Classic-Car Replicas Now Come Ready to Roll By JENNIFER SARANOW Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL August 18, 2005; Page D3 It's getting easier to own a 1932 Ford -- or at least a car that looks like one. Catering to customers who want copies of classic cars but don't want to get their hands dirty building them -- as hobbyists have in the past, with vintage-car kits -- more companies are starting to offer fully made reproductions ready to drive. Traditionally, such replicas have come in pieces such as body and frames that need to be put together. Buyers then have had to find additional parts like engines and interiors and construct the vehicles themselves -- or hire someone to do it for them. Dearborn Deuce Convertible, a 1932 Ford replica With the new "turn-key" models, so called because all a buyer needs to do is turn the key, companies hope to appeal to the increasing number of wealthy baby boomers who want a classic replica as their next toy and are willing to spend for the convenience of getting it fully made. To further attract car enthusiasts, the reproductions often come with contemporary creature comforts such as automatic transmissions, power windows and air conditioning not always found in the rarer and more expensive originals. The replicas aren't cheap, though. They can run anywhere from $50,000 to hundreds of thousands of dollars, much more than it would cost to buy the reproduction in pieces, and often about the same as hiring someone to build it. Because of how replicas can be registered in certain states, most lack modern safety features such as airbags. Speedster Motorcars earlier this year launched a limited number of 1939 Lincoln Zephyr-inspired coupes and convertibles (starting at $69,950 for the coupe and $75,950 for the convertible) that come finished and ready to drive. While the cars look like they are from 1939, modern components include a new power train and four-speed automatic transmission. The newer models are far cheaper than collecting the original vintage cars. The Clearwater, Fla., company also rolled out a line of custom-made Zephyr-inspired cars complete with chrome wheels and leather interiors in May (starting at $100,000) and plans to offer a Zephyr fastback model by year's end. Another company, Hot Rods & Horsepower LLC, in partnership with ASC Inc., recently released a reproduction of the 1932 Ford Roadster it calls the Dearborn Deuce Convertible, which starts at $85,000 for the turn-key version (the cars are also available as kit-cars). Hot Rods & Horsepower also plans to roll out a fully made replica of a 1933 Ford with a retractable roof next year. Similarly, Downs Manufacturing in Lawton, Mich., plans to add a 1937 Ford coupe with a retractable roof and a pick-up version to its lineup next year. "All of a sudden these turn-key cars and turn-key manufacturers are popping up like it's spring, and the flowers are opening," says Terry Cook, president of Appleton Productions Inc.'s Deco Rides, a Long Valley, N.J., company which sells and helped design the Zephyr cars. The growing number of ready-to-drive replicas is part of a resurgence of retro-inspired cars. In recent years, auto makers have increasingly come out with modern interpretations of their older models and thrown in design cues meant to evoke earlier decades -- such as DaimlerChrysler AG's 1930s-inspired retro wagon, the PT Cruiser. According to the Specialty Equipment Market Association, the street-rod and custom market, of which replicas are a small part, grew 33% in the past five years to $900 million. High-end car magazines such as DuPont Magazine say the number of advertisements in their issues for manufacturers and builders making fully made replicas has also increased in the past couple years. "When you see everything you want in a package ready to go, why would you give up a year or two waiting for the car to get put together?" says Carolyn Kiely, a 58-year-old interior designer from Rumson, N.J., who just bought a Dearborn Deuce Convertible this June because she and her husband are ready to move from boating to a new hobby. The Deuce will join the couple's other cars, which include two Mercedes, a Corvette, a Cadillac as well as an original 1937 Ford and an early-1930s Plymouth. Write to Jennifer Saranow at jennifer.saranow@wsj.com
At those prices you might as well pop out a bit more dough and buy the real deal1 Just a thought! Regards Randall! ----- Original Message ----- From: Dan Drury To: CARMEMORIES Sent: Friday, August 19, 2005 10:46 AM Subject: Classic-Car Replicas Now Come Ready to Roll Classic-Car Replicas Now Come Ready to Roll By JENNIFER SARANOW Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL August 18, 2005; Page D3 It's getting easier to own a 1932 Ford -- or at least a car that looks like one. Catering to customers who want copies of classic cars but don't want to get their hands dirty building them -- as hobbyists have in the past, with vintage-car kits -- more companies are starting to offer fully made reproductions ready to drive. Traditionally, such replicas have come in pieces such as body and frames that need to be put together. Buyers then have had to find additional parts like engines and interiors and construct the vehicles themselves -- or hire someone to do it for them. Dearborn Deuce Convertible, a 1932 Ford replica With the new "turn-key" models, so called because all a buyer needs to do is turn the key, companies hope to appeal to the increasing number of wealthy baby boomers who want a classic replica as their next toy and are willing to spend for the convenience of getting it fully made. To further attract car enthusiasts, the reproductions often come with contemporary creature comforts such as automatic transmissions, power windows and air conditioning not always found in the rarer and more expensive originals. The replicas aren't cheap, though. They can run anywhere from $50,000 to hundreds of thousands of dollars, much more than it would cost to buy the reproduction in pieces, and often about the same as hiring someone to build it. Because of how replicas can be registered in certain states, most lack modern safety features such as airbags. Speedster Motorcars earlier this year launched a limited number of 1939 Lincoln Zephyr-inspired coupes and convertibles (starting at $69,950 for the coupe and $75,950 for the convertible) that come finished and ready to drive. While the cars look like they are from 1939, modern components include a new power train and four-speed automatic transmission. The newer models are far cheaper than collecting the original vintage cars. The Clearwater, Fla., company also rolled out a line of custom-made Zephyr-inspired cars complete with chrome wheels and leather interiors in May (starting at $100,000) and plans to offer a Zephyr fastback model by year's end. Another company, Hot Rods & Horsepower LLC, in partnership with ASC Inc., recently released a reproduction of the 1932 Ford Roadster it calls the Dearborn Deuce Convertible, which starts at $85,000 for the turn-key version (the cars are also available as kit-cars). Hot Rods & Horsepower also plans to roll out a fully made replica of a 1933 Ford with a retractable roof next year. Similarly, Downs Manufacturing in Lawton, Mich., plans to add a 1937 Ford coupe with a retractable roof and a pick-up version to its lineup next year. "All of a sudden these turn-key cars and turn-key manufacturers are popping up like it's spring, and the flowers are opening," says Terry Cook, president of Appleton Productions Inc.'s Deco Rides, a Long Valley, N.J., company which sells and helped design the Zephyr cars. The growing number of ready-to-drive replicas is part of a resurgence of retro-inspired cars. In recent years, auto makers have increasingly come out with modern interpretations of their older models and thrown in design cues meant to evoke earlier decades -- such as DaimlerChrysler AG's 1930s-inspired retro wagon, the PT Cruiser. According to the Specialty Equipment Market Association, the street-rod and custom market, of which replicas are a small part, grew 33% in the past five years to $900 million. High-end car magazines such as DuPont Magazine say the number of advertisements in their issues for manufacturers and builders making fully made replicas has also increased in the past couple years. "When you see everything you want in a package ready to go, why would you give up a year or two waiting for the car to get put together?" says Carolyn Kiely, a 58-year-old interior designer from Rumson, N.J., who just bought a Dearborn Deuce Convertible this June because she and her husband are ready to move from boating to a new hobby. The Deuce will join the couple's other cars, which include two Mercedes, a Corvette, a Cadillac as well as an original 1937 Ford and an early-1930s Plymouth. Write to Jennifer Saranow at jennifer.saranow@wsj.com
