Looking for Authenticity How far to go?

[Dumpling]

Think of these replicas as rolling display cabinets. Show off your rare geegaws someplace other than on the walls of the garage. Got an original badge? Put it on the fiberglass 'shelf' on show it off. Rate chrome bit? Bolt it on. Troublesome original gauges? Wire them in and point them out.

[Bearwolf]

I have my deposit in with ERA for an FIA and they should be starting it in a few months. When I went through the engine debate with myself I quickly realized that if someone is looking close enough to see I used a roller block instead of a 5 bolt block, they likely have already noticed the coil spring suspension and square frame. If I were building an aluminum, round tube car, I'd go through the trouble of a correct motor. Seeing I'm building an ERA I have a 302 and a Tremic TKO 600 on standby in my garage waiting for the car. It'll look correct, and if I blow the motor up while having fun it'll be nearly nothing to stick another 302 in there. But the heart wants what the heart wants, so if having a 302 will be something you have nagging regrets about, you better buy a 5 bolt.

[RodKnock]

IMO, an accurate replica is a "fool's errand."

Only SAAC (Shelby American Automobile Club) judges would be able to tell the difference between accuracies and inaccuracies and yourself. And SAAC judges won't care.

I went to smallish car show recently and just about no one knew my car was replica and the rest thought I had a chrome 3M vinyl wrap on my Kirkham.

But if it's fun for ya, go for it.

[LMH]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

IMO, an accurate replica is a "fool's errand."

Only SAAC (Shelby American Automobile Club) judges would be able to tell the difference between accuracies and inaccuracies and yourself. And SAAC judges won't care.

I went to smallish car show recently and just about no one knew my car was replica and the rest thought I had a chrome 3M vinyl wrap on my Kirkham.

But if it's fun for ya, go for it.

I'm not so sure they know after I got to look at a judges score sheet from a few years ago. It had a number of mistakes in it.

Larry

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by LMH

I'm not so sure they know after I got to look at a judges score sheet from a few years ago. It had a number of mistakes in it.

Larry

They don't make SAAC judges like they used to in the old days.

So, almost no one, maybe not a SAAC judge nor the rest of the general public, will know if your authentic replica is "accurate", except maybe "you."

[patrickt]

I've met a lot of judges in my life. Most of them are basically unhappy and hate their jobs.

[LMH]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

They don't make SAAC judges like they used to in the old days.

So, almost no one, maybe not a SAAC judge nor the rest of the general public, will know if your authentic replica is "accurate", except maybe "you."

That's true... but that's where the hobby actually is! To have a replica more accurate than most current originals!

Larry

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by LMH

That's true... but that's where the hobby actually is! To have a replica more accurate than most current originals!

Larry

Au contraire mon frère.

The "numbers matching" and "date code" crowd are a dying breed. Most newcomers could care less, including me. I'm not paying "you" an extra dime for a correct wiring harness, Toploader, dated coded sideoiler/Hipo 289 or Smiths' gauges. Most buyers look at a Superformance or Backdraft and say "looks great to me" and buy it.

IMO, there's a "Law of Diminishing Returns" when it comes to the "originality" of a replica. But whatever toots your horn.

[tboneheller]

No matter how much money you spend or how original it looks, you will ALWAYS hear the same line everywhere you go. "Hey, man. is that real? No? So it is just a kit car then." And you will be as ticked off as every other Cobra owner has been since the first replica was created, unless you can answer their original question with a "YES. It is real.".

[patrickt]

I only get that question anymore from ol' farts. Anybody under the age of, say, 45, tends to ask "what kind of car is this?"

[ScratchBuilder]

Originally Posted by patrickt

I only get that question anymore from ol' farts. Anybody under the age of, say, 45, tends to ask "what kind of car is this?"

And thats one of the reasons mine doesnt have any badges on it

[66gtk]

Originally Posted by patrickt

I only get that question anymore from ol' farts. Anybody under the age of, say, 45, tends to ask "what kind of car is this?"

true dat

[LMH]

So David, there's your answer about how far to go with authenticity. It really comes down to what you want and what's important to you. I picked on RodKnock some knowing he'd stick to his guns on what was and what wasn't important to him. Replicas replicate in varying degrees and in different aspects, depending on what's important to it's owner. It all comes down to what you want.
Larry

[Chicagowil]

I used to be involved with Porsches. The question you raise as to "what's too far" was a common issue with purists. It got to the point that if you did not have the right tires on a daily driver- some owners would look down on you! I would remind them that Dr Porsche was one of the original "hot rodders". The same is true of Shelby. Even ars varied from car to car as to what was available from his suppliers and what would work better from experience. Shelby would have not used the 260 if the 289 had been available. The same way he swapped 427s and 428s. It was always about performance, cost and availability of components.

If you like a specific car and its exact features- copy what you like and substitute better components where it does not matter to you that its not exactly the same.

I am in fact finishing a CR1 which is not even close to the original for size. But at 6'2" and 220 lbs, an original is too tight a fit to be comfortable. I remember not fitting in my first ride in an original as a teen, much less now in my 60's with an artificial hip! But I am still in love with the overall lines. And I can now fit rather then just admire from the curb.

To sum up- there is no "bad choices".

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by Chicagowil

I used to be involved with Porsches.

I’m still involved with Porsches. Porsche purists are a whole different level of crazy. What I paid for an original radio not too long ago...Oy!

[LMH]

I was in the PCA for 15 years with a concours 911. Maybe that's where I got it!
Larry

[xb-60]

PCA? I'm still involved with Porsches, but only in my dreams....
OK, have been a member of the Alfa club in Australia for 25 years, but never entered an AROCA concours (I think they'd kick me out!)....and even though my car has a lot of period-correct mods, none of them are 'Alfa concours correct'...but I'm OK with that

Cheers!
Glen

[CompClassics]

There are obviously different paths that you can choose for your build, you need to decide what path is right for you.
When I decided to go down my path I decided that I wanted the experience that represented what an original Cobra provided, in performance, in appearance, in ergonomics etc. I wanted to faithfully reproduce what the original Cobra was / is.

[RodKnock]

Yes, David, it's up to you and your bank account.

But it's also how delusional you are to think that a 5-bolt scattershield, date coded blocks, BW T-10s, Smith gauges, headlights, proper paint color, a correct luggage rack and Lucas wiring harness makes your replica Cobra experience any different than the rest of replica Cobra owners, whether CSX, ERA, SPF, BDR, Unique, FFR or KMP.

So how delusional are you?

[patrickt]

If you want the experience of driving an original CSX3xxx car, just disconnect your fan, so your car overheats in around-town driving, wiggle your ignition wires loose, so it's touch and go whether you can even start or not, and be sure to remove all insulation so your feet, legs, and everything else is either burned to a crisp from the pipes, or freezing from the outside weather, depending.