Lamborghini replica

My neighbor down the street has a Lambo Countach replica, and I think it looks totally goofy. Then again, I think all Lambos look a little goofy. This particular fellow rarely drives his - my theory is that he's embarrassed to drive it. Amarillo's a small city and there are no "real" Lambos here that I know of, but occasionally someone will come up to me in my 348 and say something like "You know there's a Lambo in town". I know they're thinking if this kit car, and I just kind of laugh to myself. I think this fellow doesn't go out of his way to tell you that his car is a fake, but I think he thinks everyone knows it really is. Make sense?

Fakes are fakes. Rolexes, cars, clothing. "Knock-offs" are for people who are simply trying to fake someone out - give a certain "appearance" that is just a front. I don't care what anyone says, if you are buying a fake, one of your motives is to generate "oohs and ahs" on the cheap. To each his own.
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NO, NO,and double NO!!!

 

Triple that for me

 

Oh, I don't know, I could go for the right replica, one of the ones where the orignals are so rare, or prohibitively expensive. Heck, there is a whole market for the Cobra cars for that very reason. If they were done right, I could go for a California 250GT (or whatever it is called, like the replica in Ferris Bueller), an old Porsche (I forget the model, very VW oriented), or how about a Mirua (none that I know exist though). Now a replica like a 308, or 355, etc., that wouldn't be worth it.

 

I would go for that F40 Silhoutte that those guys in New Zealand built otherwise no.

 

The only Kit Cars I like are the Cobras. The Lotus 7 replicas are kinda cool and fun, but a Caterham (Sp?) would be a million times better.

That, and the 250GTO rebodies for the 240, which I am becoming interested in.

I am becoming obsessed with the 250 variants, esp. the GTOs! Its a disease for which there is no cure, thank God!

 

It doesn't make sense to do replicas on any car unless there worth about 300K plus. The cobra is a good example of that and the replicas are acceptible now. There are some really good ones too. Some of the old Ferrari and Jag replicas are cool, but when they do them right, you are looking at 60-70 grand with no resale value at all. at least you can re-sell the cobras.

 

Correct me if im wrong but back in the 80's maybe early 90's a company was making Countach replicas called PROVA and they were almost exact. I remember reading an article about the person who made the PROVA worked for Lamborghini and was using the exact specs for the replica.

 

lol, I just can't stay away from the replica threads..
no offence to anyone, these are my opinions and based on my experience

odythedog-
I have an original Lambo, and a ferrari replica and a 62 ferrari rebodied as a 250GTO
I have lots of self respect and love all of them.. and am thrilled to be able to drive them all.. in many ways the replica's (mine anyway) are as good or better.. with the biggest way they don't match up being that they are not original. Thanks to 40 years of improvements in automotive technology the Ferrari replica out handles the original, is quicker, stops faster, is safer, and with A/C and a full interior is more comfortable to drive... plus I can use it as a daily driver, park wherever I want without having to post an armed gaurd, and when something breaks I can run to Autozone and have a cheap replacement part in 15 minutes.. as opposed to waiting 6 months for replacement bearings for the Lambo. Some of the replicas of modern exotics are darn nice too
case in point - on another thread there are pics labeled as "favorite Lambo pics" .. one of the shots is of a replica.. a VERY well done replica.. it's not some "POS fiero rebody" (and btw - a stock 88 fiero GT/formula is a nice car... several lambo owners I know have them as drivers...) and SOME fiero based replicas are done nice - but it takes a LOT of work.
For a 308/328 replica it wouldn't make sense to do one now unless you were building a 308 replica because you loved the look of a 308 but say wanted a 360 engine and fully adjustable race suspension and A/C that works *grin*.

This car is proof that some of these are NOT just poorly assembled underpowered inaccurate POS...
Check out the work that went into that engine cradle.. this thing is amazing.. and I would love to add it to my garage.. yes the price is a little out of line .. but the workmanship is incredible.. and honestly - how important is resale value on a toy like this - if we were trying to make money on our toys well.. I think most of us would be disappointed..
http://www.infinetivity.com/~jch/diablo/

huskerNtexas - to me, I don't feel that someone with a replica is necessarily just trying to fake people out.. think of some of these cars like street rods.. maybe the owner always loved the look of an 32 ford but wants to have modern brakes, engine and interior.. the body is a tribute to something they love, but under the hood may be all business.. how many factory 32 fords had reliable 400horsepower engines, 6 piston disk brakes, A/C, and hand stitched glove leather interiors?.. my next big project will probably be a 250 GTO replica using drivetrain and suspension from a Ferrari 550/575 doner.. it's not because I'm trying to fake people out - it's because I love the look of the original GTO but want more.. it's about being an individual and driving what I want. and "on the cheap"? an original restored 32 ford is maybe what? 15k? A nice "replica" by Boyd Coddington is in the 6 figure range.. same with some of the Diablo replicas..but as you say - "to each his(or her) own"

MurcieMurcie & tifosi69 - can we just agree to disagree on this one?

Jordan, KMS and Matt - I guess we can agree to agree? : ) and Matt, PROVA did do a Miura replica.. there are some bodies floating around England, and a few completed cars turn up on occasion.. the molds were for sale online for a while but they wanted to sell all the molds and jigs for the countach and Miura replica's together - I'm not sure who ended up with them... but they are out there

Steve- I agree on some points Countach and Diablo and any of the more interesting replicas to do them right - a LOT of work.. I've seen two Diablo replicas with BMW V12's... but the guys could have made more power with more plentiful V8's Most people turn a MR2 or Fiero into a 355 (though I've seen a few 360 spyders made from MR2 as well... done right they can be damn close and perform respectably.. unfortunately most people don't spend the money or take the time to do them right : ( With a real one approaching or surpassing 6 figures I can see the appeal for someone who thinks the 355 looks amazing but has an average income and few kids but loads of time and mechanical know how.. or the retired guy on a fixed income who buys the thing to keep himself busy building it and thrill his grandkids by taking them to school in it..
I'd add one category to your list Steve..any car you love that the manufacturer decided for one reason or another to make unobtainable in the country you live in.. Either it's something not imported and impossible to get here (like until recently a Jag XJ220), or anything made in such limited numbers that they are essentially onobtainable... Lately I'm beginning to think the only way to get an enzo if you're not approved by ferrari is to just commision one.. the ones that show up on ebay occasionally always seem to get deleted because someone from FNA calls ebay and gets it pulled, even teh wrecked one. A friend recently had several offers out for 7 figures for various Enzo's and every deal fell through.. but if I see something from europe on speedvision and the licensed importers all say no way to get one brought over for any money (like they keep telling me about a nice TVR I want) then I see nothing wrong with a high quality replica.. as long as it's safe out on the road..you know, everything works, it stops safely .. I'm all for being different and driving fun stuff but build it safe so you don't kill someone

Alan - sometimes I think it makes sense to make a replica of something cheaper - if it's otherwise unobtainable ... see above : )

Michael.. that was the car - to this day I think the prova cars are among the best of teh countach replicas.. I built one in the late 80's... at the time a real countach was 200k+ (before the collector car market crashed) and the prova had a full tube chassis.. and used all stock glass and body panels were about as exact as ever... unfortunately at the same time there were countach replicas around on a VW bug chassis... those gave the more serious cars a bad rep and are just not in the same league.. there hve been a couple countach and diablo replica's since that were exact rpoportions.. but not many..

anyway - I had to speak up on this topic : ) but we all knew that right?
as huskerntexas said .. to each his (her) own
Chelle

 

That Dibalo replica you posted a link to is incredible! I've never seen a replica project like that, and I've never thought of replicas in the way that you have described them.

 

Autocar in the UK has a feature on a Diablo replica and it looks very very good. it was pictured nose to nose with a genuine Diablo and I had to look at the picture for about 10 minutes before deciding which one was genuine.

It had a V8 engine in it so obviously wont go like the real thing but the reporter said the effect of driving it was amazing. Everyone assumes it's real. The owner of the company that makes it said he has turned up at owners club days and no one has noticed its a replica.

He also sells a lot of body pannels to real Diablo owners as all of the body pannels are exactly the same. Lambo UK charge £15,000 for a new rear panel whereas this guy can do it for £2,000 and virtually no one can tell the difference.

Cant remenber the name of the company but will find out tonight.

Not the real deal but great if you want to turn some heads and pick up a few ladies.

 

It is an incredible kit - but it certainly (and understandably) comes at a price! You can buy a real one for that money in the UK

 

Replicars = $hat !! Except for SOME of the Cobras.

 

Chelle, how much for the VT replica? That looks like a lot of money and you could buy the real thing? Am I mistaken?

 

BMW wheels bmw engine, you can see what people thought.

 

Every replica= garbage.

 

Wow dont believe it we agree.

 

What about a boyd coddington 32 ford? it's not original, it's a new recreation that looks a lot like a 32 ford.. with a price in the six figures and high level of craftmanship, it is still a POS replica?
re: the Diablo-
Sure ya could get a real one for that... but it depends on what the owner wants... if I was doing the engine work myself (I do do quite a bit of my own) and looking at the engine cradle on that and what's involved in removing a real diable engine I'd certainly wish Lamborghini would have done something similar.. hell my 1974 Lambo has an engine cradle that drops out pretty easily -
http://members.core.com/~sysadmin/personal/Urraco/urracodt-3.jpg
why couldn't they have done something similar on the newer ones?
as I said earlier - you could have an original 32 ford for a fraction of the cost of a Coddington street rod - but what would you rather take on a drive cross country?

Stephen -Most of the people on this site enjoy being an individual and driving something other than the standard issue suburban SUV.. why would you advocate torching someone else's unique automotive finger-painting just because they like something different than what you like? I'm just curious how an enthusiast online can advocate what it seems you are suggesting?

Allan, we disagree. that's unfortunate.. I'm a huge fan of lambo's and an owner. I choose cars I like - not to try and get anyone online or in the real world's approval.. and I'n not so insecure I need to trash someone else for putting a few thousand hours work into something they love..
Hell, tuner cars aren't my thing, but I can still appreciate the work that goes into a 900hp Supra.. I'm not talking about a 16 year old bolting a huge wing on a 4 door honda.. or Lamarossa putting a horsey on a supra and calling it a ferrari.. I'm talking about people dedicated to cars, building something they love, and building it well.. it's unfortunate we can't agree on this.. probably both of our loss.

The original question was "would a self respecting Lamborghini owner ever be caught dead in a replica" I for one would.. several other people I know would as well..
Some of us appreciate craftsmanship in many forms... not everyone blindly follows only one manufacturer, or thinks that manufacturer can do no wrong.. I think independantly - as do many people in this hobby
Chelle

 

Well said Chelle!!!

 

can anyone say this is a cheap embarrasing to drive replica? I don't think so
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or this.........can you tell it?
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From how many miles away?