Tribute cars

[72cudamaan]

Sorry if I offend anyone here but what the #%$@ is the deal with these tribute cars. What a bunch of crap! If the car is a clone,say so. That is easy to deal with. But a tribute car? People are so in love with a particular model that they spend their lifr paying tribute to it? Same thing applies with these tribute bands. They're just copies people! I personally dont think a clone is all bad if your willing to just say that is what it is. Thanks for letting me vent guys ( and gals).

[hebeegbz]

I like your thinkin .

[Alaskan_TA]

Tribute in most cases is the correct term.

Clone, to the insurance & law enforcement community is a VIN swap car, a "clone" of the original car, numbers & all. 

[TripleT]

I always viewed a "clone" as a car that exactly replicated as much as possible the original.  Same engine, paint, interior, no customization or modification whatsoever.  If there is the least bit of modification, for instance billet wheels or EFI or headers, then it is a tribute.  Thus in my thinking an AAR style copy Cuda with a big block is a tribute, not a clone.   But what do I know, I'm as noobish as it gets.  When a car is being sold, I find it more honest for the owner to say it is a tribute and not a clone, unless he has restored it 100% accurate to the intended original model.

                                                           

[Topcat]

Cloning definition

The production of an exact copy of an object
A copy or imitation of something already existing, especially when designed to simulate it.

Tribute definition

An acknowledgment of gratitude, respect or admiration; an accompanying gift.

[67vertman]

 

Well said Mike!

I never really know what to call a car that is trying to be something else, such as a Barracuda "cloned" to a Cuda....clone dosen't really apply and tribute doesn't either.

I typically stick with modified.  So when I am completed with my car it will be a modified Barracuda. 

[ntstlgl1970]

I'm in the same boat as Triple T. Restomod, Pro-Street, G-Machine, Restored, Survivor, Barn Find, Clone, Rat Rod, Restified, Pro Touring - I didn't know wtf else to call it when someone asked me so I went with Tribute....sounds better than Never Ending Black Hole of Money that eats away at my life 

[moparniac]

People worry to much about that crap! I mean how many people are actually doing a perfect restoration,,, if its not 100% correct is a clone to me.... clones are more popular than originals today and will get more popular as the cost to build continues to go up!  There is probably 20 times more of the "others" than "originals"

[Super Blue 72]

People worry to much about that crap! I mean how many people are actually doing a perfect restoration,,, if its not 100% correct is a clone to me.... clones are more popular than originals today and will get more popular as the cost to build continues to go up!  There is probably 20 times more of the "others" than "originals"

   The cost of actually buying an original, let's say a Challenger T/A or an AAR 'Cuda is prohibitive to buying one.  If someone can take a base Challenger/Barracuda and turn it into something that looks like it, then in some ways, you're satisfying your taste for filet mignon with chuck steak for a fraction of the cost... a bonus is that you can also drive the car knowing that it isn't as rare of as the original type of vehicle you replicated and you don't have to baby it as much... 

For example...how many replica 427 Shelby Cobras are there on the road now compared to how many were actually built in the 60's?  It's very rare/unlikely you'll see an original driving around, especially around Boston... 

I guess some people say that you can never have a clone because that means EXACTLY duplicating the car down to the VIN # which you can't (shouldn't) do.

Clone...tribute..., eh, just drive it and enjoy it, don't worry about semantics... 

[torredcuda]

Fake,clone,tribute,recreation etc. are meant to mean the same thing in the car hobby but I still just call `em clones as I think it best decribes them.

[426HEMI]

Mine will be close to original but what I call mine is my Dream Car.  It is my car and I want it like I want it. 

[cj]

Do what you want to your car (except #'s swapping), call it what you want (except original).  Just don't try to con a buyer into believing it's something it's not.  I'm tired of seeing 'original' 1972 AAR Cuda's, etc.

[DavidSL]

I guess this brings up the question how do you tell if a car is cloned - especially if someone replicates the VIN tags?

[moparniac]

I guess this brings up the question how do you tell if a car is cloned - especially if someone replicates the VIN tags?

Look at the M's and W's ...... its noticable if you know what your looking for..... I used to have a pic of two tags to see 

[Oldschool]

Build it like you want it, call it whatever you want, just don't try and misrepresent what it is when it comes time to sell it.