I know it is legal but is it right that someone would take a classic Ferrari apart to create a replica of a different Ferrari? This is not a new phenomenon, Ferrari 250GTEs have been destroyed for years to produce replica 250GTOs and other Ferraris.
In the Bizzarrini world an Iso Rivolta GT can be turned into a Bizzarrini GT 5300 because the chassis design is so similar (Giotto Bizzarrini did both designs) and there are body shops in Italy that make reproduction Bizzarrini aluminum bodies and there are shops that will do the same for the great Ferrari models. But does that make it right just because it can be done? One classic car is destroyed to make a replica of a great classic car. If the replica is presented as a real car then that clearly is illegal but I am not discussing that today and that is not what has happened here.
The left overs of the latest Ferrari to fall to this tactic were just sold on eBay for $61,100, a 1952 212.
Here is what the seller had to say in his eBay listing:
"...YOU COULD FIT AN AMERICAN ENGINE AND CHASSIS AND HAVE A HALF MILLION DOLLAR LOOK AT THE COUNTRY CLUB. THE CHASSIS ENGINE WAS USED TO BUILD A BEAUTIFUL 212 TOURING BARCHETTA."
There were only a handful of these 1952 Ferrari 212s made and now there is one less.
Click the images for a larger view.
Mike,
ReplyDeletei think that is a matter of money. I mean: i think that could be possible to think to a replica if you want to make a clone of a car that cost millions.
If i had a 350 k budget and i'd like the 2-3 million $ lwb (not swb)California, i wouldn't think about that two times before buying a GTE and give her a new dress.
You made the example to rebuild a ISO to look like a 5300 gt, but with the cost of doing that (properly) ou could buy a real 5300gt.
For the petrolhead, a car (before being a status symbol or an investment) is a toy.
Under the philological point of view, surely it's a shame.
Francesco,
ReplyDeleteI do understand the motive to take a "lesser" car and make a more rare car. That replica is likely not worth more than the cost of doing the work plus the cost of the original car. Of course, I am not talking here about someone who would try to pass off the replica as a real car.