[427TJ]

People who value original cars, especially Z's and SS's, will pay top-dollar for originals. People who just want a nice driver car, an eye-popping street machine, or "Power Cruiser" will pay top-dollar for well-built (Steilow, for example) cars no matter what the origin of the car is. We're already seeing collectors paying large amounts for LS-6 clones, etc., knowing that the car is not an original LS-6. That yellow '69 Z/28 that sold at B-J this year for what, $112K?, was surrounded by questions as to its originality. Still, some guy with big bucks (and a matching yellow jacket) dropped 112K on the car, on TV, and he probably has had fun with the car since buying it. This is one of those permanent back-and-forth discussions that can never be resolved--some guys will demand originals and others won't care either way. Money flows like water and it goes wherever it wants to. It's more an issue of honesty. There will definately be "clones" built from these new bodies, we all know it, and it's up to all of us to watch out for the guys who will try to pass these new cars off as originals. But, many will fall through the cracks and it's not too far-fetched to imagine a day when we won't be able to tell the fakes from the originals. Iced tea-stained "paperwork" such as buildsheets, etc., new Protect-O-Plates, new trim tags, dealer window stickers downloaded from the Internet--it's already here. Couple that with a new '69 Camaro body and all the new parts and the money will flow. I've already predicted that Hemi Cuda convertible clones will grow in numbers once new bodies are produced, even though all but one of the originals has been accounted for. Collectors and enthusiasts who can't get or afford an original will no doubt gladly pay for very well built clones using new bodies.

When I saw the new Hot Rod and read the article on the new '69 convert bodies, my first thought was "cool!" I immediately 'built' one in my head: a "COPO" convertible. LeMans Blue or Dusk Blue, white/black interior, Bill Mitchell "Hardcore" 509-inch Rat dressed as a factory engine, M-22, 12-bolt 3:73 Posi, 15-inch Rallys with Firestone Oval 70s, discs all around, D80, rosewood, slightly lowered. Okay, maybe a new ZL-1 block with Dart aluminum heads. Nope, it wouldn't be a "real" car but it sure sounds like fun to me and it's not a Faberge egg that can never be taken out in the sunshine and DRIVEN---HARD.