Car guys freak out about specific classic historic rides – the Gull Wing Mercedes Benz, the Porsche 550 Spyder James Dean crashed or a sick Shelby Cobra. The easiest way to get your fill of vehicles like these is to lounge on the couch and watch marathon coverage of the Barrett-Jackson car auctions on Speed. But another option is becoming more available and more faithful to the originals – replica rides. Check out some of our favorite car copies.
Mercedes 300 SL Gullwing
Perhaps the most coveted car of all time is the preposterously gorgeous 1950s Mercedes 300 SL Gullwing coupe. We just found an unrestored 1955 model for sale online for a mere $525,000. Few have that much scratch, but if you do have some disposable income you might consider one of the copies made about 20 years ago by Tony Ostermeier. According to one enthusiast site, “Faithful to the original car in so many respects, this Gullwing fools most enthusiasts at first glance.” One recently sold at auction for $120,000.
1967 Shelby Mustang GT 500
Maybe the most wicked replica car on the market right now is a version of the 1967 Shelby Mustang GT 500 (“Eleanor”) piloted by Nicolas Cage in Gone in 60 Seconds. A 535-horse base model starts at about $140,000, but why not upgrade to the insane 750-horse version for about $190,000. Mid-life crisis eliminated.
1955 Porsche 550 Spyder
Even though it is known as a cursed car because James Dean died in one, many still covet the awesomely smooth lines of the 1955 Porsche 550 Spyder. An original can set you back about 800 large, but a sweet copy by a company called Beck goes for only $27,500 (sans engine and transmission). Just be careful on the turns.
1965 427 S/C Cobra
Shelby Cobra, the ultimate muscle car. And also the ultimate bank breaker – an original 1965 427 S/C Cobra recently went at auction for $935K. There are a lot of garages that recreate this beast, and one we like is Backdraft Racing out of Florida. A 580-horse model recently sold for $43,000.
1965 Cheetah
If you are looking for an even more vicious head-snapper than a Cobra copy, consider the Bill Thomas 1965 Cheetah replica. The car was supposed to go head to head with the Cobra, and the prototype blasted to 215 on the track at Daytona. But fire destroyed the factory and the car went nowhere. Until today. One of Thomas’ recent recreations, which sports a 350-horse Chevy motor, was on sale for about $100K.
1966 Batmobile
If you want to go crazy this Halloween, we suggest you invest in an Officially Licensed 1966 Batmobile Replica. It will set you back $150,000, but it’s amazingly accurate and even has a crazy flame-thrower out of the rear end.
1969 Camaro
Chevy’s bold new Camaro design is super sweet, but nothing beats a bitchin’ 1969 Camaro. So if you’re in the market for a new old Camaro, check out North Carolina’s Classic Automotive Restoration Specialists. At about $100K, their repro costs about 4 times as much as a new new one, but if you’re a man who loves the classics, this car may be roaring your name.
1967 Austin Healey 3000
One of the most elegant little sports cars ever made was the 1967 Austin Healey 3000. An ace in the rally scene, it featured a 150-horse 6-cylinder motor. If that’s not enough pop for you, Florida’s Component Roadster Development can make you a new one with a 350 V8 for about $45,000.
