If i have learned one thing from three years on CC, it would be that any subtle "put down" or critiicism of this or that replica will bring forth vengence and rebuttal.
As for the several replica's in this thread, i have seen them all, and they are all fine cars. All three manufacturers are highly respected by their drivers.
I don't know what to make of the "originality" thing. I first got interested in these cars, since i had always coveted the originals i saw back in the '60's, in the late '70's. Back then it was ERA and Contemporary. R&T had a test and comparison, and i noted the remark that the latter was a bit more "real" than the ERA. So i promptly decided that i would try to someday get a Contemporary. Actually, until after i bought my SPF, i never actually saw either of them!!! But i was driven to be the most authentic i could get, and ignored the ERA's for two decades.
Pretty foolish of me, but i could not afford any one, so it didn't make any difference.
So for me, my SPF, especially since the Olthoff's are only an hour north of me, and i go up there a lot, (my car is there now getting a race rollbar, etc), has been the "best" car for Hal.
My car is very original where it counts, or where others see it. Exceedingly reliable, fast and fun every day.
If you think deciding what replica to get is hard, wait until you have to decide on colors, wheels, and engines!!!
If you really want to see all sorts of variations, you might want to go to the next Spring Fling, and see hundreds of them.
Oh, to correct myself, Bob Olthoff told me that
oil on the rear brakes always resulted in no rear braking after the first few laps, i assumed it was because the originals had inboard brakes. I guess the
oil from high rpm use back then lubed even outboard brakes. I have ridden with Bob on a race track, and perhaps that is why he is blindingly fast, and yet rarely touches the brakes at all. Grew up without them, i guess.