After reading all on the discourse on the "Clone" subject, I feel compelled
to add my opinion.
First, an owner should be able to do whatever he wants to his own car. We
may not agree, we may not like it, but it is his property. If he chooses to
mislead others into believing it is something other than it started out as,
he is a little bit of a lair or bragart. If he misrepresents or ommits the
truth when it is for sale to obtain a higher price, then he is a thief and a
con-man. If he offers to tell the truth about the car's history and
modifications, then he is an honest man, whatever price the buyer is willing
to pay.
Second, the definition of a "clone" is a gray area. Someplace between a
simple honest restoration (same paint and same interior) and swapping the
VIN tag from an unrepairable expensive rare model to a cheaper common model,
the vehicle becomes a clone. If you replace one fender, I think we all agree
it is not a clone. How about 2 fenders? And a couple of quarter panels?
Doors? A partial floor? Complete floor? All of the preceding as an entire
body? Replacing all of the above with Belvedere parts and reusing the
original Fury trim and engine? Same body but replacing a rusted out frame?
When the original and donor car are both carved up and reassembled, which
model is it? (I know a fellow who could not get a permit to replace his
garage due to zoning rule changes. But he was grandfathered in to repair it.
He replaced one wall at a time, one per year, until all 4 walls and the roof
were new. Is this a repaired original, new, or a clone of new?) Identical,
but different engine block? How about options? Often the rare car is simply
an uncommon major option.
A 56 Plymouth Fury is a special series, with a different identity (body,
trim, paint, interior, engine). But a 56 Dodge D500 is just an optional
upgrade engine. Technically no different than changing from a standard radio
to a Town & Country radio. If you change the radio option, it is not a
clone, but if you change the engine option, is it a clone? Is changing a
common 270 Poly V8 to a common 315 Poly V8 a clone? Is changing a 315 Poly
to a 315 D500 Hemi a clone? I changed both the radio and engine on mine.
My personal preferance is to maintain the appearance as original as
possible, using factory original parts were it shows. Internally, using
newer parts for improved reliability is OK. Such as unleaded valves, mild
cam changes, rebuilt radio internals, etc. On one of my other cars (type O),
I have added power windows, seats, door locks, trunk release, cruise, 8
track, tranny cooler, hood lock, etc. All using every factory part, nut and
bolt from salvaged cars and installed per the factory assembly line manual
(usually easier than re-engineering a cluge). Nobody cares about these
option changes if done in original style with factory parts (non-clone), but
they would scream if I changed the series of the car to a more expensive one
(clone) (luckily it started out there, and I have the build card to prove
it.)
I think a clone could be defined as a major upgrade in the value of a car by
changing the appearance to imitate a more expensive model, usually requiring
a VIN change. The bottom line is that the definition of a clone, like
beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.
Dave Homstad
56 Dodge D500
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