 
     |
| END OF KIT CARS? (Page 2/60) |
|
bomaze
|
JAN 09, 09:10 AM
|
|
| quote | Originally posted by PaulJK:
You might wanna try "Kit Car Builder" magazine - you canget a free copy here
http://www.kitcarclub.com/index.php
Replicas are dwindling in the US but going VERY strong in the UK - they have a very active community over there. |
|
Thanks! I took advantage of the free copy offer.
I feel that the same creativity and hard work goes into building a Fiero based replica as it does modding an original. To each his own, but with the kitcar market shrinking day by day, the choices are very much limited to the person who is looking into replicas as a form of automotive creative expression.
|
|
|
|
bomaze
|
JAN 09, 09:29 AM
|
|
| quote | Originally posted by madcurl:
IMO I think not, because of the numbers and money involved the Fiero will out live any replica base Fiero. Plus, all that is needed is tweaking. A tweaked Fieros will always be a Fiero. Whereas replica kits are always playing "catch-up" thus are soon viewed as "out dated" when the next best kit is on the market and sadly people will always question if your car's a fake. |
|
Madcurl the creativity you have shown in building your cars most definitely shows what can be done to the Fiero. But at the same time there are just as many people who are passionate about replica building, and it just so happens that the Fiero is the perfect platform to create a majority of the Ferr@ri kits that were once more abundantly available. Don't get me wrong your cars are truly impressive, rolling works of automotive art from a person who definitely has a keen eye for taking the Fiero to the next level of customizing. Just be more open minded to the people who travel a different path when it comes to the end result of creatively modding or tweaking their Fieros. To be totally honest my next Fiero project is going to be heavily influenced by all the work you have done on your cars! But I first have to complete the 512TR spyder kit that I have. It is possible to live in both worlds, EXPENSIVE but possible.
|
|
|
|
ferrobi
|
JAN 09, 06:54 PM
|
|
| quote | Originally posted by hklvette:
You may eventually see the death of kit cars not because of the lack of parts or popularity, but the unwillingness for people to do the work themselves. More and more people would rather sit and watch survivor all day. |
|
REALLY 
|
|
|
|
hyperv6
|
JAN 09, 07:48 PM
|
|
Kit cars were always a tough line to make money.
You have most MFG are on a small scale run by people not alway suited to run a company.
You had issues with legal rights to some cars.
You had so many people buy them and never complete them.
You have today Ferrari 308's that cost about the same as to build a fake one.
You can make all the right moves in this market you will all right. But it is as much work as selling condoms at the Vatican.
Custom FIeros will always be the largest area as these cars age. They are cheap and you can do so much for so liitle money. Also some replacement parts will be hard to find so things like MR Mikes seats and the like will be easier to find and buy.[This message has been edited by hyperv6 (edited 01-09-2009).]
|
|
|
|
opm2000
|
JAN 09, 08:03 PM
|
|
No doubt about most of what is posted just above.
However...
As Ferraries, Countaches, Diablos, Panteras, etc age...the cost of both maintenance and rebuilding becomes astronomical.
I know because I've been seriously aproached by more than one Pantera owner, frustrated by both the cost of having serious metal reconstruction issues farmed out to others who can do the work...and frustrated at the time such work takes...that they think a fiberglass rebody is actually feasable.
I'd never expect to "make money" over such an endeavor, thats really not the point.
But if you think you can pick up a F, C, D or P for 20K to 40K and have a roller, think again. Get ready to drop another 50K.
Such is the stuff that makes kit builders smile.
David Breeze------------------
Pantera Rebody Kits
|
|
|
|
Mike Gonzalez
|
JAN 13, 06:05 PM
|
|
|
|
madcurl
|
JAN 13, 09:27 PM
|
|
| quote | Originally posted by ferrobi:
I might be biased, but I hope my car won't be viewed as dated. I am not worrying about playing catch-up.
|
|
All cars are dated... no car past or present are immune. If you've notice a few kit kar forums some have moved beyond the older Ferrari/lamborghini base replicas and the latest is the Enzo replica thus people (some) are playing catch-up. Granted, I agree your not playing, but many others are. Even the real classic exotics play catch-up by adding better items onto their cars.
| quote | Originally posted by opm2000:
Not so, my friend.
To me, tweaking = being creative, building creative
Same thing with Kitcars
replica, rebody, kitcar = bing creative, building creative
David Breeze
|
|
I agree it's "creativity" but as a whole the kit kar industry lacks serious imagination. They cannot build anything new. It's as-if they're stuck in a mental loop and can't go beyond the pen/pencil or note pad. Thus countless number of venders are producing the same product over and over again- some good and some bad. The examples on both sides are endless.
Thus a potential customer who spends 70k for a replica is stuck with other kits that sucks
A good example for around 30k or so.
A "Tasteless" examples for a lot less;
.JPG)
Thus owners of replica are faced with a triple stigma.
1. Fiero (false lies regarding Fires and parts bin parts).
2. Kit car based upon a Fiero.
3. Shoddy workmanship from past and present venders.
Granted, if venders started with something new or using a Fiero base framed then there would be a need to badge everything to death or front.
Cien
|
|
|
|
FieroGTRwideboby
|
JAN 14, 04:42 AM
|
|
True that Curly, No matter how much we try to argue this fact. It can be simply put. If you have to put a badge from another vehicle other than a Fiero on your Fiero, then u are trying to resurrect someone else's design. The creativity is limited to the replication process. If however you take the creativity and you apply your own twist, hence design something that hasn't been done millions of times before, you are truly creative, not merely a " builder".
When it comes to creativity in Kitcars....
*A "builder" is someone who constructs an imitation of a designed product for its visual impact or essence. (accuracy is important)
*A " Designer ( has lots of creativity)" is someone who will take something and improve its visual impact, or altogether go through the creative process
to design a new unseen product that can exceed production limitations.
Just my opinion, doesn't mean squat....
I side with Curly....I do however see things for what they are, I appreciate the work and passion put into replicas, i judge then more on quality than design and creativity.
-Alex[This message has been edited by FieroGTRwideboby (edited 01-14-2009).]
|
|
|
madcurl
|
JAN 16, 06:23 AM
|
|
|
|
|
fieroboom
|
JAN 16, 09:48 AM
|
|
| quote | Originally posted by madcurl:
The replica business seems to be stuck of verious water down version of the Lamborghini. You'd think with all of the talent they'd move onto something new.
Perhaps from a legal stand point none in these pics are badged as such.
|
|
I kind of agree with both sides... While majorly tweaking a Fiero can bring a lot of gratification, kit cars are still very desirable. However, Curley makes an excellent point - Every kit you see is either a one-off (Fino & Finale), or it's an older car ('91 Diablo, 25th Countach, GT40), or it's a look-alike that's not quite there (Zorba). IMHO, any kit can look good, and any tweaking can look equally as good, but for me, I wouldn't want to drive something that kinda almost sorta looks like a Murcielago, and the older Lambos are old news to me. In fact, copying any Lambo at this stage is old news to me. One-off kits like Archie's, the Jalapeno, and others are definitely cool, but if you're going to do a one-off, why not design it yourself (no offense intended Archie  ), like Curley & Troyboy? And if you're going to copy something, why not copy something newer? I know if there was a Fiero based Cadillac XLR kit, I'd ALL over that... MSRP is around $86k, and I'm pretty sure you could build it for less, maybe in the 30's or so. Plus, you'd have the advantage of better gas mileage. XLR estimates 15/24 city/highway, but building it on a Fiero with fiberglass panels, I'm pretty sure it'd be a lot lighter, and then if you dumped a 3800SC in it, you're probly looking at mpg in the 30's.
Anyway, anybody got an XLR they wanna let me take molds of?
------------------
Journal of a concept: http://southeastfieros.com >>> Build Thread >>> Parts thread (for project funding)
 [This message has been edited by fieroboom (edited 01-16-2009).]
|
|
|
|
