A 355 replica for the brave & optimistic
Discussion
I don't normally have the vehement hatred of replicas that befalls a good percentage of this forum, but that is an absolute abortion of a car and advert.
D Cat.... De-cat? Cat D? I'm guessing the latter.
190-200 bhp? I'm guessing an Altezza conversion then? Or maybe a 30bhp POWER chip from ebay? Or the distinct aroma of cow rectum deposited fertilizer.
99% of items for completion, I would guess it is only missing a Ferrari F355 and you're away?
Kill it, kill it with fire.
D Cat.... De-cat? Cat D? I'm guessing the latter.
190-200 bhp? I'm guessing an Altezza conversion then? Or maybe a 30bhp POWER chip from ebay? Or the distinct aroma of cow rectum deposited fertilizer.
99% of items for completion, I would guess it is only missing a Ferrari F355 and you're away?
Kill it, kill it with fire.
If people so desperately want a Ferrari, why not save up a bit and buy a Mondial? Then you have a genuine Ferrari product that will actually rise in value. The FOC snobs will shun you like a leper, but all the people in your village that you're trying to impress will know you as 'Gary - the man with a real Ferrari'
bqf said:
I would love it if someone on PistonHeads could have a proper go at explaining the appeal of these 'replicas' to me. I have yet to see one that isn't tragically, irredeemably flawed, and would simply make the driver look like a total laughing stock.
Saw one on the motorway recently, actually saw it from a a mile off as it was so wrong, I'm sure the driver looked embarrassed as well as I overtook him in my 320D.bqf said:
If people so desperately want a Ferrari, why not save up a bit and buy a Mondial? Then you have a genuine Ferrari product that will actually rise in value. The FOC snobs will shun you like a leper, but all the people in your village that you're trying to impress will know you as 'Gary - the man with a real Ferrari'
But my name's not Gary.That truly is awful. However, I can see the appeal of these replica especially if they are (albeit rarely) well executed, because if you are out to visually impress people then it will work because the vast majority of the public and people that don’t know Ferraris (a good one would fool me as I am not a Ferrari person, well until it started the engine anyway) hence the poseur can have his “Ferrari”. Alongside this you also get the added bonus that you can put miles on them without spending a fortune in maintenance (no need for that all important Ferrari specialist or dealer stamp in the service book), the insurance will be much less as well (classed as a kit car) as will most of the other general running costs.
Of course once people find out that it’s a fake you will be laughed at as a wannabe.
These cars differ from GT40/Cobra replicas because they are seldom badged as originals, are a ground up build and for the most part are in keeping with the original (engine etc.).
Of course once people find out that it’s a fake you will be laughed at as a wannabe.
These cars differ from GT40/Cobra replicas because they are seldom badged as originals, are a ground up build and for the most part are in keeping with the original (engine etc.).
bqf said:
I would love it if someone on PistonHeads could have a proper go at explaining the appeal of these 'replicas' to me. I have yet to see one that isn't tragically, irredeemably flawed, and would simply make the driver look like a total laughing stock.
I wouldn't try to explain the appeal of the car in the op, I do see the appeal of replicas and many do, it's kept a whole industry going for decades, one replica builder even runs an F1 team (ok pushing it I know).I accept there is a world of difference between a ground up build of an AC Cobra, Ford GT40, Lotus 7 or Ferrari 330 P4 replica and an MR2 with bit's of fibre glass glued on and some will do it to be all billy big b
ks - look at me, but I love the aesthetics of some cars and would have no problem with owning and driving a car that offered all the advantages of reliable, efficient and affordable mechanical and electrics, not to mention perhaps the odd safety feature like an airbag, abs or traction control all wrapped up in a 60s or 70s style.Some mainstream manufacturers have made quite a lot of money doing something similar (Mini, Fiat 500, VW Beetle, Ford GT, numerous American "retro" Muscle cars), personally I'd love to have a car that aped the looks of the Ferrari 308/328 but offered all the modern advantages of a car built in the last 10 years, no-one does so I don't own a replica.
bqf said:
I would love it if someone on PistonHeads could have a proper go at explaining the appeal of these 'replicas' to me. I have yet to see one that isn't tragically, irredeemably flawed, and would simply make the driver look like a total laughing stock.
I can understand the mentality behind replicas if you look at a car as being - in part - an object of beauty. Ferrari set out to create things which are beautiful to look at. To copy this beauty accurately is to create something as beautiful, hence a replica is not a bad thing per se, and will satisfy people who only look at the visual aspect of cars. However many people (most on PH) realise that a Ferrari is a an object of beauty, as well as a piece of engineering excellence, a machine that is capable of performing very impressively indeed and something that has heritage and pedigree in spades. A replica has none of these things, and hence fails miserably.
I think your attitude to replicas is dictated by your view of cars. I am in the latter camp and hence dislike them, but I appreciate why some people may not be as averse to them - if done well. If, however, they are done badly, or the owner tries to claim they are something they aren't (a Ferrari, for instance), they become not only laughable but derisible and the owners are fools.
Oli.
randomman said:
190-200 bhp? I'm guessing an Altezza conversion then? Or maybe a 30bhp POWER chip from ebay? Or the distinct aroma of cow rectum deposited fertilizer.
The end of line mk2 MR2 was fitted with the 200hp BEAMS engine from the factory. That said I can't see the year of the car on the advert, but it's entirely plausible that it has 200hp.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff