Who Makes The Best Coupe

[bkozlow]

David,

The first question you have to ask is what type car do I want? The best all around driver for all climates is the SPF. It is the most practical as the finish is great and really is not a kit car but a factory produced car less engine and trans. The car addressed several of the short comings of the orginals, the short wheelbase, the noise and heat being the most pressing.

The McCluskey cars are copies of the orginials, they are very loud in the cockpit and hot with no air in climates that may need it. They are fine pieces of work, but for the money I would expect nothing less. While at Monterey last Aug. I saw several of his restorations CSX-2261--CSX-2262 and one of his replicas. His retorations are wonderful except they are not orginal. They are improved restorations. While there I saw my old car CSX-2286, now owned by Rob Walton. McCluskey did not do a restoration on this car and it is the most orginal Daytona Coupe of the six except for CSX-2287. It still uses the chain to hold up the front piece not gas struts as on McCluskey restoration or replicas. So, again you have to decide what do I want.

The best kit that addresses the originality issue is the UpStates. The basic body and chassis are copies of the orginial except for the full roll cage spec. The body was pulled from CSX-2299. The car can be built as close to orginial as you want, except for the switch from alumimum to glass for the body.

I have just completed building a car myself. I used an EM chassis with Vette suspension and I built the body myself. The car uses an orginial windshield and is very close in outward appearance to the orginial. However, I used a composite glass, Kevlar and graphite structure with composite foam in the construction, not so much for strength but to reduce noise and heat. I put 11,000 street miles on CSX-2286 when I had it and in Florida it was hot. Keeping with the orginality theme I have a 331cu in. to a Richmond Super T-10. So, what I am saying is are you trying to build a copy of the orginial or a car that is not only fun to drive but something you can us when you want to use it no just on sunny days.

Bill Kozlow