on 9/5/03 7:39 AM, Gene Gillam at anngene@bellsouth.net wrote:
> I guess what I need to know is what is meant by the term "replica"? I can see
> how it can be applied to a car "that never was". But reading Myles' response
> above it also sounds like it can be applied to a car that's original (more or
> less) but being introduced to racing for the first time without any history.
> If that's the case, how does a car become a "vintage racer"?
If you build a copy of the Ken Miles "flying shingle" (1950's special
based on MG T-series), that is definitely a replica/tribute car/fake.
Street cars prepared for vintage racing are simply vintage racers without
period racing history. In the world of small-bore cars racing history is
not a major issue. The values of most small-bore cars are not greatly
affected by period racing history. That doesn't mean that a genuine
Huffaker prepared Midget (like Tom Cotter's recent acquisition) is not
something special. A car like that is pretty cool in my book. But it won't
necessarily have a resale value significantly greater than any other vintage
race Midget without history.
When it comes to Trans-am, Can-Am, F5000, Ferraris, and many other
famous, rare and faster cars, it is a whole different kettle of fish. For
example, a genuine Mark Donahue car (pick Trans-Am, Can-Am, F5000 or a few
others) is and should be far more valuable than the replica/fake or the
converted street car without period history. The owners of the real thing
have a vested interest in preserving this identity. That's why there are
places where only certified cars with period history can run. Big Props to
SVRA for making period history a requirement for Group 6 cars. That doesn't
mean that you don't or shouldn't have a place to race your converted street
car. Other groups do not require the period history and that's OK too.
The issue that creates real problems is when a tribute car is built.
The original builder may have the very best intentions and tell everyone
that it is not the real thing. But somewhere down the line, there is so
often someone who will represent it as the real thing. This is fraud, it is
criminal and it is a real problem. It can also affects the values of the
real cars in a negative way.
--
Doug Meis <s800racer@earthlink.net>
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