Why So Many Clones?

[rfn026]

In the most recent issue of Excellence a Mr. Sramek complained about all the modified Porsches. I think he makes a pretty good point, while at the same time sounding a little extreme. I’m going to break this modified Porsche thing into two groups.

First we have the hot rods. Hot rods are cool. These are the modified cars that are built because the owner loves the car. Sure they destroyed (maybe) a perfectly good Porsche to build a hot rod. On they other hand many have saved a really bad Porsche from the crusher. Hot Rod Porsches are a personal statement.

Next we have the clones. This is the creation of another person's idea about what a Porsche should be. Only Porsche owners seem to build clones for the street. Vintage race car guys do it all the time. Some of these clones are perfect down to the last detail . Even the decals are perfect. They build these cars to look like the real deal.

Why? No other marque is quite so fanatical about building exact clones. Ok, maybe the Dukes of Hazard people are just as bad. I do think we have created more Brumos cars though than there are General Lee cars out there.

I understand the R Gruppe people. I’m having more trouble with the clone people. R Gruppe people build them because they like them. Clone people build them to look like, and in many cases drive like, a car they can’t afford to buy. Is this the only reason for spending a ton of money on a clone?

I would love to hear more on this whole Clone thing.

Richard

[lfot]

You build them because it's the car you want, you can "afford" it, and you can beat the $hiite out of it on the track if you feel so inclined.

Porsche guys aren't the only ones though. Look at all the 60's Shelby Mustang clones. Don't even start on the Shelby Cobras!

[Bill Verburg]

Over the years there have been may very desireable cars sold overseas but not here. Hence to legally drive one most people will have to build a clone. By the way a clone often is a hot rod, especilly compared to stock US fare.

[nameisbauer]

I have what I would call a hot rod, so I am OK in your book. I'm not trying to front that I have anything but a backdated SC. When people ask what year it is I say 81, not 74. But then again, my car is very mild when compared to some "clones"

Basically just what you said, people want to have what they cannot afford. There is no shame in that at all, in my book. There aren't enough to have, even if you had the money. The fanatical part is the same in every sport/hobby/collector. Some people just get fixated and go too far with anything they do. I feel great driving (and looking at) my SC. I would be scared to drive A real one. But then again if I could afford it maybe I wouldn't be.

Have fun is what I say.

[don911]

Porsche isn't the only marque with clones. Look at the muscle car market. The price of many, "ordinary" muscle cars are being cloned because of the sky rocketing value. Chevelle SS, Camero SS/RS, Cudas, etc, along with the shelby's and cobras already mentioned.

[Racerbvd]

Some cars you just can't buy, sure with the money that I have spent on my 914-6GT clone, I could have bought a brand new Porsche, but it wouldn't be my dream car. I was going to build a 73 RSR clone, but when I got one of the Toad Hall back up tubs, my plans changed. Since my GT clone has a 3.0 twin plug in it, you could call it a Hot Rod too.
Some people just enjoy building what they want over checking it off at the dealership.

[SCWDP911]

I think the term "clone" gets overused. I think in reality, a lot of us build (or want to build in my case) "inspired" cars, meaning they are inpired by another, or in some cases more than one other car. But to be sure, there are true clones here as well. Kudos to all of you who build them to whatever extent: I do not think I have seen one yet that I do not like in some way. They are all inspiring to me.

[RWebb]

Why not?

The only reason not to build one is that "some people" think that having an "exclusive" car is important for their ego. while this may be cheaper than years of psychoanalysis, especially in major metropolitan areas, it still represents a deficit in the ego.

I could care less about people who have to have a fancy Rolex, fancy exclusive car, McMansion etc. I feel sorry for them, but that's it. (Now if they have a Rolex because they appreciate it as a mechanical device, diving, etc.; if they have a car that suits them in some -functional- way; etc. - then that is a different story.)

Is there any other reason to NOT build a clone?

If you like it, and cannot easily buy it, then just build it.

PS - My 'clone' is a hotrod, tho it doesn't look it.

[wachuko]

I am doing it because I just like the way the 74 RSR 3.0 looked... I can't afford the real thing, I will not track it... I just want to drive a car I like.... and no new car in the market can offer the go-kart feel of the early 911s...

Plus is the best therapy in the world... keeps me off the bars and hookers...

[Noel]

I can only speak for my 74 Carrera Clone. I can easily afford a real one, but since I like to track my car, I want more power and realiability of a 3.0L over the 2.7L engine in a real 74 Carrera. When I blow the 3.0L I'll put in a 3.6L, but not having a 2.7L doesn't make it less of an experience for me.

[Porsche Doc]

Becuz their COOL!
Now were geting ready to build a 73 look C2RSR, black with red.
Stay tuned!

[Racerbvd]

Originally Posted by Porsche Doc

Becuz their COOL!
Now were geting ready to build a 73 look C2RSR, black with red.
Stay tuned!

So did you sell the C4RSR???

Another reason to build a clone is you can drive it
I would not enjoy driving a real 73 RSR as I would be to worried that someone would hit it, plus the inj is very $$$$$.

[Porsche Doc]

Racerbvd; So did you sell the C4RSR???

Yea! It lives in Atlanta now.
The guy liked it so well we are building him a C2RSR.
Were starting with a 91 with 50K miles on it.

[tcar]

The ones that really bother me is the guys that take a good longhood and make an SC clone out of it. Why why why?

Makes the baby jesus cry.

[lfot]

Originally Posted by tcar

The ones that really bother me is the guys that take a good longhood and make an SC clone out of it. Why why why?

Makes the baby jesus cry.

That was more of a 70's, 80's thing to do.
The longhoods weren't in demand as much as new looking impact bumper cars.

[vash]

i would love to take a 1969 camaro and build a Z28 clone. i think those guys do it often too.

[JayG]

I come from the Mitsubishi world where in America we didnt get the Evo 1-3 however the 4 door Mirages we did get can be converted. Its a lot of work but if you are going to go through the car and do it how you want to anyway, then do it the best you can. I think people have a visual of a car they saw and know what they want to do. Overtime the cars get molded into a "clone" of something they loved years ago that maybe they had the money to buy it but wanted to build one themselves. As long as it looks great and you are happy with it, thats all that matters.

I guess my car falls under the "hot rod" category but could be swapped back to a Porsche motor if I chose so.

[SoCal70RSR]

I think it's partly because no other car in history has given you the same chasis structure with lots of interchangeable parts for 30 plus years. Along with a racing pedigree and great overall engineering, the Porsche 911 is the perfect platform for the DIY crowd. It's one of the few cars you can do an"upgrade" with "used" parts... engine, suspension, brakes, etc. And to top it off, you can make it look like your favorite.

[Dan in Pasadena]

My car isn't a clone or a hotrod. It is mechanically clean and stock. I wanted an early car but complete, mostly non-rusted ones were out of this world pricewise. What to do?

I bought a good deal on a Mid Year car (1976) and made minor backdates to please myself alone. It kinda looks like a '74. I didn't try to make it look like an early car with fiberglass bumpers - though I could have. That would have been too "poser" to me - YMMV. I decided to keep it simple: Non-flared hips, non-flag style mirror, a metal grill on it, deleted the fog lights; all to give it a simple look.

Middies aren't everyone's cup of tea probably BECAUSE they were a "bridge" model between the earlies and the later SC's/Carrera's. Much like the 964's. Just to be forthcoming, I used "1976S" as my license. The car has no value to anyone but me but I think it looks clean and simple and reminds you of the early cars without trying to look like one:

[dw1]

Look around and you'll lots of 67-69 Z28 Camaros, LT1 Corvettes, SS396 Chevelles, Hemi 'cudas, Boss 302 Mustangs, Shelby GT350 & GT500 Mustangs, etc.

In fact, I would make a wager on the fact that there are far more of them now then ever left the factory, thanks to companies like Year One. It's getting more & more difficult to tell the difference, and I'm sure it's led to a lot of outright fraud.

My car is, I guess, a very mild hot rod in that I changed the exhaust system, added a SW chip, changed the rear bumper, and a few other items. I was careful, however, to make sure that things could be returned to stock. I did it because I wanted to improve the sound, appearance and performance a bit, and I hated those ugly bumperettes.

If I had the time, I'd probably build a Jagermeister clone RSR and a Donohue Sunoco Camaro Z28 clone. Others might pick a Brumos 935 & a Trans-Am Boss 302. Or a Trans Am 911 Petty or Allison replica for the performance and to be ironic to the NASCAR hordes.

"Car guys" fall for specific cars like they (and others) fall for specific women. If one could, would the same mentality lead to Jessica Alba replicas?