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...

I agree... I'm not a clone....so why should my car be????

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.

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.

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

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.

Sometimes I wish my Expedition was an Excursion. I wish emblems would make the difference.

Mine still proudly wears its LeMans and 326 badges (despite the engine upgrade - or it will again once the paint dries next week.) In casual conversations, I'll just say it's a GTO since that's a name people are familiar with. (a lot of people have forgotten what a LeMans / Tempest, etc. is.)

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.

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.

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.

When asked just say it's a Pontiac :).

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

I like it.
:first:

Its a "LeGoat".

I prefer to call it "LeGTO" myself. It's French ;-)

I'm cloning my Judge to look like a standard GTO.

The PC term is "tribute".

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!

My car started life as a gold 71 Esprit :gag:

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. :D

I'm not a fan of clones in this hobby!