Price Of His Toys » Corvette

Lightning TS Corvette Replica

Shannon Larratt — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 16:29:26 +0000

As used car prices come down, sometimes kit cars cost more than the car they emulate… For example, you can buy a beat-up Lamborghini Countach for close to the same price as a top-of-the-line replica (which arguably is a better car, but that’s an entirely different and more complex argument). But a rare British kit car called the Lightning TS really takes the cake.

The Lightning TS, of which half a dozen exist, is a “copy” of a seventies Corvette, built on Cortina running gear with a 2L Pinto engine. It captures some of the lines, but none of the muscular charm of a real Corvette. There’s one right now on eBay (#270351775187, and also here) in Scotland with a buy-it now price of £3,500 (ie. $5,000 US). Stateside you can buy a functioning used Corvette for less than that (I understand they may be more rare in Scotland), and if you want something Corvette-like but small, you can also get a charming Opel GT for the same price. Sorry, I don’t know what sort of fool would buy this Lightning TS.

I feel dirty now… I hate to say anything bad about kit cars.

Caribee with serious muscle

Shannon Larratt — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 21:43:24 +0000

Harley just sent me a few pictures of his beast of a ‘66 Fiberfab Caribee/Banshee. He bought the body shell in the early eighties, and then mounted it on a shortened Corvette frame with a ten point cage. He built it up road race style with racing suspension and a 524hp big block Chevy V8. He’s done some major wide-body work as well, but has retained the car’s original lines. He says it’s been in a lot of car shows, and always draws a crowd — “listening to the spectators guess what it is, knowing there is not another like it, makes it worth the ten years it took to build.”

Fiberfab Centurion Rarity

Shannon Larratt — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 01:31:10 +0000

I’ve owned a couple Vettes, and I’ve mentioned my affinity for the Mako Shark in the past, but it was a real treat to see this obscure Fiberfab kit up for sale — a Centurion SS on a ‘58 Corvette chassis. Perhaps a dozen of these were made, so it’s very rare. Most (or perhaps all but this one) were made without a full windshield and with only a single rear hump. This car sat for thirty years in the garage of the father-in-law of the current seller, and I suspect this is the only time you’ll see this car for sale. You can write to Will at thingpilot@sebastiancorp.net or bid on the eBay auction (#200304513497). The car is located in Foresthill, California.

Mako Shark Replica

Shannon Larratt — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 14:56:34 +0000

You may be wondering why I’m posting a Corvette body kit here, but in addition to being a big Vette fan (I owned a ‘74 and a ‘77), Corvette prototypes have been beautiful exotics that have inspired a number of kits, and Corvettes share many construction similarities with kit cars. The Mako Shark Corvette was one of my favorite childhood dreamcars — perfectly achieving the design goal of a car that would “look like it’s moving when it’s standing still!”

Ronald has owned two Mako Shark replicas — the first (the first photo in this entry) was the Motion Performance Built 1972 MORAY GT that was featured in Hemmings Muscle Machines and on the cover of Corvette Fever. His second, now for sale (write him at ronbajorek@hotmail.com if you’re interested) is a Baldwin Motion “Catalog Car” (one of their kits, but pro-built by a different shop).

This one is on a 1973 chassis (L82 original motor — 270hp — with a four speed transmission and A/C), chrome bumpers front and back, reversed Nova Springs on the front end, “MACO” badges still in Motion Performance wrappers, and hooker side pipes. It’s a nice solid car that would be incredible with a complete restoration. He’s asking $20,000 (not much more than a comparable Vette in good shape would cost), and if someone brings this up to the level of the prototype (click the first link in this entry), they’ll have something priceless. The car is located in Pittsford (near Rochester).

1984 Kit Car Show

Shannon Larratt — Fri, 19 May 2006 04:51:10 +0000

Bud Short sends in these photos from a 1984 kitcar fair… I love the Jamaican in the first photo, and of course the Corvette replicas. But I wish I could get a better look at the Sterling in the pictures!