thumbs up.
So, that's a big NO to Rover V8 or Pinto engined Cobras. But a big YES to a LS1 engined Cobra or GT40 with a well tuned 427 or 428 Ford V8, with dual wishbone suspension all round, no McPherson struts and certainly no live axles.
07 October 2008, 11:23 AM
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IMO GM's LS1 engine would be sacrilege in a Cobra. After all, you wouldn't put a Ford unit in a Chevrolet Corvette. I think a nice small block Ford 289 would be the ideal and relatively inexpensive option in either a Cobra or GT40 replica. Don't know how many real Cobras had double-wishbones all round.
07 October 2008, 12:22 PM
#25
Sorry but the Ferrari reps are ****, I have said it before, its like your missus being a really fit looking tranny, great, might fool most of the people but some will spot the stubble, the Peugeot gear ****, the adams apple or the slightly iffy proportions and you will know.
Say you hoof it and the FRONT WHEELS SPIN arghhhhh.
I am ok with GT40's and Cobra's as the assumption is its a rep and they are usually bespoke space framed machine, a lot of the replicas being superior to the original, but a Ferrari based on a Minicab, no thanks.
Say you hoof it and the FRONT WHEELS SPIN arghhhhh.
I am ok with GT40's and Cobra's as the assumption is its a rep and they are usually bespoke space framed machine, a lot of the replicas being superior to the original, but a Ferrari based on a Minicab, no thanks.
07 October 2008, 09:13 PM
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not my cup of tea either, i like my cars to be original - but my mate is in his mid forties, 3 kids and the dream of actually owning a F360 is fading, so he project managed this one with the hope of doing more.
Not bad if he gets 8-10k profit - car has the v6 engine and dont sound bad atall. Dont know many 406 coupes used for taxis round here though
Ive seen lancia stratos and rs200 replicas which do look amazing but as mentioned earlier i feel like im cheating myself if i didnt have the real thing.
Not bad if he gets 8-10k profit - car has the v6 engine and dont sound bad atall. Dont know many 406 coupes used for taxis round here though
Ive seen lancia stratos and rs200 replicas which do look amazing but as mentioned earlier i feel like im cheating myself if i didnt have the real thing.
07 October 2008, 09:47 PM
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I have nothing against replica supercars. Most people are never likely to own the real thing so it gives them a chance to own something that looks like it (although they won't feel the same).
I'd love an MR2 F355 or one of those Peugeot 406 coupe Ferrari 360 replicas
I'd love an MR2 F355 or one of those Peugeot 406 coupe Ferrari 360 replicas
