507's - Common as Buses!

[jaguartvr]

To be fair the reg number on the listing is xxxxx but it should state private plate not included.
The V5 could still be at DVLA being changed, you wouldn’t want to not advertise the car for 6 weeks and risk losing a sale just because you were waiting for the DVLA.
Buying a Bentley is easy, paying for its maintenance is a whole world of pain, check out some of the YouTube videos, they seem to have a lot of electrical issues.

 

[Ianmc]

I'd rather buy the very best S54 Z3 M roadster or a decent MC for that money; likely I am missing the point though.

 

[Dxbolton]

To be fair the reg number on the listing is xxxxx but it should state private plate not included.
The V5 could still be at DVLA being changed, you wouldn’t want to not advertise the car for 6 weeks and risk losing a sale just because you were waiting for the DVLA.
Buying a Bentley is easy, paying for its maintenance is a whole world of pain, check out some of the YouTube videos, they seem to have a lot of electrical issues.

The blue car was completed in August, and my log book took 5 days to come back. 5 months was ample time to make the changes before selling.

 

[DaveP]

Additional notes.
the yellow car is not showing the correct reg number, according toDVLA.

the blue car is still registered as a Z3, and colour Black on the DVLA database.
When changing the body style Dvla ask for before and after photos, something a new owner probably won’t be able to obtain. A can of worms could await a future buyer!

The reg plates must be for pics only as they appear on the ZGT also.

Good spot on the lack of rereg.

 

[jaguartvr]

The blue car was completed in August, and my log book took 5 days to come back. 5 months was ample time to make the changes before selling.

that’s worrying, if they don’t have the before pictures it could cause the new owner problems.
It could be that the builder isn’t on a forum and doesn’t know the rules. One reason to be a member.

 

[Pingu]

I'd rather buy the very best S54 Z3 M roadster or a decent MC for that money; likely I am missing the point though.

I don't think you would get the best MR for that. You would get the most expensive. The best MR is probably in the £20k - £30k range, unless you want a museum exhibit with knackered seals.

MC would be a good call.

I don't get why these kits are so expensive, either - but I only complain at insurance time.

The prices do reflect the build costs without a massive "profit", but I wouldn't base a business around building them. A hobby business, maybe, but not a real business.

There can't be many hobbies where you can make a "profit". You'd be lucky to get around minimum wage if you were to price the labour.

"Profit" = Sale Price - Cost of Parts (excluding labour, facilities and special tools)* *= a massive chunk of the real cost for a business


btw, HMRC is going after anyone who sells more than £1750 through eBay, so anything that HMRC considers is profit will be subject to tax.

 

[Duncodin]

Both cars are so similar. Even down to the little indicators in the lower front wing. Same style wheels and wing mirrors in the same place and same side gills.

If you managed to get this forum's 507 builders in the same place at the same time and compared our cars I bet none of us would have any of those things the same as anyone else.

They are tribute kits. I'd say they were both built by the same person/company.

 

[Ade33]

Personally don't get the replica 507 thing but if it provides enjoyment to those that do, so be it!

The strange thing about these and things like it is everyone will assume its a replica

I go to a summer evening classic car gathering at Whichford near Banbury each year..There is a lady who owns a genuine Ford GT40 (the original one) and brings it down there regularly. It's comical hearing all the armchair experts telling their friends that its a replica.

Those that have heard of Caffeine and the Machine near Stratford will know that Nick Masons daughter sometimes brings her Dads Ferrari GT0 for a run there...again I wonder how many think its the real thing and not a converted Datsun!

 

[Duncodin]

Personally don't get the replica 507 thing but if it provides enjoyment to those that do, so be it!

The strange thing about these and things like it is everyone will assume its a replica

I go to a summer evening classic car gathering at Whichford near Banbury each year..There is a lady who owns a genuine Ford GT40 (the original one) and brings it down there regularly. It's comical hearing all the armchair experts telling their friends that its a replica.

Those that have heard of Caffeine and the Machine near Stratford will know that Nick Masons daughter sometimes brings her Dads Ferrari GT0 for a run there...again I wonder how many think its the real thing and not a converted Datsun!

You probably mean that you don't get the replica "Anything" thing. Or are there some replicas you do get?

The enjoyment is in the building of it. So many people build a car and, once finished, they're bored. Get rid of it and start another kit. The driving just isn't as much fun as the building.

But it's a bit like wearing a Rolex. So many fakes out there that everyone assumes they're all fakes. But the wearer of a real one doesn't care. He knows it's real and if everyone else thinks it's a fake then at least he won't get mugged while he's out on a dark night walking the dog.

 

[Pond]

Personally don't get the replica 507 thing but if it provides enjoyment to those that do, so be it!

The strange thing about these and things like it is everyone will assume its a replica

I go to a summer evening classic car gathering at Whichford near Banbury each year..There is a lady who owns a genuine Ford GT40 (the original one) and brings it down there regularly. It's comical hearing all the armchair experts telling their friends that its a replica.

Those that have heard of Caffeine and the Machine near Stratford will know that Nick Masons daughter sometimes brings her Dads Ferrari GT0 for a run there...again I wonder how many think its the real thing and not a converted Datsun!

We are all different and have different tastes, which can only be a good thing.
I personally don't get the Z3 thing (not a popular opinion on here admittedly), as I find them ugly, but understand a lot of people think they are pretty. I think the E89 Z4 is an extremely pretty car, though. Many don't.
I want to do my 'replica' as the original car is, for me, the most beautiful automotive thing ever produced. If I can do the original justice as close as possible, then it will be worth the time, effort, frustration and money IMHO.
Of course if I build a bag of crap and scrap it, then it will be one less decent 3 litre Z3 on the road, which will help resale values of the others!

 

[Pingu]

The enjoyment is in the building of it. So many people build a car and, once finished, they're bored. Get rid of it and start another kit. The driving just isn't as much fun as the building.

For me, this is 100% right. This is why I don't get why a car that I made is worth four times more to somebody else than one that was built by a multi-billion dollar mega company.

I could understand it, if it were a really intricate and beautifully crafted piece of engineering made using an English wheel and hundreds of hours of linishing metal - but it really isn't. It's a canoe on top of a 20 year old car.

None of that detracts from knowing that I'm driving something that I built - that's what's worth the price .

 

[Pond]

This is why I don't get why a car that I made is worth four times more to somebody else than one that was built by a multi-billion dollar mega company.

I sort of do get that, although I wouldn't do it. A well built replica is the nearest you are ever going to get, realistically, to a very rare model of car. Many people are not interested in building a car, but love the specific model. So if you can't build one and want one, you have to buy one. The prices reflect rarity and desirability as much as costs to build IMO.

It's a canoe on top of a 20 year old car.

Great analogy. I'm going to use that!
"What car are you building?"
"A Z3 with a canoe stuck to it"

 

[Dxbolton]

Both cars are so similar. Even down to the little indicators in the lower front wing. Same style wheels and wing mirrors in the same place and same side gills.

If you managed to get this forum's 507 builders in the same place at the same time and compared our cars I bet none of us would have any of those things the same as anyone else.

They are tribute kits. I'd say they were both built by the same person/company.

They were built by the same person.

 

[Pond]

They were built by the same person.

No s*** Sherlock!

 

[Duncodin]

They were built by the same person.

Do we know who?

 

[Dxbolton]

Do we know who?

No. Very secretive.
shame that ideas couldn’t be shared with other builders

 

[Duncodin]

They look to be pretty standard tribute builds although can't make out what the front indicator is made of. Also the two exhaust pipes which look very 507-like. Are they functional or just eye candy.

 

[Dxbolton]

They look to be pretty standard tribute builds although can't make out what the front indicator is made of. Also the two exhaust pipes which look very 507-like. Are they functional or just eye candy.

I expect the pipes are functional as I’m having a set made shortly,
Not sure what they did for indicators but they look like Lucas units on a pedestal. I used VW Karmann ghia/ split screen style

 

[Duncodin]

I expect the pipes are functional as I’m having a set made shortly,

How'd you do that? Do you come out of the rear silencer and go sideways to either side of the car and then do another 90 degree turn to come out the back?

 

[t-tony]

That's how they did the Z3 and you see even 2.0 Z3 with twin exhausts. They sound bloody good too.

Tony.