[73GTVJim]

I have an absurdly soft spot for a Stratos.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Xvs5jRi4h80

Some people have absolutely no time for a replica and I understand that but so long as you don't try to pass it off as real and it goes some way to fulfilling an otherwise unattainable dream, I can't see the harm.

It then dawned on me that there are a good many replicas of varying quality that could conceivably do it for you. Is it a Cobra or a Countach, a faux Ferrari (just no), a hairy Healey or gorgeous GT40? Or something else altogether?

A brief Google surprised me at the breadth of kits out there. Pretend it's as well finished as it could be and there for your enjoyment.

The GT40 would be hard to ignore but, for me it has to be a Stratos with a tuned V6 Alfa motor.

 

[cue2]

The Stratos is one of my favourite cars and a replica would be great as long as it's not Alitalia and it's a proper colour , red or 70s with non-polished alloys. Not many come up for sale and they are supposedly better quality than a real one anyway!

 

[PapaSmurf]

We had some replica Stratos at Scottish Italian Car Day last year. Don't know what engine they had but they sounded good.

 

[73GTVJim]

The Stratos is one of my favourite cars and a replica would be great as long as it's not Alitalia and it's a proper colour , red or 70s with non-polished alloys. Not many come up for sale and they are supposedly better quality than a real one anyway!

I agree though again I understand the temptation to go Alitalia. For me that vibrant green with yellow Chromodoras is perfect 70's. The red less so.

 

[PapaSmurf]

I agree though again I understand the temptation to go Alitalia. For me that vibrant green with yellow Chromodoras is perfect 70's. The red less so.

This one?

 

[keithyboy]

I'm going right back to the 80s with a McBurnie Daytona rep a-la Sonny Crockett. I don't think it would take much to make it quicker than an original.

 

[73GTVJim]

This one?

View attachment 629274

That or the Lister Bell in the YouTube clip.

Or a Gp4 one in a less predictable colour scheme possibly.

 

[73GTVJim]

I'm going right back to the 80s with a McBurnie Daytona rep a-la Sonny Crockett. I don't think it would take much to make it quicker than an original.

You and a Ferrari? :biglaugh: Interesting!

 

[keithyboy]

Then I google and see GT40 replicas and change my mind.

 

[gtv160]

Have looked at this in the past. Really like the Stratos, just about my all time favourite car. There are/were 2 separate kit suppliers available and as you would expect, not cheap. If I remember correctly, they use quite a lot of period FIAT group bits just like the orignal.

 

[Greener123]

I'd go for either a Chesil Speedster - Not sure what engine they have, if its an old beetle engine id definitely want that out :lol:

Or maybe a Cobra replica

 

[115686]

The Stratos kits do look very good. Pretty much all of the fake ferraris and the like look terrible.

A Stratos with a 3.2 and not much 'zorst. Hmmmm.

 

[MalcQV]

Replicas, one of my pet hates

I'm going right back to the 80s with a McBurnie Daytona rep a-la Sonny Crockett. I don't think it would take much to make it quicker than an original.

As you might guess I hate them and when I found out that was a rep I hated it even more :lol:. As for the performance it matters little as most current warm hatches would be quicker, It really is not about how fast you get there but how you get there.

I'm a hypocrite though. I like Cobra replicas, in fact rather a lot.
My dad built a Lotus Seven rep, I have a picture of it on my desk here at work. I never drove it as the seat was fixed and my dad being only 5' 7" or 8" meant for me it was a bit cramped, it had a little 1.3 Kent engine but was rather good because it was quite light. Made from 3/4" marine ply clad in aluminium with fibreglass wheel guards (Locost Seven the name IIRC) and as a passenger the few times I went in it, it was nice. I'd like the real thing though, so much more and of course there were no Lotus badges to be found on the car.

I just don't get exotica copies. Most people will point at you in a Fewawi or Lambo and say 'rich ****', spit on it, throw apple cores etc. In the UK many don't like someone who 'appears' to be well off. So why would you own such a car? Because they are pretty awesome to drive and I love how they look and very importantly, how they sound.

So simply my take on exotica reps are that the owner wants to (in his or her head) look good. I say that because if it has a Toyota 2.0 turbo, it might go quick, it might have a 'trick' exhaust (is that the term?) but it won't feel or sound like the real thing. Have you seen the interior of them too? :lol:

A few years ago at Tatton the Italian replica area was opposite the Italian car area. I wandered over to have a look and I have yet to see a decent F355 copy, they do not exist. They have all wrong proportions (despite the kit manufacturer saying otherwise) but there are some GTO, recent 360 and F430 copies that look better. The rear quarter windows (before you venture inside) which are Peugeot 406 coupe, do give it away.

Anyway I spoke to one owner of an F355 replica and I have some respect. He loved cars, was handy with a spanner and simply said he found the challenge in making it as near as possible to the real thing the biggest encouragement. I like that, though would never do it.

One of his 'mates' then suggested my 7 seconds to 60 F355 would be shown up after the show when this replica showed me a clean pair of Ferrari (genuine) rear lights. I think the owner was embarrassed too.

There was also a 458 rep on Autotrader for about £35k a while back which looked the part. £35k for a plastic replica though?

I have mellowed over time and have some respect for replica's (though not much) and more to do with the fact that like us these owners are usually petrolheads and as such we all like similar things

If it was me I would leave off the authentic badging

 

[TheGrimJeeper]

Not a big replica fan, but wouldn't mind something like this:

Junior Cars | Harrington Group

 

[Greener123]

That would be so cool... I would have loved one of those as a kid

 

[TheGrimJeeper]

I'd love one right now !!!! :lol:

 

[Greener123]

Sorry frenchie but you're a bit big

 

[Sterzo]

I need a Westfield Eleven. I couldn't drive it far, because there are speed ramps in both directions on my street and it wouldn't get over them.

 

[cue2]

I need a Westfield Eleven. I couldn't drive it far, because there are speed ramps in both directions on my street and it wouldn't get over them.

You lift it over them. Chapman thought of everything !

 

[TheGrimJeeper]

Sorry frenchie but you're a bit big

Thank you. :vs_blush: