END OF KIT CARS? (Page 25/60)
jwct7 FEB 28, 09:37 PM
An interesting debate here. As someone who has BUILT a Finale I can say that it is the individualism that makes the difference. Replicas have to live up to the originals they imitate and most people just don't go far enough to include all the minute details. Archie sells a Unique rebody for our cars not a replica so they can never be dated as there is nothing to compare them to. I've heard it all ....... " is it a supra/350z/lotus etc, etc", but the best 5 words in the English language are " What the f__k is that". Priceless!!!!!
madcurl FEB 29, 01:50 PM

quote
Originally posted by 1988holleyformula:
Its a situation where I would love to be able to just sit down one-on-one with the owner and get his honest reasons.




No mystery here for it comes down to the Name/brand. It really doesn't make any difference (in their minds) that the kit is horribly off or that the badging is placed on a stock Fiero's 2.8 engine, floor mates, horn button, but the prime important here is the name "Ferrari" and added benefits the brand implies which is: prestige, notoriety, fame. wealth and other added benefits by usage of the name. I'm sure all of us at one time or another we judge a person driving around in a high end Mercedes or Porsche. We often wonder how much money they make, what job do they have. The same holds true for all who drive real Ferrari's.

Yes, replica owners will say that it's really the cost factor here and that's it's cool driving around in a car that is a fraction of the real thing fooling the unsuspecting, but at the end of the day it all comes down to one thing-the name for without the badging you really have nothing to go with. This is why you'll witness many going all out in gradually changing out Fiero parts that are easily spotted once you get pass the 10 feet visuals. They will change the dash, the shifter gate, wheel/brakes, and maybe try to copy that exotic engine sound using a 3.4 engine. End the end you have a person chasing the Ferrari image till there's no end always being 1,000 steps behind the real McCoy.


Bloozberry FEB 29, 04:39 PM

quote
Originally posted by madcurl:

...the badging is placed on a stock Fiero's 2.8 engine, floor mates, horn button, but the prime important here is the name "Ferrari"



You forgot two: cheap Baby Turbo mirrors and gas caps.





I can't believe that my kit manufacturer didn't include these little emblems in my kit. I mean, he gave me everything else. If it hadn't been for me needing to go and hunt these couple little parts down myself, it would've been sooo easy! Insert tab A into slot B... wow. I can't understand why everyone isn't rolling around in a kit car. Anyways, when I stumbled across these little Ferrari tie pins, I just had to find a place to stick them on my car (there was no stopping me, I couldn't help it.) But I fooled several gas station attendants. Let me tell you all about it as I'm sure you'll be interested. You should have seen the look on this one guy's face when I rolled down the smoked window and said "Filler up". Well, if my mask and cape didn't fool him, his mind changed when I popped the remote door filler cap and he saw the emblem on the cap! I mean, the look in his eyes was priceless. The shape of the car meant nothing to him (you know how it is that all cars look like jelly beans today) but the gas cap emblem... well, that was what blew him away. Some people are just blind. Anyways, while we were talking, this couple from across the street came running over when they saw the car (they almost got hit crossing the road!). I let them talk to me for like, five minutes, and let them take my picture as a courtesy, because it's not everyday you get to meet a kit car super hero. Oh, and then there was this time... oh what am I talking about? Sometimes I get carried away... this is General Fiero Chat. You guys probably don't want to read this stuff in here. I'll see if I can't find a place to continue it in the Construction Zone. That makes sense right?


quote
Originally posted by madcurl:
This is why you'll witness many going all out in gradually changing out Fiero parts that are easily spotted once you get pass the 10 feet visuals. They will change the dash, the shifter gate, wheel/brakes, and maybe try to copy that exotic engine sound using a 3.4 engine.



And then there are those who just don't like the way a stock Fiero looks nor performs so they change the dash, shifter gate, wheel/brakes, engine, all the body panels, glass, seats, interior, tail and headlights and then try to fool people by telling them it's a Fiero! Of all things! Who do they think they're fooling? You'd think they would put their own names on their creations instead of piggy backing on the Pontiac name. Some people have no shame.

Time for somebody to take their blinders off and look in the mirror. The emperor has no cloths.
DL10 FEB 29, 05:12 PM

quote
Originally posted by Bloozberry:


And then there are those who just don't like the way a stock Fiero looks nor performs so they change the dash, shifter gate, wheel/brakes, engine, all the body panels, glass, seats, interior, tail and headlights and then try to fool people by telling them it's a Fiero! Of all things! Who do they think they're fooling? You'd think they would put their own names on their creations instead of piggy backing on the Pontiac name. Some people have no shame.

Time for somebody to take their blinders off and look in the mirror. The emperor has no cloths.
madcurl FEB 29, 05:36 PM

quote
Originally posted by Bloozberry:


And then there are those who just don't like the way a stock Fiero looks nor performs so they change the dash, shifter gate, wheel/brakes, engine, all the body panels, glass, seats, interior, tail and headlights and then try to fool people by telling them it's a Fiero! Of all things! Who do they think they're fooling? You'd think they would put their own names on their creations instead of piggy backing on the Pontiac name. Some people have no shame.

Time for somebody to take their blinders off and look in the mirror. The emperor has no cloths.




You mean like what Pontiac did, right? Hehehe.


[/QUOTE]

90 wheel


90 engine bay


under the hood of the 90









Here we have GM enhancing the original Fiero body lines, engine, and interior (a bit), but still it's a Pontiac Fiero. Was GM trying to fool the general public or was it that they were improving the look of the Fiero? Repliciants on the other have no choice but to use the badging for they have no identity. If you remove the badging everybody would know "they are without clothing"-hehehe.
madcurl FEB 29, 05:41 PM





If the uniform is "close enough" maybe a 5 year old will think it's the real McCoy.
I FAR I FEB 29, 06:04 PM
I know 2 people who each own Lamborghini Countaches. Both also have replicas of their respective cars and both also say they prefer the replica to the real!
So what is your problem and why do you spend time hating on something that is not yours and has nothing to do with you anyhow?

[This message has been edited by I FAR I (edited 02-29-2012).]

Bloozberry FEB 29, 06:23 PM
Actually, I'm glad he posted the super hero pic again. It gives me an excuse to offer several captions for it (I just can't decide which one to choose...)

1. Cruising in #020 today. I got stopped for nearly 20-minutes outside a Walgreens when I saw two guys taking pictures while another couple was looking. Orville suggested that I bring a few and saves time if they're looking around for a camera.

2. I stopped at my local eatery and one of the employees said, "Look at the people viewing your car." I turned around and saw two dudes in a Mini rubber necking and the person behind them blew his horn at them. A guy in a new black four door Lexus was following me until I parked the chopper. While at Auto Sound Lab a older guy in a SS truck asked me a few questions while we were waiting for the light to turn green.

3. While the chopper was on the tow truck people were taking pictures. LOL. In the parking lot I had the hardest time trying to fix the problem and many people ( I mean many!) kept coming by asking many questions. I was nice and answered as many as I could.

4. Today I was at Albertson getting some gas. The car next to me was a lady with three kids gestured to me that one of the young kids wanted to take a look at the chopper, so she opened her car door. The young boys face was priceless.

5. Late last night around 03:44 in the morning I pulled over to a rest stop for a quick release. A guy down at the other end in a light brown Mitsubushi SUV saw me pull in with the wings up. I walked to the mens room to do my business I notice him waltzing around the chopper.

6. As I dropped off the video a couple of guys were walking around the car doing the same thing-trying to find out what it was. Keep in mind #011 has all of the Pontiac logos, but for some reason they see the name, but still continue to wonder what it is.

7. A guy and girl in a blue WRX was caught looking. I wasn't racing or anything like that, except getting onto the freeway. As usual people pull-up beside me to take a look.

(Edit to add: ...and there's lots (and I mean lots) more to choose from if you don't like what you see.) So who's calling who the super hero again?)

[This message has been edited by Bloozberry (edited 02-29-2012).]

motoracer838 FEB 29, 10:00 PM
It would have been nice if someone with an "holier than thou" attitude would have let this thread die in peace.

Joe
ferrobi FEB 29, 10:02 PM
Oh here we go again - thought this topic was over for what it was worth - and I don't think it's worth that much. But somehow knew the emperor would chime in. Yawn - I'm tired. Nothing else to really say that would mean anything that is important. Much like the whole back and forth of this I have a kit car , I have a modified fiero blah blah blah. And if you don't know I have a fiero with a kit on it and Ferrari badges.