Clones, recreations, tributes, whatever- a rant

[Ghoste]

I know I shouldn't care but I jsut finished reading a magazine article in Musclecar Review where they were talking about new 1969 Yenko Camaros.  That's right new ones.  Seems that some guy is buying those repro Dynacorn 69 Camaro bodies and dolling them up with Yenko graphics and buying 427 crate engines from Chevrolet and then because Chevrolet gives him a serial number for them, he is selling them as new Yenkos.  He insists they are NOT tributes or clones or anything but new Yenkos because Chevy has endorsed them.
Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't Don Yenko dead and it is the year 2008?  I don't care if Chevy provides him with a number for registration purposes.  Aside from supplying a drivetrain through their aftermarket dealer network and penning the styling, they have had absolutely nothing to do with the manufactuer of these vehicles.  How can anyone in their right mind consider them to be anything EXCEPT a clone?
There, I'm better now.
If Dodge gave serial numbers to somebody to put on reproduction Charger bodies would anyone actually feel they were buying a new 68, 69, 72 whatever?

[69bronzeT5]

If Dodge gave serial numbers to somebody to put on reproduction Charger bodies would anyone actually feel they were buying a new 68, 69, 72 whatever?

No, I would feel like I'm driving an imposter.

[68charger383]

I think this company offers a few different car bodies (mustang GTs, 69 camaros and 57 chevys) and they are issued new vins from the DMV and titled as 2008 cars.

I agree it sounds more like a tribute car than anything else.

If you see a Yenko at a show or on the road, it is a clone....so he is not fooling anyone.

[1969chargerrtse]

Yes he died.  Isn't that like when Indian motor cycle came back?  Thet were'nt they same as the real company back in the day even though they looked great.  They folded.

[6pkrunner]

"For the love of money......."


A quick cash grab, much like the new Mr. Norm's GSS. Just a company wanting to grab some bucks and those holding the rights to the items also whoring history for a few bucks.
Those that know Yenkos aren't going to be fooled by this. The sad part is the poor saps that buy the new versions thinking they have become part of the bloodline.

[rav440]

how can chevrolet give this guy the rights to DON YENKOs name ? after all the YENKOs were not built by chevrolet . chevrolet gave DON YENKO the the ok to modify the SS 396 camaros to his specs and put his name on it but warrantied thru GM , the same as NICKEY CHEVROLET in the mid west " CHICAGO IL. i think "  and what ever dealership was on the west coast .
i would hope or think  the YENKO family should recive some kind of royalty for this guy using YENKOs name .

[Ghoste]

All Chevrolet has given him is the new VIN for a "1969"  model Camaro (and the 427 drivetrain), the Yenko part he is just pirating.  Although he still insists it is a NEW 1969 Yenko.

[Ghoste]

Shelby's still alive and he found some unused vins etc from the time period.  The new Shelby's are just that.  These are REPRODUCTION bodies with a VIN that GM has graciously accepted payment for and then the guy sticks REPRODUCTION Yenko decals on them and installs a big block crate engine and sells them for big dollars advertising them as brand new 1969 Yenkos.
Huge huge difference.
I'd put the Mr. Norm ventures as halfway between the two extremes.   Aftermarket customizers are supplying the vehicles and then Norm whores himself out for advertising use and official stripes.

[UFO]

Weren't Shelby cars used bodies?Not a new shell,but a used car with a new vin.

[Ghoste]

You could be right.  I thought they were new but I don't follow that part of the hobby enough to know.  I still have to give credence to the fact that at least Shelby is still alive and the cars were done through him. 

[nakita7]

It's actually quite simple...Musclecars are not a hobby anymore, they are a business, period. Stuff like this is just the tip of the iceberg, what do you think it will be like 5, 20, 50 years from now?

[doctorpimp]

If Dodge gave serial numbers to somebody to put on reproduction Charger bodies would anyone actually feel they were buying a new 68, 69, 72 whatever?

No, I would feel like I'm driving an imposter.

Kinda like if it's a new Charger that has 4 doors... LOL

[Mike DC]

 
The true enthusiasts will still draw a total distinction between the new & old Yenkos.  Big deal.

Is this so different from a cloned HemiCuda?  Not really.



GM/Chevy can put their name on something but that doesn't amount to a hill of beans.  Over the years that company has basically demonstrated that they would sell "limited edition" mudflaps if they thought people would buy it.   

[mikesbbody]

I think the "real" yenko guys will possibly look down on these cars which i understand. Definitly a clone or tribute car IMO.
Think about it, if you or i were to clone a 68 RT, 71 super bee or whatever at least we use cars that are made from that era 

[bzabodyn]

"For the love of money......."


A quick cash grab, much like the new Mr. Norm's GSS. Just a company wanting to grab some bucks and those holding the rights to the items also whoring history for a few bucks.
Those that know Yenkos aren't going to be fooled by this. The sad part is the poor saps that buy the new versions thinking they have become part of the bloodline.

The only difference with the new Mr. Norm's GSS Dart is that he IS still alive and will STILL deliver it personally... so there's a little more legitimacy to that... he's only buildling 40 those, and honestly he'll have trouble selling them for the $175k+ the average one will bring....

BZ

[hemihead]

I don't see anything special about any clone . Sure it great that someone took the time and effort to build it but it doesn't have the same magic as an original . The worst part is when somebody tries to pass it off or sell it as an original .

[TruckDriver]

I don't see anything special about any clone . Sure it great that someone took the time and effort to build it but it doesn't have the same magic as an original . The worst part is when somebody tries to pass it off or sell it as an original .

EXACTLY!

[gtx6970]

How does Chevorlet supply a NEW vin for a 40 year old car ?

Call it what it is,,,,, a fake

Shelbys were different , they were in fact factory/DMV  supplied original vins from the period that were never used. just applied to new bodies, still a fake in most eyes.

Nowadays ,,,,, It's all about the dollars boys

[DodgeByDave]

my question is, if he is putting 2008 vins on a 1969 body, what kind of mods is he doing to comply with the 2008 DOT regulations?

Airbags in these things?

What about the crash test?

Stock bumper, DOT'ed bumper?

What about the child catch in the trunks?

It's a 69 camaro for christ sake. It will be the same overweight, over priced, underpowered plastic pig that GM has always supplied.

[rav440]

is there a link to this guys web site ?

[Mike DC]

 
A modern copy of any musclecar is valuable for the sum of its parts or as a functional car.  Not collectible beyond that.

The End. 

[sick dawg]

I agree with you Ghost.  It might be new, but it ain't no Yenko. Call it what you want.  It's a clone, tribute, look alike, or what ever they want to call it.  I still can't see how they  can use the Yenko name without permission or some kind of backroom deal.

[hutch]

 
A modern copy of any musclecar is valuable for the sum of its parts or as a functional car.  Not collectible beyond that.

The End. 

Yep,  back in the day you build a kit car because it was cheaper than the real car and if you sold it you were lucky if you got the same amount as what you put into it.   Now, they are buiding copy cat cars and selling them for way more money than anything I would be willing to pay for it.   

If they were smart they would find a way to build them and sell them for around 15K or less.  That would sell.  Maybe.  it could be done but everyone wants to get rich now adays and no one wants to work hard to making a living when it comes to cars.

Its getting out of control.

[six-tee-nine]

If I read stuff like this I only start to love my Charger even more. Because I'm starting to have a feeling that in another 20 years from now we all gonna have something very special and worth alot of money in our garages.
That is if at least it was originally made back in the 60's and not somewhere 2000 and up...

But hey, look at Ebay these days, vintage is up front in everything these days, look at today's fasion, the 60's are back guys and some people care more for vintage 60's stuff then all the modern things that look like they came out of 1969.....


The only thing I don't really like about this is guys spending a sh*tload of money for a Yenko Camaro and then start showing off at a carshow with that "look-at-all-the-hard-work-I-did-on-my-car" smile on their faces.

[Ghoste]

Link to his homepage;
http://www.classicautomotiverestoration.com/index.php

and to the "Yenko";
http://www.classicautomotiverestoration.com/yenko.html

and this links to the magazine article that I read;
http://www.classicautomotiverestoration.com/mag_articles.html

I should state that I misquoted the magazine article.   GM is NOT spplying VIN's for these things but some other sort of official blessing.  His homepage doesn't say anything about them not being clones, that turns up in the magazine article.
FWIW, I do know a couple of people into Chevy's (shhhhhhh) and apparently the real COPO and Yenko owners don't share Jim Barber's enthusiasm for the Dynacorn tribute cars being passed off as the real thing.  Big surprise huh?