Yesterday we talked about the trend that truly authentic classics are gaining in value. That pre-war classics are in the spotlight. Now we go for the 'N' of 'fake'. For the replicas. Also nice. But otherwise. And a lot more uncertain in terms of sales value.
Because what about those imitation classics now? And then we are not talking about the Olivier B. Bumpy Ruska Regina, but about cars that really do their best to look like something that they are not?
The Excaliburs, the AC Cobras, the Clenets and the Auburn and Bugatti replicas.
Some people get flaked fingers on the spot. An allergic reaction,
That is rightly from the feeling of a classic enthusiast. Because certainly for somewhat later Excaliburs and the Clenets it applies that they are made of a very large percentage of polyester. Under the skin they are usually nothing more or less than full sized Yank tanks until about 1976, when the real full sized ones left the gates of GM and Ford.
Bugatti replicas have been made based on a VW beetle chassis. With the engine in the back. Endearing pastries. There have been neat looking Bugatti kit cars with Ford Pinto blocks. Everything is done. Sometimes to perfection. Four cylinder in-line engines have even been tied together to become 'Bugatti 8 in line blocks'.
AC Cobra kitcars? There were 20 providers at one point. But Ford GT40s and Porsche 917s are also being copied.
And for the price of such a counterfeit 917 you also have a spacious home with estate in Portugal.
The story behind the Clenets also had to do with money. The builder had devised his dream car and wanted to sell it. But nobody had any interest in a Clenet. Until. Until a knowledge of the Creator, who was poked in marketing and sales, advised him to double the selling price. Then suddenly the Clenets were no longer dragging on.
Auburn Replicas are often more authentic in their appearance. They breathe more the atmosphere of their time. We have already seen them with real patina instead of crackle in the polyester. There is such a copy at the antique store Venema in Drempt.
Clenets and Excaliburs are spotted most often by wedding car rental companies.
Because they are of course just as reliable as the regular GM products of that time.
Almost real and expensive: the Bentley Racer Replicas based on original RR and Bentley chassis (of considerably later type), including a blower if necessary. Not real, but as good as real and just as beautiful. And it can be raced with by proud owners of original models who do not want to expose their original Bentley blower to the risks of a sturdy hill climbing climb.
If you are interested in this matter, you can go Google on kitcars and replicas. A whole new world opens up for you. And such a replica can be a fantastic car. But remember that the price must be in line with the product and that the value is not likely to rise quickly. Think of generations rather than years.
You probably get the most out of it when you buy and build such a kit cart yourself. Then you have just such a kit as from your youth. But you can really drive it. And with the right approach, driving a self-built car is the best thing there is. And that is where the value lies: "priceless!"
But working through the advertisements to a ready-made copy naturally gives 'instant satisfaction'. And that is also worth a lot with the summer ahead.
An advantage of the average replica: polyester does not rust
Although: sometimes you wish they did.