Excellent question, Dick
As the TransAm cars continue to gain value it will be more and more
appealing to build clones of the cars, and there are plenty of cheap
donor cars around. Something to consider.
If you obtain a set of pictures from the period and produce an exact
clone, you might have everything you need, except an owner chain, to
race it anywhere. In all my vintage racing experience there is only one
organization that requires ownership chain proof before a TransAm car or
an A-sedan is allowed to race. SVRA. The Shelby Club (SAAC) has
successfully documented and published owner chain histories for Shelby
cars, but that is just a small sampling of the T/A and A-Sedan universe.
Notably, the Monterey Historic Races (HMSA), current Mecca for T/A cars,
requires no owner chain proof, simply hoping that "peer pressure" will
keep fakes out. Rumors and innuendo replace verified facts under this
scenario. This is true in all MHR groups and many, many replica or
outright fakes can and do run there (fewer each year though). At the
other end of the spectrum, HSR traditionally has welcomed any car that
appears period correct, and has never required any history. They will
avoid outright fakes though.
Rarely does the builder of a "tribute" car try to pass it off as real,
however the second, third or fourth owner almost always does. At this
stage sellers allow buyers to "hope it might be real" and overlook its
true heritage in the selling process. The unsuspecting fourth owner
finds his own period photos and everything matches up (it is so easy to
fake production cars with only a few metal pieces that vary from stock)
and voila "I have the real car". If no one else has a claim to the car,
it just might stick forever. If someone else does have "the real car"
and "a documented owner chain", who does he prove it to? How to verify
his car's authenticity and expose the fake for what it is?
Who is the authority responsible for sorting things out for TransAm
racers? It would seem obvious: The sanctioning bodies; no one else has
any credibility or motive. But if you know anything about the
splintered and underfinanced world of vintage race sanctioning bodies
you would understand that they have no depth. Entry fees in, track
rental and insurance fees out; light staff of part time employees; who
has time to be the fraud police? We're losing money here. (doubt that
applies to HMSA, but then they have huge gate revenues and that is
exceedingly rare, usually the track owns the gate)
Because of this dilemma, owners of the real cars are justified in giving
the following advice: Don't build tribute cars, clones or replicas.
Owners of real cars certainly should not help you in the process. (You
would be surprised how many well-meaning requests I get) Most of these
projects never reach completion, because it is harder and more expensive
than it first appears and the economic reality sets in. You are
spending money you will never get back, as opposed to purchasing a real
history car which goes up in value.
If you feel the need to go racing in a T/A type car with a smaller
investment, buy a car with A-Sedan racing history before 12/31/1972 with
a verifiable owner chain. It will be cheaper and easier than building
your own period correct car from a junker and you can race it with SVRA
and virtually any others but HMSA as well. If you do build a period
correct sedan with no history, give it its own identity, not one
borrowed from another car, and then don't be upset if no one will let
you race it but HSR. You knew that going in.
Yes, there is a place in this sport for both, but a very frustrating and
limited place for the "tribute" car and soon there will be no place for
it at all. I know where you can buy a nice period correct 1970 Boss 302
with racing history dating from 1973 for less than half of what it would
cost to build from scratch; less than half of what it would be worth
with pre-1973 history; and 1/12th of what a genuine Bud Moore Boss would
cost. You can go HSR or SCCA vintage racing for much less than the cost
of a clone.
Maybe it is time for a "Vintage Racing Car Owner's Association" where a
group of unpaid volunteer car owners form a board to supervise an
employee or two whose job it would be to sort these things out. What
say you, Vintage Race List members?
Racing Regards,
Pat Ryan
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Good day all.
I am new to this list but am curious. All this talk about copies and
replicas has veered toward the concept of fraud and people
misrepresenting
histories. But what of the concept of building new car honestly, sort of
a
tribute car. I see some groups allow this type of vehicle and some only
allow cars with authentic heritage. Is there a place in this sport for
both.
Dick Patullo
Current SCCA who would love to build a tribute Trans Am car
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