Cloning: tribute, fraud, or ????

[NMGary]

I'm seeing many, many cars listed as "clones". When I was a younger pup (and dinosaurs walked the earth) this was considered fraudulent. Any twit can buy badges/ stripe kits and try to fool a buyer. I'll bet billions of "SS" badges have been sold by GM parts.
I'm going to risk alienating you good MOPAR folks by admitting that I've always drooled over 67/68 Mustang fastbacks. Seems like every mullet-head with one in the back yard has now painted it metallic gray and calls it an Eleanor clone. And wants $80 grand for it. Please. Every time I see that in an ad I want to call the seller and chew his azz. But he probably wouldn't understand, being a mullet-head. So why bother.
So. What is up with all of the cloning? Is it something to boost your ego? Can't you be happy with what you have? And what happens when the buyer of a clone "forgets" to mention that it's a clone when he sells it? Could get pretty messy if a buyer finds out that it's not what was represented.

 

[Rolling Thunder]

My 68 roadrunner clone back when I was 16 was due to fact that I really wanted a Roadrunner and could not find one in my area but did find a satellite, a rr hood and some stickers at a flea market CHEAP. Loved the look but still ran the 273 in it....albiet with an adapter plate and holley carb Would do it again today but only put a big block in it. I wanted a mustang fastback back then too and given the chance would have cloned it into a shelby wanna be if all possible.

 

[Ron 73]

First ill say i have a clone, when i got the car someone had put on the bulge hood and when it came time for me to paint it that is what i wanted. If i had it to do again i think i may have tried to find a regular flat hood to put on it and done it a little differently. Honestly i don't know but i believe anyone should be pleasing there self not someone else, it IS your ride and you have the right to do what you want to it. Now if someone is trying to cheat someone then im totally against it PERIOD. When i came to this site i could have told everyone it was a RR but i chose to tell it like it is, I have nothing at all to prove to anyone, if i were to find another car and like the look of it, bet ill do it. Ego has nothing at all to do with it, How it looks and what i like is what matters. Now thats my opinion about it if no one else agrees, that wont change. It is a fair question and i don't have any problem at all telling it.

 

[chrisd]

I think if it's your car you should do what you want with it. But I have to agree in part with the "clone", "tribute", etc. When you see a clone for sale for close to what the original is going for I think it's a little ridiculous.

 

[SUPERSTOCKRACER]

if you cant afford a numbers matching car or if you want to actually drive something that you admire, cloning is cool.
i have a few cars that i cant drive because of their rarity and being too expensive to take a chance getting into an accident with.
so i built a car that i want to drive and enjoy without worrying about it getting hit in a parking lot or on the road.
i feel theres nothing wrong with it, just dont rebody one or call it a numbers matching original if its not!
heres my clone.

 

[YY1]

I think it can be done tastefully. When I bought my first 67 Coronet, the seller had put Super Bee emblems on the grille and trunk. There was no Bee in 67, so I left them. 68 R/T or GTS stripes look good on anything with a similar body (well almost), and they don't say anything. Same for bulge hoods and some other stripes. I think if you don't do the full boat, you can sometimes get away with it. I always thought a 70 Charger 500 or a 68-70 Coronet 500 would be fine with a 69 500 tail stripe.

Right now there's a 74 Challenger on ebay that's listed as an Rallye 360 car with a "frame off" resto. Nice car, but VIN is JH23"6"......(I'm pretty sure the "6" is a "G") and a Rallye would start JS. It's been lited at least twice with 0 bids. I think the seller would have more luck if he listed it in a more correct manner.

 

[1badgtx]

As we all know even clone hemi cars reach a good sum...I have a good eye for cars and have a decent knowledge for them..I can usually spot a clone a mile away...Still There is no shame in a properly done clone car...as long as the owner is clear upon sale that the car is a clone...
Petty Blue 67 gTx

 

[696pack]

To me and in the true definition there is no such thing as a clone car. A true clone of something is an EXACT copy in every detail and no matter how well you do it, it only take one look at the V.I.N. to determine the difference on the cars that have this info for in it.

A better and more accurate term is tribute car because it is a tribute to something real.

The hobby will never see the reversal of the term clone as it embedded in the hobby lingo even though it is wrong. It is a pet peeve to me and I don't use it.

Tributes came into favor when prices began to skyrocket and the average guy could no longer afford to buy a real car. Nothing wrong with them but the facts are that they will never be worth more than the sum total of their parts. The V.I.N. for a real car that people want to tribute will always have a higer value.

 

[brandon64]

For the record. There was only 1 "Elenore" ever built, for the movie. So, if you want a car that looks like that, it has to be a clone or tribute car. unless you buy the 1 ever made by Carol Shelby for the movie gone in 60 seconds. Unless you want the original Elenore from the first gone in 60 seconds movie. Then all you have to do is buy a yellow 71 mach 1.

 

[Clay Dots]

Nothing wrong with a tribute or a clone if your building it for yourself not trying to rip someone off. I love a nice car options are a personal taste thing factory do dads and what nots can be put on for the look you desire, again everyone has their own ideas about what is acceptable, I like a clone or tribute that is the right color with the right/factory options for that year vehicle but thats just me, I would never tell someone they should have painted their car another color if they choose a non factory color or put the wrong scoop or whatever on their car. to each his own, lets just try to get anlong and have some fun I say.

 

[rp23g7]

Nothing wrong with clones, my Coronet is a clone Bee. I cant afford a real $50-60,000 Superbee, nor would i drive it as much as i do the coronet now. I enter it in car shows as a clone, under construction or muscle car.

A friend of mine has a clone Formula S 340, well not really as they never made a 67 340 Formula S. He made the car he wanted to have, did it correctly too. Changed the cross member, found a early cast 68 340, finally found his formula badges, its looking like a real sweet car.

 

[huffy41]

Growing up my dream car was always the A12 Bee. Im currently working on a 69 bee (originally 383 4 speed car) that i plan on making into an A12 clone. Since I could never afford a real one, this is my only option. It will never be the real thing, but it will feel like one to me. And I would never try to hide the fact that its not a real one either. I say build it the way you want.

 

[ilm65]

Immitation is the most sincere form of Flattery! As long as the owner is honest about it, I think it's GREAT!

 

[68GTX4SPEED]

I dont like what I see here
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290589243397&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
Vintag standard rivets? K-frame standard V8? No torque boxes? Buildsheet # bodynumbers?

 

[OG max wedge]

Here’s what really steams my clams, people toss out the word “max wedge” so freely, they think that just because it has a cross ram it’s a max wedge, most don’t even know that they only made 97 true 1964 ram chargers, only 25 of them had steel fenders and hood, sure there are no exact figures as to how many cars came with the 426 cross ram option but that doesn’t mean your car is a true max wedge.

I don’t think there is anything wrong with using the term “clone” “tribute” “re-creation” or “max wedge style” to describe the look and feel of your favor car, as long as you use the term, the problem being that some people built their dream car, sell it to someone else they re-sell it and so on and so on and the next thing you know somehow that car is now thought to be an original car. Case in point, there is a really awesome car for sale on line right now that states it to be an original max wedge car that was well cared for and even retains the original “stamped” warranty book, get a clue people, if you have a stage one two or three max wedge you had to sign a document stating that the warranty will not be honored, talk about the ultimate “delete” item. Here is another new flash, grandpa’s didn’t carefully drive these and stored them in a heated garage for the winter, to buy one of these “TRUE” cars you had to be a true racer and when you bought it you ran it balls out rode it real hard and put it away real wet! Trust me if all the cream puffs could talk they would be real thankful for being rescued and restored.

I’m not trying to flap my own wings here, (ok yes I am) but my little “true” ram charger may not have ever ben a professional race car, it may have 31k original miles on it and still 100% of the original paint you would want to drive it on the street, my co workers can’t understand why I won’t even drive it the 4 mile to work or the 11 miles to spring fling in Van Nuys but if you pay Mr. Govier the big bucks then with the 11+ months to get his stamp of approval and your car comes back as #1 of only 23 known left in existence then you too would ask what happened to the other 74?
Ok I’m getting way off base here but if you really love the looks and feel of a super rare car build one but always use the terms “CLONE” TRIBUTE or RE-CREATION and enjoy it just don’t try to pass it off as something it’s not… and that’s what I plan on doing with the two “clones” I am building right now, something I can beat to death without worrying about scratching another vin number off of the registry.
Thanks for listening, I feel better now!
P.s. SSR Chris, that is one of the nicest "A990" out there and thanks for the new screen saver!

 

[OG max wedge]

oh and BTW i've always dreamed about owning a Road Runner to drive on the steet and having a FAKE wouldn't bother me in the least

 

[70rr-brian]

I dont like what I see here
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290589243397&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
Vintag standard rivets? K-frame standard V8? No torque boxes? Buildsheet # bodynumbers?

Couldn't agree more.

 

[GTXKen]

I have no problem with engine/rear end/hood swaps etc but once you change badges you are being deceptive....you are calling the car something its not.

I say leave the badges and change the rest.

 

[RonP]

My quick take is that its my money and my car and I will do what I want with it regardless of anyone elses opinion...

Now, I have a 73 Satellite that has the RR hood, and 8 3/4, will have a 500ci in it and it has all interior right out of a 73 roadrunner. Still has the Satellite gauge cluster and dash symbol. It has the roadrunner strip and yes it even says roadrunner. Oh well. the reality is when I got the stripes, I asked to have that removed and they wanted an extra 50.00 and I said no way. So yep, it says roadrunner on the side. Did I build the car to sale as a roadrunner, nope. Will it tick some real roadrunner owners off at cruises and such? don't know and don't care. I would never try to pass it off as a roadrunner in hopes to profit and I don't even call it a clone....it is a satellite. The flip side is if someone bought it without looking at the vin and such, they are just as wrong.

 

[NMGary]

OG max wedge, you get it. And you have one helluva nice car!
OK, reality time. We ALL personalize our rides. Where is the line between something you like and want, and being deceptive. If I owned a 67 GTX (hey, I do!) and started seeing a bunch of "clones" degrading the market, how should I feel? I have the real deal. And others are trying to cash in on something they DON'T have. I guess I'm going to point out the foul every chance I get.