Clone Hostility

[Sully1190]

This is something I've noticed over the years and have never understood. I was reminded of it this morning as I was doing a quick search for my father on what all would be involved in converting his 70 Lemans into a clone of the GTO like he had when he was younger.

Why is it some people become so hostile at the idea of a clone car? I can understand if you were tying to lie about what your car is, but most people seem pretty forthcoming about it. And even if they're not, a quick check of the VIN can reveal any discrepancies.

Instead of any solid answers, all I found were forum posts of the same questions with walls of replies (typically with spelling and grammar that made me wonder if the posters were even capable of dressing themselves) damning the OP, telling him to do the world a favor and either buy the car he's trying to make a clone of or quit the hobby.

I'm asking here because I don't seem to see that very much on this forum: What are your thoughts, and do you see this a lot as well? Or have I just stumbled into some unfortunate circles?



I'm of the personal opinion that they're suffering from the need to be a special snowflake. They bought a regular x car by god, and nobody else should be able to have a car as special as theirs without doing the same.

 

[AdamR]

I think its because some people want to rub it in that they have an original one and you dont. But I will say it drives me crazy when people call their car a clone and nothing on the car is close to being correct for what they are said to be cloning.

 

[Sully1190]

I think its because some people want to rub it in that they have an original one and you dont. But I will say it drives me crazy when people call their car a clone and nothing on the car is close to being correct for what they are said to be cloning.

Agreed. If you're going to do it, do it right. but if it is done right, I don't really see the problem.

 

[rumblefish360]

Well, I myself am of the mind set of "it's your car, do as you see fit." Though cloning a car devalues a the real deal a little bit because the rare or hard to find option is not so rare anymore. You can see one any where even though it is not the real deal.

The real life hurt is passing it off as the real deal instead of being honest. Otherwise, enjoy YOUR CAR the way YOU WANT TO Enjoy the car!

 

[1968dartman]

I have no problem with clones as long as the clowns that own them are not trying to pass them off as an original big buck car. My 68 Dart was cloned to look like a GTS but does not have the GTS badging which is perfect as far as I am concerned. To the purists it is a crime, but to each his own I guess.

 

[jkeck55]

To them it is cheating. You can get the experience without the expense. It is why the first question out of most everyone's mouth when you see open the hood on an a-body and it has a 340 is "is it numbers matching?" I used to think that way too until I grew up and realized that only matters when you sell it. So if you aren't buying it why not ask what his quarter time is how it drives or any interesting stories about the resto. Isn't that a little more interesting than whether it was the original engine?

 

[trapster]

I personally don’t care, but I can see why someone would be concerned about clones devaluing their non clone cars.

 

[Sully1190]

But on the value, if you're not looking to sell it, it shouldn't be an issue. If YOU care that it's numbers matching, then you shouldn't have a problem paying the extra for it. If someone else doesn't care (I honestly couldn't give a rat's *** about what the VIN says), I don't see why it matters. Plus, then you could do some modifying of your own without worrying about killing the value of a numbers matching rarity.

 

[1968FormulaS340]

Clones usually turn into the real deal 2 or 3 owners down the road...... People just don't research what they are buying.

And someone gets burned.

In the Chebby world this is more common where the vin does not always tell the story. For example: If a 66 Chevelle is an SS, it will be in the vin. If a 70 Chevelle is a clone, you can't tell from the vin.

I don't care if someone clones a car if they clone it with some effort and thought. I mean, at least try to make it look like the real deal and represent the car for what it is, a clone.

 

[SSVDP]

Don't forget about " keyboard courage"... Nothing is ever perfect so for some reason some people enjoy trying to be the expert.

As for clones; there just aren't enough Dart GTS cars around( or Ferrari original GTOs) so I don't see a problem with making your car how you want it.

 

[Bulldozer]

i personally dont give 2 ***** what anyone thinks about what i build for myself.

 

[Princess Valiant]

i personally dont give 2 ***** what anyone thinks about what i build for me.

XS2 ....my GTS is a clone ......it has GTS emblems and LH23B8 VIN which is a slanty car ....it even still has the slanty in it LMAO ....no one has ever told me anything about it .......they wouldnt dare tell me anything to my face bcoz im going to do what i want anyway \\/

 

[Prine]

I dislike the words CLONE and Professionally Restored. 9 times out of 10, when I look at either type of vehicle....clone/pro restored.....the quality of said job is crap.....they started off with a /6 car....didnt upgrade the 4 wheel drum brakes....the Blower Motor is gone and blocked off..... there are rust bubbles in the lower quarters....have some emblems but not all.....changed the grille's out now its solid gloss black.....after market shifter assemblies.
And they want #1/#2 condition price for the pile....when its every bit of a #3/#4 car.

Like this Duster for sale here Locally.......asking $25k on a 72 Duster 318 car with a 383 shoehorned in the bay....B-Body Headers.....scratches everywhere....leaking oil on the ground....."Professionally Restored" because it has a 10ft Sublime Green paint job, and some new stripes and callouts.....PLEASE!.....its a $12k car at best.
http://clovis.craigslist.org/cto/3421062350.html

thats why.

 

[Bulldozer]

XS2 ....my GTS is a clone ......it has GTS emblems and LH23B8 VIN which is a slanty car ....it even still has the slanty in it LMAO ....no one has ever told me anything about it .......they wouldnt dare tell me anything to my face bcoz im going to do what i want anyway \\/

exactly. i have a slant duster with a 318 and 360 callouts smeared all over it, do i care what any one thinks? i will call it whatever i want. if people ask i tell them what it is. if they cant tell an externally balanced 360 to a 318, not my problem. i would never try to pass it off for something it isnt.

I dislike the words CLONE and Professionally Restored. 9 times out of 10, when I look at either type of vehicle....clone/pro restored.....the quality of said job is crap.....they started off with a /6 car....didnt upgrade the 4 wheel drum brakes....the Blower Motor is gone and blocked off..... there are rust bubbles in the lower quarters....have some emblems but not all.....changed the grille's out now its solid gloss black.....after market shifter assemblies.
And they want #1/#2 condition price for the pile....when its every bit of a #3/#4 car.

Like this Duster for sale here Locally.......asking $25k on a 72 Duster 318 car with a 383 shoehorned in the bay....B-Body Headers.....scratches everywhere....leaking oil on the ground....."Professionally Restored" because it has a 10ft Sublime Green paint job, and some new stripes and callouts.....PLEASE!.....its a $12k car at best.
http://clovis.craigslist.org/cto/3421062350.html

thats why.

LOL so, true. those crap jobs are all over the place. i dont "clone" anything, i build what i want

 

[v8fish]

i personally dont give 2 ***** what anyone thinks about what i build for me.

I personally agree completely with 73AbodEE

 

[Captain Canuck]

The only problem with clones is that there are too many guys out there who try to pawn them off as being "original" when they are not.

I am the first person to say that my Duster is a clone, and some "non car people" look at me funny when I tell them this, because they don't even know what a clone car is.

Personally, I would rather have a clone, as I can personalize the car to my own taste without having to worry about detracting from its value and I can still drive the car like I stole it without worrying about damaging the original drivetrain.

Everyone has their own opinion about clone cars, and if someone has a problem with mine being one, they can kiss my a$$!!

 

[mischiefdart]

The car that comes to mind for me is first generation Camaros. There are probably 10 times as many badged as Z28's as were built by the factory. I am sure I have dismissed many real ones as just another rebadged car. I personally am way more interested in spending my money on parts that will improve the performance of the car than repop emblems.

 

[Arco440]

I think its because some people want to rub it in that they have an original one and you dont. But I will say it drives me crazy when people call their car a clone and nothing on the car is close to being correct for what they are said to be cloning.

Man i could not have said it better.
Thank you AdamR

 

[1968dartman]

Another thing that makes me mad is when someone will go on about how they replaced every panel on thier original car and get mad at my original panels clone!!! Which of these two cars is more original???

 

[Oldmanmopar]

71 white /6 Duster rear quarters and roof

71 bahama yellow Duster 340 Firewall a pillars and floors

68 blue Dart 4door front rails and inner fenders.

Built the car as per the 340 car except the paint. Used Ford orange and black.

I went to 6 shows won three over original cars. No one knew. or could tell it was a clone. I was called names when they saw the data plate stated Bahama yellow and I painted it orange. I was told I ruined a nice car. Oh well if only they would know, Its turns more heads then many numbers cars. Its like a pumkin in a pepper patch at all shows. The only thing I would change is it should have a cage for 9's. It was what I could afford and did it all here myself

 

[Oldmanmopar]

Let see some other clones. I know there are more out there but who would admit it.

 

[Furious65]

Clones usually turn into the real deal 2 or 3 owners down the road...... People just don't research what they are buying.

And someone gets burned.

Yup. However, if someone doesn't do their research on a big ticket item then shame on them for being morons. Caveat emptor!

i personally dont give 2 ***** what anyone thinks about what i build for me.

I completely agree!

 

[Demon416]

Clones are fine with me as long as the owner doesn't try to pass it off as an original factory car.

 

[70aarcuda]

i personally dont give 2 ***** what anyone thinks about what i build for me.

make that 3 *****...

 

[72bluNblu]

I'm with Adam. It pisses off the collectors :finga:. And its funny, because I really don't think having a bunch of clones out there devalues the real thing. If anything, I think it probably ADDS to the value as long as you can prove you've got the "real deal". I mean, you see all these nice "SS" chevy's around, you want an SS. Even if 90% of the cars you see driving around aren't real SS's. Same with the R/T's, TA's, etc. You see those stripes,or that scoop, you want one of those. Nevermind that half those cars are /6 or 318 auto's with R/T stickers or repro hoods.

I'd rather have a clone anyway. I like to DRIVE my cars, I don't buy them as investments- I buy them as cars. So its better to have something that isn't numbers matching and factory original. I don't have to worry about de-valuing the car by driving it, or changing things from original to make it perform better, or wrecking a 1 of whatever car because I was using it as a daily.

As long as you pass it off as what it is, who cares. The collectors will be pissed because you paid half as much (or less!) than they did and even they can't tell the difference when they actually drive the car, if anything the clone will probably outperform the original because you can actually change/improve things from original.

And if you buy a clone thinking its real, well, you should have done your homework. Especially with Mopars, since the VIN will tell you most of what you need to know, and the fender tag or buildsheet will tell you the rest. And if it doesn't have a tag or sheet, well, don't pay the big money for it, 'cause you can't prove it.