Discussion
Not seen one on Pontiac Chassis , does look close to original.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1985-Ferrari-F355-SPIDE...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1985-Ferrari-F355-SPIDE...
Seen plenty of Pontiac Fiero based replicas and most are awful, covered in badges but not the right shape at all.
Eg https://youtu.be/7SPKRAV9CXc (which is signed Dino Ferrari for no reason I can think, other than he didn’t realise that Enzo was the founder).
However, this one looks very good, helped by being a Spyder I suspect. Even the interior is good: other than the high transmission tunnel and rather long gear stick, it looks the part.
I still don’t quite get why anyone buys them though. Won’t give the sound/drive of a real one, and in terms of pride of ownership, you must constantly have to be admitting it’s a fake.
Eg https://youtu.be/7SPKRAV9CXc (which is signed Dino Ferrari for no reason I can think, other than he didn’t realise that Enzo was the founder).
However, this one looks very good, helped by being a Spyder I suspect. Even the interior is good: other than the high transmission tunnel and rather long gear stick, it looks the part.
I still don’t quite get why anyone buys them though. Won’t give the sound/drive of a real one, and in terms of pride of ownership, you must constantly have to be admitting it’s a fake.
Edited by 67Dino on Wednesday 14th August 12:35
MDL111 said:
Gotta say that looks quite impressive and if you don’t know what the tunnel in a 355 looks like, even the interior could fool you (well a non pistonheads member anyway)
Lol - there are some brilliant repo's out there and credit to the chaps who go to the end of the earth detailing them and draining their wallets - one fooled me recently until the owner proudly lifted the engine cover to reveal the Toyota engine 
At least it wasn't a garage queen albeit fake.
Bobton125 said:
It's quite good compared to MR2 replicas, still looks very odd to me though.
The cheap looking seats are a bit of a give away and the rear just looks a bit too short / the rear lights are little sunken in?
It’s surprisingly close actually, but missing the panel gap between the rear lights and body which looks wrong. Here’s some photos for comparison...The cheap looking seats are a bit of a give away and the rear just looks a bit too short / the rear lights are little sunken in?
Replica (rear):
Genuine (rear):
Replica (front):
Genuine (front):
67Dino said:
I still don’t quite get why anyone buys them though. Won’t give the sound/drive of a real one, and in terms of pride of ownership, you must constantly have to be admitting it’s a fake.
Yeah, I see it as a lot of money for a lookalike, and I don't really understand the appeal.The basic principle of a replica of a car you'll never afford a real example of, I get that - I'd happily build an XJ220 replica, but if I did so, I'd want it to be halfway decent. Sure, unlike with a pre war classic, it's going to be impossible to make a true replica using the same chassis structure etc, but that doesn't mean I'd go and put a body kit on whatever mid engined shed I could find on Ebay for a grand, more likely a dedicated chassis like an Ultimate or GT40 replica uses.
I suppose it depends what people want from them. There's always going to be a whiff of people having replicas more for the image of owning one than because of how much they like the real thing.
As I've said before, replicas are OK only in the superficial sense. Even if you manage to fool people in passing you'll always get caught out by somebody, and can end up looking extremely foolish. If you're somehow able to avoid this, you'll always know yourself that you're not driving the real thing, and that must be a pretty hollow feeling. (It's a bit like how I can almost feel sorry for people who have genuine designer / luxury items like handbags, watches, trainers etc. The fakes are superficially so good that in the real world and in passing, lots of people will probably assume that what you have is knockoff anyway!)
Patrick-Peter said:
Out of interest, What degree of fakeness is ok?
Making a "Ferrari" out of a MR2 is clearly a piss poor fake but a genuine Ferrari 348 converted to 355 or 308 to a 288 gto ? ???
That seems even worse to me, as it wrecks a good car to do it. Feel the same about Porsche 993s dressed to look like 911Ts. I think any attempt to pass one thing off as another is inauthentic and naff. Much prefer to see lesser models beautifully restored as they were meant to be. Including MR2s...Making a "Ferrari" out of a MR2 is clearly a piss poor fake but a genuine Ferrari 348 converted to 355 or 308 to a 288 gto ? ???
It's not just cars either ................
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Aircraft...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titan_T-51_Mustang
Part of me gets it .... then the other part says "Thats just plain Wrong"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Aircraft...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titan_T-51_Mustang
Part of me gets it .... then the other part says "Thats just plain Wrong"
I remember about 10 years ago some guys in a pub in - I think - Margate were adamant that my 355 was a fake. It did have a hole in the manifold, so sounded like absolute crap. Good times, I miss that car a lot, it did cost an absolute fortune to keep running though.
I wouldn't mind a fake 250 SWB based on a shortened 330 chassis - could never afford the real thing (well now I can't even afford the fake anymore thanks to crazy price rises) - still a V12 Ferrari and looks just gorgeous. Would not try to pass it off as the real thing, but would enjoy owning it probably not materially less than having a real one
I wouldn't mind a fake 250 SWB based on a shortened 330 chassis - could never afford the real thing (well now I can't even afford the fake anymore thanks to crazy price rises) - still a V12 Ferrari and looks just gorgeous. Would not try to pass it off as the real thing, but would enjoy owning it probably not materially less than having a real one
Years ago whilst filing up my then F355 a F355 replica came into the station for fuel also.
Had a nice chat with the owner and i was very polite about his pride and joy even though he felt the need to 'put his car down' a little as i was there with the real mccoy...i kept correcting him when he faulted small details telling him it was all good.
Like with watches; i really don't get the high an mighty line regards 'replicas'.
I am fortunate enough to be able to afford the real stuff and have absolute no issues with someone having replicas...unless said individual makes themselves out a bigshot to others.
Different folks / different strokes and aww that..
Had a nice chat with the owner and i was very polite about his pride and joy even though he felt the need to 'put his car down' a little as i was there with the real mccoy...i kept correcting him when he faulted small details telling him it was all good.
Like with watches; i really don't get the high an mighty line regards 'replicas'.
I am fortunate enough to be able to afford the real stuff and have absolute no issues with someone having replicas...unless said individual makes themselves out a bigshot to others.
Different folks / different strokes and aww that..
Certainly one of the better ones with that interior being similar.
As stated many times, I'm not entirely sure why people do but I did speak to one owner at Tatton many years ago. They had the Italian replicas park opposite genuine Italian cars so we all got chatting.
This one chap said it was just a challenge to try to emulate the real thing as close as possible. He seemed a genuinely good bloke but then one of his 'associates' (not sure it was a mate) suggested I race my F355 with the MR2 after the show :-/
As stated many times, I'm not entirely sure why people do but I did speak to one owner at Tatton many years ago. They had the Italian replicas park opposite genuine Italian cars so we all got chatting.
This one chap said it was just a challenge to try to emulate the real thing as close as possible. He seemed a genuinely good bloke but then one of his 'associates' (not sure it was a mate) suggested I race my F355 with the MR2 after the show :-/
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