For many years there have been wonderful recreations of exceptional Ferraris. We’re not talking about the Mera, an ill-proportioned Ferrari 308 built upon a Pontiac Fiero. Nor are we talking about the Puma, something that bore absolutely no resemblance to a Ferrari 246 Dino. No, we’re talking the upper echelon.
While not the absolute cream of the Cavallino Rampante crop, the McBurnie Spyder recreated the feel of a 365 GTS/4 Daytona in style, if not absolute substance. Nobody will ever forget the first episode of “Miami Vice” featuring Crockett and Tubbs rolling through deepest darkest Miami serenaded by Phil Collins’ “In The Air Tonight.”
Just the thought gives me chills and makes me want a snootful of blow. And speaking of, welcome to How Hard Can It Be?
The Favre 250 GTO appeared in the 1980s at the height of Ferrari madness. William Favre built his reproductions in Switzerland using reworked 250 GTE driveline components and hand-beaten aluminum body panels. Nobody knows how many he made, but figure some number less than 12. While he never sold them as real Ferraris, the quality and detail were so good the cars ruffled a lot people you probably didn’t really want to upset. Favre was found dead with a .357 Magnum nearby. The questions remains: if it really was suicide, why did the police open a murder investigation?
This Daytona-esque shell is said to look like the one used on “Miami Vice,” which would make it a McBurnie. It’s hard to say. The Spyder used in the show had larger fender flares than this car. However, some quick bouncing around on the Internet shows certain McBurnies with smaller, more accurate flares. This sometimes coincided with two rectangular headlights and sometimes with four round headlights, all under clear Plexiglas.
So who knows? This loose collection of fiberglass moulds and plastic buckets could have been fabricated by anyone from McBurnie to Mike Hudson to California Custom Coach. But whatever its origins, this plastic yet-to-be fantastic will require sickening only modest sums of cash and effort to be made into a real car. For the price asked, you are really getting little more than a shell, two different wire wheels, and maybe some cardboard salvation.
Which inevitably brings us to price. Let’s say you already have a C3 Corvette you just looped on a wet road, destroying the body but leaving the frame, drivetrain and interior intact. Let’s also say you could pick up this shell for less than the advertised US$996.00. Let’s finally say you have all the time in the world and a wicked-fast Internet connection on which to scour the globe for parts and support.
If it were our lunch money, we think it would be better spent hiring Jan Hammer to play our next office party.
[ Craigslist ]