Are general mayhem clones cool or stupid?

[furious70]

And what if you do it with a 69 Coronet instead?
My Coronet is my first car, so it's sentimental. And as a 318 car it's not worth squat. It's in ok shape but still wearing the 27 year old high school restoration on it. It's dark gray and could easily be matted to look like primer. I have an original red fender. I do not have a blue hood but that's probably not impossible to find. I have a fiberglass one I could patina.

I ask because even to do a light exterior resto and paint is going to be stupid money post covid.

 

[furious70]

I was going to do turbo 5.7 in it but hellcats have been coming down in price

 

[Kern Dog]

My opinion:
Fixing up an old car and getting it mechanically sound while delaying the body and paint are fine.

But taking a nice looking car and putting odd color fenders and mismatched tires on it…
No.

 

[BobH]

If that's what you want build it. Personally I've never seen the point in building a copy of someone else's vision, or asking other people what I should do. Just do what you want.

 

[diesel_lv]

Mayhem looks Kool, but it is "Their" car n creation, their idea. If that's the style you like, follow the concept, but don't copy.

 

[sam dupont]

Googled Mayhem and still don't have a clue. Pictures?

 

[SattyNoCar]

Googled Mayhem and still don't have a clue. Pictures?

No offense, but, Dude, really?? Try google again but General Mayhem.......

 

[moparedtn]

Googled Mayhem and still don't have a clue. Pictures?

 

[SattyNoCar]

Googled Mayhem and still don't have a clue. Pictures?

My FAVORITE episode with Mayhem, hands down!

 

[TexasRoadRunner68]

I think it’s a really cool car. It’s original. I dig the look for what it is, mismatched fenders and all. But I don’t see a reason to try to clone it. Get your ratty b body going and make your own! But hopefully you’ll at least put windows in it. It kills me to see Birdsong do all that work, only to have Freiburger choose to leave it windowless so all the water can get in while it inevitably sits between Roadkill shoots.

 

[RussT Plymouths]

It kills me to see Birdsong do all that work, only to have Freiburger choose to leave it windowless so all the water can get in while it inevitably sits between Roadkill shoots.

It should be fine as long as the water can get back out quickly, with some strategically placed drain holes.

 

[furious70]

If that's what you want build it. Personally I've never seen the point in building a copy of someone else's vision, or asking other people what I should do. Just do what you want.

It's not what I really want, but would be about $30k cheaper hence me thinking about it
What I really want is restored back to the white, black top, red gut it was in 1992 when I bought it. With the updated safety elements inside

 

[furious70]

Mayhem looks Kool, but it is "Their" car n creation, their idea. If that's the style you like, follow the concept, but don't copy.

I hadn't thought about my own version.... It kind of is it's own version right now, crappy bubbly high school resto

 

[#41]

Cheap, beat drivers are a lot of fun.... but no reason to copy something else. Make it unique.

 

[multimopes]

The fun factor is there, however, if you do build something like that and thrash it like that; a seat belt would be a good thing to add for your own good!

 

[moparedtn]

The original question of this thread: "Are general mayhem clones cool or stupid?"​

A very subjective question, to say the least. Depends on individual taste of course...

I didn't have a problem with the original concept because I knew:
a)it was content for their program, so they intentionally did stupid **** to the car for
dramatic effect
b)the car started out as next to nothing and it wasn't a pedigree car anyways, so whatever
they did improved on that
c)there was a desired, scripted result pre-planned for the episode and the car was built
to meet that

Now, given all that....would mimicking, copying, apeing their efforts out here in the real world
ever be considered "cool"?
No different than making yet another General Lee as far as I'm concerned, really.
You want to own a copy of a famous car, knock yourself out - but as for me, that goes against
everything I'm in the hobby 50+ years for.
YMMV

 

[dvw]

Nothing the matter with using old, worn parts. At the cost of body and paint I can see why stuff isn't always finished. I do have an issue with intentional poor workmanship and sloppiness. That's not cool. It's lazy.
Doug

 

[chargervert]

It looks presentable as it sits, just get it running and driving like he does on that Roadworthy rescues show. As much as I enjoy driving a freshly done car,cars you can drive anywhere are a lot more fun. Paint is overrated and the first scratch or chip is heartbreaking after all the work it took to get it to that level! I have been putting together a few cars I can just drive and not worry about. Cars you can lean on,and rest your beer on the fender!

 

[1967coronet]

I'm of the same opinion as Ed on this one, General Lee , Bullitt , ect famous cars copied I get it , cool.
But taking a pretty nice old mopar like yours the other direction to the Rat Rod side of the scale is not for me.
But to each their own, build it as you see fit.

 

[MarPar]

Honest opinion? Ghey.