GT40 replica prices

Seems to me that the percentage of the population that knows how to build or self-maintain a kit car is shrinking. Hanging out in the garage messing with cars and various tools just isn't the norm these days. Instead, the parents are surfing their favorite websites and the kids are glued to their smart phones....and headphones....or playing some stupid video game. I thank god we didn't have these pathetic distractions when I was a kid.

When I was a kid, if I wasn't doing chores I wanted to be out in the garage with my brother and my dad working on cars or out on my windsurfer on the lake. Can't imagine how a video game or updating my facebook status has any appeal in the alternative today, but I guess I'm just old and behind the times now at 52.

The net effect of all this facebooking and video gaming is that nobody knows how to actually do anything anymore, and that has some effect upon the kit car market.
 
The percentage of properties that actually have a Garage is shrinking, or it certainly is around here. Your lucky to get a single car bay these days. As such the potential customers will certainly be seeking a very comprehensive offering if you are in the market.
 

Larry L.

Lifetime Supporter
Seems to me that the percentage of the population that knows how to build or self-maintain a kit car is shrinking. Hanging out in the garage messing with cars and various tools just isn't the norm these days. Instead, the parents are surfing their favorite websites and the kids are glued to their smart phones....and headphones....or playing some stupid video game. I thank god we didn't have these pathetic distractions when I was a kid.

When I was a kid, if I wasn't doing chores I wanted to be out in the garage with my brother and my dad working on cars or out on my windsurfer on the lake. Can't imagine how a video game or updating my facebook status has any appeal in the alternative today, but I guess I'm just old and behind the times now at 52.

The net effect of all this facebooking and video gaming is that nobody knows how to actually do anything anymore, and that has some effect upon the kit car market.

'Pure gospel.
 

Shaun

Supporter
I do agree, I spent a what would be deemed now as a misplaced childhood with a great engineer neighbour listening to Debbie Harry (Blondie Parallel Lines) and eating pickled eggs and jelly babies (maybe a bit UK odd !!) but they WERE the best days of my life and that is why I am on this forum, it was looking and learning and not saying too much but god has that helped me in life all my years, started in IT, good to begin with then outsourced, now building nice homes for people so much more fulfilling but it still boils down to that simple phrase

"I wonder how that works"

Maybe I am getting old like us as my dad is but WTF in the UK we need people not with a degree in golf course management but maybe plastering?

Damned good pay and the side line hobby like mine could be a nice GT40 :)
 
Cliff,
I think you made a great point and observation. First we lose trained machinists and now loosing a lot of the new generation. I'm going to quote you.

Bob Woods
 

Neil

Supporter
You might be interested to read H G Wells "The Time Machine" to see where he thought things were headed. The world had evolved into two separate groups, the Eloi and the Moorlocks. The Eloi were a race of beautiful child-like airheads who lived in a Garden of Eden- like paradise, playing all day. The Moorlocks lived in a subterranean world where they maintained the machinery that created the paradise. They raised the Eloi as cattle.
 
Seems to me that the percentage of the population that knows how to build or self-maintain a kit car is shrinking. Hanging out in the garage messing with cars and various tools just isn't the norm these days. Instead, the parents are surfing their favorite websites and the kids are glued to their smart phones....and headphones....or playing some stupid video game. I thank god we didn't have these pathetic distractions when I was a kid.

When I was a kid, if I wasn't doing chores I wanted to be out in the garage with my brother and my dad working on cars or out on my windsurfer on the lake. Can't imagine how a video game or updating my facebook status has any appeal in the alternative today, but I guess I'm just old and behind the times now at 52.

The net effect of all this facebooking and video gaming is that nobody knows how to actually do anything anymore, and that has some effect upon the kit car market.

I don't want to be antaganistic but generations are always different. I always wonder what the older generation complained about the younger ones... when you were 16 were the 52 Year Olds complaining that youth didn't spend enough time on farms and maintaining horses? Where there concerns that there were less/no blacksmiths?

Just wondering
 

Larry L.

Lifetime Supporter
I don't want to be antaganistic but generations are always different. I always wonder what the older generation complained about the younger ones... when you were 16 were the 52 Year Olds complaining that youth didn't spend enough time on farms and maintaining horses? Where there concerns that there were less/no blacksmiths?

Just wondering

Could be.
Doesn't invalidate his POINT though... ;-)
 
Haha, Kevin L started that thread to! Does it not stand to reason with the ever increasing number of Replicas regardless of who made them that the prices will continue to stay static or drop. If the 'dealers' cant shift them they will drop their offer price when it comes to trade in time.
Warning* Thread Drift.
As a young pup I often went to the Blacksmiths Forge with Dad when the Clydesdales needed new shoes, later once Dad started racing in Harness Class he bought his own forge and taught himself how to use it, quite successfully too. I often landed the task of cranking the blower on the forge ( things had progressed from the bellows! ), never did get to drive one in the cart & the family pony seemed to be very averse toward my attempts at riding, hence my distraction to go-karts & things mechanical. But Dear ol Dad, when I was struggling to remove the wrist/gudgeon pin from the villiers piston/con rod came up with the perfect solution- tree trunk, brace & 3/4" bit into the tree about 2", 1/2" coach bolt & hammer, one hit, pin out & no damage to the piston, my appreciation for Dad grew tenfold in those few moments and those simple things possibly sent me on a course in life where I always seem to be involved in solving problems.. Thanks Dad.


Carry on speculating Folks. Sorry for the thread drift.
 
SO HAVE THE PRICES OF HORSES GONE UP??? AROUND HERE YOU CAN STILL GET A TRAIL HORSE FOR $500... GT40'S HAVE GONE UP....BUT, HOW MANY PEOPLE WANT TO SPEND $100,000 FOR A TOY?????? I SEE HILLBANKS WANTS $225,000 FOR A TURN KEY GULF CAR. LOOKS TO ME LIKE THEY ARE PRICING THEMSELVES OUT OF BUSINESS.. AS THEY GO UP IN PRICE, THEY ARE BECOMING HARDER TO SELL.
 
Hi, a newbie looking for some advice in connection with the GT40 replica mentioned above.

Apologies for a thread drift... hoping Simon may be able to help shed some light?

I had a quick look at the car last weekend & seems in good shape (... sounds great). Some homework online ties in with comments above, 4 owners (one being Dutch) & a recent auction sale report of 46k (with fees). The current dealer restores classic cars on site, seems a solid chap with his mechanic knowing his stuff (... both very proud of a gorgeous rebuilt e type jag round the back). Advised a full inspection / service will be carried out prior to sale... "we will find lots to put right when it gets on the ramp" which may help to justify a £20k markup.

Whilst familier with the breed having been on a number of trips to Le Mans with the Enthusiast Club (UK) some years ago I'm a little out of my depth knowing what to look out for when buying a GT40 replica. I have a basic level of car mechanics and would appreciate any buying advice / further history of the car (Rosso Red, 302, reg EST 59D - see link below). My biggest concern so far is no build history / inventory, only V5 + last service bill (£2K) Test drive arranged for the weekend.

Q Can anyone suggest a buyers checklist? (GTD circa 2000).

Q Without a build history / inventory am I looking at a future headache to repair / replace parts?

Q Typical running costs? (say 3000 miles per year)

Q Would an experienced owner living near the New Forest (UK) consider an advisory role (will pay time + expenses).

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1098519

Many thanks in advance,
Ady Wren

Howard, will let you know if a deal is struck.
 
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Just coming back to the original question (as far as the UK is concerned) ...... it is easy to see that sales are VERY slow. Just a quick look on Pistonheads shows 5 cars currently advertised with 3 different dealers at prices between £70,000 and £87,500. Some of these have been on the market for a very long time. As we all know the cost of building a GT40 (ignoring time) using high quality parts can easily push over the £50,000 mark (my own car has way over £60,000 in parts & materials). Then there is the interesting challenge of getting it through the IVA test and the associated cost.
Therefore the asking prices do not seem to be unreasonable. However, asking and getting are very different ball games.
I have no magic answers ....... the reality would appear to be that if you want to build one and thoroughly enjoy the engineering challenge, then go ahead BUT don't pin your hopes on seeing a return on your investment.
To put things in perspective ...... if you go out and buy a modern car in the £40-60K range it will drop in value circa £5-10K per annum. Your GT40 may not go up but conversely it may not go down!
 
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