# To clone or not to clone?



## maktope (May 22, 2013)

My 69 gto was a standard hard top coupe. The PO did a strange restoration too it that caught my eye and got me into Pontiacs. Currently the car is in the shop getting some work done. The owner of the shop offered a in my opinion a very fair deal for paint and decals to make the car a royal bob cat clone. I like the idea but I am unsure about having to say clone everytime someone asks about the car. Anyways you all seem knowledgeable so share some with me on this.


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## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

maktope said:


> My 69 gto was a standard hard top coupe. The PO did a strange restoration too it that caught my eye and got me into Pontiacs. Currently the car is in the shop getting some work done. The owner of the shop offered a in my opinion a very fair deal for paint and decals to make the car a royal bob cat clone. I like the idea but I am unsure about having to say clone everytime someone asks about the car. Anyways you all seem knowledgeable so share some with me on this.


It's all in what you want. That '65 Royal Bobcat Jim Wangers had and sold was a clone. It's all in what you want.

IMO: My Judge is a re-creation. I did it right though, its no cheap clone. I tore it apart and rebuilt it from the ground up. I had friends who have Judges help me. The graphics were measured and placed precisely as OEM. All parts non Judge were replaced with Judge parts. I used (well my buddy) used many concours pictures paying close attention to detail and the car was reassembled exactly like one. Color matches used. The car was very close except the manifolds were not Ram Air. It drove me berserk, I wanted a 100% match. I finally got them in. The Trans was rebuilt and the valve body specked. The only thing not correct is the block, however there are performance parts added when it was raced, the cam is of R/A standard. The power is virtually identical to my buddy's 1969 Judge. When I pulled the motor I was going to take it RaceKrafters they are local, they are in HPP all the time. I was going to have them re-rebuild the block as close as possible to a YZ. When we opened the engine up it was immaculate, looked new. My buddy built Ponchos and knows these motors, he put a less than 20K mile estimate on the motor. Why spend $$$$$ rebuilding it when it had upgrades and looked spotless?? I decided I will use the money elsewhere. We put the motor back together and reinstalled it. Suspension is not as Judge ...... big deal.
The P14 Palladium is the correct code.

I wanted a Judge in the worst way. Both times I looked... prices for what I wanted were 50kish. Would I use a 50K car as a driver? NO way. I wanted a driver. So..... for 1/2 the cost of what I wanted, I got a PHS GTO tore it apart and built it from the ground up as a Judge. NO ONE can tell the difference. It's a perfect match and in performance. 

The 20K I saved? I purchased my wife a matching # 2002 WS.6. 

I see clones and shake my head. MOST stop short. They apply graphics and say Judge. I laid out a game plan and built it. I saved a lot doing it, its identical to one and I DRIVE it and enjoy it. For many letting it sit in a garage and dusting it with bragging rights is fine, drive it? NO WAY... I have 100% of the fun at between 1/2-2/3 rd the cost....... I did this knowing what I was doing... took me 4 years in the off seasons but its done right or I'd not have done it.

To Clone or not to Clone..... IMO: if you do it....... do it right. You'll be glad ya did. :cheers


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

then call it a tribute... Royals are even more rare than Judges, Ace Wilson's Royal Pontiac in Royal Oak, MI did special dealer installed options and tuning packages, you would order your car and have it shipped to them, they would install tuning packages and in your case the stripes and the Royal badge. Royal also did the prep for magazine test cars for Jim Wangers, and were responsible for the infamous 64' 421 tri-power car that masqueraded as a 389 and went up against the Ferrari GTO in the Car and Driver tests. I see nothing wrong with cloning a car as long as you do not represent it as original for show or sale, it will not help the value and could possibly lower it compared to original.

heres an example:
http://www.streetlegaltv.com/news/muscle-cars-you-should-know-69-royal-bobcat-pontiac-gto-ram-air-v/


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## ALKYGTO (Mar 29, 2010)

:agree:agree IMO depends on the condition and originality of your car now...honestly a Royal Bobcat was just a supertune and some minor details, not a radical departure from stock or something that couldn't be returned to stock if you decided to sell or just got tired of the look. Even my car could be returned to "stock" although that would require a repaint. I honestly considered painting my car Warwick Blue or Crystal Turquoise but the wife wanted the "Judge" look. I might put the stripes on this year just to change up the look and break up all the orange.


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

lets see some pics of how the car looks now...


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## maktope (May 22, 2013)

Engine wise I am there. CI wise. Gotta make up my mind on doing the engine the way royal did. Or what my original plan was. The interior would have to be changed. Currently I have 2006 gto interior installed. I like the look and I know Pontiac guys would know royal. I really do like the idea, and yes it would have to be done right. For some reason its not simple to figure out for me. Thats why I asked. Here are a few pics as requested. I am just confused on what way to go


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## maktope (May 22, 2013)

Tribute I like that. The reason I am having the difficulty with this is 1 I am from MI but live in CA. So its always a plus to have a lil bit of home with you. Second there are things I will not change. Because well growing up in MI my whole family worked for GM. I can never prove it ofcourse but its a nice romance to think my Grandfather could have worked on my stearing box at saginaw, or the eaton gears are from my mom and so on. So there is that difficulty


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

I used to work in Berkley just a stones throw from the old Royal building. Nice looking car, as it's far from being original, i would say build what you like and want. The Royal stripes are in your face and either something people love or hate. If it was me i would just get a set of 17" x 9" Bandit rims and low profile rubber, lower it a few inches and go pro-touring as it looks to be done up nice as it is.


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## maktope (May 22, 2013)

Here is a short video of it running excuse my friend we put in almost 8 hrs on her that https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wReoUca_SbI&feature=youtube_gdata_player


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## DSMTiger (Nov 17, 2012)

Clones, Tributes, call them what you want, bottom line it is a car pretending to be something that it isn't. As was originally stated, you will be constantly explaining the car. Why not just do the performance upgrades without adding the fake badging? If you do the car right, you don' have any need to make people think that it is something that it isn't. They will look at your car for the build quality. JMHO


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## ALKYGTO (Mar 29, 2010)

I say just change the stance and a set of rims like Instig8tr said. Car is beautiful and I dig the late model interior. I would'nt put the _full _Royal stripes in white on it with that dark blue i think they would stand out too much. Maybe just the thin stripe down the side with the Royal badge on the end to break up all that solid color.


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## joesweeting (May 8, 2011)

I bought a Judge clone and removed the "The Judge" Decals since it was not a real Judge. Did keep stripes and of course the spoiler and hood tac. I might remove/change the stripe since people still ask me if it a real Judge. 

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## joesweeting (May 8, 2011)

joesweeting said:


> I bought a Judge clone and removed the "The Judge" Decals since it was not a real Judge. Did keep stripes and of course the spoiler and hood tac. I might remove/change the stripe since people still ask me if it a real Judge.
> 
> Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App




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## stevieray70 (Sep 26, 2011)

DSMTiger said:


> Clones, Tributes, call them what you want, bottom line it is a car pretending to be something that it isn't. As was originally stated, you will be constantly explaining the car. Why not just do the performance upgrades without adding the fake badging? If you do the car right, you don' have any need to make people think that it is something that it isn't. They will look at your car for the build quality. JMHO


Amen! Clones,recreations,tributes = fake!
I love it when I see a restored Le Mans, Tempest, Malibu, plain Camaro etc...
There are so many fake Judges around, I don't even check them out. I gravitate towards the nice Le Mans at the shows.
Then again....its their car so, to each their own.


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## stevieray70 (Sep 26, 2011)

joesweeting said:


> I bought a Judge clone and removed the "The Judge" Decals since it was not a real Judge. Did keep stripes and of course the spoiler and hood tac. I might remove/change the stripe since people still ask me if it a real Judge.
> 
> Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


I wish everyone was like you! Nice car!


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## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

This debate could go on til the end of time.

Its all in what you want. I reaffirm.... if you do it do it right, people generally won't ask.

I see more Shelby GT clones out there than anything, people oogle them and rarely negatives I see as many Yenko clones as well. Most are all positives. Do the same to a Judge and the horns come out the fangs grow on many. 

I appreciate all classics restored even those hap haphazardly done, not my taste but I don't lambaste. In the end its your car do with it what you want and don't worry what others think. 

I debated posting what I did to mine knowing it will piss people off. Know what? I don't give a damn, SCREW YOU and the horse you road in on. I'd rather have a re-created judge done right and correct from the ground up one I did from scratch knowing how to do it and knowing Judges, I can drive and enjoy than having one sitting in a garage hauled out on a trailer taken to a show put back and left to sit until I decide to trailer it again only to enjoy showing people pictures of it because I am too terrified to drive it.

I'd put my re-creation up against many real ones. Its done that right if I chose not to identify it MOST couldn't ID it for what it is without a code book. This is why I say DO IT RIGHT or not at all. Its those who have no clue on how to do it or want to screw people on the sale of one that brings people out of the woodwork to lambaste someone for preserving a car for their own enjoyment than to appease the detractors who think they know whats right and wrong on restoring a car.

A Judge didn't come from factory with 800 HP but I see no one saying OMG he has it on the track. Whats he thinking??? It's not original what an an a$$hole. OR do i see them saying OMG he put a lemans fender on it? Other lemans parts..... hang him. 

I know Jim Wangers and he looked my car over just before it was completed and HE told me how well it was done and he couldn't tell the difference before he signed it. To me that's the highest complement of all, more so than know it alls who think they know better than anyone what should and should not be done to ones own personal restoration. 

Unless YOUR car is 100% original with ALL GENUINE GTO parts YOUR A CLONE too. Lighten the hell up.


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## maktope (May 22, 2013)

Its something I never gave much thought. Untill the shop brought it up. I know their motovations done right it will drum up business. Done right customer is happy. Originally I was just going to have motor work and a few minor things fixed. Talked about it on a previous thread. And I had my mind made up. What got me asking was I never seen a royal or a royal clone (for that matter a judge either). I know if I went that rout it would expand my budget substantially. And I can live with that, and people giving grief I can live with that. I catch alot of crap already for the interior. But I love it. And thats what got me to make up my mind. I think I will just continue customizing it for me. Not to appeal to anyone else. I dont think cloning/tribute is a bad thing. Lets look at the numbers 3500 69 judges produced. You need them so my child can see at a show, and not on a computer screen. And that was what ultimately helped in the decision. My son is 4 and I let him help me work on the car. He has put a scratch on the hood, grubby paws all over it and all, but I want that I dont want to worry about him hurting a "show" car. So driveway and garage work it is. Maybe ill buy anothernproject and clone that one have it both ways.


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## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

maktope said:


> Its something I never gave much thought. Untill the shop brought it up. I know their motovations done right it will drum up business. Done right customer is happy. Originally I was just going to have motor work and a few minor things fixed. Talked about it on a previous thread. And I had my mind made up. What got me asking was I never seen a royal or a royal clone (for that matter a judge either). I know if I went that rout it would expand my budget substantially. And I can live with that, and people giving grief I can live with that. I catch alot of crap already for the interior. But I love it. And thats what got me to make up my mind. I think I will just continue customizing it for me. Not to appeal to anyone else. I dont think cloning/tribute is a bad thing. Lets look at the numbers 3500 69 judges produced. You need them so my child can see at a show, and not on a computer screen. And that was what ultimately helped in the decision. My son is 4 and I let him help me work on the car. He has put a scratch on the hood, grubby paws all over it and all, but I want that I dont want to worry about him hurting a "show" car. So driveway and garage work it is. Maybe ill buy anothernproject and clone that one have it both ways.


Like I said,, Wanger's '65 Royal Bobcat was a clone. He had no issue with it. It's good enough for him but not for some hot-shots who think a guy recreating theirs as a copy is a jacka$$? I wonder how many would have the balls to tell Wangers to his face he's an idiot for doing it? 

It's yours do what you want and enjoy. 

As I was getting ready to buy my '70 I found locally a Liberty Blue '69 matching numbers survivor. Good shape. I chose NOT to buy that because I would not take a matching numbers car and Judge it. That car now btw belongs to an 18 year old in our club whose father was looking for one for him when he was 15. He thanks me constantly. I know Judges and wanted one I could tear apart and build as one knowing how to do it and what to and not do. I did it in stages. To see a Car show Judge at a car show looking it over and comparing real Judges to it makes my efforts worthwhile. I do not enter mine in the Judge class. I've had Judge owners ask me how to do this or that.... and I am just a fake  99% of people have no clue. Of the 1% that do, 1/2 of them drive their own clones with a hybrid of other Pontiac parts on them but thats ok..........


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## stevieray70 (Sep 26, 2011)

You seem a little angry. Relax! Its the weekend. Enjoy your day.


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## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

Naa not angry....... just defending what I did but I have seen some really bad cloning and understand why it angers some

..... Enjoy my day? One day its fall the next its mid summer I wish the weather here would make up my mind....... tough to adjust 55 today 95 tomorrow etc.... lol........


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## stevieray70 (Sep 26, 2011)

GTO JUDGE said:


> Naa not angry....... just defending what I did but I have seen some really bad cloning and understand why it angers some
> 
> ..... Enjoy my day? One day its fall the next its mid summer I wish the weather here would make up my mind....... tough to adjust 55 today 95 tomorrow etc.... lol........


We will never agree on clones. 
At the end of the day, it's your car and you are obviously passionate about it. I can respect that. I can also concede you probably know way more about gto's than I ever will ( 8000 posts vs 20). So I hope to chat with you again when I have a stupid question.


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

last time at the thursday cruise in at the local ice cream place (get about 100 cars every week) as we were pulling in a guy walks up and says to me "thanks for not cloning that Tempest into a GTO". I wrestled with it right up to paint as to clone it, even went as far as filling in all the badge holes. In the end i am glad i kept it original on the outside. The way i looked at it was, if i had gotten this car when i was a kid what would i have done to it if i had the time and money. Answer: I would make it my own, adding the things i liked and wanted. Had it been a true GTO i would have went numbers matching with it being the survivor it was.


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## 68greengoat (Sep 15, 2005)

When it comes right down to it, your car, your cash, your choice........


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## stevieray70 (Sep 26, 2011)

Instg8ter said:


> last time at the thursday cruise in at the local ice cream place (get about 100 cars every week) as we were pulling in a guy walks up and says to me "thanks for not cloning that Tempest into a GTO". I wrestled with it right up to paint as to clone it, even went as far as filling in all the badge holes. In the end i am glad i kept it original on the outside. The way i looked at it was, if i had gotten this car when i was a kid what would i have done to it if i had the time and money. Answer: I would make it my own, adding the things i liked and wanted. Had it been a true GTO i would have went numbers matching with it being the survivor it was.


Good job not cloning! I try to say thanks every time I see a newly restored Tempest, Malibu, non Yenko Camaro, non "Hemi" Cuda etc...


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## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

stevieray70 said:


> We will never agree on clones.
> At the end of the day, it's your car and you are obviously passionate about it. I can respect that. I can also concede you probably know way more about gto's than I ever will ( 8000 posts vs 20). So I hope to chat with you again when I have a stupid question.


It's not that I know all there is to know on GTOs I can't hold a candle to many on here. But when I do something I do it right. At the end of all this I have a car that looks exactly like one and performs like one for 1/2 the cost. A car I built from scratch done right. I don't care about PHS documents on it. If I did I'd have one sitting in the dark and pictures of it to show folks. If I'd choose not to disclose it no one would know the difference. I wonder how many "authentic" Judges etc out there people are looking at and oogling over that if they only knew.....

I see many clones that draw the ire of many that are just awful and I just shake my head but it is what it is and if the owners happy thats all that matters. :cheers


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## ALKYGTO (Mar 29, 2010)

stevieray70 said:


> We will never agree on clones.
> At the end of the day, it's your car and you are obviously passionate about it. I can respect that. I can also concede you probably know way more about gto's than I ever will ( 8000 posts vs 20). So I hope to chat with you again when I have a stupid question.



At least he did'nt put a BB Chevy in it.......:willy:


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## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

ALKYGTO said:


> At least he did'nt put a BB Chevy in it.......:willy:


See the guy that put a 454 in an Orbit Orange Judge? The motor was left orange according to the pics.


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## maktope (May 22, 2013)

The 1st shop I went was recommended by a few chevy guys I know. Talking about rebuilding my 428 he says pull it put a 427 or 454 in it. If you wanna run, run a chevy bb. Needless to say he is not getting my business. Trying to figure out the poncho motor has been interesting. It isnt so much re learning but its relearning.


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

Statement: "pull it put a 427 or 454 in it. If you wanna run, run a chevy bb"
Translation "I don't know a damn thing about those Durn Pontiac Motors"


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## ALKYGTO (Mar 29, 2010)

Instg8ter said:


> Statement: "pull it put a 427 or 454 in it. If you wanna run, run a chevy bb"
> Translation "I don't know a damn thing about those Durn Pontiac Motors"



Or maybe he did...........:rofl::rofl::rofl:


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## ALKYGTO (Mar 29, 2010)

GTO JUDGE said:


> It's not that I know all there is to know on GTOs I can't hold a candle to many on here. But when I do something I do it right. At the end of all this I have a car that looks exactly like one and performs like one for 1/2 the cost. A car I built from scratch done right. I don't care about PHS documents on it. If I did I'd have one sitting in the dark and pictures of it to show folks. If I'd choose not to disclose it no one would know the difference. I wonder how many "authentic" Judges etc out there people are looking at and oogling over that if they only knew.....
> 
> I see many clones that draw the ire of many that are just awful and I just shake my head but it is what it is and if the owners happy thats all that matters. :cheers


GTO JUDGE IMO your car is beautiful and represents the Pontiac Brand and the spirit of the GTO and Judge. I think that by building a "driver" as opposed to a garage or strictly show queen is the way to go. These cars were meant to be driven and how rare a site is a Judge being driven on the street these days?

I hope you all know my "Cheby" comments are strictly tongue in cheek fellas and I respect all your cars and the time you all put into em'. In the end I love Pontiacs especially the looks and style and someday I may even put my original motor back in my car. 







But not for now.....


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

had one guy tell me they make great boat anchors Alky...:rofl:, anything with a blower can go in my car. 

I agree Judge, I would much rather have one to drive than one as garage art. And your color combo is my favorite for the Judges, classy and as understated as the Judges get.


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

If it's just gunna sit in the garage or trailer why even have them?? I truly believe they should be driven every day!! (if it's not raining)! :cheers


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## joesweeting (May 8, 2011)

ALKYGTO said:


> Or maybe he did...........:rofl::rofl::rofl:


I also had a few people recommend putting a 454 in my GTO. The main reason they recommend it parts are a lot cheaper. 

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## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

ALKYGTO said:


> GTO JUDGE IMO your car is beautiful and represents the Pontiac Brand and the spirit of the GTO and Judge. I think that by building a "driver" as opposed to a garage or strictly show queen is the way to go. These cars were meant to be driven and how rare a site is a Judge being driven on the street these days?
> 
> I hope you all know my "Cheby" comments are strictly tongue in cheek fellas and I respect all your cars and the time you all put into em'. In the end I love Pontiacs especially the looks and style and someday I may even put my original motor back in my car.
> 
> ...


Thanks..... believe me I wanted a factory one both times, BAD I looked with intent... and I had John Johnson of the GTOAA helping me look. (John is the GTOAA's Judge expert) Prices for what I wanted were in the 50-55K range. I just couldn't see spending that much. So the first round I ordered my 2005. Told the wife I will wait and look down the road, maybe I can find one cheaper later on. I was not gonna spend 30K+ then put another 20K into it, I'd be right at what I wanted nearly turn key.

The bug got me again but still for what I wanted was 50K or so. I then decided, screw it I will build my own and for a hell of a lot less. For the purpose I wanted it for it will suit me just fine. I am not all caught up in a numbers game and the VIN is just that, a numbers game, 50-55K for a series of numbers? For what I want it for? If I were into concours and museum quality then my story would be different. 

I despise poor clone jobs and understand those critical of them but I appreciate the car in that condition drivable rather than in a junk heap. The guys doing the work is another story. :willy: .. Mine looks like it came down the assy line as one.... at 1/2-2/3 cost. I'd a not done it any other way.


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## old-goat (Jul 10, 2011)

The problem I have with most clones, is the owners throw on a couple of badges and try to pass it off as something it isn't - if your going to clone a car, do it exactly as the factory would have. I have the same issues with people that try to add "options' to their car that it didn't come with ie; they add poor quality aftermarket exhaust splitters and wood grain steering wheels, hood tach etc. If you add "factory options" that your car didn't have isn't that "cloning" as well? If your going to add the factory options, get the real deal or at least the best quality reproduction piece available. I may be a little hypocritical as my car isn't original either, but I don't claim it to be - it was raced quite a bit by a couple of dumb teenage kids back in the day, ( me and my brother) and the original 389 4bbl. engine and 4 speed trans went to the scrap yard in 1973 - a couple of fenders, who knows how many transmissions, and 4 engines later I now run an engine from a '70 Bonneville 455 with tri-power and it still has a Muncie 4 speed with the original Hurst shifter. I know my car will never be a museum piece so I don't claim to have done a frame off restoration, but rather I call it a frame off rebuild that I built to be a nice driver, and it's a little bit hot roddy, but I used genuine parts as much as possible and restored things like the black plastic steering wheel, installed a PUI interior ( I briefly considered a custom interior) and I'll paint it it's original color to try to keep it's personality. The bottom line is, it's your car, your the one that will look at it every day so do what you want. I had a wise man tell me a while ago, if you keep it looking factory, no one can criticize it, but as soon as you modify something, everyone will have something to say about it.


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## Kruiser (Aug 7, 2013)

*Considering a purchase and rebuild*

I am wanting to get a car to work on. I've had my '56 Chevy Convertible for 30 years, and am wanting to have something to work on, and a non-convertible. I've been considering between a '61 Chevy Bubbletop, and a '65 GTO.

Now, I want something to drive, that gets decent mileage, and I can 'polish up nice'. I appreciate original restorations, but don't want to go that route. If I did that, I wouldn't want to drive it. Want to put a late model LS engine in it.

So, as I'm not going to be original anyway, that takes me toward considering doing a clone/tribute, as I like the look of the GTO. I suppose, especially the hood. I guess I would need to decide whether to do an accurate clone or not.

So all that being said, I don't know what all I would need to do to make it more accurate. Anyone know of any good links for info on that?

Any thoughts or input appreciated. This is my first post...maybe I'll be quite active here before long ;-)


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

If you're putting an LS engine in it, accuracy is a moot point.


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## Kruiser (Aug 7, 2013)

geeteeohguy said:


> If you're putting an LS engine in it, accuracy is a moot point.


That goes without saying. I surely know that.

That doesn't mean I don't want the look to be right, in general. I'll likely even change guages; may consider custom interior. Although, the original upholstery design on these is nice.

I don't plan to try to fool anyone...but nothing wrong with wanting the overall body symbols to look right.


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

if you are going that route get a Tempest or LeMans and clone into GTO with LS. Original cost of the car will be much cheaper than a GTO in similar condition. Check out the "Mutant GTO" thread, he's taking it a step further and grafting the 65' body shell on to the 05' chassis, with 05' dash and interior.


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## maktope (May 22, 2013)

I weighed the options. From the start of this post, and during the duration my car sat in the driveway as I tried to figure out what to do. I did nothin not even order the parts to get it running and on the road. I missed the whole summer driving season basically over spilled milk. In the end ive spent a lot of money doing a resto mod. Making it "mine". It seemed ridiculous to start over again. If it was a numbers matching or even close to original it would be a different story. I have a pontiac frankenstien that happens to be a gto. 69 body. 2006 seats 70 gran prix motor. I have had more fun trying to create a great pontiac then a tribute. The clone idea was great and maybe my next car will go that route. But as old goat said regardless of what way you go use real parts. Quality is key. And I am in the expensive process of removing alot of parts because I shopped by price.


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## 29585 (Aug 4, 2013)

I know this is an old thread, but my search turned it up as it was relevant to my current question so i read through it, stripes or no stripes? I decided yes I'm striping.

I just ordered my White-Yellow-Olive Judge Stripe kit and am planning on placing at least the stripes and perhaps the lettering on my 69 Midnight Green car. I know I'll catch hell from some Judge purists, but I'm willing to explain it away at the local summer shows this summer as a real PHS 242-car, Judge recreation. Since its not a numbers matching car i thought I'd go ahead and do it. I'll post pictures once I have the stripes affixed.


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## bigD (Jul 21, 2016)

I see absolutely no harm in building a clone of any car, as long as you don't try to pass it off as the real thing. 

Claiming it's real, when it isn't, would be lying & intentional deception. 

Most average guys will never be able to afford an original, rare muscle car of any kind. I'd much rather see an occasional clone than to only see an original, in pics, taken at some collectors climate controlled storage building, beside all his other high dollar collector cars.


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## 29585 (Aug 4, 2013)

thanks for chiming in bigD, 

I felt that way too, should be no harm done as long as I'm truthful about it. Some more of my reasoning was the other day I was out driving around in my pickup truck and saw what was a 70' SS 454 Chevelle driving down the road and it made me feel like I was watching an episode of The Wonder Years. I have no idea if it was a real SS or a clone (most likely a clone as there were very few made) but I really enjoyed seeing it and made sure I gave the guy a big thumbs-up for brightening my day. So in a way, I am putting the Judge Stripes on my 242 car in order to maybe bring a smile to some other peoples faces as they see me tooling down the avenue on Saturday night. 

cpg


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## Charles Rummel (Apr 30, 2017)

It's YOUR car, so if like it better as a Royal Bobcat then it is one; Unless you sell it.


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