FAQ |
Members List |
Social Groups |
Calendar |
Search |
Today's Posts |
|
THE LOBBY A gathering place. Introductions, sports, showin' off your ride, birthday-anniversary-milestone, achievements, family oriented humor. |
Reply |
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
||||
|
||||
Clones...
Used to own a couple of 1967 GTO's and a 1971 Ventura back in my street racing days. Want to get a musclecar again. Like the 1964 Tempest/Lemans but what is up with people that have a Tempest or Lemans, sticking a couple of GTO emblems on it and jacking the price up $10,000? Sorry, just venting...
|
#2
|
||||
|
||||
I agree... I'm not a clone....so why should my car be????
__________________
Current Pontiacs - 1973 Formula SD455 - #'s auto orig paint 1972 Trans Am - 4 speed orig paint 1974 Formula 400 - Ram Air automatic 1966 2+2 convertible - 421 4bbl automatic 1967 Grand Prix - 4 speed orig paint 1967 GTO - 4 speed orig paint 35k orig miles |
#3
|
||||
|
||||
It starts as people wanting their ride to look like the one they couldn't afford.
Then it blossoms into "Well, my car now has everything the real thing had, so I now consider it the same as a real thing, including the sale price". Then you have the: "I got duped into paying for the real thing, and I don't want to take the monetary hit, so I'll pass on the fake mark-up to the next schmoe". And it just escalates from there. I imagine that it started much earlier, but for me I first started seeing it in the 80's, where kids would scour the junkyards for SS badges to slap on whatever Chevy they were driving.
__________________
The joker in the deck keeps sending me his card. Smiling friendly, he takes me in. Then breaks my back in a game I can't win. |
The Following User Says Thank You to 69goatboy For This Useful Post: | ||
#4
|
||||
|
||||
Unfortunately, it the unscrupulous enthusiasts who give clones a bad reputation. Personally, I think clones are a great thing if you represent them for what they are. I have a 69 Lemans convertible that is nicely cloned into a carousel red Judge. Back in 1975, my dad came home with a carousel red 69 Judge convertible and that car made a hell of an impression on me as a 6 year old boy. When I was old enough and financially able to seek out a vintage muscle car to purchase, the carousel red 69 Judge vert was at the top of my list. When I began to search for one about 5 years ago, I found out that a man of my income was never going to own a real one, so I decided to look for the next best thing.....a clone.
Consider this...... there were only 108 69 Judge convertibles made. I am guessing that there is less than half of them left in existence. Many people that are fortunate enough to have the real deal won't drive them and some won't even show them for fear of something happening to their investment. How many young people today have even seen or heard of the 69 Judge convertible? Looking at pictures is one thing, but to see it, hear it and smell the tire smoke is what will make a lasting impression and keep the interest alive for the next generation. I can't begin to tell you how many young kids give me the thumbs up or approach me to ask about the car and tell me that they have never seen one of these before. Every time I stop for gas it is a 30 minute deal because someone always walks up to ask about the car or wants to take a picture. I am always honest with them and never try to represent the car as anything other that a Lemans, but they walk away knowing what a 69 Judge convertible is. I can tell you that my 6 year old son is every bit as enthusiastic about my clone as I was for the real deal my dad had. I would like to believe that the impression I make by exposing my clone to young people will provide real Judge owners a new group of potential investors. Lets face it......without demand, there isn't much value.
__________________
69 Judge convertible........clone! Carousel red, parchment, hideaways, TH400, 10" Continental 3200 stall, 12 bolt with 3.42, 469 c.i. with ported #48's, ported cast iron intake, Cliff's Q-Jet and ported 2-1/2" Ram Air manifolds. |
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to craigs69 For This Useful Post: | ||
#5
|
||||
|
||||
It's an odd position to be in. When people ask, do I say "it's a GTO" or "it's a LeMans" or "it's a LeMans that's cloned to look like a GTO" etc. Think about it, most people asking have no idea what a clone is other than a sheep created in a lab experiment.
Having just purchased a clone, I haven't decided how to respond to the casual gas station crowd questions. To the car cruise crowd, of course, it's a clone ;-) I loved my `68 LeMans, in part BECAUSE it was a LeMans. Anyway, I bought the car because it's a REAL car! It's fully restored, built to run and have fun. So in that sense, it's "real." I almost wish my friend who built it didn't clone it, or at least didn't put back on the LeMans louvers on the rear quarters so it wasn't so obvious to the pros. LOL
__________________
Adam __________________ 1964 LeGTO 469, M21, 3.42 __________________ Sold: 1968 Pontiac LeMans Convertible See it go HERE |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
I have considered buying a 1965 GTO for some time now. Would probably have to spend at least 25,000 for a nice one. Just found a 65 GTO clone that looks really good for only 6,000. Might just spend 1/5 less and just enjoy it.
|
The Following User Says Thank You to Craig Parker For This Useful Post: | ||
#7
|
||||
|
||||
Sometimes I wish my Expedition was an Excursion. I wish emblems would make the difference.
|
The Following User Says Thank You to 400 4spd. For This Useful Post: | ||
#8
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
I say just call it what it says on the quarter panel. It's not that big a deal - unless you're trying to sell it as "the real deal." I remember Import guys going the other way and putting "Honda" emblems on their Acuras as early as the late '80's.
__________________
1965 Pontiac LeMans. M21, 3.73 in a 12 bolt, Kauffman 461. |
#9
|
||||
|
||||
I just got a 72 Lemans with the factory endura front end. If I get the "is it a real GTO or a clone" question, I'll tell them it's a GTO cloned to be a Lemans.
|
#10
|
||||
|
||||
One of mine is getting ready to hit the road as a clone....Should be a relief after 22 years of explaining to people that it isn't a GTO. Now I'll just smile and nod.
I even got that with my '67 4 dr Tempest I used to drive for a work car. People always called it a GTO and kids always trying to trade me their Honda for it. |
#11
|
||||
|
||||
When asked just say it's a Pontiac .
__________________
1966 GTO Vert automatic. 1969 CR Judge Ram Air III 4sp Pattern Car. 1969 GTO standard 350HP TH-400. 2006 GTO Phantom Black 6spd. 1972 Formula 455HO Ram Air. 1976 LE Trans Am 50th Anniversary Edition with T top. 1976 Formula 350. 1977 Grand Prix Model J 350. 1978 Trans am 400 Pontiac. 1979 Trans am 403 Olds. 1968 Olds 442. 1971 TR6. |
#12
|
||||
|
||||
When I was 16 I bought a 65 LeMans for $295..coupe months later I bought a 65 GTO for $50..it had been on fire..SO the 389 the 4 speed, the posi, hood, and everything else I could save went on the LeMans...that was in 1976...sold that car in about 1979-80 for $1600 and the guy knew it was a clone..He didnt care,,,he wanted it..and $1600 was a lot of money for one of these cars in 79-80
__________________
65 Mutant 1967 Firebird Fatass 70 Mutant II I want my driveway to look like I'm stuck in the 70's!!!! |
#14
|
||||
|
||||
Its a "LeGoat".
__________________
1969 GTO 4spd. Antique Gold/black, gold int. 1969 GTO RAIII 4spd. Verdoro Green/black, black int. 1969 GTO 4spd. Crystal Turquoise, black int. 1970 GTO 4spd VOE Pepper Green, green int. 1967 LeMans 428 Auto. Blue, black int. |
#16
|
|||
|
|||
I'm cloning my Judge to look like a standard GTO.
|
The Following User Says Thank You to PonchoV8 For This Useful Post: | ||
#17
|
||||
|
||||
The PC term is "tribute".
__________________
69 OHC ZH Sprint Hurst 3 Speed 3:55 (1 of 213) 99 Valkyrie 1520cc Flat 6 108hp/110tq - For Sale http://sohcsix.yuku.com/forums/1/OHC-lounge Wanted: 1969 OHC "H" Camshaft |
#18
|
||||
|
||||
I have the perfect 71 clone Trans Am vehicle (or Formula). It is my 71 Esprit, Cameo white and has gauges. I am even selling my extra Formula hood, resisting that addition.
I think it will be vastly cooler having a 455 with factory dual snorkel air cleaner (just bought a nice 70 with chrome top), T400, 12 bolt posi (with for me preferred highway gears), and big early sway bars, all hidden under a flat hood car. So I am sort of cloning everything you CAN'T see! Reverse of macho visual stuff. High Performance Touring Machine! Only visual cues will be 15" honeycombs (upgrade from 14" ones now) and I can't resist adding the TA / Formula baloney exhaust tips. Oh and every bird I get always gets a Formula steering wheel.... but that is a correct option on any bird. I may even put a correct dealer option luggage rack on the thing!
__________________
72 Bird |
#19
|
||||
|
||||
My car started life as a gold 71 Esprit
Now its a 73 455 T/A clone..... So I can do whatever I want with it and not worry about ruining a real T/A.
__________________
"Those poor souls have made the fatal mistake of surrounding us. Now we can fire in any direction" 1970 Trans Am RAIII 4 speed 1971 Trans Am 5.3 LM7 1977 Trans Am W72 Y82 1987 Grand National |
#20
|
||||
|
||||
I'm not a fan of clones in this hobby!
__________________
1976 LeMans B09 Freeway Enforcer, 455/M40 Smokey 1977 Trans Am, 400/M21 Black/Gold Bandit. 44K actual miles 2017 Sierra SLT 1500 Z71 4X4 2019 Canyon SLT Crew 4X4 |
Reply |
|
|