Had a couple of the real deals back in the day when they were still daily transportation, one was a ’70 Cuda vert, BB,4pd. I sold them long before they went price nuts. Over the decades after getting married, having kids, buying houses, restored a few vehicles that were not of the elite so made them more like it.
It was starting out with the same body (in my case verts liking them) and while tearing them down to an empty shell, adding features when putting back together that the factory didn’t; though were available depending on how it was optioned. It was me adding them that the assemblers at the factory didn’t per orders. Most of the cloning (or pardon me, tributing) was using the same OE options – no buckets, console, rally dash, trim, HD suspension, 4bbl, duals, gearing, etc? Located them and installed. Along the way adding safety features that weren’t always available back when they were made. Just never went so far as re-badging.
Fortunate enough now to buy a real deal, when I wasn’t earlier. No longer have that interest. The one I have being a partial tribute, is the result of years of rebuilding just the way I prefer. I could have gone BB, though I wondered when I would use all the extra horses, racing days are long gone, take it to some shows, fewer than I used to, mostly taking it out in the country with a few car friends or errands (when I don’t have to be concerned where it’s parked). Having around 325 HP, it is fun enough for me to drive.
