Better Beaters - Building Cars and Daily Drivers

Replicas, kit cars and tributes, Oh My!

Is it real or is it Memorex?
( notice that it is parked next to a VW bug)

Do you think that this Lazer will fool anyone into thinking that it's legit? Is imitation the greatest form of flattery?


I have to admit that I've always been a little curious about kit cars and the people that choose to build and drive them.

I've gone to the big Northern California kit car show a couple of times. There were certain themes that were very apparent.

I suppose that the first thing is to define some of these terms, which I will do to the best of my understanding.

Replica. I suppose that any car that is not authentic is a replica of something else. This term really doesn't make any assessment on the quality of engineering or construction. There is a manufacturer that is building a classic Bugatti type 35 roadster that is faithful to the original specifications. It is meant to be an exact copy of the original. There is a video on Jay Leno's garage that covers this amazing car. This is not so much a replica as a re-creation.

photo source: Forbes magazine.
Remember this picture.

Then there are the Jaguar SS100 and C Type replicas built by Suffolk Sports Cars. These are built on a reproduction frame that appears to be period correct but the mechanical components are generally supplied by later Jaguar XJ6 models. Still they are all Jaguar, well built, and miles ahead of cheaper versions.

photo source: performance drive.com.au
This is the C type.

Kit Car. These are usually thought of something that can be assembled at home by a hobbyist. The builder will usually have to source their own drive train components, but the heavy lifting of the engineering has been done by the manufacturer. Over the years some kits were more complete and easier to assemble than others. Back in the 1950s kit cars usually consisted of a fiberglass body with blueprints on building or modifying your own frame. "Kit car" has assumed a pejorative tone from some car enthusiasts. Is a fiberglass bodied, newly manufactured chassis, Chevy powered, 1932 Ford roadster a kit car? How about a Street Beast?

Tribute/Clone. These are usually replicas that are based upon the OEM manufacturers equipment levels that separated different models built on the same basic platform.  Usually performance models from more pedestrian examples. The difference between a muscle car, and a secretary special. The difference between a regular Chevelle and a Super Sport 396 was in the performance and appearance equipment. A run of the mill Pontiac Tempest was differentiated from a GTO in much the same manner. These different models usually carried specific VIN number identifiers. Believe it or not, there were actually early Mustang Fastbacks equipped with a straight six and three speed transmission!

Coachbuilt or bespoke construction. This is a throwback to the great coach building tradition of the past, where craftsmen clothed the chassis of a vehicle that was purchased by a wealthy patron. This is generally considered the highest quality level of construction. However sometimes even the Masters can fall short of the results of a high line production manufacturer such as Mercedes Benz. Specialty builders such as Pininfarina, Ghia and Touring built many one- off show cars for Detroit manufacturers.

Built for Raymond Loewy by Carrozzeria Boana based upon an XK140.
Not every design was an improvement.

photo source: alpar.com
One of several cars that Ghia built for Virgil Exner in the 1950's.

These different manufacturers naturally featured a different level of engineering. Usually based upon market price point.

Probably the most well known kit car chassis is a VW floorpan wrapped in a fiberglass body

One of the most prolific and popular donor platforms has been the humble Volks Wagen beetle. Since the floor pan is easily separated from the body and maintains it's own structural integrity, it was fairly simple matter to design a fiberglass body of different specification. I've seen pictures of very basic VW off road vehicles that consisted of nothing but the plain floor pan.These floor pans can be lengthened or shortened to suit. Almost any body design imaginable has been mated to this platform.

These bodies have been built to resemble late Thirties Mercedes, Jaguars, Bugattis, MGs, Model As. Porsche 356 Speedsters and just about anything else you could imagine.

The torsion bar tube axle is clearly displayed.
How does it look compared to the Pursang Type 35?

Flip open that boat tail and this is what you'll find.

The Gazelle is one of the best known pre war Mercedes replicas.

This is the Jaguar SS100 replica.

This is the MG TD replica.

How come all VW based kits look almost the same? The manufacturer has to work within the limitations of the chassis, so naturally the proportions are going to suffer. Kind of like "Hot Wheels" cars. Ever notice how all the cars are about the same size with the same wheelbase?


But not all the cars look the same. Who can forget the enormously popular Dune Buggy?

The most beloved VW kit is the classic dune buggy.
This itself was actually a copy of the Myer's Manx.

And of course the spiritual cousin of the humble Beetle, the Porsche Speedster. There are some very well engineered replica kits out there. In my opinion they are very attractive and desirable. And they are about the only way an enthusiast of average means can ever afford to experience one. Have you priced any 356 lately? Or would you rather just have a very trick Karman Ghia?

I'll admit that I would love to have one of these beauties.

Quite a desirable machine in it's own right.
I'd take one of these.

Nothing I have written is intended to denigrate the use of the VW platform or the people that choose to build and drive cars of this type. There are surprising levels of performance that can be extracted from this design. If anything, the VW has lead to he democratization of the kit car industry,

Another very popular donor car platform is the Pontiac Fiero. The Fiero was blessed by having a composite body attached to a steel supporting framework. This allows a high degree of customization. Plus it is mid-engined, which gives it a little exotic car cred. This is especially beloved by those building a replica of a Ferrari. Usually the chassis has to be stretched to better match the proportions of the real thing, but not always. Sometimes a Cadillac North Star V8 will find itself in the engine bay.

Usually the proportions suffer a bit in the translation.

Some seem to hit just the right note.

Most of these Ferrari  replicas go the whole route in trying to make the transformation. Authentic looking badges, steering wheels and sometimes even entire interior restyling. The more you spend the more successful the ruse, just like everything in life.


Companies like Factory Five Racing and Super Performance can deliver a replica kit that is simply breathtaking, just be prepared to pay the bill.

This is the Factory Five Shelby Daytona coupe. Not many originals were made.
I've actually seen one of these on the street.

Can you blame anyone for wanting one of these?

These examples of the Daytona coupe and Cobra are completely engineered replicas. There are also  kits that are similar to Hamburger Helper; one kit, one wrecked Mustang GT, equals one Shelby Cobra!



Kind of like these Datsun 240Z based Ferrari 250 GTO coupes.

One of the most beautiful and desirable cars ever.

This upgraded interior was done in good taste.
It clearly is more luxurious appearing than the original Z. 

I've seen several very well done examples of this transformation and a couple of poorly finished ones also. In reality I'm sure that that the Datsun makes a more comfortable, practical, and useful car. But what should the driver tell inquisitive onlookers?

Or would you rather just drive this?

Add on kits to convert 90's T birds to a shoebox Ford? Maybe some questions are better left unanswered.

Interesting is one way to describe it.

I haven't even touched upon the kit car that started this whole genre, the ubiquitous T Bucket.              T Buckets were based upon a cut down touring car which was called a "Lakes Roadster." These were legitimate early hot rods. Every type of available chassis and body was used in this design, generally whatever was available and cheap. As time went on the availability of authentic bodies declined and aftermarket fiberglass bodies appeared on the market. By the time the 1970's rolled in these cars were routinely built from totally inauthentic components, in other words there wasn't any early Ford in them. Not to say that they didn't evolve. The example below features a swept back windshield and steering column. It still retains the cut down pick up bed as well as the "big and littles."

A modern example of the breed.

photo source: pinterest
This is what they used to look like.

So what is the verdict? Should there even be a verdict? And "who" should be the one to stand in judgement?

Should we write off owners of these cars as posers? That seems a a little harsh. A lot of these cars that are replicated were either built in very limited numbers, or like the Daytona coupe never built as a street car. Well engineered high priced vehicles like the Pursang Bugatti, the C type, The Daytona coupe and Super Performance Cobra are real sports cars. They were built to perform to a high level. They could easily be clothed in non replica coachwork and still be admired. The fact that they look like something that we might aspire to is just a bonus.

Replicas like the Datsun Z, Fiero, and the Mustang GT based Cobras exist on a slightly lower level. Their platforms can be enhanced to provide more than adequate levels of performance. These were legitimate performance cars in their own right. The Fiero gets a bad rap because so many builders build the cheaper replicas that just don't have convincing proportions. Spend enough money though, and you will impress.

VW based kits are a bit more problematic. Except for the Porsche 356, none of these looks enough like the original to fool anyone. They are usually smaller than the originals and you can't disguise the sound of the little flat four motor. The detailing of the bumpers, lights, and the use of wire spoke hub caps in lieu of real wire wheels detracts from their appearance. However I don't think that the drivers of these cars are really trying to fool anyone, they are just looking for a little fun.

I've often wondered if the builders should use authentic looking badges and name plates. Take the Datsun/Ferrari for example. I think that these cars look pretty good, but should they include the prancing horse? Would a Datsun badge be more honest, or would it just look kind of silly and out of place? A builder like Factory Five or SuperPerformance has their own logo that carries some prestige. Perhaps an additional badge that proclaims "Tribute" by Datsun or "Homage" by Pontiac would be appropriate.

Some of the cars that these kits are based upon are unavailable due to their rarity, cost or both. Would someone just be satisfied and happier driving a nicely maintained Karmann Ghia, Pontiac Fiero, Datsun Z or even Mustang GT? At least you wouldn't have to explain anything to anyone.

I think that these owners just wants to experience a little of the glory that belongs to the original. There may be those that want to fool others that they have the real thing, but there are plenty of experts around eager to call them out!

But why should anyone want to do that? Hobby cars are for fun. Show the driver some appreciation for their effort to bring some variety to the mix of traffic. They obviously care enough about cars to want to drive something that is distinctive, just like most enthusiasts.

In my old age I no longer take myself so seriously and I think that I could enjoy driving a car like the one pictured below, crazy as it is.

Move over, you've got a bearcat on your bumper.

I'll guess that it was built by a civic group as a parade car.

On the other hand, maintaining a little sense of shame might still be a good thing!